Vedic Culture-V; Pujya Gurudev

Fundamental Tenets of Vedic Culture

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

The best way to understand and measure the depth of our invaluable culture is to adopt its great values in our conduct, in every act of our life, and set a living example of its preeminence today. The dreaded threats to the very existence of humanity, the ever - rising world crisis and calamitous adversities of the present times have made it all the more important and relevant today to adopt this culture of loving kindness, compassion and universality. It holds practical universal solutions to the gigantic problems of this critical phase of human history. It also holds the 'magical key' to a bright future of global peace and happiness. 

  Notes: 1. Varnas: The system of four varnas was a social classification according to one's attitude, character and deeds and was later on associated with family-profession. The misconceptions of medieval times misinterpreted it with caste and creed. 
            2. Ashrama: Four phases of one's life for ideal combinations of duty-bound, cheerful, prosperous and progressive life; each of about 25 year for an optimum span of 100 years of life. The first, Brahmcarya Ashrama was supposed to be the age of education and personality development in the Gurukuls; the second, the Grahasth Ashrama was meant to be for worldly growth, marriage, and contribution to the healthy progress of the family and society. The Vanprastha and Sanyasa, Ashramas of the later phases of the life were set for dedication to social service after completing the familial responsibilities and for spiritual enlightenment and evolution of one's own life. 

3. Brahmcharya:   the discipline of physical and mental chastity. It incorporates piety of character, stability of mind and body for natural avoidance or continence of erotic thinking, carnal desire and sexual indulgence. A devotee used to offer water to Lord Shiva after bathing in The Ganga. One day he met a sick man, on his way to the temple who was burning with high fever. The sick man entreated the devotee to give him water to quench his thirst but the devotee refused saying that it was for the Lord. At night the devotee dreamed of the Lord being ill. He asked for the reason. The Lord said that you did not help the sick, a living form of divinity, and bathed my symbolic idol with it instead. That was a sin for me, and as a result I am sick. From the next day the devotee started selflessly and lovingly serving the poor and the needy as living idols of his Lord. This he considered as true worship thenceforth.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma