It has often been discussed by historians,archeologists and many religious teachers of the modern times,how several ancient texts have found their way to the modern days.Even when pre historic man used to wonder at the powers of nature such as lightning and thunder,the requirement to transfer their experience to their sons and daughters often challenged their intellect.Told often in their own conversations,the children learnt what their fathers and grand fathers had experienced at the hands of a Nature that was benevolent at times and harsh and cruel at other times.

Looking at Mayan culture or ancient Egyptian,Chinese or Indian civilizations,examples exist even today depicting heirpglyphics,inscriptions and symbols on stones and rocks,cave writings etc.Ancient men,their sculptors and artists used to convey meanings of their life experiences and the wonders of nature through such methods.Language had only been developed in its primitive forms at that time.So inscriptions were used to convey to posterity,the impression of having observed a Dinosaur or an Elephant or a Tiger.Children were advised about the dangers of fire and forests through inscriptions and stories and grand mother tales which even today starts with " once upon a time,there was a forest..etc etc".

Later on,as time passed,prehistoric and Neanderthal men also developed additional capacities as a process of evolution.Capacity for linguistic expression developed,story telling capabilities increased.At the feet of many elders and chiefs(for example in Africa),the future generation learnt what their forefathers had experienced.In civilizations such as that of China and India,childrent learnt the secrets of nature and life at the feet of great masters,saints,seers and gurus. This process continued and developed,transfer of knowledge,information and experience traveled through time and got itself transmitted from one generation to the next.

As human capabilities further enhanced with the passage of time,capacity to learn by heart various hymns and texts were developed.Saints and seers started to have small hermitages,abodes of knowledge and education.Sitting at the feet of Saints and Masters,their disciples memorized the texts recited by their Masters.Interpretation and understanding the deeper and greater meanings of texts passed by the Masters took place over a period of time.
Examples are those of the Tibetan Lamas,the Saints and Seers of the Himalayas( through Upanishads etc.incidentally the word Upanishad means sitting at the feet of a master.).The Upanishads are the earliest form and example of a sacred text that has been passed down to posterity by an indigenous people who were still at the primitive stages of developing material and physical prosperity.

Ancient sacred texts were thus passed to subsequent generations,over long periods of time through various steps such as stone inscriptions,cave writings,heiroglyphics,story telling and learning to recite at the feet of masters,saints and gurus.The truths established by such sacred and ancient texts have withstood the test time,because they were based on actual human experience and conveyed to the future generation with the utmost of sincerity and truthfulness.

Learn more about this author, Madhusoodanan.K.P..
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about How sacred texts were passed down by indigenous people?
We want to hear your view. Write now!