It was the people of the Sub-Himalayan plains, known in ancient times as Bharat and later as India, the Indian peninsula, or the Indian subcontinent, who were the first to describe the origins of the Cosmos thousands of years ago. This is the land where ancient Sanskrit texts - Vedas, Upinshadas, Puranas, Shastras, and more, collectively known as the Vedic literature - were composed. These texts describe the origins of the Cosmos in a manner and detail that are not only demonstrably and uncannily similar to current scientific thought but also, in great measure, exceed them: in terms of scales of time and space; the cyclicity of cosmic and earthly existence; the interaction between the Cosmos and the Earth including lifeforms; and highly evolved constructs to explain a vast array of events, physical and nonphysical, related to both the Earth and the Cosmos.  

   

The contents of the Vedic literature and the Sanskrit language, in which it was composed, which literally means "entirely perfected”, seem to be far more elaborate, sophisticated, and nuanced than any other literary work and language to date. Thus, it is not surprising that the ancient Vedic literature has uniquely captured the intrigues of historians, philosophers, religious leaders, scientists, and writers alike, from both the Orient and the Occident.   

   

Saptarishis translates into the “seven” (sapta) “sages” (rishis). The Saptarishis are believed to have brought the wisdom of the Vedas, literally meaning "knowledge," to humanity. They have also been identified as the seven stars comprising the constellation called The Saptarishi Mandal, "the pattern of the seven sages,” which was well-known to the people of the Vedic Age thousands of years before it was known by other cultures as the Big Dipper, and which conveys and symbolizes the resonance between the Earth and the Cosmos.  

   

The Vedic literature is permeated by this theme of cosmic connection, as evidenced by the frequent mention of the positions of cosmic bodies and constellations that were often used as contemporaneous time markers of important events on Earth and their potential effects on earthly lives and objects. Moreover, this literature seems to be all encompassing, codifying in detail almost every aspect of human existence, on Earth and beyond.  

  

The theme of the Earth-Cosmos synergy also seems to have survived within the consciousness of the people of the Sub-Himalayan plains, despite thousands of years of sociocultural and geopolitical turmoil - turmoil which has, however, impeded the widespread dissemination of the invaluable body of timeless Vedic knowledge.  

   

Thus, about fifteen years ago, I came to conceptualize the Vedic literature as The Manuals of the Cosmos™. I chose to coin this phrase because this body of knowledge provides detailed guides, or Manuals, for optimal human behavior - with the objective of promoting tranquility, bliss, and moral as well as spiritual evolution within an unifying order of the Cosmos.   

   

The Saptarishis blog proposes to delve into and disperse the wisdom, contemporary relevance, and practical applications of the Vedic literature and language, thus acknowledging and promoting the harmony between the Earth and the Cosmos.   

   

This blog will also discuss both historic and contemporary geosociopolitical events with the backdrop of enduring principles contained in the Vedic literature, with the goal of fostering peace and prosperity, a hallmark of the Vedic thoughts.