THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELHI
परमपूज्य स्वामी परमेश्वर ब्रह्मानन्द तीर्थ स्वामियार जी
परमपूज्य स्वामी अध्यात्मानन्द सरस्वती जी
- परमपूज्य स्वामिनी देवी जनभा निष्ठा जी
परमपूज्य अचार्य श्री राजेश जी
Friends from media
Ladies & gentlemen
It is indeed, a matter of great honour and privilege for me, to be inaugurating the Jayanti celebrations of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya. What makes this occasion all the more special, and memorable for me, is that, this Shri Shankara Smriti program, is being organized in Kalady, the birthplace of Adi Guru.
02. At the outset, I would like to record my gratitude for the Adi Sankara International Foundation, and the blessed people of Kalady and Kerala, for inviting me, on this auspicious occasion of the 1236th Birth Anniversary of Jagadguru Sankaracharya Bhagavan.
I am given to understand that, today, along with the Birth Anniversary of the Jagadguru, the Adi Sankara International Foundation, is also celebrating its Third Anniversary. My congratulations to you for the same.
03. I extend my sincere appreciations to the founders, and the members of Adi Sankara International Foundation. I am informed, that the Foundation is a non-profitable Charitable Organization, established for the purpose of serving the humanity, without any limitations or boundary.
Dear Friends, Ladies & Gentlemen,
04. Our ancient civilizational ethos of वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम, and सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे सन्तु निरामया, coupled with the philosophy of अद्वैत वेदांत, lie at the core of Sanatan Dharma.
Adi Shankaracharya, the Jagadguru of Kaliyug, was the proponent of our core philosophical tenets of अद्वैत वेदांत. I am happy, that the Adi Shankara International Foundation, is propagating the core values of Sanatan Dharma globally.
05. Apart from the four Vedas, India’s three basic texts, the Upanishads, the Brahmasutra and the Divine Bhagwad Geeta, contain the essence of our rich traditions and philosophy of sublime knowledge.
Adi Shankara, did a great service to the Sanatan Dharma, by interpreting the cryptic truths contained in these sacred texts. In addition to this, the Jagadguru travelled the entire Indian sub-continent, and established four Mathas (मठ), in the four corners, at Sringeri in the South, Puri in the East, Jyotirmath in the North and Dwarka in the West.
06. In my understanding, this was the first endeavour at uniting our vast, and diverse nation, through the thread of a transcending common ethos, that we now know as, the Sanatan Dharma.
Similarly, the Adi Guru’s philosophical pursuits, not only evolved upon the earlier pursuits of greats like Mandan Mishra, various Brahmanas of the Sanatana Sects and Shamanas of heterodox sects, but gave to India, the philosophical brilliance of Vedant and Advaitism.
07. Vedant, even today, remains a vast ocean, whose depths are infinite. While literarily Vedant means end of the Vedas, it actually means the essence of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the knowledge, and the revelations of the Vedic Saints and Sheers, who were, in the search of absolute truth.
The Bhagwad Geeta is the very philosophy of life itself. These texts interpreted by the Adi Shankara, are the source of spiritual sustenance in India.
08. The greatest contribution of the Jagadguru, was the restoration of our ancient sacred texts, as the repository of our culture, tradition and knowledge.
He realized that the Vedas, and our other texts were the essence of truth, and, if they decay, India itself will die.
The philosophy of Vedanta enunciated by him, made our texts eternal, and provided the world, with spiritual and intellectual guidance, during the medieval and the modern ages.
I would not be exaggerating, if I were to say, that in the absence of India’s and the Sanatan Dharma’s intellectual, and spiritual guidance, the world at large, faces the danger of becoming a jungle, where none, but the fittest survive.
09. In Advaitism, the Jagadguru synthesized, and amalgamated, various streams of socio-cultural, and religious thoughts.
In a land that worshiped a thousand Gods, practiced शैव ism (Shaivism), वैष्णव ism (Vaishnavism) and Shaktism, that gave birth to three great religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, Advaitism, as a predominant philosophy, was an impossibility. But Adi Shankara successfully established it as a predominant philosophy.
10. It was to his credit, that he reconciled, all these diversities, by introducing पंचयत्न, that is the simultaneous worship of Ganapati, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi.
He argued that all were different forms of the one Brahma - the invisible Supreme Being.
