Republic Day and the Constitution

Vedas – the guidelines for the spirit.

On 26 January, we in India celebrated Republic Day. In 1950, the country adopted its new Constitution, and we celebrate this day to honor that event. This day ranks with Independence Day in its importance for the country.

What is so important about the Constitution that warrants such celebration and prominence? We can gauge its importance from the fact that it took nearly three years to make, with India’s finest legal and administrative minds engaged in doing it. The final work they produced has been lauded the world over; the Constitution has been tested, but it has withstood such pressures, and India has emerged more robust with each passing year.

The Constitution reflects the reality and aspirations of its citizens and provides a framework for the country; this makes it so important. It provides a framework for the future of the country.

Rules and guidelines are essential for progress in every field. Take, for example, traffic rules. Think of a world where there are no traffic rules, and people are free to drive as they please. You can imagine the carnage this will lead to. Regulations and laws enable us to rise and make progress, provided the rules are just.

It is no different in the spiritual world. There is a Constitution for the soul, and it is the Vedas. It provides us with the framework we need for our spiritual journey. And unlike the Constitution of India, which has been amended several times to keep pace with changing circumstances, the Vedas are unchangeable. The Vedas are eternal; they are why the Hindu faith's correct name is Sanatan Dharma, the eternal path. Not even God created the Vedas; what is built one day will also end one day, and this is not the case with the Vedas. God manifests the Vedas from time to time, after each cycle of destruction/creation of the world. The sage Ved Vyas did not create the Vedas either; he compiled them into four parts. The word ‘Vyas’ means ‘compiler,’ not ‘creator.’

The Vedas are a complete repository of spiritual laws and outcomes. They have something in store for everyone. If you want the ultimate goal, divine bliss, the Vedas have a perfect set of guidelines for you.

If you wish that your next birth is in heaven, the Vedas have the answer for that as well. If you want your next birth to be in hell, the Vedas have a formula for that too! Just do the opposite of Vedic recommendations, and a tour of hell is guaranteed.