The President of India, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, Opens New Cultural Center

On May 31, the President of India gave this address at the Inauguration of the Centre for Advancement of Culture of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. (A pictorial article on the new center will appear in our next issue.)

Dr.Shanker Dayal Sharma

Dr.Shanker Dayal Sharma

IT GIVES ME IMMENSE pleasure to associate myself with the inauguration of the Centre for Advancement of Culture of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) here in Bangalore. This magnificent complex, a blend of tradition and modernity, is a symbol of the dedication and devotion of ISKCON to the cause of bhakti and service. It is an architectural landmark. I congratulate all those who have worked tirelessly to set up this splendid edifice.

ISKCON has spread the message of bhakti throughout the world. Over the years, the Society has provided relief and succor and has brought peace and harmony into the lives of millions of people. It has grown and flourished in many countries and continents. On the occasion of the birth centenary of the founder of ISKCON, Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I pay my tributes to this enlightened soul. Following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, with determination and devotion, has propagated the message of our ethos of peace and harmony.

In today's world, there appears to be a relentless and single-minded pursuit of material wealth and prosperity. Though this has resulted in an improvement in the standards of living of people, particularly in the so-called developed Western countries, the spiritual needs, requirements, and aspirations are yet to be met. Material wealth has not necessarily brought happiness and peace of mind. Instead, it has been accompanied by considerable mental stress and tensions and has led to a spiral of insatiable greed and desires which remain unfulfilled. The pursuit of hedonistic pleasures with no regard to the needs of other people, especially those that are less privileged, has brought in its wake discord, discontent, and disharmony.

It is in such a context that our tradition with its philosophy of love, compassion, nonviolence, and service has acquired new meaning, relevance, and significance. The approach of bhakti or devotion not merely to God but to all beings who belong to God, and of selfless service, has been preached by our seers and saint-singers from remote antiquity.

The bhakti movement has flourished in every part of India. The songs of the Alvars and the teachings of Sri Ramanujacarya and Madhvacarya in the south, the bhajanas and dohas of Surdas, Sant Kabir and Mira Bai in the north, the abhangas of Sant Tukaram and Sant Jnanesvar in the west, and the kirtanas of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sankaradeva, and Madhavadeva in the east are still sung and recited in millions of homes.

In eastern India, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu propagated the idea of the oneness of man before God. Bhakti to God manifested itself in love, compassion, and service. It did not recognize any barriers of caste or creed. The repeated chanting of the divine name, individually and collectively, was one of the paths to salvation. In his Siksastaka, Caitanya Mahaprabhu sings:

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah

(God has expressed His own name in various ways; also He has bestowed all His powers in that name.)

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

(O Lord of the earth, I do not pray for earthly desires. My only prayer is, God, let my unqualified devotion be to You in all my births.) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's kirtanas are sung by thousands of devotees not merely in India but, due to the efforts of ISKCON, throughout the world. The bhakti-marga propagated by Srila Prabhupada has struck a sympathetic chord among the people which has resonated across the ocean and continents. Swamiji's approach is remarkable for its simplicity. It is not a rigid ritualistic or merely intellectual approach. It is personal, intuitive, emotional faith based on a passionate love and adoration of the Lord. This is reflected in the singing of kirtanas and in living a good and decent life in harmony with oneself, with society, and with nature.

Srila Prabhupada's work has given new meaning and direction to the lives of thousands of people. In India, the activities of ISKCON are rekindling the latent knowledge and awareness among our own people of our great spiritual and cultural heritage. I believe deeply that, in our efforts for modernization and growth, we must never forget the philosophy of humanism of our civilization. There can be no real progress and prosperity, there can be no balanced material and spiritual development unless and until the poorest of the poor and weakest of the weak in our country prosper and progress. This can happen only by re-instilling among our people the moral and ethical values of our ethos, of love and devotion, compassion and selfless service. Only by helping others can we achieve true happiness and balance in our lives.

With these words, I have great pleasure in inaugurating the Centre for Advancement of Culture of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. I wish the Centre many years of fruitful endeavor in the service of society.

Jai Hind!