April 2012.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

of conduct for life are all recorded in Santsahitya.
Sowmya: Was there science in their Sahitya?
Guruji: There was no aspect of life which our
saints did not touch. Ayurveda, Astronomy,
Vriksha Ayurveda, science of Gems,
Architecture, Town planning, Surgery and
Warfare are some of the subjects, on which our
saints have left their Writings.
Sowmya: How did they find time, leisure for
all this labour, though a labour of love!
Guruji: You know our Shastras permit even a
saint or a monk to stay in one place during the
rainy days. The saints utilized their enforced
holidays to build wonderful temples in Ajanta,
Ellora, Chittannavasal and Kanchipuram.
They left fine books on music, painting,
aesthetics (RASA SHASTRA) Chemistry,
Mathamatics, the Cooking Art etc.
Sowmya: It could be expected that saints
would has helped the human beings to refine
their language.
Guruji: Yes. Panini, Agastya, Bhartrihari and
Patanjali and Tolkappiar wrote masterly
treatises on language and linguistics. The
world is Waking up to their contribution. In the
recent years four international conferences
have been organised on Bhartrihari's linguistic
philosophy, telling how it impacts all aspects of
human life. There are philosophies which tell
us that our whole perception of the objective
world is shaped by our language. Without a
refined language our view of the world may go
wrong. Patanjali and Agastya gave us medical
sciences, Yoga Vidya and Grammar! They both
thought that these three sciences go together in
our understanding of the Ultimate Truth!
role of saints?
Guruji: Swami Vivekananda put forth
wonderful arguments on the world stage, how
and why Bharat should live for the Welfare of
the whole world. Our freedom movement
derived its spiritual content from Saints like
Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi and
many others. RaviShankar Maharaj in Gujarat
and Panduranga Shastri Athavale of the
Swadhyaya Movement have done exemplary
economic, social and spiritual work. Shri Satya
Sai Baba, has made remarkable contributions
in taking medical services, water facilities and
quality education to the common people, apart
from his basic spiritual ministry. Mata
Amritanandamayi does social and spiritual
work. Of course saints are great institution -
builders too. Adi Shankara, Ramanuja,
Madhva and Swami Vivekananda have left
great institutions behind them which keep
alive the flames that they lit. The greatest work
done by our saints was to go to the life-springs
of our spiritual culture and bring back wisdom
from the Experience of Truth, for all humanity.
But for the work of these saints, our Sanatana
Dharma would have become another Faith,
another cult, another sect like others, without
any capacity for self-renewal. Our saints have
kept alive the flame of SPIRITUALITY, the
Fountain head of all human wisdom.
Shri Guru Tegh
Bahadur’s Jayanti
falls on 22nd of
April
Sowmya: In modern times what is the social
Yuva bharati - 29 - April 2012