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Significance of Symbolism & Customs of Indian Culture
Culture is often criticized for its ‘unmindful rituals’ of worshiping everything — rivers, trees, mountains, rocks, soil, animals, birds, etc, and its ‘vague imaginations’ and ‘philosophical ideas’ that associate auspiciousness and mystic faith with specific symbols. The critics should pay attention to the fact that this culture emanates from the Vedas that are regarded as most ancient and comprehensive source of knowledge on transcendental as well as manifested realms of eternal Consciousness-Force, and all forms and dimensions of life, Nature, and its material existence [1- 4].
Symbolism in Indian Culture: Symbolism has been a part of human life since the inception of human culture and civilization — e.g. to mark conceptualization of unknown forces of the universe, identification of natural objects, ‘syllables’ of sign-language, etc. Every religion has some sacred symbols — e.g. the holy stone at Kaaba (al-Ka?bah) in Mecca for Muslims, holy Cross for Christians, etc. National flag is a symbol of patriotic dignity, sovereignty and pride for every country.
The Vedic spiritual philosophy — the essence of supreme knowledge, advocates formless, non-dual, omnipresent, eternal Consciousness- Force (Brah®) as the ultimate reality of The Supreme Being (God). However, considering the difficulties of most people in realization of the formless infinity, the teachings of the Vedic religion and cultural texts emphasized the importance and necessity of the devotion and worship of God in some ‘visible’ symbolic form for the psychological and spiritual upliftment of humankind. The specific forms (idols) of deities worshiped under Vedic (Indian) Culture symbolize specific divine qualities and powers of the manifestations of God and also incorporate ethical teachings. Because of its spiritual origin, the Indian Culture also emphasizes several symbols linked with the science and philosophy of spirituality.
In (Bio)chemical sciences, line-diagrams or networks of lines and circles with syllables of atom-names are used as schematic representations of molecular structures.
A more evolved and structured coding system (in terms of geometric designs/symbols, or specific objects) was devised by the Vedic sages (the founders of Indian Culture) to represent transcendent and manifested elements and energy current/fields existing in Nature. These symbols (matrik³s and yantras) have multiple meanings in terms of physical, mental and spiritual expressions and effects. Prominent among these symbols are outlined below (details in [5]).
? (Oa®): The symbol of self-existent, omnipresent element of the ‘sound’ of the evolutionary vibration of Brah®; concise representation of the combined spiritual energy fields of the divine forces of trinity gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Researchers of yoga-science and spiritual healing have found, and millions of yoga-practitioners across the world have experienced, significant soothing and rejuvenating effects of meditative chants of “Oa®”. (Swastika): The symbol of the manifested energy (of Brah®) subtly spread in all cosmic directions that accounts for auspiciousness and wellbeing.
Ïikh³ (Hair knot, tied at centre of the head) and S¿tra (sacred thread or yagyopavita hanged from right shoulder till the navel: Ïikh³ symbolizes the presence of discerning intellect, farsightedness and the deity of knowledge upon our head. It is like a flag hoisted at the suture (the central junctions of all major nerves) of dignified values and virtues of humanity. Awareness of righteousness, moral responsibilities and social duties of human life are worn on our shoulders and kept attached to our hearts in symbolic form as the S¿tra. Objects like dºpaka (lamp of ghee) and kalaïa (round copper pot filled with the water of a sacred river) symbolize respectively, the incessant light of divinity, and presence of divine powers in all directions and forms around the cosmos.
All these symbols and objects, and other facets of Indian Culture are linked with the multiple manifestations and divine powers of Gayatri (G³yatrº) [6] — the Supreme Mother of all divine virtues and powers; the primordial, eternal power (of the Omnipotent), the perennial evolutionary force for expression of Brah® in the existence and creation of Nature; the eternal origin of divine wisdom.
Supreme knowledge of the Vedas is also said to have originated from the Gayatri Mantra. According to revered mystics, spiritual masters, and scholars, spiritual endeavors of s³dhan³ reach ultimate state of beatifying enlightenment, soul-realization, and divine bliss with the support of this supreme mantra. The journey of spiritual purification and illumination of the inner-self also begins with the meditative chants of this mantra. Indeed, Gayatri (supreme source of noble thoughts and virtues) and yagya (selfless service, noble deeds) provide the motivating light and foundational support for the noble Indian Culture.
Customs of Indian Culture - Harmony with Nature:
Apart from the spiritual science of sublime realities of the Consciousness-Force in the origin and expression of the entire Creation, the teachings of Vedas for humankind largely deal with collective awareness and participation of people in natural well-being of all with harmonious maintenance of healthy environment of life. The Vedic cultural norms/ principles and customs therefore aim to inculcate a spirit of reverence to encourage caring, nurturing and protection of the ecosystem and all expressions/resources of Nature as precious entities.
