World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 865

her world a better and happier place to live in. It sincerely followed, helps us to live the life of harmony and gain poise of personality. Religion is an experience or attitude of mind-principles tested in life. It is an experience, which affects our entire being, ends our disquiet and anguish, the sense of aimlessness of a futile and fugitive existence. Religion helps us to grow from world of intellect, world of divided consciousness with its discords, dualities, to a life of harmony, of freedom, of love and peace. The main purpose of religion is to discipline our whole being, body, mind, intellect, heart and will. By prayer, worship, meditation and self-control, we can integrate our personality that is what religion as a path shows us. Religion is to be understood as a science of living, so that we may cull out it a set of it a set of desirable values of life, upon which we can rebuild wisely our day-to-day existence. Therefore, Vaidikadharma provides not only metaphysical principles or theories, but also mechanism to operate them and have exhorted people to test these theories in practical life.
The Vaidikadharma is a universal religion, which welcomes all noble thoughts from every corner of the universe [Ano bhadraḥ kratavo yantu viśvataḥ- Rgveda. 1.89.7.].It forsakes all kinds of malignant thoughts and deeds in life [Hinam ca duṣayatyeṣa hindurityabhidhīyate-Foundations of Hinduism Y .S. Shastri. p.1.]. It strives for unity of all existence, individual self with universal Self. [a] ayamātmā brahma-Mandukya Upanisad. 2. [b] Tattvamasi- Chandogya Upanisad VII. 7; [c] Jivo brahmaiva nāparaḥ Brahmajñānāvalīmālā Sankarācārya, verse.20].
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The Vedic religion conceives of man as spiritual in nature and is interested primarily in his spiritual destiny and relates him in some way to a universe, which is also spiritual in essential character. It points out the unseen string that holds together the heterogeneous phenomena; it makes man understand what he is now and what he should really be. It gives him the key to open the kingdom of heaven, that is within.
Vaidikadharma is an outcome of thousands of enlightened and elevated souls of India. It is a thing that has not so much to be believed as lived. Its teachings are universal. The eternal truth, the eternal virtues and values preached by it transcend religious and denominational barriers and give them universal relevance. They are to bring harmony and everlasting peace in this modern nuclear age of competition and conflict.
The system of Vaidikadharma is multifarious and activated on various levels. It instructs the simple and powerful command for the future generations, like, 'speak the truth', 'respect elders', 'treat parents as the god', 'follow the path of duty' etc. On the highest intellectual level, it reaches the finest minds to the unity of creation, concept of one god, concept of Supreme Reality from which the creation emerges. For the householders, its express message is, 'never shun from the duty towards
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