Miscellaneous Topics On Indian History - 2

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received an email from India Awarness foundation which had piece:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Ralph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher
1803 - 1882

"I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-Gita. It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us.“

“The Indian teaching, through its clouds of legends, has yet a simple and grand religion, like a queenly countenance seen through a rich veil.

It teaches to speak truth, love others, and to dispose trifles.

The East is grand - and makes Europe appear the land of trifles. ...all is soul and the soul is Vishnu ...cheerful and noble is the genius of this cosmogony”

“<b>When India was explored, and the wonderful riches of Indian theological literature found, that dispelled once and for all, the dream about Christianity being the sole revelation</b>. 

- Nature makes a Brahmin of me presently.”<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Now I wondered what prompted someone like Ralph Waldo Emerson to say such things about our Hindu/Indian teachings? I pick a prominent western philosopher since Nandu believes in western philosophy and poo-poos our indeginous teachings. Will list more western philosophers/scientists/authors echoing similar thoughts.