Please use this knowledge wisely, for the good of all, and pass it on to anyone who is genuinely interested in learning about ‘How to live a life’ according to Védic Dharma.
Available for free download to personal computer from:
1. < https://www.free-ebooks.net/ebook/Védic-Dharma> and 2. <http://www.cincinnatitemple.com/articles/VédicDharmaII2011.pdf>
First Edition
2009 – 1,000 copies
Reprint
2011 – 1,000 copies
India Edition
2016 - 1,000 copies
Printed at Elegant Press, Basavanagudi, Banglore, India.
Second Edition (e-Book)
2017
Third Edition (e-Book)
2020
Fourth Edition (e-Book)
2021
Fifth Edition (e-Book)
2022
Sixth Edition (e-Book)
2023
Acknowledgement
First Edition edited by Dr. B. V. K. Sastry of International Védic Hindu University, Florida, USA.
ISBN 978-0-9866155-0-4
© 2011 by the author.
After living in this body for 88 years, experiencing life in four continents and five countries; I thought I will share some wisdom I have gained from my readings, working with people, and personal experiences for grandchildren and all the children of the world. I wish I had learnt these lessons earlier in life but its never too late! I hope a few of these suggestions may help even one young child in her / his life.
Why ‘Ancient Wisdom’ is Important for the ‘Modern Times’?
Mother Earth is going through a very difficult time with widespread hunger, epidemics killing millions, weapons of mass destruction ready to be fired, wildfires, drought, mass migration of desperate people, religious fanaticism, incompetent & selfish leaders, etc., etc.
There are millions of children going to bed hungry, parents reluctantly abandoning them and encouraging them to travel alone hundreds of miles to go to another country for a better life, millions of men, women and children running away from violent conflicts in the name of religion or ideology, fast deteriorating environment and increasing pollution. Politicians in power are there for their own fame, fortune and re-election. Greedy billionaires controlling multinational corporations and political leaders have ruined the environment by burning forests and ruining farmland and rivers. Religious leaders have not set a ‘good’ example either. Even in India this ‘way of life’ is forgotten and neglected. As a consequence India suffered from many brutal and barbaric invasions by foreigners for more than a thousand years. Movements to improve the situation were initiated by many reformers.
There may be a lot of factors ‘why we (humans) have failed’ to improve the situation: 1. Leaders without a ‘Grand Vision’ that is good for all.
2.
Poor selection of ‘Leaders’ under ‘Democratic, Theocratic, Socialist, Communist & Monarchist’ governments.
3. Inadequate and / or inappropriate education of children in morals and ethics.
4. Biased and corrupt politicians, media and academicians singing the tune of who ever pays them the most.
The root cause in most of the present day problems is: Lack of knowledge and / or practice of ‘Morals & Ethics’ from leaders down to the common men.
यथा राजा तथा जा ।
As is the King, so are his subjects.
Leaders - political, religious, sports celebrities, Hollywood & Bollywood actors and actresses
- all have important roles to play because we tend to follow one or more of these leaders.
Four Yug-s (periods)
In India, the history is divided into four time periods (युग Yug). In the first period - Satyug ( Sat = Truth) - the Age of Truth - vast majority of humans lived their lives according to highest moral and ethical standards. This gradually deteriorated to less than 75% of the population in second - the Tretā Yug followed by Dvāpar Yug. At present we are in Kaliyug
- the fourth and last period. In this period, less than 25% of the human population follow a life dictated by morals & ethics. This proportion will diminish gradually and the world as we know, will be destroyed at the end of this period.
The whole world is in turmoil (2024). Violent and non-violent conflicts are going on in many countries, illegal migration has paralyzed most of Europe, nations are grabbing land from other countries, excessive pesticides and fertilizers have polluted the land, there are extreme climate changes causing floods and drought, and few people who have money are spending it as if there is no tomorrow. All these phenomena described in Bhāgavatam describe the signs of Kaliyuga, the last of the four periods of time. People wonder about solutions to these mega problems facing humanity.
How can we improve the situation?
Unless the majority of the people change the way we all live, there is very little hope of improving the situation. This is no easy task.
आरो ते शला शैले य ेन महता यथा ।
पा ते तु णनाध था ा गुणदोषयोः ॥
िहतोपदेशः २ . १६
It is very hard work to carry a large rock up a hill
but it is very easy to let it roll down the hill.
In the same manner it is very hard to generate noble
thoughts and teach ethical behavior to someone
but it is very easy to teach unethical or immoral behavior.
Hitopadesha, 2:16
“It is already becoming clear that a chapter that has a
Western beginning will have to have an Indian ending if it is
not to end in the self-destruction of the human race...At this
supremely dangerous moment in human history, the only
way of salvation is the ancient Hindu way. Here we have the
attitude and spirit that can make it possible for the human
race to grow together into a single family.”
Arnold Joseph Toynbee (1889-1975)
British historian
Young children growing up in this increasingly complex world may get inappropriate or contradictory advice. It may be hard for them to decide who is right and who is wrong. They need to develop the art of thinking, analyzing the situation, evaluating pros and cons, and deciding about an action plan to achieve their goals.
How can the knowledge from Ancient India help us? It tells us “What are the weaknesses of human beings?”, “What are the characteristics of an ‘Ideal Person’ or an 'Ideal Citizen of the World?” and finally “How can we all become that ‘Ideal Person’?
“If I were asked under what sky the human mind has
most fully developed some of its choicest gifts,
has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life,
and has found solutions of some of them
which well deserve the attention even of those who have
studied Plato and Kant -I should point to India.
And if I were to ask myself from what literature we, here in
Europe, we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on
the thoughts of Greeks and Romans, and of one Semitic race,
the Jewish, may draw that corrective which is most wanted
in order to make our inner life more perfect,
more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly
human, a life, not for this life only, but a transfigured and
eternal life –again I should point to India.”
“India, what Can it Teach us?” by F. Max Muller, KM
A course of lectures delivered before the University of Cambridge.
Pub. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, 1883.
अयं ब धुरयंने त गणना लघुचेतसाम् ।
उदारच रतानां तु वसुधैव कुटु बकम् ॥ ६ : ७१ ॥
Ayam bandhuh ayam néti gańanāṁ laghuchetsāṁ