Significance of Symbolism & Customs
of Indian Culture
Culture is often criticized for its ‘unmindful
rituals’ of worshiping everything — rivers, trees,
mountains, rocks, soil, animals, birds, etc, and its
‘vague imaginations’ and ‘philosophical ideas’
that associate auspiciousness and mystic faith
with specific symbols. The critics should pay
attention to the fact that this culture emanates
from the Vedas that are regarded as most ancient
and comprehensive source of knowledge on
transcendental as well as manifested realms
of eternal Consciousness-Force, and all forms
and dimensions of life, Nature, and its material
existence [1- 4].
Symbolism in Indian Culture:
Symbolism has been a part of human life since
the inception of human culture and civilization —
e.g. to mark conceptualization of unknown forces
of the universe, identification of natural objects,
‘syllables’ of sign-language, etc. Every religion
has some sacred symbols — e.g. the holy stone
at Kaaba (al-Ka?bah) in Mecca for Muslims,
holy Cross for Christians, etc. National flag is a
symbol of patriotic dignity, sovereignty and pride
for every country.
The Vedic spiritual philosophy — the essence
of supreme knowledge, advocates formless,
non-dual, omnipresent, eternal Consciousness-
Force (Brah®) as the ultimate reality of The
Supreme Being (God). However, considering
the difficulties of most people in realization of
the formless infinity, the teachings of the Vedic
religion and cultural texts emphasized the
importance and necessity of the devotion and
worship of God in some ‘visible’ symbolic form
for the psychological and spiritual upliftment
of humankind. The specific forms (idols)
of deities worshiped under Vedic (Indian)
Culture symbolize specific divine qualities
and powers of the manifestations of God and
also incorporate ethical teachings. Because
of its spiritual origin, the Indian Culture also
emphasizes several symbols linked with the
science and philosophy of spirituality.
In (Bio)chemical sciences, line-diagrams or
networks of lines and circles with syllables of
atom-names are used as schematic representations
of molecular structures.
A more evolved and
structured coding system (in terms of geometric
designs/symbols, or specific objects) was devised
by the Vedic sages (the founders of Indian
Culture) to represent transcendent and manifested
elements and energy current/fields existing in
Nature. These symbols (matrik³s and yantras)
have multiple meanings in terms of physical,
mental and spiritual expressions and effects.
Prominent among these symbols are outlined
below (details in [5]).
? (Oa®): The symbol of self-existent,
omnipresent element of the ‘sound’ of the
evolutionary vibration of Brah®; concise
representation of the combined spiritual energy
fields of the divine forces of trinity gods
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Researchers of
yoga-science and spiritual healing have found,
and millions of yoga-practitioners across the
world have experienced, significant soothing
and rejuvenating effects of meditative chants of
“Oa®”.
(Swastika): The symbol of the manifested
energy (of Brah®) subtly spread in all cosmic
directions that accounts for auspiciousness and
wellbeing.
Ïikh³ (Hair knot, tied at centre of the head)
and S¿tra (sacred thread or yagyopavita
hanged from right shoulder till the navel: Ïikh³
symbolizes the presence of discerning intellect,
farsightedness and the deity of knowledge
upon our head. It is like a flag hoisted at the
suture (the central junctions of all major
nerves) of dignified values and virtues of
humanity. Awareness of righteousness, moral
responsibilities and social duties of human life
are worn on our shoulders and kept attached to
our hearts in symbolic form as the S¿tra.
Objects like dºpaka (lamp of ghee) and kalaïa
(round copper pot filled with the water of
a sacred river) symbolize respectively, the
incessant light of divinity, and presence of
divine powers in all directions and forms
around the cosmos.
All these symbols and objects, and other facets
of Indian Culture are linked with the multiple
manifestations and divine powers of Gayatri
(G³yatrº) [6] — the Supreme Mother of all divine
virtues and powers; the primordial, eternal power
(of the Omnipotent), the perennial evolutionary
force for expression of Brah® in the existence
and creation of Nature; the eternal origin of
divine wisdom.
Supreme knowledge of the Vedas is also said
to have originated from the Gayatri Mantra.
According to revered mystics, spiritual masters,
and scholars, spiritual endeavors of s³dhan³
reach ultimate state of beatifying enlightenment,
soul-realization, and divine bliss with the
support of this supreme mantra. The journey
of spiritual purification and illumination of
the inner-self also begins with the meditative
chants of this mantra. Indeed, Gayatri (supreme
source of noble thoughts and virtues) and yagya
(selfless service, noble deeds) provide the
motivating light and foundational support for
the noble Indian Culture.
Customs of Indian Culture - Harmony with
Nature:
Apart from the spiritual science of sublime
realities of the Consciousness-Force in the
origin and expression of the entire Creation,
the teachings of Vedas for humankind
largely deal with collective awareness and
participation of people in natural well-being
of all with harmonious maintenance of healthy
environment of life. The Vedic cultural norms/
principles and customs therefore aim to inculcate
a spirit of reverence to encourage caring,
nurturing and protection of the ecosystem and
all expressions/resources of Nature as precious
entities.
