Bharath is the birthplace of the Vedas and of the Sastras, Epics and Puranas that have elaborated the principles enunciated therein for the education of the common man. It is the nursery of music and other fine arts, inspired by the noble passion of consecrating human skills for adoring the Divine and communicating the super-sensuous. It is the staff and sustenance of the mystic and the ascetic, the intellectual and the dynamic adorer of God; it is the field where the Science of Yoga was cultivated and systematized. No wonder, therefore, that this land, India has survived through the ages, as the land of Yoga (self-control) and Tyaga (detachment). Though these traits of Indian culture may be eclipsed for some time, by the forces of secular cultures, civilization catering to material comfort, storms of doubt and disbelief that sweep through the corridor of time, they cannot be totally uprooted from the hearts of men. The duty of Indians is to foster these traits, and sow among human communities the seeds of love, so that they grow and fill the world with the fragrant blooms of tolerance and reverence. No man can live apart from the rest of his kind. No country can play its role, alone unrelated to the others on the world stage. Other nations influence the destiny of India; India too has its impact on others. One bloodstream circulates through all the limbs; one Divine Principle circulates through all the lands and peoples. The universe is the body of God; He knows and feels every twitch, every pang, be it from a black man or white, from land or sea or air or space.

Thath (that) is a word that refers to something in the distance. That means something far away to which you point. Thwam (You) is yourself. It is the thing nearest to you, namely, you yourself. You know yourself most; what you have now to know is only this: that, "you" and "that" are the same! There is only One and no Two. It is spoken of as ‘buddhi graahyam, atheendriyam', graspable by the intelligence, beyond the grasp of the senses of touch, hearing, seeing, taste and touch! The Lord Venkateswara is celebrated as the Lord of the Seven Hills; His Temple is on the Seventh hill and one has to traverse and go over six hills to reach Him. This is symbolic of the six obstacles of Kama (Lust), Krodha (Anger), Lobha (Greed), Moha (Attachment), Mada (Pride) and Matsarya (Envy). One has to go across these passions and cast them behind him; here he can stand face to face with the Lord.

Bharat-Spiritual and Cultural Truths