Nevertheless this has to be borne in mind and carefully noted in memory by the readers. The Atma Dharma, enunciated in the Vedanta, is eternal, unchangeable. It can never be watered down or 'adjusted to the needs of the times'. Faith in the Atma as the Core, the Reality, the Goal is the lasting teaching; it is true for all time. The truths of Atma Dharma are based on the eternal foundations of the core of Purusha and Prakrithi, of Man and Nature which is the projection of the Divine Will. So, they are beyond the reach of change. They are as relevant and as valid today as they were thousands of years ago. Even when a thousand more years roll by, their relevance and validity cannot be affected in the least. Vedanta will stand firm irrespective of the past becoming the present and the present flowing on into the future.

The moral codes and ideals of good conduct, the Sadhanas that man can adopt to control his mind and senses and purify his intelligence have, however to suit the conditions of the people, the bonds they cultivate among themselves and other groups. With the changing face of social conditions, they too have to undergo adjustments and modifications. They could well be appropriate and beneficial under certain circumstances of time and space, but might be not so, under other circumstances. For example, the food regulations that are prescribed during certain periods are withdrawn and new rules laid down during certain other periods. Climatic conditions dictate the type of food needed. Smrithis recognise the need and allow changes in food habits, in order to maintain health. The same attitude is seen in other matters also. For the same reasons under modern conditions, it is desirable to have changes in the regulations and limits that govern society. Of course, the fundamental principles of Dharma must remain unaffected. They can never be shaken or unloosened.

Now, about the Puranas. "Puranam pranjali kshanam". That is to say, the Puranas deal with historical incidents, of Creation and Evolution. The incidents are so chosen and narrated that they provide illustrations of basic philosophic truths. The Puranas were composed to expound the teachings of the Veda and Vedantha to the common man through interesting mythological and legendary tales. The language of the Vedas is very ancient and it contains many archaic elements of grammar and vocabulary. Even great scholars find it difficult to discover the age when the rks were formulated. But, the Puranas were composed in the language that was current and that was easily understood at the time. What we now know as the Samskrit language is the language of the Puranas. Not only scholars but even ordinary folk could easily follow that language when the Puranas were written.