Nature of Indian Culture

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The present work is like a window through which a glimpse of the fine view of Indian culture can be had.

Indian culture is rich in philosophy, religion, art, literature, science, etc. Its knowledge can be useful not only in understanding the basic nature of Indian life and society, it can be equally useful in creating a new world in which amity, unity and prosperity abound. Indian culture is actually the world culture and its utility for this atomic age cannot be underestimated by any sensible reader.

It is not surprising that most Indians are not fully aware of the pristine glory of Indian culture, because these days one may be aware of the height of the Alps but not of the Mount Kailas. The distance casts enchantment. The present work shall acquaint a reader with all the important aspects of Indian culture. Its volume has been kept small to inspire every interested reader to go through it. It is hoped that readers will snatch some time from their busy life to take a plunge in the river of Indian culture by perusing the pages of the work and draw the inspiration for recreating the social organization.

DR. R.N. VYAS, Ph.D., D. Litt., is currently Director, Academy of Social Thought and 'Sah-chintan', Indore. He has twentynine published works to his credit and these have elicited praise and appreciation from well-known personalities. His forthcoming works are The Ultimate in Philosophy and Science & the Cosmic Play and Philosophy of Progress.

Dr. Vyas's name figures in the International Directories of Authors.

I FEEL pleasure in placing this small but significant volume in the hands of my readers.

Culture is fundamentally a unifying agency. It expresses itself in a communal life. An individual under its inspiration identifies himself with his tribe or community. But with the development of intelligence, culture has come to mean cultivation of those qualities which give a sense of nobility and oneness and destroy the germs of division and irrational distinctions. A man of culture rises above the limitations of nationality, religion, language, relationship or anything else of the kind. Ultimately, he identifies himself with the whole world. As is obvious, this development is not possible without the development of spiritual consciousness. Spirituality alone can lead to the rise of real culture which means total perfection and implies development of harmony of spirit, mind and body. This type of harmony is unattainable through scientific development alone.

Indian culture is sustained by its high spiritual outlook. The Brahman alone is the Real; hence, according to the most prominent Indian view, whatever exists in the universe is merely a manifestation of that Real alone through Lila. The Real is Raso vai sah (sweetness). The Lila is sweet. The universe too is an expression of this divine sweetness. One should try to understand this fact; and when once this fact is grasped, the walls of divisions and distinctions of every kind fall down and a sense of universal unison and oneness is attained.

It will be worthwhile to quote here the meaningful words of Aurobindo:

"The whole aim of a great culture is to lift man up to something which at first he is not, to lead him to knowledge though he starts from an unfathomable ignorance, to teach him to live by his reason, though actually he lives much more by his unreason, by the law of good and unity, though he is now full of evil and discord, by a law of beauty and harmony, though his actual life is a repulsive muddle of ugliness and jarring barbarisms, by some high law of his spirit, though at present he is egoistic, material, unspiritual, engrossed by the needs and desires of his physical being."

He adds:

"If a civilization has not any of these aims, it can hardly at all be said to have a culture and certainly in no sense a great and nobles culture."

Indian culture has everything that is found in "a great and nobtur culture". It is rich in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, art, paintingg sculpture, literature, religion, philosophy and everything else tha pertains to human life. What is worth noting is the fact that all these were basically inspired by high philosophical motives.

A fine synthesis of the physical and spiritual values has been achieved in Indian culture. And if a question is asked, "Which is mor important the spiritual or the mundane"? A clear answer is that spiritual life is nobler than a life devoted solely to power ang enjoyment. The ultimate object is to help a man rise above the tumults of desires and aspirations and to help him, still further, to attain th acme of spiritual attainment. However, the world was never overlooked. The open declaration was "Enjoy life in a non-attache manner".

Not failure, but low aim is crime - says a wise dictum. If one tries to reach the spiritual perfection, one is bound to make one's work happier than what it is with a purely materialistic man. Our moder atomic weapons have brought humanity closest to total destruction Adherence to Indian culture can pull humanity out of the prescr predicament because Indian mind holds the opinion that man is bom human animal but through culture he can be made a true human being (janmana jayate shudro, sanskarat dwija ucchchate). Refinement human nature is possible only through culture as understood an advocated by Indian thought.

A perusal of this book is expected to help a reader in understanding the nature of Indian culture, which is in fact universal or world culture. Social distances existing in the present world can be reduced and removed only through its philosophical touch and it alone can usher i a heaven of harmony and prosperity on this earth.

**Contents and Sample Pages**