The Rishis of Himalayas meditated deeply on ‘Supreme Secret” of creation the Origin of Creation, the birth of Man and aim of Human life.
Their Vision illuminated by God, revealed to them the Supreme Message of God to Man. They called this ‘VEDA’ the Eternal Knowledge. This was transmitted to all humans by the selfless efforts of the Sages Seers and Rishis. This is called “Sanathana Dharma” or Eternal Wisdom, which is Timeless!
This gave the world “HINDUISM” in course of centuries. Slowly, all the other Religions were born – Zorastrianism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam etc., which soon spared rapidly all over the world.
Nowhere in India or the world do we have a University or college for teaching Vedic Hinduism in a scientific way, to our younger generation. Guru Dev Dr. Vedavyasa IAS, Ph.D., has published the first ever text book on Vedic Hinduism meant for Graduate Degree called “HINDUISM IN THE SPACE AGE”. It was a best seller at the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago, U.S.A., held 100 years Swami Vivekananda where Dr. Vedavyasa spoke on the “Message of Vedic Rishis for the Space Age”.
As conceived by Dr. Vedavyas, International Institute of Vedic Sciences (IIVS) offer courses in Vedic Hinduism and Vedic Sciences. The Ancient Vedic Sciences which include Yoga, Ayurveda or Herbal Medicine, Astrology, Vastu, Mantra Sastra, Agama & Yagnas are a few of the disciplines which will be studied and taught in a pure form as handed down by the long tradition of Vedic Rishis.
It is proposed, in future IIVS will grow into a full fledged University of Vedic Sciences called “Vedavyasa Bharathi Gurukula Vishwa Vidyalaya”, as per UGC norms to offer Education in Vedic Hinduism and Sciences at the Graduate, Post Graduation and P.hD level.
BACKGROUND
Literally crores and millions of Hindus wander this planet Earth -yet surprisingly they do not have any arrangements to train their children in their own Religion! Every European and American has Churches Theological Colleges and Bible literature, to educate their children in Christianity. They have even a well- trained and dedicated band of Bishops, Clergymen and Missionaries to systematically teach Christianity!
FUTURE OF HINDUISM:
Hinduism badly needs an institutionalized teaching of its Doctrines to its younger generation.
True, there are countless number of scholars, Swamis, Sadhus, Sanyasis and Babas who keep preaching, lecturing and blessing their groups most of the time. But there is no teaching institution to give formal education in the theories of Hinduism, to preserve them from distortion and misinterpretation.
Ask a Christian what is Christianity? You get a uniform standard reply from the Christians. Ask a Muslim the same response. But ask a group of Hindus — “What is Hinduism?” You will get as many replies as there are Hindus.
MANY SUBJECTS:
Is there no common teaching which can be taught as the irreducible minimum, background Teaching for Hinduism? Something has to be done to save Hinduism and Hindus. And done quickly! If the present generation of elderly Vedic Scholars and Purohits die out – there will be left no one!
Apart from all this – the Vedas and their sublime teaching about the Universe, Man and God, including techniques for ‘God Realization’ like “Yoga” – these are becoming increasingly beyond the reach of our younger generation. An Institutionalized System to teach Hinduism in a scientifically understandable format is a must ! All this has to be done, and done urgently!
It is therefore decided, to start this ‘University of Vedic Sciences’ to meet the demands of the situation.
A BEGINNING
A humble beginning was made in 2011 when the “Vedavyas Bharati Trust”a non-profit Registered trust in collaboration with “USCEFI” & “Yoga Brotherhood of America” (YBA). Vedavyas Bharati Trust acquired 40 acres land near Horsley Hills, Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh to build the University of Vedic Sciences, as the first phase. Additional 60 acres will be acquired in coming years.
The land was consecration and sanctification of land was done on ……..by Poojya Shri Guru Rayaru of Raghavendra Mutt, Lakkasandra at a Yagna and was attended by various members of Vedayasa Bharati Trust, USCEFI, YBA and SARFT. The campus is named as “RISHI VATIKA”.
VALUED - VALUES:
Systematic teaching of Sanskrit plus fundamentals of Hinduism like, concept of Moral Responsibility or Dharma, the scientific basis of the law of “Action and Reaction” or karma to stress the need for responsibility for one’s own action;
A Gurukul method of imparting, as followed by the Rishies in the Vedic system of training disciples with pupils – or “Disciples” will be introduced a new, for the first time in the West.
This will be followed up by regular class-room teaching of science along with parallel Hindu ideas in the Vedas and the Shastras e.g., and its relation with the Law of Karma, Theory of Evolution and its Comparative study with the concept of Man’s Inner Evolution through successive births – and lastly the role of Man’s action and behavioral attitudes in shaping the growth of one’s own personality to be taught – to fight formation Politicalization of Vedic Hinduism.
In the advanced courses, however training in practical techniques of Breath control and Mind control will be introduced leading finally to a comprehensive understanding of the teachings of the Vedas and Shastras in the light of Science with special emphasis on applying there higher values to the existing Life-situations in practice. So that the student does not become a new theoretician as in modern college education with little control over his behavioral urges but becomes a unified and integrated personality capable of controlling his own course in life.
CAREER - PROGRAMME:
A career opening is also planned for the youngster graduating from the University of Vedic Sciences for a job-as Lecturer‘ or Professor in different branches of Hinduism, according to one’s own specialization.
The Research and development wing provides the advanced research in one or other fields of the Vedic Sciences in the light of modern science. Science will be studied side by side.