Indian culture is a rich mosaic within which sub-cultures thrive. It has evolved through the ages assimilating and interacting with many traits and culture patterns to become a fascinating complex.

In this essay, an attempt has been made to explore the essence of this rich culture with special attention to its eternal verities.

A wholistic view of life is the foundation of Indian culture. Its basic theme is the unity of mankind and all beings. Indian culture proudly declares: Ondrae Kulam, Oruvanae Thevan" (One human family, one GOD). It sees God in everything and everything in God.It places so much emphasis on this Oneness of things, making us one with everything that exists. It acknowledges there are differences but quickly proves that there is unity behind this diversity and adds that this is the intention of Nature: unity in diversity. It says things that divide are the seeds of sorrow, while the realization of the unity and equality of all life is the secret of happiness.

A famous verse in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita runs: "God dwells in the hearts of all beings, Arjuna; thy God dwells in thy heart." This colors completely the Indian view of life and nature: it seeks harmony between man and nature. It does not believe that man is the master who must exploit nature. Man is a part of nature and must live in harmony with it is the teaching. The postulate that God lives in all beings gives birth to the concept of the divinity of man; in fact of all life forms. This belief in the divine nature of all beings - that everything is the expression of this life - giving Spirit, an emanation of this Universal Soul - leads to a reverence for life in whatever form.

Since life is sacred, one must not harm or kill anyone or any living form. And Ahimsa, non-violence, was born. Ahimsa does not merely mean non-killing. It means not causing wanton injury out of anger or for one's benefit. In the words of the greatest exponent of Ahimsa, Mahatma Gandhi: Non-violence is complete innocence. Complete non-violence is innocence in its active form, goodwill towards all life." And non-violence has always been a dominant note in Indian culture. As long ago as the first century B.C., Thiruvalluvar had emphasized the need for non-violence in thought, word and deed.

To practice Ahimsa, one must be full of love in the form of self-restraint, charity and compassion.

Restraint here means control over the gross expressions of man's nature like anger, greed, pride, lust and violence. It is self-discipline - the control and regulation of one's passions, impulses and desires. This theme of self-restraint and discipline is an ever-recurring one in Indian culture.

Thiruvalluvar says in the Thirukkural:

Like fortune guard your self-control;

No greater gain to living soul.

Indian culture asserts that the best service to humanity stems from a silent control over the gross expressions of one's nature.

Charity here means more than the usually understood meaning: it means offering or sharing something dear and valuable. It contains an element of sacrifice.

And compassion means an unquenchable desire to help, a flow of intense feeling of wanting to share the pain and by sharing it, helping to relieve it. It implies that what causes pain to me also causes pain to another and I should act accordingly.

The belief in the divinity of man automatically results in a belief in the freedom of the human spirit. One cannot tie down the divine. Therefore one cannot force another into something, whether it is a belief or practice. No coercion absolutely. Indian culture recognizes that freedom of thought is the nerve-center of the spiritual man and his mental activity. This principle, this freedom offered, paves the way for the idea that there are as many ways of looking at things, as there are temperaments in a man. And a fundamental postulate of Indian culture projects itself : Truth is one, though the wise may call it differently.

The Indian attitude, as exemplified in Hinduism, therefore is a liberal and humanist one as it believes that different faiths, different religions are but different streams leading to the one great ocean.

Sri Ramalinga Swamigal or Vallalar as he is popularly called, proclaims the cosmopolitan attitude of Hinduism towards religions in one of his many songs:

Every religion is sustained by the grace of God,

I have understood this truth; hence, all religions have my acceptance.

Have I ever thought of discriminating between religion and religion?

Hindu thought, in its magnanimity, accepts that others may be equally right in the methods they follow. It eschews the arrogance that flows from the belief that only one's own way is right and all others wrong. This doctrine, coupled with the conviction that all life is sacred pours out a megadose of tolerance into the Indian outlook. Tolerance in the Indian cultural context therefore takes on added significance. From this doctrine too, a host of qualities and virtues like broadmindedly, sensitivity to the pain of others, a dignified humility and patience take birth.

Also arising from the conviction that Truth is one and the urge for restraint, charity and compassion are virtues that include the sacredness of duty, moderation, simplicity and nobility.

The doctrine of the divinity of man necessarily means belief in the connection between the Jivatman or individual soul and the Paramatman or Universal soul. And thus the goal of life is established: It is to seek "Yoga" or union with God. It is to seek liberation from a life that is limited by time and space. And it becomes the duty of each man to attempt to attain Godhead. Indian culture, and specifically Hinduism, asserts that each man can attain this union with God. He already has the divine spark in him. All he has to do is to allow this spark to manifest itself, to engulf him.

Associated with this is the Law of Karma: karma is the mean result of one's good and bad actions and which are inherited. The basic idea of the law of karma is that, unlike fate, it can be modified by conscious effort. While he inherits the results of his past deeds, he has the opportunity to cleanse himself in this life so as to speed up his journey towards God. He can do this by achieving inner harmony through experiencing knowledge of the divine. This is possible by achieving a balance between Aram (norms of ethical conduct/ righteousness), Porul (productive and professional activity, acquisition of wealth by good means for the promotion of social welfare) and Inbam (physical and artistic enjoyment of the normal pleasures provided by the senses). He can also move closer to the goal by complete surrender to God and /or by performing acts without thought for its rewards and surrendering such rewards to God. That is, adopting a "work as worship" attitude.

Indian culture also suggests various other ways of attaining this goal. Each man must select his path according to his temperament, his station in- life and his plane of existence.

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