New Delhi || 27-10-2014 The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar said,“Sanatana stands for empathy, sympathy, compassion, tolerance, non-violence, virtuosity, sublimity, religiosity and all these converge in one word, inclusivity.” He said this while addressing a gathering as the Chief Guest at the ‘Namah Shivaya’ Parayan organized by Sringeri Sri Sharada Peetham as part of their Suvarna Bharati Mahotsava in Bengaluru, Karnataka on 26 Oct 2024.
Emphasizing on Dharma VP Dhankhar said Dharma is the most fundamental concept of Indian culture, guiding all aspects of life. Dharma represents both the path, the passage as also the destination and the goal, applying to all spheres of existence including divine beings and serves as a practical rather than utopian ideal for righteous living.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar described “Mantra Cosmopolis” as a rare and spectacular event that resonates deeply, engaging the mind, heart, and soul, with everyone in harmony. He emphasized that Vedic chanting, one of humanity’s most ancient and continuous oral traditions, serves as a living link to our ancestor’s profound spiritual wisdom.The precise rhythms, intonations, and vibrations of these sacred mantras create a powerful resonance that brings mental peace and environmental harmony.
Recognizing Adi Shankaracharya’s role in unifying and strengthening Indian culture through his easily comprehensible teachings, Shri Dhankhar said we owe a great debt to Adi Shankaracharya Ji for revival of timeless traditions of Indian spirituality and philosophy.
Referring to the gathering at Parayan viz. ‘Namah Shivaya’ VP Dhankhar said, “Each one present here is custodian, ambassador and foot soldier of our culture.”
The Vice-President noted that this Parayan is a demonstration of the utmost confidence that we shall pass our time-honoured tradition of chanting to future generations with pride and that this event pristinely captures the cultural and spiritual wealth of Bharat.
The Vice-President emphasized that Indian culture’s defining feature is its unity in diversity, created through the blending of various traditions over time. This journey has instilled values of humility and non-violence. India stands unparalleled in its inclusiveness, representing all of humanity with a sense of unity. The divine essence of Indian culture lies in its universal compassion, encapsulated in the philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”
Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy, V. Somanna, Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Railways, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji, Sri Sri Shankara Bharati Mahaswamiji, Sri Sri Brahmananda Bharati Mahaswamiji and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
