Magazine - Year 2003 - Version 1
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Significance of Dev Sanskriti
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Indian Culture is called Dev Sanskriti (divine culture). Its significance lies in the values, traditions and subjective practices carried out in the realms of soul-spirit by Indian seers and savants, whose conscious practice in daily life enables a person to naturally manifest in his life divine virtues. These contemplative and energizing practices of sadhana are designed after testing on the touchstone of personal experience, to awaken the indwelling divinity and bring about radical transformations in soul, mind and body of sadhaka.
The saints and sages who formulated and popularized Dev Sanskriti affirm that man is a spiritual being going through a human experience with a view to awakening and rediscovering his forgotten identity as a spark of Spirit. According to this culture, a deity is one in whom the divinity has to be awakened and who became a boon and blessing wherever he lives. Man has the inherent potential to become divine. When his true identity as spirit awakens his inner nature is transformed into a being of light and love although outwardly he conducts himself.
Dev Sanskriti originated and prospered in India. It is an invaluable gift of India to the world. Rich Indian heritage has several gems in its treasure but Dev Sanskriti is the greatest among them. It has been perennial source of inspiration for countless generations of Indians; and with it India has quenched the spiritual thirst of world in the past. India was hence honored with the honored title of "Jagadguru" (teacher of the world) and chakravati (conqueror of the globe). India became immensely wealthy and prosperous in material terms also due to its culture so much that foreign countries called it "the land of gold". It is a historical fact that the progress of ancient India was due to the adoption of the principles of Divine Culture.
Today, our nation has lost everything because it has forgotten its cultural heritage. Re-embracing and reactivating Dev Sanskrkiti can check the present all round moral and ethical decline, restore our ancient glory and ensure bright future for the country. India can once again share with the world through her awakened children the principles of this divine culture. The underlying principle of the divine culture is the thought that the real purpose of human life is to uplift, refine, and transform it into life divine. Why? Because present life offers nothing but pain, suffering, struggle, conflicts and mental frustration.
There is hardly any moment when a man enjoys real and abiding happiness in today's world. He does hope that he will get it tomorrow and in this chase of mirage he loses his today. But the irony is when the tomorrow does arrive, he experiences the same pang of suffering as he did yesterday. The hope is then pitched on the next day, then the day after and so on. Man spends his entire life in this wild goose chase and gets only pain and suffering in return. In this quest for happiness he sometimes makes the life of other people painful and miserable.
Two conclusions can be deduced from the above situation: one, there is no happiness and it is futile to seek it; two, the present way of life does not contain it.
The first conclusion is a pessimistic outlook, which is ultimately suicidal. People with such an outlook on life remain deprived of the blessing granted by God. Those who arrive at the second conclusion become successful in realising the truth that for attaining real and enduring happiness it is necessary to bring about an attitudinal change in life. There are options in bringing about a change in life; the first is to change external aspects related to life (e.g. situations, people we interact with, available materials, facilities etc.); by doing this we may get temporary respite from pain and suffering.
The second aspect is that we leave external aspects as they are but basically change our own nature and attitude towards life, become independent of external factors and discover the source of true happiness and bliss within- in soul-spirit, our true identity. Man has experimented on all possibilities. Pessimists have not tried to understand life and therefore lost its meaning and importance. People who tried to change external aspects succeeded in accumulating facilities and gaining power but due to lack of self-introspection their success proved to be the cause of their downfall. People who chose the last option i.e. changing ones sense of self-identity as immortal soul-spirit and not the body made the truly right and correct choice.
This is the aim and purpose of Dev Sanskriti to bring about a basic spiritual transformation in our attitude towards the purpose of life- and to life in its light. Saints and seers who made who searched and discovered the inner layers of their souls declared that human life can be blissful only if spiritual sadhana is given preference over material pursuits. Sadhana is the spiritual practice that improves the quality of life through self-control, self-discipline and self-discovery. To make life blissful, man needs to change his attitude and nature. Based on this change, a revolutionary outlook on life emerges through which all external situations can be handled, moulded and faced with equanimity and confidence. History is full of the life-stories of people who moulded themselves and lived in accordance with the principles of Dev Sanskriti.
They became living legends and gods in human form. Through spiritual wisdom knowledge they immensely augmented their inner powers. They also made miraculous discoveries in material sciences. As a result, several streams of spiritual and scientific knowledge came into existence. Sages and seers, the exponents of Dev Sanskriti established through scientific exploration, that fundamental ground of existence is sat (existence), cit (consciousness) and ananda(bliss). The Truth and the Principles of Divine Culture have been uninterruptedly flowing in India. The speed of the flow has certainly altered with time. Innumerable saints and seers born in India (e.g. Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Govind Singh, etc.) have demonstrated in their lives the truth inherent in the Divine Culture.
