The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : `Gita is a scripture of mankind'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

`Gita is a scripture of mankind'

By Our Staff Correspondent

Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji of Suttur Mutt (centre), addressing the gathering at the valedictory function of the second Global Gita Conference in Mysore on Sunday. Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Swamy and the Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, were pres ent.

MYSORE, DEC. 19. The relevance of the Bhagwad Gita would remain as long as man was entangled in the conflicts between good and bad in the world, the seer of Suttur Mutt, Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji, said.

He was speaking at the valedictory function of the second Global Gita Conference, organised by the International Gita Foundation Trust and Sri Avadhoota Datta Peetham here on Sunday.

He felt that the Bhagwad Gita is a divine message for humanity that provided many solutions to day-to-day problems. Stating that the Bhagawad Gita was a scripture of mankind, the swamiji said that it had an universal appeal to the conscience of spiritually sensitive sections of humanity, irrespective of their religious affiliations. The religious text showed that all religions stressed the same goal, he added.

`Profound meaning'

"The Gita is profound in its meaning. Though there are numerous translations, the original text stands out for its uniqueness. One should read and listen to the words that came directly from the Lord to soothe the minds troubled by stress," the swamiji said.

The acharyas of all major sects of Hinduism derived inspiration from the Gita. People including Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, Vinobha Bhave, and Swami Chinmayananda responded to the intellectual vigour, emotional appeal, and spiritual depth of the ancient scripture, he added.

"As a spiritual science, the Bhagawad Gita guides us to realise the pursuit of the self and the consciousness. It provides an ultimate guide to self-realisation. It is a scripture of self-discovery and journey into the abode of the absolute. It helps liberate human beings from all struggles and reduces their anxieties and frustrations," the swamiji said.

The chairman of the conference, P.V. Nath, announced that the next conference would be held at Hospet in December 2005. The nomenclature of the International Gita Foundation Trust would be changed to Gita International Foundation Trust (GIFT), he added.

The Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi; Judge of the Karnataka High Court, Manjula Chellur; and the seer of Sri Avadhoota Datta Peetham, Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Swamy, were present.

The three-day conference witnessed the participation of eminent personalities in a series of discussions and interactive sessions.

The conference also attracted 140 delegates from eight countries, besides scholars and researchers from India.

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