The Vedas preach –– “Vasudhaiv
KuÚumbka®” (the entire creation, everything
on the earth, is one family). Every component
of Nature is revered here as a manifestation of
the Supreme Creator and hence has its unique
significance and place in the intricate web of
life with its myriad forms.
Robust and pragmatic principles were designed
in the Vedic texts as ‘religious norms’, ‘cultural
customs’, or social duties [3-4,7] in consonance
with the psychological makeup of the Indian
masses to ensure wholehearted participation of
the masses in healthy sustenance of Nature with
its rich biodiversity and majestic beauty.
For example, air is revered here as the god
Maruta, the natural element of water is worshiped
as god Varuna and rivers as manifestations of
goddesses. The earth, soil, mountains, etc, are
also regarded as deities. Medicinal plants/trees
(vanauÌadhis) and other vegetation (vanaspatis)
are personified as goddesses and deities and
collectively invoked as goddess, ‘Arañyani’,
in the Vedas. The sun and other planets are
also regarded here as manifestations of the
divine powers of Nature (to remind us that our
life would not have existed without their ideal
locations and orbital motion).
As we all know, animals and birds also play
extremely important role in maintaining
desired balance of the ecosystem. The Vedic
sages had given many of these and tinier
creatures an honorable place; they described
many of them as manifestations of divine
incarnations (e.g. Kachchap-avatar, Varahavatar,
Narshimh-avatar of Lord Vishnu);
many of the animals/birds and tiny creatures are
referred as the v³hans (mode of conveyance)
of divine powers – e.g. Bull as a v³han of
Lord Shiva, mouse of Lord Ganesha, Owl
of Goddess Lakshmi, etc. This symbolizes
the great culture of gratefulness to the other
creatures for all the help and benefits they
offer to the humans and also teaches amicable
co-existence of the entire animal kingdom.
Cow has also been given a sacred place like
the holy Ganges in Indian Culture. Cow is
regarded as mother.
This is because of immense
contributions of this serene, domestic animal on
multiple fronts of life. Apart from her milk being
complete food and immune-modulator, the dung
and urine of cow are also found extremely useful
as fuel, fertilizer, disinfectant, anti-radioactive
agent, and/or therapeutic medicine.
Hundreds of hymns in the Vedas and
teachings of Vedic Cultural texts sing paeans
of the distinct properties and kind gifts
(towards sustenance of healthy life) of Nature
and natural resources and remind us not to
disturb their natural sanctity (natural purity).
Hundreds of hymns also inspire, motivate
and render practical guidance to the masses
to protect and conserve this nectar of Nature.
In view of the psychology of the masses
the duties of harmonious maintenance of
the ecosystem, conservation of the forests,
wildlife, water, and other natural resources,
are attributed as puñyas (noble deeds) and
the acts of polluting wasting or destroying
(e.g. cutting the trees or killing the animals,
for selfish motifs) are categorized as p³pa
(sin). Derived from the hidden and explicit
teachings specified in the mantras of the
Vedas, the Indian scriptures had set up practical
guidelines, consonant with the psychology
of the masses, for natural implementation
of the principles of conservation, balanced
utilization and regeneration of the Nature’s
precious resources.
Religious Days and Festivals:
In behavioral terms as well, the Indian culture
teaches an attitude of gratitude towards
every component of Nature which helps our
survival and growth in one way or the other;
the customs propagated under this cultural
system aim at mass-motivation and also
provide guidelines towards ecological balance
and healthy co-existence of all [7].
Nature provides light, air, food, water and many
other resources.
This awareness of vitality of
natural resources in life, a precondition for humansurvival,
led to religious customs/festivals. These
customs/festivals celebrated on specific days for
specific natural entities incorporate prayer-filled
worship of light, air, food, water, rivers, mountains,
animals, etc, e.g. the fasting based festivals of
Chhata Puja (for the Sun), Ganga Dashahara
(for the holy Ganges), Narmada Jayanti (for the
sacred river Narmada), Govardhan Puja (for a
mountain), Bachcha (Calf) Baras, N³ga (Snake)
Panchami, etc, to name a few.
There are many religious festivals, for example,
VaÚa (Banyan) Purñim³, Ânval³ (Emblic,
Indian Gooseberry) Navamº, etc, associated with
devotional worship of the trees, which apart from
bestowing enormous benefits of natural medicinal
and/or health substitutes, and/or supplying healthy
nutrients, also contribute to attracting rainfall and/or
otherwise preventing soil-degradation, protecting
biodiversity, and strengthening the ecosystem.
Every nation has some special days or festivals
to mark special events (e.g. Independence Day,
Republic Day, etc) and/or in the honor of some
great personality, to remember and express
gratitude or his/her noble deeds, etc. At global
level as well we have almost some such special
day — e.g. world environment day, women’s day,
mother’s day, father’s day, international yoga
day, etc. The founders of Indian Culture were
much ahead of the modern trends in this regard.
Their spiritual acumen had a reach in the deeper
depths of human mind and inner self. Therefore,
the cultural norms and traditions propounded by
them are relevant even today.
