The Vedas

 The aggressive and quite illogical idea of a single religion for all mankind, a religion universal by the very force of its narrowness, one set of dogmas, one cult, one system of ceremonies, one ecclesiastical ordinance, one array of prohibitions and injunctions which all minds must accept on peril of persecution by men and spiritual rejection or eternal punishment by God, that grotesque creation of human unreason which has been the parent of so much intolerance, cruelty and obscurantism and aggressive fanaticism, has never been able to take firm hold of the Indian mentality.Sri Aurobindo
The Vedas are the bedrock of the Indian culture.Composed thousands of years ago by mystics and seers,also known as Rishis,they are the narratives of man's journey to the infinite.The Vedas are a picturesque description of the inner battles and travails which a man has to undergo as he rises to a supranormal consciousness. It is an unending battle with hostile forces who are inimical to his upward journey and would prefer that man remains confined to his animal origins.
Tapasya or a single minded concentration on the goal was the secret of the power of the ancient Rishis.Even the Gods had to abjectly surrender before the mighty Rishis and would seek their help when they were invaded by the Asuras.The higher domains which the Rishis conquered has had its impact on Indian culture for the past 5000 years.
The Vedas still remain the eternal source of all knowledge available to man.

The Mahabharata

"yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four verse 7)

"Sri Krishna said: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in virtue/religious practice, O Arjuna, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself, i.e. I manifest Myself as an embodied being."

"paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya cha duskritam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four verse 8)

"Sri Krishna said: To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

The Mahabharata symbolises the eternal battle between the forces of Dharma- righteousness and Adharma- asuric tendencies.It is narrative of a period when Asuric forces were threatening to overwhelm the world and only a divine intervention could have saved the situation.
The Pandavas and Kauravas are descendents of Kuru,king of Hastinapur. Yudhistir,the eldest of the cousins is the natural heir to the throne but due to the intrigues of Duryodhana,he and his younger brothers,Arjuna,Bhima,Nakul and Sahdev along with their mother Kunti are forced to go into exile. Yudhistir,also known as Dharmaraj is supposed to have been a pillar of virtue and morality and adhering to the highest standards of his age.
Krishna,an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, sides with the Pandavas and repeatedly requests Duryodhana to see reason and give the Pandavas their rightful share of the kingdom.However Duryodhana remains adamant and tries to annihilate the Pandavas in many ways.
In the ensuing battle of Kurukshetra,the Pandavas with the support of Sri Krishna emerge victorious and the Kauravas are annihilated.

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Ramayana

The Ramayana has had a tremendous influence on the Indian psyche for the past 5000 years.Attributed to Valmiki,a rishi,it symbolises the triumph of good over evil.
Rama is supposed to be an incarnation of lord Vishnu and is born to kill the demon king Ravana.
Dashratha,the ruler of Ayodhya has three wives,Kaushalya,Kaikeyi and Sumitra.He is a righteous, benevolent and kind ruler who is deeply respected by his subjects. Rama is the eldest son and child of Kaushalya,Bharata is the son of Kaikeyi and Laxman and Shatrughna are the children of Sumitra. Dashratha sends all his children to Rishi Vishwamitra where they receive instructions in warfare and statecraft.
Rama then wins the hand of Sita,the daughter of Janaka,king of Mithila,by winning an archery contest defeating all the rivals.
Being the eldest son,he is the natural heir to the throne of Ayodhya but destiny intervenes and he is forced to go into exile with Sita and Laxman. In the forest Sita is kidnapped by Ravana and taken to Lanka.Rama and Laxman then organise an army of monkeys and bears to rescue Sita. Hanuman,the monkey king,is totally loyal to Rama and even burns down Lanka when he is asked by Rama to find out the well-being of Sita.
Ravana's brother Vibhishan joins hands with Rama and in the ensuing battle Ravana is killed by Rama and both Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya with Rama being proclaimed king.
Diwali,the festival of lights is celebrated all over India to commemorate the return of Rama to Ayodhya.It is celebrated by all Indians irrespective of faith,region or language.