'Introduce Gita in school curriculum'

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 10. An international symposium of scholars has urged the Union Government to include the Bhagawad Gita in the curriculum of schools and colleges in the country which would enable and equip the young generation to cope with challenges thrown up by an increasingly competitive world.

The four-day event, which discussed the Bhagawad Gita and its relevance in dealing with modern problems, concluded here today by passing a resolution calling for teaching of the Gita in educational institutions as a prelude to declaring the spiritual treatise as a national scripture.

The resolution sought the Government to mandate the official media with popularising the concepts of the Gita atleast for a few minutes every day. The symposium felt that this would help create higher awareness of the Gita among the masses as well as encourage scholars and teachers.

The international seminar was jointly organised by the Bharatheeya Vichar Kendra and the Gita Swadhyaya Samiti.

According to the participants, the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Human Resources Development could play a pivotal role in the prorogation of the national scripture for television channels. They also pointed out that such Gita-based serials were also lucrative from a commercial viewpoint given the sweeping popularity enjoyed by mythological serials on the small screen.

The symposium urged the HRD Ministry to patronise and promote Gita scholars by extending fellowships, scholarships and grants to centres for studies on the Gita or the Swadhyaya Kendras.

According to the resolution, the secular and scientific credentials of the Gita were well established. Verses from the sacred text were craved into the mottos of most national institutions. The Gita could be the tool for India's social transformation into a resurgent nation.

Delivering the valedictory address, the Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, called for setting up a firm agenda on achieving sustainable consumption in the next few years. He warned that if current consumption patterns continued, the ecosystem which provided renewable resources would collapse.

Consumption levels which far exceeded man's limited requirements, was a result of a materialistic pursuit. The more man consumed the more he would desire. Peace and happiness, Dr. Joshi pointed out, was not achieved by pursuing and satisfying desires and this is where the Gita had a growing relevance in the day-to-day lives of individuals and resolving complex questions confronting modern societies the world over. "If Hindi is the link language of the country and English is claimed to be the link language to the world, then Sanskrit is the link language for the universe", he said.

Dr. H. V. Seshadri, Sahasarkaryavah of the RSS, stressed the need for unity among Hindus. He also called for a concerted intellectual response to expose the hypocrisy of the so-called secular sections. It was unfortunate that even some elected leaders harboured an anti-Hindu bias.

Swami Bodhananda Saraswati, Bodhananda Kendram, said that the core of the Gita was essentially a discussion of human conflict and guidance on the best response to such challenges, which were inevitable, and to a large extent necessary for the advancement of an individual. Youngsters who imbibed the verses of the Gita would be better equipped to cope with global competition, he felt.

Dr. K. Madhavankutty, president, Bharatheeya Vichara Kendra, pointed out that unlike holy texts of other religions, the Gita was not formatted on Commandments but rather adopted the tone of critical acceptance of the best course of action discourses.

The Gita also held answers to the most complex situations in modern life, Dr. Madhavankutty pointed out. He urged youngsters to imbibe the spirit of inquiry and analytical conclusions that the Gita embodied.

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