Why 'The Vedic Pond'?
The roots of our highest aspiration for ourselves and the world found beautiful resonance in the blooming of a Lotus Flower from a Pond. At our core, we are inspired by the philosophies of Vedānta and Yoga which state that each of us is born with a certain gift - this could manifest in the form of a skill, an ability, an orientation, and so on.
The greatest quest of one’s life, in fact, the very purpose of one’s life is to be able to discover this gift within themselves and try and align this gift as a service to the society or larger context that one lives in. This is what we refer to as ‘knowledge’ according to the “Indic lens”.
The Bhāratīya Gnāna Paramparā or the Indic Knowledge Systems as it is now being referred to draws its substance from the universal and eternal truth codified into the Vedas. Thus, all that there is to know, all forms of knowledge are contained in the Vedas.
‘Vedic’ therefore, is the knowing and embodiment of knowledge as viewed from the Indic lens.
The tradition has its foundations in the study of the Panca Mahābhūta or the Five Great Elements. Of these, the Jal Bhūta or Water Element is said to represent life, movement and taste. Most importantly, it holds the potential for nourishment (much like the amniotic fluid supplying nutrients to the embryo).
This is perhaps why all water bodies are deeply revered as one’s mother in the tradition. ‘Ponds’ in this context, are central for nourishing the rich ecosystem of life that inhabit it.
A Hindu temple is never alone. It is never just the creation of man. It is always in a trivenī (confluence of three) - a great temple, a sacred pond and a sacred forest. Every year, the Temple Deity is taken to the Pond and bathed - much like each of us do. A ceremony is performed to evoke the feeling of cleansing and purification in all our hearts!
The pond is also the seat of the Divine Lotus Flower! Bhāratīya Paramparā cannot emphasize enough the symbolism of the Lotus Flower - it represents that part of us that remains unaffected by the surroundings in which it blooms.
Note that the Lotus Flower only grows among the pond’s silt - much like all of us who live in the darkness of Avidyā (ignorance), but deeply hold the aspiration to grow towards the light, beyond the malama (impurities, deterrents).
Yogic texts state that this Divine Light dwells within the Lotus in our heart-center. This light is an effulgence of our radiant being!
The highest aspiration for each of us, therefore, is to realize this Divinity, this gift that we are born with, that is resting within us, by providing it with the required conditions to flower.
The Vedic Pond seeks to be the facilitator of this inner unfolding for young minds - much like a Temple Pond, which is a nourishing space for the Lotus Flower to bloom.
This is enabled through embodying and promoting Dhārmic Values in all endeavours.
What are Dharmic Values?
Dharma at one level means the intrinsic nature of a thing. It is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. It comes from the root word 'dhṛ' which can be translated as “uphold” or “sustain”, according to Indologist PV Kane (quoted in Dayanand Bharati's understanding of Hinduism)
How does one come in touch with one’s own intrinsic nature and facilitate upholding the wellness of the society?
Śrimad Bhāgavatam symbolizes this through the imagery of the Bull. There are four Legs of the Bull, each representing one pillar of Dharma - Tapas, Śaucha, Satya & Karunā. Each of these values is central to fulfilling one’s duties.
Tapas: Constantly working on limiting tendencies to sharpen one’s power of discernment
Śaucha: Cleanliness not just externally but in terms of a systematic and ordered way of being
Satya: A state where thoughts, words and actions are integrated
Karunā: Ability to be compassionate to oneself and everyone around
These Timeless values have been epitomized by eminent civilizational heroes such as Arjuna, Prahlāda, Nachiketa, Śri Rāma, Śri Krśna, Sita Mā, Rādhārāni and many more.
Are Dharmic Values relevant today?
The world is witnessing an all-time low level of well-being. The two year long pandemic has amplified this state of being and also shown us the horrors of loneliness, anxiety, poor immunity and most importantly,
an emerging cultural identity crisis.
an emerging cultural identity crisis.
Parents
Parents are often left feeling helpless when they find their children in a state of anxiety, stress, disharmony and disorder. Parents wish for their children to be good humans first before becoming great scholars in a field of study. They wish to pass on spiritual wisdom to their children but are finding it increasingly challenging.
Youngsters
Youngsters do not have a sense of identity with their Bhāratīya culture. Due to the lack of understanding of one’s own culture, youngsters have accepted and imbibed foreign culture without an honest enquiry into their own. This is “Cultural Subjugation”. This leads to a distortion in their meaning-making process concerning themselves and the world around them.
Education
Education is a sacred space meant for the transformation of the personality of the learner into a nobler shape. Today education centers have become a place for mere instruction where only functional skills and hard-data is made available to learners. The joy of learning for its own sake or the immersive experience of a field of study is absent.
Society
Society ideally should promote cohesion & interdependence. A strongly knit family forms the basis for cultural transmission in society. There is a growing trend of fragmentation of the joint family into disconnected, nuclear families. This break in link needs to be bridged right now to ensure the continuation of one’s native values & culture.
While we are aware of our concerns, we are convinced that a grounding in Dharmic values of Tapas, Śaucha, Satya & Karunā is the only way to not just bounce back, but progress forward for our planet.