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PM addresses inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav

Published By : Admin | December 14, 2022 | 17:30 IST
Performs pooja and darshan at Akshardham Temple
“India’s spiritual tradition and thought has eternal and universal significance”
“Journey from Vedas to Vivekananda can be witnessed today in this centenary celebration”
“Supreme goal of one’s life should be Seva”
“Tradition of getting a pen to file nomination from Swami Ji Maharaj has continued from Rajkot to Kashi”
“Our saintly traditions are not just limited to the propagation of culture, creed, ethics and ideology but the saints of India have tied the world together by emboldening the sentiment of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’”
“Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji believed in Dev Bhakti and Desh Bhakti”
“Not ‘Rajasi’ or ‘Tamsik’, one has to continue moving while staying ‘Satvik’”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav in Ahmedabad today. The year-long worldwide celebrations have culminated in the ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav’ hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug, which is the global headquarters of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and is taking place from 15th December 2022 to 15th January 2023 in Ahmedabad, featuring daily events, thematic exhibitions and thought-provoking pavilions.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister began his address by hailing Pramukh Swami Maharaj and welcoming everyone on the momentous occasion. He conveyed his feeling of the presence of divinity and grandeur of resolutions and pride for the heritage. He said that one can see every colour of India in the premises.

The Prime Minister thanked every saint for their efforts at giving significance to their power of imagination for coming up with this magnificent convention. He said that this grand event will not only attract the world but also will inspire and impact the coming generations. “I want to appreciate the saints and seers for thinking of a programme of this nature and at such a scale”, he added. Calling Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj a father figure to him, the Prime Minister said that people will come to pay homage to him for this ongoing event. He also mentioned that the UN also celebrated the centenary celebration which proves the eternal and universal significance of India’s spiritual tradition and thought. Highlighting the emotion of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which has been established by the great saints of India including Swami Maharaj who propagated it even further, the Prime Minister said that the journey from Ved to Vivekananda can be witnessed today in this centenary celebration. “One can witness the rich saintly traditions of India here”, he said. The Prime Minister further remarked that our saintly traditions are not just limited to the propagation of culture, creed, ethics and ideology but the saints of India have tied the world together by emboldening the sentiment of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

The Prime Minister went nostalgic while remembering his association with Swami Ji, he said “I have been drawn to the ideals of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji from my childhood. I never thought that sometime in my life, I would get to meet him. It was perhaps back in 1981 that I met him during a Satsang. He only spoke of Seva. Each and every word got imprinted on my heart. His message was very clear that the supreme goal of one’s life should be Seva. ” He also noted the grace of Swami Ji who used to tailor his message for the ability of the receiver; this was the vastness of his personality, the Prime Minister added. The Prime Minister continued, everyone knows him as a spiritual person but he was a social reformer too in the truest sense of the word. The Prime Minister underlined Swami ji’s intuitive grasp of modern opportunities and his natural communication of the strength of the individual to take care of his or her problems. His key emphasis was on the welfare of society, the Prime Minister emphasised. “HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji was a reformist. He was special because he saw good in every person and encouraged them to focus on these strengths. He helped every individual who came in contact with him. I can never forget his efforts during the Machchhu dam disaster in Morbi”, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister recalled many key events of his life when he went to meet Pujya Swami Ji.

Revisiting the past when the Prime Minister was a candidate from Rajkot in 2002, he recalled that during the election campaign he got a pen from two saints saying that Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji had requested me to sign the nomination papers using this pen. “From there till Kashi elections, this practice has continued”, he remarked. Drawing an analogy to the relationship between a father and son, the Prime Minister recalled the time when he was working as a volunteer in Kutch when Pramukh Swami Maharaj had made food arrangements for him. He also informed that in the past 40 years he received Kurta Pajama cloth from Pujya Swami Ji every year without fail. An emotional Prime Minister said that this is a spiritual connection, a father-son relationship. He said that he is certain that Pujya Swami Ji is keeping an eye on his every move in the service of the country.