They have confidently declared that if divinity can descend in the lives of a few people, it can certainly descend in the lives of all. It is sure to happen by refining, uplifting and transforming human nature through practice of principles of Divine Culture. Whenever and whoever has adopted this path has attained eternal bliss. Divine Culture is the contribution of divine beings who incarnated in India through the ages. The land of India is suffused with the spiritual energy and divine light of such beings. Since the Vedic ages, every era has had a distinctive group of divine souls who expressed the truth of Divine Culture in their own specific ways in tune with the needs of the times.
For example sages like Vishvamitra, Vashistha, Valmiki and Vyas considered Divine Culture to be synonymous with the Knowledge of Eternal Life and expressed it in the form of "art of living". They inspired their disciples by saying svam svam caritram shikshate prithivyam sarvamanavah, meaning, "Go now and explain the principles of the Divine Culture to the people of the world through your conduct and character." This is the secret behind the global spread of the Divine Culture. The teachers of Divine Culture did not explain its principles to people through lectures but by themselves adopting them in practice. They repeatedly said, "Human life is a precious gift by God.
They said that we have not understood reality and this has resulted in misconception about the aim of life." And it is true, if one person in the world is standing in light, it means light exists; then, if we complain that there is darkness, it means we have not searched for light. We have closed our doors of our heart and mind for the entry of light. Similarly if one person can attain bliss, surely everyone can. This possibility exists for every human being in every era. In this era Param Poojya Gurudev demonstrated the principles of Divine Culture in his life.
He lived this truth in this era; therefore he came to be known as "yugrishi". He taught the principles of Divine Culture after experimenting them on himself and practising them throughout his life; hence he gained the title of "acharya." He was a living embodiment of the Knowledge (Vedas) of Divine Culture, so he was called "vedmurti". Through unwavering tapasya, he maintained the practice of the truth of Divine Culture. That is why he was called "taponishtha". He was the best self-restrained person (maryada purushottam), just like Lord Rama, and was one of the latest links in the chain of divine beings who have preceded him. He gave new expression to the eternal spiritual truths propounded by the scriptures worldwide. He is revered as "Gurudev" by millions of devotees around the world.
According to Revered Gurudev, Dev sanskriti is a comprehensive way of sadhana which synthesizes matter and consciousness; science and spiritually. For example, we sow a seed and it sprouts. Water and sunlight play a crucial role in this process. If we plant a stone instead of a seed, then even the most fertile land, best quality of water and plenty of sunlight would not be able to make a plant grow out of it.
On the other hand, if the seed were planted in an infertile and arid land then also it would not develop into a healthy plant despite adequate amounts of water and sunlight. Just as several factors come into play for the sprouting and growth of the seed, similarly several principles of science and spiritually are necessary for the transformation of human life into Life Divine and attainment of bliss. Divine Culture is a harmonious combination of such principles.
The saints and sages who formulated and popularized Dev Sanskriti affirm that man is a spiritual being going through a human experience with a view to awakening and rediscovering his forgotten identity as a spark of Spirit. According to this culture, a deity is one in whom the divinity has to be awakened and who became a boon and blessing wherever he lives. Man has the inherent potential to become divine. When his true identity as spirit awakens his inner nature is transformed into a being of light and love although outwardly he conducts himself.
Dev Sanskriti originated and prospered in India. It is an invaluable gift of India to the world. Rich Indian heritage has several gems in its treasure but Dev Sanskriti is the greatest among them. It has been perennial source of inspiration for countless generations of Indians; and with it India has quenched the spiritual thirst of world in the past. India was hence honored with the honored title of "Jagadguru" (teacher of the world) and chakravati (conqueror of the globe). India became immensely wealthy and prosperous in material terms also due to its culture so much that foreign countries called it "the land of gold". It is a historical fact that the progress of ancient India was due to the adoption of the principles of Divine Culture.
Today, our nation has lost everything because it has forgotten its cultural heritage. Re-embracing and reactivating Dev Sanskrkiti can check the present all round moral and ethical decline, restore our ancient glory and ensure bright future for the country. India can once again share with the world through her awakened children the principles of this divine culture. The underlying principle of the divine culture is the thought that the real purpose of human life is to uplift, refine, and transform it into life divine. Why? Because present life offers nothing but pain, suffering, struggle, conflicts and mental frustration.
There is hardly any moment when a man enjoys real and abiding happiness in today's world. He does hope that he will get it tomorrow and in this chase of mirage he loses his today. But the irony is when the tomorrow does arrive, he experiences the same pang of suffering as he did yesterday. The hope is then pitched on the next day, then the day after and so on. Man spends his entire life in this wild goose chase and gets only pain and suffering in return. In this quest for happiness he sometimes makes the life of other people painful and miserable.
Two conclusions can be deduced from the above situation: one, there is no happiness and it is futile to seek it; two, the present way of life does not contain it.
