Week 216: Centrality of the Vedas, Thai Kings and the Ganges, Art and the Artists
02/04/2024 - Modern Hindu Content
Welcome to Eternal Path! This week we feature a verse on the centrality of the Vedas, a Thai tradition involving the Ganga, and the artists behind the Ram Mandir murti designs!
Philosophy Highlight: Centrality of the Vedas
This is our philosophy at Eternal Path. We shine a light on and have an ecumenical attitude toward all traditions which affirm the centrality and primary influence of the Vedas in their paths and reject those that do not; simple as that.
A snippet from Manusmriti 12.95 (Ganganath Jha Translation)
या वेदबाह्याः स्मृतयो याश्च काश्च कुदृष्टयः ।
सर्वास्ता निष्फलाः प्रेत्य तमोनिष्ठा हि ताः स्मृताः ॥ ९५ ॥yā vedabāhyāḥ smṛtayo yāśca kāśca kudṛṣṭayaḥ |
sarvāstā niṣphalāḥ pretya tamoniṣṭhā hi tāḥ smṛtāḥ || 95 ||Those ‘revealed texts’ that are outside the Veda, as also all the false theories, are useless, even when carried to perfection; as they have been declared to be founded on ‘darkness.’—(95)
Tradition Highlight: Thai Kings and Gangajal
Aesthetic: The Art and The Artists - Ram Mandir
While ultimately the left murti (by Arun Yogiraj) was selected for Ayodhya Ram Mandir, both the other contenders (by Ganesh Bhatt & Satyanarayan Pandey respectively) are also awe-inspiring, and the Trust that runs the Ram Mandir has noted these murtis will be installed in other floors of the Mandir.