Throwing light on his relationship with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the Prime Minister recalled that Swami Maharaj ji was the first person to call him after he reached Jammu during the hostile Ekta Yatra under Dr MM Joshi's leadership in 1991. “The moment I reached Jammu after hoisting the national flag at Laal Chowk, the first call I got was from Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji, who asked about my wellbeing”, he said. The Prime Minister also recalled the dark time of the terrorist attack on the Akshardham Temple and remembered his conversation with Pramukh Swami Maharaj about maintaining calm during such tumultuous times. This poise was possible only because of the inner spiritual strength of Pujya Swami Ji.

Informing about Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s wish to build the Akshardham on the banks of the Yamuna, the Prime Minister highlighted the vision of Mahant Swami Maharaj who was the then disciple of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. He remarked that even though people look at Mahant Swami Maharaj as a Guru, the Prime Minister is aware of his dedication as a disciple towards Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji. “It is a result of his vision and dedication that Akshardham Temple was built on the banks of Yamuna. The millions of people who visit Akshardham Temple every year try to understand the Indian culture and traditions through its magnificence”, the Prime Minister continued. “Go to any part of the world, you will see the outcome of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji's vision. He ensured our Temples are modern and they highlight our traditions. Greats like him and the Ramakrishna Mission redefined the Sant Parampara. Pujya Swami Ji played a big role in creating the tradition of service that goes beyond spiritual upliftment.” The Prime Minister further added that Swami ji ensured that a saint, apart from renunciation, should also be capable and well-versed. As Swami Ji established an institutional mechanism for holistic spiritual training, the Prime Minister said that this will benefit the nation for many generations to come. “He never differentiated between ‘Dev Bhakti’ (worship of god) and ‘Desh Bhakti’, devotion to the country”, the Prime Minister pointed out. Those who live for ‘Dev Bhakti’ and those who live for ‘Desh Bhakti’ were ‘Satsangis’ for him. The Prime Minister said that “our saints went beyond narrow sects and worked to strengthen the notion of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and uniting the world.”

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister remarked on the journey of his conscience and said that he has always been associated with such saintly and advanced traditions. “In a vindictive and vengeful world like that of today, I have been fortunate enough to be around saints like Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj who create a virtuous environment. It was like a tired person sitting in the shadow of a great banyan tree. Not ‘Rajasi’ or ‘Tamsik’, one has to continue moving while staying ‘Satvik’ ”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Governor of Gujarat, Shri Acharya Devvrat, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, and Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami were those present on the occasion among others.

 

Background

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a guide and guru who touched countless lives across India and the world. He was widely respected and admired as a great spiritual leader. His life was dedicated to the service of spirituality and humanity. As the leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, he inspired countless cultural, social and spiritual initiatives, providing comfort and care to millions.

People from across the world are celebrating his life and work in the birth centenary year of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The year-long worldwide celebrations have culminated in the ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav’ hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug, which is the global headquarters of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The month-long celebration is taking place from 15th December 2022 to 15th January 2023 in Ahmedabad, featuring daily events, thematic exhibitions and thought-provoking pavilions.

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha was established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj. Based on the teachings of the Vedas and founded on pillars of practical spirituality, BAPS reaches out far and wide to address today's spiritual, moral and social challenges. BAPS aims to preserve values of faith, unity, and selfless service and provides for the spiritual, cultural, physical, and emotional needs of people from all walks of life. It performs humanitarian activities through global outreach efforts.

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Friends,

In this series of post-budget webinars, today marks the fourth and most significant one. Fulfilling aspirations of people is not merely a subject of discussion-it is the core objective of this budget and the firm resolve of this government. Education, Skill, Health, Tourism, Sports, and Culture are fundamental sectors that serve as the major means of fulfilling these aspirations. Therefore, in this webinar, we are deliberating on these crucial dimensions. For the implementation of budget announcements, the thoughts and suggestions of all experts, policymakers, scholars, entrepreneurs, and my young companions present here are extremely important. I warmly welcome and greet you all in this fourth session of the budget webinar.

