Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | Kolkata | Feb 21, 2016:: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of the Gaudiya Mission and Math in Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor stadium.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said India’s spiritual consciousness is the reason for its long-standing civilizational ethos. He said this spiritual consciousness had remained intact through the ages.
The Prime Minister said this consciousness transcended even language. The bhajan“Vaishnav Jan To Tene Re Kahiye Re” is a prime example of this, he said.
He added the words “Vaishnav Jan” could easily be replaced with “Jan Pratinidhi” (Public Representatives) in the modern context.
“Janpratinidhi Jan To Tene Re Kahiye , Jo Peed Paraaye Jaane Re” is a prime example of this, he said.
Proclaiming himself to be a perfect disciple, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s long-standing civilization owes to its spiritual consciousness and it has remained intact through ages.
The Prime Minister was addressing the gathering at the Netaji Indoor Stadium after inaugurating the Centenary Celebration of the Gaudiya Math and Mission here.”India after the initiation of the Bhakti movement underwent many a shock but the movement itself was unabated as it was spread by the visionaries like Chaitanya in Bengal, Sankardev in Assam, Nanak in Punjab, Thiruvallavur in Tamil Nadu and so on.”
Appreciating the Vaishnava philosophy, the Prime Minister said Gaudiya Mission has kept the Vaishnava Tradition glowing and thereby sermonising the great spirit Live and let Live with an addition that one who is lacking the ability to live should be enabled to carry on. In this context he lauded the very type of reform which comes from within and said that Raja Rammohan Roy and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar are the ideal examples of initiating this kind of a reform.
The Prime Minister, on this occasion, formally released a set of two books on the centenary of Gaudiya Mission. Union Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo, Governor of West Bengal Keshri Nath Tripathi, Governor of Tripura Tathagata Roy and West Bengal Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Develpment Firhad Hakim were among the dignitaries present on the dais.
Later, the Prime Minister also visited the headquarters of Gaudiya Math and Mission at Bagbazar to have a look at the Chaitanya Museum and other activities of the Mission.
A good numbers of Vaishnava devotees, disciples and monks of under Gaudiya Mission assembled in the respective venues for the success of the functions attended by Indian PM and other dignitaries.
Source: Love and consciousness are the essence of Indian Culture and Heritage: Narendra Modi-Hindu Existence