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Our culture includes the Vedas and Upanishads which were evolved over time. It was a gradual evolution extending over an indefinite period of time.

Initially, the Vedic thinkers looked at natural forces and assigned super-human powers and worshipped them. The sun became an object of worship. They found a kind of a cyclic-ness, loyalty and allegiance on the part of the sun so far as our life upon the earth is concerned. So, in the Vedas there are many hymns addressing the Sun. The Rg Vedic Gayatri Mantra is addressed to the Sun.

Swamiji says that the Rigvedic Gayatri is not really addressed to the Sun God. It is addressed to the indwelling presence which shapes and also leads our intelligence and the mind. The Vedic thoughts ultimately reached the Upanishadic level, where they were able to come face-to-face with the Supreme Reality, the indwelling spiritual presence called the Self.

Swamiji concludes saying that nothing will remain an eternal memorial except the thoughts, aspirations, ideals and objectives which are presented in the form of written literature. It is such a literature that we have in the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and allied texts. They have to be identified, evaluated, appreciated and preserved.

Shlokas in the track:

तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ।।
Rigveda 3.62.10

आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः
Rigveda 1.89.1

PR 28 Jun 2013