The Need for Sanathana Vidya

Have not men trained themselves in countless arts and skills and sciences? Have they not devised countless machines? Have they not accumulated vast tons of knowledge? Nevertheless, man has not attained peace of mind, which is so essential for happiness. Instead, with every passing day, this vidya is dragging man into deeper and deeper waters and peace is receding more and more into the distance.

The reason can be stated thus. These arts and sciences have only transitory value; these machines cater for worldly comfort; this knowledge is all about temporary, transitory things. This vidya does not reveal to one the Innermost Secret of the Universe. There is one secret which if known lays bare all secrets; if that problem is solved, all are solved, there is one knot which if untied, all knots are loosened. There is one science, which if mastered, all are mastered. That key science is Santhana Vidya.

If a tree has to be destroyed, its taproot has to be cut; there is no use trying to kill it by plucking its leaves one by one. It takes too long a time, besides, it may not work. The ancient Vedic seers knew this Vidya, but, Indians are feeling ashamed to claim them as their kith and kin. They saw God through their ascetic endeavours and won His Grace. They expounded the Science which they had so boldly discovered. Seekers from other countries perused these books and said that India had blazed a trail for the whole world. This is a well-known fact. The lamp illumines the house but just at the very foot of the lamp, there lurks a dark circle. India does not know or care for that treasure. Can we ascribe this to the play of Fate and keep quiet?

In the past ages Indians performed their daily rites, sat in a purified place, surrounded by sacredness and immersed themselves in the study and the practice of the teachings of the Vedas and the Upanishads. Besides, they recorded their experiences in order to guide others and in order to bring those experiences back again into their own consciousness. But, their children and grandchildren placed those books on the altar and duly worshipped them. Neglect has reduced them to dust or lumber; the palm leaves have disintegrated and rats have eaten into them. But, eager students from the West have sought out this lumbers and realising that it enshrines incomparable sources of illumination and priceless pearls of Wisdom, they lift it reverentially above their heads and acclaim it as the precious gift of Bharathakhanda to themselves and their children. They carry it across the seas, with joy in their eyes and thankfulness in their hearts.