Relevance of the ancient Vedic Scriptures
Part 1
We consider ourselves modern. Yet 100 years ago, people also considered themselves modern because they developed cars, airplanes,etc. 500 years ago they also considered themselves modern and so on. Being modern is not something to celebrate or to pursue because it still gives happiness that doesn't last. Everything we do, we do it with the goal to experience happiness. According to the Bhagavad gita, the three kinds of miseries are timeless:
- Misery due to forces of nature (adhidaivik)
- Misery due to other living beings (adhibhautik)
- Misery due to our own health (adhyatmik)
No matter who you are, where you are and what position you are in, you will experience these miseries. The people are different, the disease is different, the weather condition is different but the discomfort is the same.
Spiritually advanced teachers urge to display the evolution of our collective intelligence in how we cope and deal with issues arising from these three miseries, the support system we set up for each other and the level of compassion. More than that is the understanding that we should not be deviated by these miseries as they are like the changing of the seasons; they come and go, they are temporary. The evolution of the collective intelligence should develop in the direction of understanding the eternal nature of the self. Only then will we be able to achieve lasting happiness.
The ancient texts are describing the nature of these miseries, the results of it, the remedies for it and the benefits of these remedies. They give examples of how the solutions were understood and applied. The scriptures are therefor tales in which the characters can be easily ourselves. Often the Bhagavad gita gives us direct answers to our innermost dilemmas; this can be confirmed by many devotees. They have experienced it and they can testify that it is true; that the scriptures are connecting with us. Why is that so? The Vedic scriptures contain knowledge that is above matter; it talks about spirit and describe the spiritual realm. It presents the spiritual energy. The presence of spiritual energy is an indication of life; matter is dead but the presence of the spirit is recognized in a body that is alive. Similarly, the wise consider books containing spiritual knowledge to be alive and they interact with us.