A unique feature of these religious festivals or
special days is observance of “fasting”. Indian
Culture emphasizes observance of fasting (ascetic
restraint on eating), as part of inner purification,
physical fitness, and mental control. In the context
of rituals/festivals for natural resources, it is linked
with the sacred feeling of devotion that makes
the expression of gratitude more meaningful and
helps ‘record’ the importance of specific entity/
power of Nature in the subconscious mind and
memory more effectively. This ‘mental-carving’
ascertains that the devotee would care not to
misuse or ruin the natural resource, and would be
motivated to protect and enhance it.
Strict fasting with other ascetic disciplines is
an integral part of some special days/periods
of spiritual and religious significance in Indian
Culture — e.g. Navar³tri (period of 9 sacred
days during the transitional phase of seasonchange,
e.g. Aswin Navartri between monsoonseason/
autumn and winter), Mahasivratri (at the
juncture of celestial transitions), or Ekadasi (the
11th day of a fortnight when there is a special
planetary position), Purnima (full moon day),
etc. This not only helps augment the inner-purity,
deep devotional-feeling, and mental engrossment
in the specific spiritual endeavors of meditation,
japa-sadhana, etc, but also boosts the digestive
system, helps greater immunity and protection
from the psycho-physical side-effects of seasonal
change / geo-magnetic fluctuations.
Importance of Yagya:
The great tradition of yagya (fire-ritual) is an
integral part of important spiritual and cultural
activities in the Vedic system; it is also adopted
in daily chores to purify the environment, help
healthy growth of vegetation and preserve
natural resources. The science of yagya and its
relevance and impact today for holistic wellbeing
is also validated by modern scientific
research since past decade or so [8]. In the Vedic
texts yagya is referred as basis of universal
creation and nucleus of the cycle of Nature.
The philosophy of yagya deals with altruism,
selfless service for the welfare of all, collective
sharing of natural resources, etc [9].
Socio-Cultural Festivals:
Remarkably, the socio-cultural festivals like
Sri Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Dipawali, Onam,
Baisakhi, etc, are also associated with divine faith
in one form or the other. These are celebrated
joyously, colorfully by different communities
with inter-communal harmony under varied
shades of Indian Culture on special days that
are important from the point of agricultural
activities and/or onset of favorable season. For
example, the burning of Holika a day before
Holi (the festival of colors) marks cleansing of
the dry agricultural waste before the harvesting
and storage of the rabi crop (of wheat, barley,
mustard, etc.).
Present Scenario of Adulterated Customs:
Due to the deformations and distortions incurred
since the medieval times of cultural adulteration
and devolution, we often see only a superficial
trace of the original purpose, principles, and
methods in the cultural customs of the Indian
society today. This is more prominently seen
among the so-called ‘modernized’, ‘pseudocultural’
urban Indians. Nevertheless, there is
still a great hope of revival among the rural and
tribal masses, as marked by some experts [c.f.
4] — “Since local knowledge systems in India
are still being practiced among the masses, they
can contribute to address the challenges of forest
management, sustainable water management,
biodiversity conservation, and mitigation of
global climate change. Ecological consequences
of climate change require that we access all
stocks of knowledge for mitigation strategies”.
Some socio-spiritual organizations and NGOs
are doing excellent works in this regard with
mass-participation, on no-profit basis.
This should be an eye-opener for the blind-followers
of the modern culture of ‘commercialization’ of
everything (even life and Nature) and a motivating
factor for those confused about whether to follow
Indian Culture and How?
References:
1. Sri Aurobindo: The Secrets of the Veda (On the Veda – Part I). Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.
1956
2. Acharya Pt. Shriram Sharma: Vedon K³ Divya Sandeïa. Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura, 1985.
[English version: The Divine Message of Vedas. Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura, 1994].
3. Dr. AK Jayaswal: Vaidika Sansk—ati Ke Vividha Ây³ma. Lalit Prakashan, New Delhi. 2000.
4. Pandya P. and Shambhu Dass (eds.): Articles on Vedic Solutions to Modern Problem: Air, Water,
Soil Purification and Protection of Ecosystem. Akhand Jyoti: The Life Divine. V.4/Nos. 1-4. 2006.
5. Pandya P. and Shambhu Dass (eds.): Vedic Symbols. Shri Ved Mata Gayatri Trust: Haridwar. 2005
6. Pandya S.N. and Shambhu Dass: Super Science of Gayatri. Yug Nirman Yojana, Mathura. (12th
Print). 2015.
7. Acharya Pt. Shriram Sharma: Bh³ratºya Sanskrati Ke Âdh³rabh¿ta Tatva. “Pt. Shriram Sharma
Acharya Samagra Vangamaya” Vol. 34 Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura, 1995.
8. Pandya P. (ed.): Applied Science of Yagya for Health & Environment. Sri Veda Mata Gayatri
Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar. 2016. (5th Print; 1st edition: 2011).
9. Acharya Pt. Shriram Sharma: Yagya K³ Gy³na aur Vigy³na. “Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya
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