THE light of knowledge dawned in the world with the magnificent literature is called as Vedas. Vedas are the expression of the most sublime ideas of human mind and are replete with well wishes not for a particular community or class, not even for the human only. They solicit peace for the earth, the water, the air, the space, the animals, and the even the plants along with the inner peace for the human being:
Yajurveda 36.17
(Let there be peace in the sky, in the space, in the earth, in the water, in the herbs, in the woods, in the gods, in the Brahman and everywhere. Let there be peace and peace. Let the same peace be in me too.)
An inundation of love and universal fraternity flows from the Vedas.
Eradication of hatred from human heart has been the essence of the Vedic precept. A single stanza from the Isavsyopanisad is adequate to reveal this
Vedic tenet:
Isavasyopanisad 6
(He, who discovers the presence of all the beings in his own self and finds himself in all the beings, has no scope to hate.)
Vedas thus are the treasures of the whole world, placed high above the trifling human divisions into sects or communities. Rightly the UNESCO has honoured the Vedas with the glorious status of world heritage. The senate of America paid apt respect to the grand literature by commencing its session with the spiritual recital of Veda Mantras and Gita.
It is India'ssupreme pride to be known as the emanating place of the Vedas. Indian culture sans the Vedas is unthinkable. It is the foremost consecrated duty of every Indian, therefore to be of service to the motherland by preserving Vedas, the most precious treasure of the land and spreading the precept of the same to every corner of the world.
But this light of the land is an object of abomination for National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the leading, responsible organization of India which is entrusted with the sacred duty of protecting Indian culture and transmitting it to the next generation through education. For the organization Vedas are untouchable and the recitation of it is an abominable act of communalism.
Yes, the incident happened in NCERT and in the Project which is launched to spread Sanskrit to the nook and corner of India. The National Sanskrit Project (NSP), under the Dept. of Language of NCERT, which is aimed at promoting Sanskrit throughout India, had organised a three-day All India Sanskrit Conference on ?Sanskrit Education through E-learning? from 29th August to 31st August 07. The date was chosen to coincide with the ?Sanskrit Week? which started from 28th August 07. The Sanskrit day falls on the Sravana Purnima and is observed for one week and in many places for one full month.
Since the Vedas are the most valuable treasures of Sanskrit language, the seminar was appropriately planned to start with Vedic chanting and to end with Vedic prayer for peace.
But when the agenda of the seminar was known to Prof. Ramajanm Sharma, HOD, Dept. of Language, his action was most unexpected. He did not agree to the recitation of Vedas in the beginning and at the end of the Conference. Even after repeated efforts from the NSP to convince Prof. Sharma that Vedas are the valuable treasures of the country and are the great heritage of the world and the chanting of Vedas at the beginning is a mark of respect to the great heritage of India, Prof. Sharma refused to approve the same. As a result no Vedic chanting could take place in the Conference. The matter was reported to the Joint Director and Director, NCERT but in vain.
The attitude of the NCERT towards the grand culture and heritage of India is highly deplorable and objectionable. It is an official insult to the great culture.
When insulting the national flag is a punishable offence by law why should the insult of the Vedas not be regarded as an offence equally or more serious? It is therefore necessary that appropriate action be taken by the Ministry of HRD against those who are responsible for this dishonour of Indian culture and take measures to prevent future repetition of such undesirable act. The persons who openly disrespect the culture of the land must not be rewarded with high posts in the country.
(The writer can be contacted at indulatadas@yahoo.co.in) When insulting the national flag is a punishable offence by law why should the insult of the Vedas not be regarded as an offence equally or more serious?
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