Page 56 - Hinduism

universal appeal have been clearly taught in this work. The general principles that none should shrink from doing his duty in whatever difficult position he is placed, that everyone who sincerely worships God, in whatever form it may be, will certainly be saved, that the mercy of God alone can save humanity from their sins and the like taught in it have made it the universal text-book of all religions and secured for it world-wide recognition. Our people have recognised it as one of three basic authorities of our religion and philosophy by including it in the Prasthānā-traya. There are innumerable commentaries on it and translations of it. Everyone should read it and put the principles taught in it in practice.
The Purāṇas describe the history of the world. They describe how the world is created, how it is preserved and governed and finally how it is periodically destroyed. The world of cit-acit is eternal; it is subtle in pralaya and gross in sṛṣti. They show how the morality of the world is preserved by God, how the wicked are punished and then redeemed and the virtuous saved. They describe the different methods and incarnations of God at critical periods in the world to maintain its moral and spiritual order. They teach the principles of our religion through their episodes. They also proclaim the glory or vibhūti of the arcāvatāra of God through their descriptions of the power of the
different kṣetras and they also describe the holy 56