With pure thoughts, man becomes pure, with impure thoughts, man becomes a victim of sorrow. When one has been able to sublimate all his thoughts, he becomes a sage, anchored in peace. (TTFFW,  p. 10)

Sages and Saints, just like clouds distil the water of wisdom from the salty ocean of worldly life, and rain down over the thirsty soil of arid human hearts to aid the growth of good culture and civilization, faith and religion, ethical and spiritual development. (NNSG Vol. 5, p.60)

Probing further and further into the scientific attainments of the sages of ancient India, the construction of Vimanas, vehicles capable of flying in space, is described by Sage Bharadwaja. Mental Science had advanced so much that they could reproduce what had happened or predict what would happen. The Science of Medicine was highly developed in India. It was Sage Bharadwaja who taught this science for the benefit of mankind. Sage Atreya took up the task of propagating this science and technique of healing.

Saint Charaka compiled all the discoveries into a Samhita or ‘Collection,’ named after him. It deals elaborately with the diagnosis of diseases, methods of healing and cure, foetal development and other essential but not easily discoverable facts of medical science. The doctors proficient in that science could, in those ancient years, surgically remove or correct various diseased parts of the body when the illness could not be cured by drugs. Saint Susruta has written in his compendium on many surgical processes. This text has been discovered and is available for study. Dhanvantari, Nagarjuna and other sages have brought to light many other medical discoveries of Ancient India, made by adherents of the Vedic tradition of scientific research. There are also many valuable texts on ethics, jurisprudence and other social sciences which are invaluable treasures for all time, like the Dharma Sastra of Manu and the Nyaya Sastra of Gautama. (SSVahini, pp. 219-220)

Suka said to Emperor Parikshit: The great sages and holy scholars will always be eager to share with their fellowmen the truth they have grasped, the sanctifying experience they have won, the elevating deeds they have been privileged to perform, and the Divine Grace they have been chosen to receive. They seek nearness to those who are in charge of administration, those who are adepts in ruling over peoples, with the intention to use them as instruments on earth. They implant high ideals in their minds, and holy ways of fulfilling them. They prompt the performance of right actions, in accordance with just laws. The monarchs too invite and welcome the sages, seek out the scholars and plead with them to be in their courts, so that they can learn from them the art of government and act according to their counsel. The monarch was the master and guardian of the people; so, they spent their days with him for the estimable purpose of realising, through him, the yearning of their hearts. ‘Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu – May all worlds be happy.’ They were eager to see happiness and peace spread over the world. Therefore, they tried to equip the kings with all the virtues, fill them with all the moral codes of discipline, arm them with all branches of learning, so that they may rule the realm efficiently, wisely and with beneficial consequences to themselves and their subjects.

There were other reasons, too. Listen! Knowing the Greater of Joy to humanity, the Mentor of human morals, the Leader of the Solar line, the Dweller in the Heaven of Eternal Bliss, will take birth in a royal line, Sages who had the foresight to anticipate events, gained entry into the durbars of rulers so that they may experience the bliss of contact with the Incarnation, when It happens. They feared they may not get such access later, that they may miss the Bliss they could well garner. So, they profited by their vision of the future and established themselves in the royal capital, in the thick of the community, longing for Advent.

To this venerable group belonged Vashistha, Vishwamitra, Garga, Agastya and other sages (rishis). They had no wants. They were monarchs of renunciation. They sought nothing from anyone. They were ever content. They appeared in the audience halls of the emperors of those days, not for polemics and the pomp of punditry or for collecting the costly gifts offered to such disputants and guests, or for decorating themselves with the burdensome title those patrons confer on the persons they prefer. They craved rather for the Darshan (Bliss of the Vision) of the Lord and for a chance to uphold Dharma (Righteousness) in human affairs. They had no other objective. (RKRV Part I p.6-8)