7 Honouring and Preserving the Vedic Tradition of Nepal V edic recitation or Yagya is part of a holistic science of con- sciousness, which is known to- day as Vedic Science. Vedic Science, like the recitations of the Vedas themselves, has a history of thousands of years and is the foundation of many other branches of Vedic knowledge including Ayurveda, Yoga, Sthapatya Veda (Vedic architecture), Gandharva Veda (Vedic science of music), Vedanga and Upanga (Vedic philosophical systems) to name just a few. The ancient Vedic Rishis, whose minds fathomed the depths of the transcen- dental source of creation in their own transcendental consciousness or Atma, cognized the Vedas and expressed these cognitions in the Vedic Literature that perfectly expresses the Laws of Nature thatstructuretheentiretyoftheUniverse. The Vedic Literature records that these ancient Vedic sages made their home in the Himalayas and from the Himalayas their wisdom spread throughout the world—elevating and blessing human- ity with the wisdom of the Veda, since time immemorial. This knowledge was preserved and passed down from generation to gen- eration by the Vedic families. With the passage of time, the teachings and in- spiration from the Vedic Rishis faded from the daily lives of mankind. Also in today’s fast-pace of life, Nepal and India have faced enormous changes and challenges in just a short period of time, resulting in the decline of this an- cient Vedic Culture—which could easily vanish if not preserved. NEPAL’S PRECIOUS VEDIC HERITAGE Vedic Recitation Gandharva Veda - Vedic Music Ayurveda - Vedic Health Care Sthapatya Veda - Vedic Architecture