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 “If there is honesty in India today, any hospitality, any charity – any aversion to evil, any love to be good, it is due to whatever remains of the old faith and the old culture”. Sri C. Rajgopalachari

Introduction

Everybody takes pride in the heritage and cultural value system of ones own society. So are Indians – proud of their rich heritage and cultural values.

Vedic Indian philosophy, a gold mine of knowledge – Most of Vedic Indian philosophy is a gold mine of knowledge, which inspired not only Indians, but foreigners as well. Intellectuals from various countries have translated it in their own languages and reinterpreted it for a rational mind. It still commands the respect and attention of an average Indian.

‘Vedas’, ‘Smritis’ ‘Sutras’, and ‘Upanishads’

In the beginning, the priestly schools had devised a most remarkable and effective system of transferring knowledge to succeeding generations in the form of hymns, restricting it only to those, possessing brilliant feats of memory and capability to keep extreme sanctity. Later on, it was put together in ‘Vedas’, ‘Smritis’ ‘Sutras’, and ‘Upanishads’, which are not only religious books, but also a perfect guide to living a better life.

“Ocean of knowledge in a jar.”

These Epics “contain an ocean of knowledge in a jar.” It is a magnificent example of scientific division and orderly arrangement of rules, in a few words, in different branches of human knowledge, covering almost all the aspects of life, be it phonetics, arts, literature, medicine, polity, or metrics. Its rituals are techniques for leading a harmonious life. They speak of everything- on staying healthy, social evils, improving concentration and tenets of behavior, which are relevant even today.

Nurtures basic human instincts over nature

After a deep study of natural instincts, inherent attributes and natural behavioral pattern of human beings, Indians   have developed their value system. It has developed the philosophy of  ‘Sanatan Dharma’ (eternal value system), which nurtures basic human instincts over nature. It describes the basic physical, mental and spiritual needs of human beings at different stages of life. Its values and rituals give a purpose to live for and  and its ideals act as incentives for common-men.

Spot out gems

Only after raising oneself from ignorance, one can understand the greatness of Vedic literature. A knowledgeable person, like a jeweler, can spot out gems from this ocean of knowledge; pick them up and leave the undesired obsolete elements developed into it with passage of time.

Today, when Indians are getting away from their roots, it is important to learn something worthwhile from these epics, instill right values in themselves and get the strength to have their feet firmly on the ground.