The first conclusion is a pessimistic outlook, which is ultimately suicidal. People with such an outlook on life remain deprived of the blessing granted by God. Those who arrive at the second conclusion become successful in realising the truth that for attaining real and enduring happiness it is necessary to bring about an attitudinal change in life. There are options in bringing about a change in life; the first is to change external aspects related to life (e.g. situations, people we interact with, available materials, facilities etc.); by doing this we may get temporary respite from pain and suffering.
The second aspect is that we leave external aspects as they are but basically change our own nature and attitude towards life, become independent of external factors and discover the source of true happiness and bliss within- in soul-spirit, our true identity. Man has experimented on all possibilities. Pessimists have not tried to understand life and therefore lost its meaning and importance. People who tried to change external aspects succeeded in accumulating facilities and gaining power but due to lack of self-introspection their success proved to be the cause of their downfall. People who chose the last option i.e. changing ones sense of self-identity as immortal soul-spirit and not the body made the truly right and correct choice.
This is the aim and purpose of Dev Sanskriti to bring about a basic spiritual transformation in our attitude towards the purpose of life- and to life in its light. Saints and seers who made who searched and discovered the inner layers of their souls declared that human life can be blissful only if spiritual sadhana is given preference over material pursuits. Sadhana is the spiritual practice that improves the quality of life through self-control, self-discipline and self-discovery. To make life blissful, man needs to change his attitude and nature. Based on this change, a revolutionary outlook on life emerges through which all external situations can be handled, moulded and faced with equanimity and confidence. History is full of the life-stories of people who moulded themselves and lived in accordance with the principles of Dev Sanskriti.
They became living legends and gods in human form. Through spiritual wisdom knowledge they immensely augmented their inner powers. They also made miraculous discoveries in material sciences. As a result, several streams of spiritual and scientific knowledge came into existence. Sages and seers, the exponents of Dev Sanskriti established through scientific exploration, that fundamental ground of existence is sat (existence), cit (consciousness) and ananda(bliss). The Truth and the Principles of Divine Culture have been uninterruptedly flowing in India. The speed of the flow has certainly altered with time. Innumerable saints and seers born in India (e.g. Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Govind Singh, etc.) have demonstrated in their lives the truth inherent in the Divine Culture.
They have confidently declared that if divinity can descend in the lives of a few people, it can certainly descend in the lives of all. It is sure to happen by refining, uplifting and transforming human nature through practice of principles of Divine Culture. Whenever and whoever has adopted this path has attained eternal bliss. Divine Culture is the contribution of divine beings who incarnated in India through the ages. The land of India is suffused with the spiritual energy and divine light of such beings. Since the Vedic ages, every era has had a distinctive group of divine souls who expressed the truth of Divine Culture in their own specific ways in tune with the needs of the times.
For example sages like Vishvamitra, Vashistha, Valmiki and Vyas considered Divine Culture to be synonymous with the Knowledge of Eternal Life and expressed it in the form of "art of living". They inspired their disciples by saying svam svam caritram shikshate prithivyam sarvamanavah, meaning, "Go now and explain the principles of the Divine Culture to the people of the world through your conduct and character." This is the secret behind the global spread of the Divine Culture. The teachers of Divine Culture did not explain its principles to people through lectures but by themselves adopting them in practice. They repeatedly said, "Human life is a precious gift by God.
They said that we have not understood reality and this has resulted in misconception about the aim of life." And it is true, if one person in the world is standing in light, it means light exists; then, if we complain that there is darkness, it means we have not searched for light. We have closed our doors of our heart and mind for the entry of light. Similarly if one person can attain bliss, surely everyone can. This possibility exists for every human being in every era. In this era Param Poojya Gurudev demonstrated the principles of Divine Culture in his life.
He lived this truth in this era; therefore he came to be known as "yugrishi". He taught the principles of Divine Culture after experimenting them on himself and practising them throughout his life; hence he gained the title of "acharya." He was a living embodiment of the Knowledge (Vedas) of Divine Culture, so he was called "vedmurti". Through unwavering tapasya, he maintained the practice of the truth of Divine Culture. That is why he was called "taponishtha". He was the best self-restrained person (maryada purushottam), just like Lord Rama, and was one of the latest links in the chain of divine beings who have preceded him. He gave new expression to the eternal spiritual truths propounded by the scriptures worldwide. He is revered as "Gurudev" by millions of devotees around the world.
According to Revered Gurudev, Dev sanskriti is a comprehensive way of sadhana which synthesizes matter and consciousness; science and spiritually. For example, we sow a seed and it sprouts. Water and sunlight play a crucial role in this process. If we plant a stone instead of a seed, then even the most fertile land, best quality of water and plenty of sunlight would not be able to make a plant grow out of it.
On the other hand, if the seed were planted in an infertile and arid land then also it would not develop into a healthy plant despite adequate amounts of water and sunlight. Just as several factors come into play for the sprouting and growth of the seed, similarly several principles of science and spiritually are necessary for the transformation of human life into Life Divine and attainment of bliss. Divine Culture is a harmonious combination of such principles.
