I would like to ask proponents of the nasty idea that if India did not exist in the ancient times and also if it had no entity of its own, then how could its knowledge spread far and wide. In those ancient days was it possible to provide learning to a large number of people in a large number of disciplines without a central learning center? The fact is that it was not only the territory of India which came under attack but also its Vedic knowledge which was picked up by the invadors. Undoubtedly, India being the birth place of knowledge has been the Jagadguru. It is the sacred land of India which has been the educational center of the world as Maharishi Manu says:
Etddesh prasutasya skashadagrajanmana
swam swam charitram shikshran prithiviya servamanva (Manusmriti 2.20)
The idea of this is - "Let all men of the world, in all walks of their life, receive instructions in their various trade, rules of conduct suited to their respective positions in life and acquire knowledge from the learned persons born in this land (India)."
On the authority of Manusmriti and other scriptures, Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati in his book Satyartha Prakash has given the geographical boundreis of 'Arya Vrat' i.e,land of cultured people , which lies between boundries of Himalyas in the north and mountains called Vindhyas stretching right upto Rameshwaram in the South. Late Pt.kshitish Vedalankar, who was an eminent author and a journalist in an article "Ratnakar and Mahoodadhi - Arab Sagar and Bengal Ki Khari" published in Dayananda Commemoration Vol, 1983 says that on his visit to Rameshwaram he was surprised to see very long corridors of the temple and its two unusual gatekeepers,'Ratnakar and Mahoodadhi'. After lot of investigation, a pujari explained to Pandit Vedalankar that the gatekeeper Ratnakar stands for Arabic Sea while the other Mahoodadhi for Bay of Bengal. Every pilgrim in ancient days was supposed to carry not only Ganga water from the Himalayas but also a bow & arrow to the Rameshwaram Temple. During ancient times Army was stationed in the long corridors while bows and arrows were its weapons to be used against any external aggression. The Shivlinga in the temple was also given bath in Ganga water. The same water which was brought by every pilgrim was also used by army for drinking purpose. Rameshwaram a sort of Border post, is/ was one of the four dhams apart from the other three located in different parts of India. Sanskrit was the lingua franca of the country right from Afganistan to Kanyakumari. There are numerous mantras of Vedas which are related to 'Rashtra' - Nation. At one place Rig Veda(10.18.10) says 'Serve the Motherland with all your heart' - upsarp mataram bhumimetam. Even during Vedic Marriage Ceremony Raashtrabrit Yajna for the well being of the Nation is performed. Dr.Deen Bandhu Chandora in the book 'Vedic Marriage Ceremony, Sanskaar/Sacrament'(pub.by Greater Atlanta Vedic Temple Society Inc)Ed.2012 says "Marriage is one unit that creates and sustains the nation, therefore, in Vedic marriage ceremony the couple is reminded about their responsibilities towards sustenance of the nation."
India has been the light house of knowledge. The word Bharat is made up of - bha(knowledge)+rat(engaged)and whose residents remain immersed in acquisition of knowledge. Ashoka ruled over this land of Bharat Bhoomi and before him a long list of Chakravarti Samrats(emperors)is available in Puranas and Mahabharata. Eminent Vedic scholar, Dr.Fatah Singh in his book 'Bhartiyata ko Vedon Ki Dain' pub.by Ved Sansthan, New Delhi,Ed.1991 says that generally in Puranas the territory between Himalayas and the coastal areas has been described as Bharat Desh. Some puranas, Dr.Fatah Singh says also mention the above territory of 'Bharat' as 'Kumaridweep' and 'Greater Bharat' is consisted of countries like Jawa(Yavdweep), Sumatra, Taiwan(Tamravarna), and islands like Bornio(Varundweep). Almost same rule of law existed over this vast land of Bharat, movement of pilgrims over the entire territory was widespread apart from commonality of culture, festivals, dharmic concepts, etc. All this is a clear evidence that in ancient India there existed not only a deep political but also cultural unity.
Y.K. Wadhwa
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