From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Shankara Bharadwaj Khandavalli
There are four Upavedas: Dhanurveda, Gandharvaveda, Ayurveda and Arthasastra. Some schools hold Sthapatyaveda as the fourth Upaveda instead of Arthasastra.
- Dhanurveda is the science of warfare.
- Gandharvaveda is the study if aesthetics and it speaks of all art-forms like music, dance, poetry, sculpture, and erotica.
- Ayurveda is the science of health and life.
- Arthasastra deals with public administration, governance, economy and polity.
- Sthapatyaveda relates with engineering and Architecture.
All these sciences/arts are discussed not just from their technical perspective (though that is primarily done), but also as a means to transcendence.