The Vedas preach –– “Vasudhaiv KuÚumbka®” (the entire creation, everything on the earth, is one family). Every component of Nature is revered here as a manifestation of the Supreme Creator and hence has its unique significance and place in the intricate web of life with its myriad forms.
Robust and pragmatic principles were designed in the Vedic texts as ‘religious norms’, ‘cultural customs’, or social duties [3-4,7] in consonance with the psychological makeup of the Indian masses to ensure wholehearted participation of the masses in healthy sustenance of Nature with its rich biodiversity and majestic beauty. For example, air is revered here as the god Maruta, the natural element of water is worshiped as god Varuna and rivers as manifestations of goddesses. The earth, soil, mountains, etc, are also regarded as deities. Medicinal plants/trees (vanauÌadhis) and other vegetation (vanaspatis) are personified as goddesses and deities and collectively invoked as goddess, ‘Arañyani’, in the Vedas. The sun and other planets are also regarded here as manifestations of the divine powers of Nature (to remind us that our life would not have existed without their ideal locations and orbital motion).
As we all know, animals and birds also play extremely important role in maintaining desired balance of the ecosystem. The Vedic sages had given many of these and tinier creatures an honorable place; they described many of them as manifestations of divine incarnations (e.g. Kachchap-avatar, Varahavatar, Narshimh-avatar of Lord Vishnu); many of the animals/birds and tiny creatures are referred as the v³hans (mode of conveyance) of divine powers – e.g. Bull as a v³han of Lord Shiva, mouse of Lord Ganesha, Owl of Goddess Lakshmi, etc. This symbolizes the great culture of gratefulness to the other creatures for all the help and benefits they offer to the humans and also teaches amicable co-existence of the entire animal kingdom. Cow has also been given a sacred place like the holy Ganges in Indian Culture. Cow is regarded as mother.
This is because of immense contributions of this serene, domestic animal on multiple fronts of life. Apart from her milk being complete food and immune-modulator, the dung and urine of cow are also found extremely useful as fuel, fertilizer, disinfectant, anti-radioactive agent, and/or therapeutic medicine. Hundreds of hymns in the Vedas and teachings of Vedic Cultural texts sing paeans of the distinct properties and kind gifts (towards sustenance of healthy life) of Nature and natural resources and remind us not to disturb their natural sanctity (natural purity). Hundreds of hymns also inspire, motivate and render practical guidance to the masses to protect and conserve this nectar of Nature. In view of the psychology of the masses the duties of harmonious maintenance of the ecosystem, conservation of the forests, wildlife, water, and other natural resources, are attributed as puñyas (noble deeds) and the acts of polluting wasting or destroying (e.g. cutting the trees or killing the animals, for selfish motifs) are categorized as p³pa (sin). Derived from the hidden and explicit teachings specified in the mantras of the Vedas, the Indian scriptures had set up practical guidelines, consonant with the psychology of the masses, for natural implementation of the principles of conservation, balanced utilization and regeneration of the Nature’s precious resources.
Religious Days and Festivals: In behavioral terms as well, the Indian culture teaches an attitude of gratitude towards every component of Nature which helps our survival and growth in one way or the other; the customs propagated under this cultural system aim at mass-motivation and also provide guidelines towards ecological balance and healthy co-existence of all [7]. Nature provides light, air, food, water and many other resources.
This awareness of vitality of natural resources in life, a precondition for humansurvival, led to religious customs/festivals. These customs/festivals celebrated on specific days for specific natural entities incorporate prayer-filled worship of light, air, food, water, rivers, mountains, animals, etc, e.g. the fasting based festivals of Chhata Puja (for the Sun), Ganga Dashahara (for the holy Ganges), Narmada Jayanti (for the sacred river Narmada), Govardhan Puja (for a mountain), Bachcha (Calf) Baras, N³ga (Snake) Panchami, etc, to name a few.
There are many religious festivals, for example, VaÚa (Banyan) Purñim³, Ânval³ (Emblic, Indian Gooseberry) Navamº, etc, associated with devotional worship of the trees, which apart from bestowing enormous benefits of natural medicinal and/or health substitutes, and/or supplying healthy nutrients, also contribute to attracting rainfall and/or otherwise preventing soil-degradation, protecting biodiversity, and strengthening the ecosystem. Every nation has some special days or festivals to mark special events (e.g. Independence Day, Republic Day, etc) and/or in the honor of some great personality, to remember and express gratitude or his/her noble deeds, etc. At global level as well we have almost some such special day — e.g. world environment day, women’s day, mother’s day, father’s day, international yoga day, etc. The founders of Indian Culture were much ahead of the modern trends in this regard. Their spiritual acumen had a reach in the deeper depths of human mind and inner self. Therefore, the cultural norms and traditions propounded by them are relevant even today.
