Hinduism a way of life

Hinduism a way of life

Swami Avyayananda: The Bhagavad Gita has practical applications in life

‘Hinduism: The science behind India’s spirituality’ was a day-long session that shed light on the various facets of Hinduism at the Indian Habitat Center, New Delhi, on September 28. The session was organised by Avanee Foundation, a part of Dalmia Bharat Group. Pavan K Varma, writer, diplomat, and national general secretary, Janata Dal (United), while addressing the gathering, said, “There was a time when we felt that science has all the answers, but when science failed to come up with neat conclusions we dared to go back to philosophy and religion. The most unique thing about Hinduism is that, from the very beginning, it was not about the search for God but about the search for what could be the enduring truth behind the creation of this universe.”

Sharing his views on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Swami Avyayananda, Chinmaya mission, proclaimed the Gita to be the most popular text that influences people around the world. “The Bhagavad Gita comes close to life because it holds the incidents we can relate to, learn, and then apply in real life,” he added. Talking about rituals and their purpose, Anand Neelakantan, author and columnist, said, “The ‘why’ of common rituals is more important than ‘how to follow them.’ It is really important to understand the critical thinking behind rituals so that we perform them with an understanding of their underlying logic.”

Quoting Hinduism as a ‘remarkable religious tradition,’ Avantika Dalmia, chairperson, Avanee Foundation, said, “Though Hinduism is a culture which is unorganised with no systematic teaching approach and no set rules to follow, the common thread among all these variations is the belief in a Supreme Being and adherence to important concepts such as truth, dharma, and karma.”

Other key speakers at the session included Rahul Bhasin and Mukti Banka from Studio Prana, Swami Advayananda of Chinmaya Mission, Shri Rohini Nandan Das (follower of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami), and Yog Guru Dr Surakshit Goswami.