Article sent from The Hindu on indiaserver.com

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Hari Om!

 

This article in The Hindu is based on a lecture by Swami Paramaatmaanandaji

(Guruji of Sri Sadanandaji of our list). Swamiji beautifully states and explains

role of Vedic culture as a medium for human beings to grow and actualise their

full potential. Swamiji further emphasizes that Vedic culture is a religious one

and unique, which equips an individual to realise both material and spiritual

ends - the

purpose of human life.

 

regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

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This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Vedic culture ensures all-round growth

 

CHENNAI, MARCH 20. A question often asked is ``What is the

purpose of life?'' and one method of answering it is by looking

at nature itself. Among living beings, plants and animals seem to

have the objective of attaining maximum growth and in the process

provide for others also. If we try to emulate their example we

should also ensure our full growth and contribute our mite to

society. But, in the case of human beings it is obvious that they

are far more complex.

 

For human beings physical growth is the easiest to attain with

proper nourishment and by warding off diseases. Then we have to

grow mentally and psychologically also to become resilient enough

to withstand the pressures of life. The next is intellectual

development which is the capacity to learn and gain knowledge

which is unique to human beings. Knowledge is of two types. The

first is objective knowledge which includes all that we learn

about the world. This is necessary for leading a life in the

world. The second type of knowledge is that of the Self (Atman)

which is also termed as spiritual knowledge.

 

In his introductory lecture on ``Culture, Religion and Self-

growth'', Swami Paramarathananda said that spiritual growth could

be described as gaining knowledge of the Self as there could not

be growth of the Self per se, as it was eternal in nature and was

beyond birth and death. In the case of human beings it becomes

apparent then that, besides physical growth, only when all

aspects of the human personality - mental, emotional,

intellectual, spiritual - also attain full growth can there be

all-round development of an individual.

 

Then it becomes imperative to consider what are the requisites

for the holisitic development of the human personality. It is

common knowledge that appropriate conditions are necessary for

the growth of plants and animals. It becomes obvious then that

human beings also need a conducive environment to grow to their

full potential.

 

Vedic culture envisages the right environment for the all-round

growth of the human personality. The example of tissue culture

which is providing the right medium to facilitate growth of cells

(bacteria) in a laboratory, is apt to appreciate how a certain

culture facilitates the growth of an individual.

 

Applying this analogy Vedic culture can be understood as the

right medium for human beings to grow and actualise their full

potential. Vedic culture is a religious one and unique, which

equips an individual to realise both material and spiritual ends

- the purpose of human life.

 

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