Friends,

India today is working on a vast vision for preventive and holistic health. In recent years, the country’s health infrastructure has been strengthened, with hundreds of new medical colleges opening across districts. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme and wellness centers, healthcare services have expanded to villages nationwide. Our yoga and Ayurveda are gaining popularity across the world. You will certainly discuss various aspects of this, but I would like to highlight one important subject-the care economy. In the coming decade, the number of senior citizens in the country will rise rapidly. Moreover, even today, many countries across the world face a huge demand for caregivers. Therefore, in the health sector, new skill-based employment opportunities are emerging for millions of youth. I urge the health sector experts present in this webinar to suggest new training models and partnerships so that the training ecosystem in the country can be further strengthened.

Friends,

Closely related to this is the subject of telemedicine. Today, a large number of people in remote areas are benefiting from it, and trust in it is steadily growing. However, I believe there is still a great need to increase awareness and ease of access in this area.

Friends,

Over the past decade, a major transformation has taken place in the mindset of the country. Today, beyond the boundaries of villages, towns, and cities, every young Indian wants to do something new, driven by the spirit to achieve. This new mindset of the new generation is the nation’s greatest strength, its most valuable capital for a bright future. To capitalize on this, we must continuously modernize and upgrade our education system. The new education policy has laid the necessary foundation for this. Now, it is essential that our curriculum remains updated according to market needs! We must accelerate the process of linking our education system with the real-world economy. We need to place greater focus on subjects like AI and automation, digital economy, and design-driven manufacturing.

Friends,

The country is consistently working to connect education with employment and enterprise. New models like university townships reflect this approach. Today, India is promoting the A.V.G.C. sector-Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics. India is moving towards an innovation-driven economy. Many academicians and academic institutions are connected to this webinar today. I urge you to deliberate on developing your campuses as centers of industry collaboration and research-driven learning. This will provide students with real-world exposure and strengthen the skill ecosystem.

Friends,

A very important subject is STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is a matter of great pride that the number of daughters showing interest in STEM subjects is steadily increasing in our country. As we prepare for futuristic technologies, it is crucial that no daughter is held back due to lack of opportunities. In this webinar, you must discuss this direction. We need to place greater emphasis on increasing women’s participation. We must build a research ecosystem where young researchers have full opportunities to experiment and work on new ideas.

Friends,

Youth power becomes national power only when it is healthy, disciplined, and full of self-confidence. That is why, in recent years, sports have been seen as an important stream of national development. Initiatives like Khelo India have infused new energy into the sports ecosystem of the country. Sports infrastructure is being strengthened across the nation. In this webinar, you must deliberate on some key questions: How can talent be identified more accurately even from small towns and villages? How can structured financial support for thousands of athletes be improved? And thirdly, how can our sports bodies be made more professional? In the coming years, the Commonwealth Games will be held in India, and the country is striving to host the Olympics. In such a scenario, we must identify young athletes at an early age and nurture them, only then will India be able to raise its flag high in international competitions.

Friends,

Tourism and culture play a major role in creating new employment opportunities. When tourism grows in a place, the branding of that location or city also increases. This accelerates the overall development of that city. India has no shortage of historical sites. But for a long time, tourism remained confined to a few select destinations. Now, we are focusing on developing tourist destinations across every corner of the country.

Friends,

In this webinar, you must discuss a holistic approach to strengthening India’s tourism ecosystem. Your suggestions on trained guides, hospitality skills, digital connectivity, community participation, cleanliness, tourism, and related subjects will be very important.

Friends,

When institutions, industry, and academia work together, the pace of transformation accelerates. I am confident that this series of post-budget webinars will provide concrete direction for the future. Such efforts will further strengthen the foundation of a developed India. And friends, it is a very pleasant experience that due to the tradition of webinars, after the budget and especially during implementation, I have been told that this year, lakhs of people connected to these subjects-experts, beneficiaries, and those involved in the system-have actively participated in the webinars. Our officials have informed me that excellent and practical suggestions are coming in. This means not only solutions to problems but also new energy and new momentum to move forward with confidence. I say this is a very delightful experience of the webinars. All those who participated in these webinars are worthy of appreciation and gratitude. Once again, I extend my best wishes and heartfelt thanks to all of you.

Namaskar!