What is the foundational civilizational culture of India that is Bharat? Some Reflections from the essence of the Veda, for the ‘educated’ us

Our religious and spiritual based culture is best expressed as Sanatana Dharma, i.e., universal and eternal human values, which when imbibed and practiced in daily work and living, lead us on the critical path to attain the highest human goal and purpose of life.

The fundamental question and the answer are that the very first beings must have an idea of the plan and purpose of all this Creation, where we’ve all willy nilly landed, without knowing why, for what, where to & how!

Modern problem: ‘If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there’, says Lewis Carroll, in Alice in Wonderland; we are all like Alice, in a state of perpetual purposelessness! Vedas clarify why I am here & where am I going! Shouldn’t there be a creator’s design, an Operation Manual for creation, and spiritual guidance for the very first beings or men, good or bad, Adam(i) & Eve or Monkeys?

Mahatma Gandhi says the Vedas represent the truth; they are infinite. But who has known them in their entirety? What has ever been known in its entirety? What goes today by the name of the Vedas are not even a millionth part of the real Veda – the Book of knowledge. And who knows the entire meaning of even the few books that we have?

Rather than wade through these infinite complications, our sages taught us to learn one thing: As with the Self, so with the Universe. It is not possible to scan the universe, but we can scan the Self (within us all and in every being and thing).

Know the Self and you know the universe. But even knowledge of the Self within, presupposes ceaseless striving, not only ceaseless but pure, and pure striving presupposes a pure heart, which in its turn depends on the practice of yamas and niyamas – the cardinal and causal virtues, ‘Do & Don’t’ of moral, ethical, righteous conduct, aka Karma Yoga, worship of God in man and in all Creation.

The Vedas are that by the study of which we attain the knowledge of the whole; of our Self, of the purpose of our being, of creation, of Brahman, the infinite divinity, the one God.

Veda literally means “Knowledge”, and implies that Knowledge which is beyond sense perception, and which leads to wisdom. Unlike other modern one-person, one-scripture separatist religions that we know of today, there is no religion as Hinduism. People living in this region of Bharat, were called Bharati, because they were focused on ‘striving (rati) for the highest illumination (Bha)’.

Our culture of Sanatana dharma enjoins on all of us (irrespective of who and what we’re or what our religion, status, rich or poor, is) to get educated from childhood to ‘Know’ and to remain committed to kartavya-palan, righteous conduct based on universal and eternal human values, following which any and all beings can attain Perfection, the goal of life.

It holds that anyone who sincerely practices ‘Sadhna’, Self-development efforts, and acquires the competencies and disciplines, will also attain the same infinite Truth, God realization, and it is the Dharma, righteous duty, of all beings to strive to realize this infinite divine Truth, following their tendencies, religions and paths on menu!

Sanatana-Dharma is based on the actual experience and spiritual realizations of not just one or two but a galaxy of pure, selfless men of wisdom, called Rishis or Seers, Prophets, Teachers, Founders of Religions.

This wisdom is not dependent on any one religion, prophet; nor has it originated from any one person at a particular period of time.

Wisdom of being and doing good, does not depend on the authority of any one holy book, person or persons and its uniqueness is that it is based on universal Truths and eternal principles, and holds that anyone trying to do and be good and better towards the highest and best, following any path or any religion, will attain the same highest perfection.

Vedas were not meant to relate to any specific religion, though now they are associated with Hinduism, Sanskrit language, but we’re not even taught of it, today! Vivekananda famously said, if there is ever to be a universal religion… it will be a religion which will have no place for persecution or intolerance in its polity, which will recognize divinity in every man and woman, and whose whole scope, whose whole force, will be created in aiding humanity to realize its own true, divine nature.