11. I consider it as a compliment to this great son of mother India, when, his essentially Hindu and Sanatani philosophy of Advaitism, is charged with being Buddhist in nature. He indeed assimilated, the great traditions of Buddhism and Jainism, in the overarching philosophy of Advaitism.
12. In Kaliyuga, it is said, that the greatest Human incarnation of Lord Shiva, came to earth, to eradicate darkness, in the minds of people. And that incarnation was Jagadguru Adi Sankaracharya Bhagavan.
13. There are conflicts about Sankara’s period. Some say, he was born in 504 BC, but the most widely believed, or accepted one, is his lifespan between 788 AD and 820 AD. He lived for 32 years. That’s the reason, we are celebrating the 1236th Birth anniversary of the Jagadguru.
14. Sankaracharya lived only for 32 years. He was a man of un-imaginable wisdom, and grasping power. By the age of Eight, he learned all the four Vedas, by the age of Twelve, he was an expert of all Shastras (Science), by the age of Sixteen, he had written a number of literary works in Sanskrit, and by the age of 32, he attained the abode of Lord Shiva.
15. Before he attained the abode of the almighty, he traveled across Bharat on foot three times, and revamped SANATANA DHARMA, and re-anchored its values and principles, for the betterment of humanity.
16. Some of his key works include, the intellectual analysis, (Bhashyams) of the Brahma Sutras, the 10 Upanishads, and the Bhagwad Geeta.
17. Apart from these, he wrote 32 literary works, 62 poetic expressions, and a number of Books, on Mantra Shastrams.
18. He anchored the fact that, “Purpose of life, for human beings, must be to contribute selflessly for the betterment of the universe”.
The Vedic Indian Knowledge, the culture of the rich old Indian civilization, and the INDIAN way of life, is vast.
However, the Jagadguru conveyed the essence of this entire knowledge, to people at large, within a short span of life, for the betterment of humanity.
Dear Friends, Ladies & Gentlemen,
19. The times of Sankara were very complex. As I touched upon earlier, this was a time, when the Buddhist, Jain and Hindu thoughts were competing with each other, for dominance amongst the people. In this process, there was indeed, a flux in the Indian consciousness.
20. Sankara, through his contributions, reconciled all existing streams, into Adaitva Siddhanta, and raised human consciousness, by underlining the ultimate goal to be, Spiritual Realisation of one’s true self.
21. We know the story of Sankracharya saluting a Chandala as Guru. For him, the entire world was to be revered, and respected. For him, the Jagat was Guru.
It is from this, that he came to be regarded as the Jagadguru. For him, in Sanatana Dharma, everyone is equal, and there is no, man-made religion, or entity, such as caste, that can act as a barrier, to attaining Moksha. That’s why Sankara is known as the Jagadguru.
22. I am glad to note that, following the teachings of Jagadguru Sankaracharya Swamiji, Adi Sankara International Foundation, is trying to support humanity, and spread happiness, across all sects of people, and walks of life.
23. I do believe, such activities, are important in today’s context, especially when, the world is changing.
There have been visible changes in the human life style, thought processes, and in our approach to the surroundings, where we live.
Due to the multifaceted expansion of mindless materialism, we have started ignoring our great ऋषिपरंपरा, and the teachings elaborated therein. We are losing the values, evolved from our Sanatana Dharma.
24. I must emphasize that, it is important to preserve our great values, and contribute meaningfully to our society. This would, automatically, contribute to the development of the Nation, and help universal betterment, on the basis of our strong, scientific pillars of Sanatana Dharma.
25. I am told that, the Foundation has very big plans, some of the key activities, envisaged to implement systematically are supporting the poor, needy and students, promoting Vedic Research and Advaitism and establishing institutions for the study and propagation of Sanatana Dharma. I wish you all success, in your endeavours and God Speed.
26. I once again convey my satisfaction, on being a part of this blessed occasion, and I extend my wholehearted support to the Foundation, in achieving its goals and vision.
28. Let me conclude, and officially inaugurate, this great occasion by stating the verses from भजगोविन्दम written by Jagadguru.
सत्संग तत्वे निसंग तत्त्वं – निसंग तत्वे निर्मोह तत्त्वं
निर्मोह तत्वे निश्चल तत्त्वं – निश्चल तत्वे जीवन मुक्ति:.
Jai Sankara
जय हिंद