II. The Land of our forefather and a note on her Oldest Scripture

India is a land of spirituality. In diversities of religion and culture, in expressions of music and art, in thousand practices and performances of daily chores a veiled truth in the form of age-old traditions is working silently but deeply. And no matter how large or small the sect is, starting from the oldest to the newest all practiced branches of the Hindu religion acclaim their origin from The Vedamata.
That there will be some perversities, contradictory approaches, and large gaps between different branches of the same root is inevitable for all established religions on earth. With the Vedic religion it is all the more so because of its two basic characteristics.

Our religion does not have any Human Founder.

And secondly, but no less unique in nature, is the fact that in a singular catholicity, the Vedic religion embraces every single material movement, from the grossest to the finest, in its unlimited vastness and proclaims beyond the perception of limited human intelligence: "Sarvam Khalu Idam Brahma"- "All This is verily the Divine."

In 327 B.C. the victorious army of Alexander crossed the river that was known as Sindhu. In this epoch-making event, History witnessed the spectacular intermingling of two cultures- the Hellenic at the acme of its glory and that of the country that the Greeks named India, a name derived from Indus- Greek version of Sindhu.

After the untimely death of Alexander, Seleucus(358-281 B.C.) became the ruler of Parthia (part of Mesopotamia and modern Iran) and Greek occupied part of India. A natural connection in forms of trade and commerce developed between the two countries. The land of Sapta Sindhu (Seven Rivers)-the five forming Punjab - namely Bitasta (Jhelum), Bipasa(Beas), Iravati (Ravi), Satadru (Sutlej), Chandrabhaga (Chenub) and the other two being Sind (Indus) and Saraswati (No name given because the river Saraswati is known to be flown underground) came to be called by the Parthians as land of Hapta Hidu or Hindustan, and the religion that the people practiced as Hinduism. This universally accepted term was never a term given by the people themselves but rather an imposition by an invading race. According to Swami Vivekananda ours is the Sanatan (everlasting, eternal) Dharma. Our land was named Bharat by our forefathers after the legendary king Bharata. Again, 'Bha' means effulgence and Bharat is the land adhered to that effulgence. This is the land "Bharati yatra santatih" (Where presides Bharati- the Divine Mother of Effulgence).

The followers of the Vedas have ascribed some unique terms to their scripture.
These attributions, no doubt, reveal that the Knowledge of Truth expounded in the Vedas was neither received by any pragmatic method nor by magic.

(1) Shruti:- or Knowledge received through purified Senses -Hearing being the major one.
That the refined and properly channeled consciousness can obtain knowledge beyond senses is a proven fact. In our ordinary vocabulary this is termed as 'intuition' which the Vedic Rishis termed as 'Bodhi'. The ultimate persuasion of Bodhi may take us to Vijnana which is the fourth state of human evolution after matter, life and mind, or in the words of Sri Aurobindo-to Gnosis.

(2) Aptavakya:- or Words of the seers that impart a mystic Knowledge that can not be obtained by any customary means. Not only do the Aptas give us an idea of the mystic Knowledge but from the depth of their experience they instruct how to achieve that. So the Aptavakya has a double significance- cognition of the Reality and the attainment of the Reality.
But here we face the greatest hurdle. In our present ordinary life, reality is something tangible. We do not accept any thing unless it is verified and passed through the scanning machine of our senses. How do we accept a mystic lore as anything more that mere fantasy or the Vedic Mantras as anything more than an appeal to appease the Natural forces? A tiny feeble voice of Faith in us gets lost under the huge burden of accumulated habits, confirmed beliefs and egoistic presumptions. Is there a way? Is there something hidden in that Scripture which can show us a path to bring a harmony between the world of our daily life and the world of our dreams? And prove beyond doubt that there is a deeper significance in the Vedic Mantras beyond the apparent meaning?
The Mystics say-Yes. All we have to do is to refine and ultimately transform our senses. Now that we are looking outward, we have turn our vision inward. The Scripture says "Parak Pashyanti, Nantaratmanam."" They see only outward, not inward". No doubt the path is like a razor's edge but proper guidance, indomitable will and ever-alert mindfulness can bring success.
We must keep in mind that this particular method of attaining highest goal of existence is by no means singular to The Vedic Culture only. All existing schools of religion and philosophy tell us the same thing-that we have to restrain ourselves from the world outside to discover the Kingdom of Heaven within.

But the singularity of the Rishis lies in choosing another term for their Scripture. So that these Expressions, which they believed to have come down as Realised Truth, are not tarnished by any egoistic individuality they termed the Vedas as

(3) Apaurusheya:- or not originated by human brain. This attribution has a deeper significance too. One of the major features of the Vedic philosophy is belief in inseparability between Brahman or the ever-expanding Consciousness and Vak or Its Expression. In other words, the vibration created by an Eternal Existence Expressed Itself in form of Word or Vak or Mantra. This mantra, at its origin, is not a repetition of hymns passed on from generation to generation. These are the spontaneous expressions of the Original Vibration. The Seers did not compose them with their minds, they compiled them from their visions.