Madhya Pradesh: Sages, Saints Guided Society in Challenging Times, Says Modi

 Bhopal: Describing India as a land of sages and saints, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said, ‘They guided the society whenever the nation passed through challenging times.’

Addressing a religious gathering at Anandpur Dham under Isagarh tehsil in Madhya Pradesh’s Ashok Nagar district, Mr. Modi recalled the rich culture and heritage of India, narrating how the sages and saints emerged to awaken the nation’s soul during the difficult phases by reviving wisdom in the society.

“India is a land of sages, scholars and saints. The sages and saints always guided the society during the challenging times”, he said.

He said the life of revered Swami Advait Anand Maharaj reflects this tradition of India.

Recounting the era of religious leaders and philosophers such as Adi Shankaracharya, Mr. Modi said they expounded the philosophy of Advait (oneness) to guide the society when it was getting disconnected from wisdom.

During the colonial period, the society began to lose touch with wisdom and it was during this period the sages came forward to awaken the nation’s soul through the principles of Advait, he said.

Mr. Modi attributed the current global concerns of war, conflict and erosion of human values amid materialist progress to the ‘mindset of self and other’, which divided the human beings.

“The philosophy of Advait, which envisions no duality, provides solutions to all such issues”, he said.

Advait is a faith in seeing divinity in every living being and perceiving the entire creation the manifestation of the divine, he added.

If the Advait philosophy is embraced universally, then all the conflicts could be resolved.

He said the spirit of serving the underprivileged with a selfless attitude by envisioning divinity in the act of serving humanity form the foundation of Indian culture.

He said many countries got disconnected from their cultures while pursuing material progress.

India needs to protect its culture and tradition as the country sets the goal to become a developed nation by 2047, he said, and added, “Our culture strengthens our potential”.

He said the spirit of service is the core of every initiative undertaken by his government and highlighted various welfare measures taken by the Centre for the uplift of the poor and marginalized.

This is guided by the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.

“This spirit of service is both the policy and commitment of the government”, he said.

Mr. Modi said he could sense the sanctity of the soil of Ashok Nagar, every inch of which is filled with the penance of sages and saints.

That’s why themisery is scared of visiting this land, he remarked.

Mr. Modi praised the Mohan Yadav government for starting preparations for the 2028 Maha Kumbh in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.

He said the Centre is developing the Ram Gaman Path, the route traversed by Lord Ram, his sibling Laxman and wife Sita, during his self-exile period and added that a significant part of it is passing through Madhya Pradesh.

This will strengthen the identity of Madhya Pradesh, he added.