A unique feature of these religious festivals or special days is observance of “fasting”. Indian Culture emphasizes observance of fasting (ascetic restraint on eating), as part of inner purification, physical fitness, and mental control. In the context of rituals/festivals for natural resources, it is linked with the sacred feeling of devotion that makes the expression of gratitude more meaningful and helps ‘record’ the importance of specific entity/ power of Nature in the subconscious mind and memory more effectively. This ‘mental-carving’ ascertains that the devotee would care not to misuse or ruin the natural resource, and would be motivated to protect and enhance it.
Strict fasting with other ascetic disciplines is an integral part of some special days/periods of spiritual and religious significance in Indian Culture — e.g. Navar³tri (period of 9 sacred days during the transitional phase of seasonchange, e.g. Aswin Navartri between monsoonseason/ autumn and winter), Mahasivratri (at the juncture of celestial transitions), or Ekadasi (the 11th day of a fortnight when there is a special planetary position), Purnima (full moon day), etc. This not only helps augment the inner-purity, deep devotional-feeling, and mental engrossment in the specific spiritual endeavors of meditation, japa-sadhana, etc, but also boosts the digestive system, helps greater immunity and protection from the psycho-physical side-effects of seasonal change / geo-magnetic fluctuations. Importance of Yagya:
The great tradition of yagya (fire-ritual) is an integral part of important spiritual and cultural activities in the Vedic system; it is also adopted in daily chores to purify the environment, help healthy growth of vegetation and preserve natural resources. The science of yagya and its relevance and impact today for holistic wellbeing is also validated by modern scientific research since past decade or so [8]. In the Vedic texts yagya is referred as basis of universal creation and nucleus of the cycle of Nature. The philosophy of yagya deals with altruism, selfless service for the welfare of all, collective sharing of natural resources, etc [9]. Socio-Cultural Festivals:
Remarkably, the socio-cultural festivals like Sri Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Dipawali, Onam, Baisakhi, etc, are also associated with divine faith in one form or the other. These are celebrated joyously, colorfully by different communities with inter-communal harmony under varied shades of Indian Culture on special days that are important from the point of agricultural activities and/or onset of favorable season. For example, the burning of Holika a day before Holi (the festival of colors) marks cleansing of the dry agricultural waste before the harvesting and storage of the rabi crop (of wheat, barley, mustard, etc.).
Present Scenario of Adulterated Customs: Due to the deformations and distortions incurred since the medieval times of cultural adulteration and devolution, we often see only a superficial trace of the original purpose, principles, and methods in the cultural customs of the Indian society today. This is more prominently seen among the so-called ‘modernized’, ‘pseudocultural’ urban Indians. Nevertheless, there is still a great hope of revival among the rural and tribal masses, as marked by some experts [c.f. 4] — “Since local knowledge systems in India are still being practiced among the masses, they can contribute to address the challenges of forest management, sustainable water management, biodiversity conservation, and mitigation of global climate change. Ecological consequences of climate change require that we access all stocks of knowledge for mitigation strategies”. Some socio-spiritual organizations and NGOs are doing excellent works in this regard with mass-participation, on no-profit basis. This should be an eye-opener for the blind-followers of the modern culture of ‘commercialization’ of everything (even life and Nature) and a motivating factor for those confused about whether to follow Indian Culture and How?
References: 1. Sri Aurobindo: The Secrets of the Veda (On the Veda – Part I). Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. 1956 2. Acharya Pt. Shriram Sharma: Vedon K³ Divya Sandeïa. Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura, 1985. [English version: The Divine Message of Vedas. Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura, 1994]. 3. Dr. AK Jayaswal: Vaidika Sansk—ati Ke Vividha Ây³ma. Lalit Prakashan, New Delhi. 2000. 4. Pandya P. and Shambhu Dass (eds.): Articles on Vedic Solutions to Modern Problem: Air, Water, Soil Purification and Protection of Ecosystem. Akhand Jyoti: The Life Divine. V.4/Nos. 1-4. 2006. 5. Pandya P. and Shambhu Dass (eds.): Vedic Symbols. Shri Ved Mata Gayatri Trust: Haridwar. 2005 6. Pandya S.N. and Shambhu Dass: Super Science of Gayatri. Yug Nirman Yojana, Mathura. (12th Print). 2015. 7. Acharya Pt. Shriram Sharma: Bh³ratºya Sanskrati Ke Âdh³rabh¿ta Tatva. “Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra Vangamaya” Vol. 34 Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura, 1995. 8. Pandya P. (ed.): Applied Science of Yagya for Health & Environment. Sri Veda Mata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar. 2016. (5th Print; 1st edition: 2011). 9. Acharya Pt. Shriram Sharma: Yagya K³ Gy³na aur Vigy³na. “Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

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