What is wrong in learning Veda in a Veda school? Veda is not something that one can master in 3 years. Even medicine one cannot learn in 4 years. It takes 8-10 years to specialize. If a secular field requires so much time to master, think about the Veda, which contains immense knowledge!

At age 8 if a child starts, he will complete learning one section by the time he is 21 or 24. It takes countless lifetimes to study all the Vedas and to master them all. There are stories in our scriptures that explain this. Veda is divine knowledge.

The reason that it has to be studied in a Veda school is that it is important to protect the minds of the students from other worldly distractions because the world is filled with temptations that may steer their minds away from their serious studies. It is just like some schools require the students to stay in the hostel. It is like restrictions are observed in an operation theatre to prevent infections. The children’s minds are susceptible to catching infections.

Why did Rama and his brothers leave the kingdom and go to study in the forest in a residential school, sleeping on the ground, bathing in cold water, and eating roots and vegetables? They left the comforts of the palace for many years. Why? It helped them in later years when Rama had to live in exile in the forest. This was good training for him. It prepared him to live under any conditions.

When they focus, the children learn the language and the essence of the Veda much better. You may wonder whether the Veda students are deprived of modern worldly education. Not at all. Their memory is so well developed that other subjects are easily grasped by them. In one year they can directly write their exams in English language to earn a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. Such is their competence.

Veda is learned by rote and repetition. Not from books. It is only in the present day that Veda is getting printed in books. Traditionally it is only passed on orally from guru to disciple. Such is the Veda. That is all I can tell you now. You try to understand.

(Q&A, USA, 29 Jul 2011)