Need of Vedic Education in our education system that teaches Self Realization!! A Must!!

My usual morning starts with reading the Economic Times over a cup of Hunza Tea. Hunza Tea is herbal tea, which has Basil (Tulsi), Cardamam, Chinamon and Ginger. Instead of sugar jaggery is used and to give it a jest a dash of lemon. The tea gets its name from Hunza Civilization. Hunza people are the Indians living at extreme northwest of India (now in Pakistan) in Hindu Kush range. They are known to be one of the world’s healthiest civilizations, often living up to the age of 110 years.

The reason I drink this tea is it prevents the stomach from turning acidic, which is one of the causes of lifestyle diseases.

Some news are great, and some news not, which is OK. However recently a string of corporate failures and frauds like PMC Bank Scam, Punjab National Bank Scam, DHFL Scam, UPPCL employee provident fund scam etc. and also the horrific and heinous rape cases like Priyanka Reddy Case, Unnao Case is truly disturbing. It is truly not normal.

It reflects the sick status of mind, and hence the actions committed by these individuals.

It is indeed disturbing realizing beautiful lives getting destroyed, wealth being eroded or robbed and numerous lives going into misery due to somebody elses actions. This is inspite of the finest education some of these individuals might have got.

Is this the reason we are born as human?

As I tried to find answers, one genuine conclusion I reached is lack of Vedic education in our school and college system. We are taught mathematics, science, law, english, history, organization behavior, economics but there is a genuine gap in imparting knowledge on Purusartha (पुरुषार्थ ) - Objective of Human Pursuit or Human Life. All this wonderful knowledge is there in our Vedas (वेद veda, "knowledge") which is a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Indian Culture.

Such a wonderful source of knowledge from Sages who lived in India.

Puruṣārtha (पुरुषार्थ) literally means an "object of human pursuit". It is a key concept in Indian Vedic System, and refers to the four proper goals or aims of a human life.

It is a combination of two words, Purusha (पुरुष) meaning “Human Pursuit”, Artha (अर्थ) meaning “Objective”.

The four puruṣārthas are Dharma (righteousness, moral values), Artha (prosperity, economic values), Kama (pleasure, love, psychological values) and Moksha (liberation, spiritual values)

These four dimensions are to be in balance. It is about Right Desire (Kama), Right Wealth (Artha), Right Duty (Dharma), Right Exit (Moksha). The word RIGHT is very important. It is about BALANCE.

Those who have missed this understanding have missed the boat. Further analyzing as to why they missed it? It is because they have missed in understanding themselves, i.e. how they function as human beings.

It is very beautifully and logically explained, how our senses, mind, intellect, functions which makes us either great or miserable in our actions based on our thoughts and desires and hence our lives.

There are two verses from Kathopanishad (1.3.3 – 1.3.4).

आत्मानँ रथितं विद्धि शरीरँ रथमेव तु ।

बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥ ३ ॥

ātmānam̐ rathitaṃ viddhi śarīram̐ rathameva tu |

buddhiṃ tu sārathiṃ viddhi manaḥ pragrahameva ca || 3 ||

Meaning: Atman or self is the passenger of the chariot, the body is the chariot, intelligence is the driver; minds is the reins.

इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुर्विषयाँ स्तेषु गोचरान् ।

आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः ॥ ४ ॥

indriyāṇi hayānāhurviṣayām̐ steṣu gocarān ।

ātmendriyamanoyuktaṃ bhoktetyāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ ॥ 4 ॥

Meaning: The 5 senses, are the 5 horses, the objects which we perceive. The âtman the self or experiencer experiences based on the play of the senses and the mind combined with direction from intelligence.

1.      Chariot: शरीर (Physical Body), the instrument through which the Self, intellect, mind, and senses operate.

2.      Charioteer: बुद्धी (Higher Intellect), Gives instructions to the Mind.

3.      Passenger: आत्मा (Individual Soul, the embodied Atma, the pure center of consciousness), is always the neutral.

4.      Horses: इन्द्रिय ( Five sense organs such as Eyes, Ears, Tongue, Touch and Nose. Which we relate to the external world by perception and action.

5.      Reins: मन (Mind, through which the senses receive their instructions to act and perceive.)

6.      Roads: The countless objects of senses and desires in the present world and within our memory.

7.      Wheels of the Chariot: Right effort

8.      Destination: मोक्ष “Perfection” or “Self Realization, To find the supreme soul at inner sanctum of self.”

9.      Kurukshetra Battlefield: It’s the inner battlefield, the only place where one can confront, do battle with, and vanquish the inner demons.

Charioteer (Intellect) controls the Reins (Mind), Reins (Mind) controls the Horses (Senses). While a Passenger (Soul) resides in our Chariot (Body). Wheels of Chariot are the right efforts and the Chariot runs on paths of Right or Wrong. We don’t often let the charioteer do the duty as the Self is asleep. The reins (mind) are flapping around freely without the proper inner guidance and not giving instruction to the horses (senses). Hence they wander freely down any road they feel like in response to their past memories (Chitta). The chariot (body) takes a beating, the horses (senses) get tired, the reins (mind)) get worn, and the charioteer (intelligence) gets lazy. The passenger is completely ignored and the journey of life is miserable for self and others around us (i.e our immediate family and society we interact with).

The senses (Horses) often gets attracted towards every materialistic enjoyment like Lust, Mind (Reins) don’t control the senses (Horses) if the Intellect (charioteer) don’t control the Mind (reins). Soul (Passenger) always tries to lead the Intellect to keep the Body (Chariot) on the road of Righteousness.

Charioteer (Intellect) needs to pick up the Reins (Mind) and should start giving some direction to Horse (senses). This training is called sadhana (spiritual practice). It means training all of the levels of ourselves so that we might experience the still, silent, eternal center. Put the charioteer back on the job. Allow the charioteer to serve the passenger. As the charioteer (Intelligence) becomes more stabilized in being back on the job, there is an ever increasing awareness of the fact that the entire purpose of the chariot, horses, reins, and charioteer are to serve as instruments for the passenger, the true Self.

Destination is realizing of Self, it is a realization of our Karma in life, when Intellect leads mind and senses with Spiritual training, The chariot starts to run on the road of Righteousness and reaches to the Supreme Soul. Kurukshetra is battlefield inside us where both armies of Kauravas (Demonic Nature) and Pandavas (Divine Nature) exists.

It’s up to our Intellect to lead our chariot on Demonic or Divine paths. It is very beautifuly summarised in this video.

Just this basic understanding of this simple truth and realization every moment can bring such an amazing change in our thoughts and actions and hence a just society to live in.

It is truly a need of the hour to transform the education system which teaches “Self Realization”

India needs to get more awakened and that needs going back to understanding the wisdom in our Vedic Texts and introduction of the same in our education system.

It is a truly a need to the hour. The problem needs to be addressed at the root.