Most revered Pujya Swami Tejomayananda ji, Pujya Swami Swaroopananda ji, Pujya Swami Mitrananda ji, Pujya Swami Viviktananda ji, all revered saints, Acharyas, all dedicated sevaks of Chinmaya Mission, devotees and seekers who have arrived from across the country and abroad, ladies and gentlemen.
Courtesy of all of you, today I have had the opportunity to participate in the Amrit Mahotsav of Chinmaya Mission. This is a unique spiritual experience. This is the special affection and blessing of our saints towards me. Because the Chinmaya Mission is not merely an institution; it is a Chinmaya ideal, which was established by a Chinmaya Rishi. Its journey over several decades has also been replete with pure, conscious resolutions. And whatever is Chinmaya is naturally immortal and imbued with nectar. Therefore, today at Bharat Mandapam, the name of this event – ‘Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav’ – is equally meaningful. I extend my heartiest congratulations on the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav to the saints and Acharyas associated with the Chinmaya Mission across the globe, and to lakhs of seekers and followers.
Friends,
The feeling that arose in my heart upon arriving here today was made even more vibrant through modern technology. The darshan of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda ji in this form, the privilege of conversing with his holobot, made it feel as though I had travelled 33 years back in time. My meeting with Gurudev in Vadodara in 1993, the conversation with him, his affection, his blessings – today everything reappeared before my eyes once again. For a moment, it felt as though I was once again in the direct physical presence of Gurudev. For me, this is a deeply emotional experience. I thank all the members of Chinmaya Mission from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful experience, and express my gratitude to them.
Friends,
Around February-March in 1993, I met Pujya Gurudev; I had gone to invite him to the centenary celebrations of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, USA. At that very time, 100 years of Swami Vivekananda ji’s historic address were being marked. Pujya Gurudev accepted the invitation; Pujya Gurudev went to America, and across various programmes there, he consistently made people aware of the centenary celebrations of the World’s Parliament of Religions and inspired them to take part. But destiny had ordained otherwise. Just a few weeks prior to the Parliament of Religions, on 3 August, Gurudev shed his mortal body in San Diego, America, leaving all of us behind. When the Parliament of Religions took place in Chicago on 11 September, fortunately, I was there. All of us felt the absence of Pujya Gurudev. Many words spoken by Gurudev kept echoing in my mind. The profound discussion that took place during my last meeting with him remains etched in my memory even today. Its core sentiment was: the building of youth power! And, through youth power, the creation of an empowered and capable India.
Friends,
A few years after meeting him, the sovereign people blessed me with the opportunity to serve as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Since then until today, for the past 25 years, as the head of the government, I have been continuously serving the nation to the best of my ability; Guruji’s blessings are with me. In this journey, the youth of the country stand at the centre of my efforts and policies. I am delighted that at the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav as well, the youth have shouldered major responsibilities. Many of our young companions undertook a journey of 40,000 kilometres over nearly 300 days. During this period, more than one lakh youths were contacted. I congratulate the entire team for this remarkable endeavour as well.
Friends,
The declaration of our Upanishads is: “Vayam Amritasya Putrah”. That is, we are the children of immortality. This conception is not merely a spiritual philosophy; it is also our cultural conviction. This does not mean that our physical bodies are immortal; it means our consciousness is immortal. Our knowledge and our awareness are immortal. Because of this very awareness, this India has remained immortal for thousands of years. Because the very meaning of the word ‘Bharat’ is that which is engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and illumination.
Therefore, friends,
When the occasion of 75 years of the country’s independence arrived, the thought came to my mind that we must not only turn this occasion into an inspirational platform for a developed India, but we must also revive that essence of India which knows how to live with immortal ideas, and which, through its experience of thousands of centuries, can care for humanity across eras. That is why I called for celebrating that occasion as the Amrit Mahotsav. And see, with the passage of time, one wondrous journey after another has continued to align with that resolution. Numerous spiritual, cultural, and social organisations took Amrit resolves at key milestones of their respective journeys during this period. And now, Chinmaya Mission is also joining the mission of India’s Amrit Kaal in the form of its Amrit Mahotsav. And this indeed is the true strength of India’s resolves; this is the genuine proof of our being “Amritasya Putrah”.
Friends,
The call of our Vedas is: “Vayam Rashtre Jagriyama Purohitah” – meaning, may we, who seek the welfare of the nation, keep the nation awakened and elevated. Swami Chinmayananda ji lived his entire life guided by this very mantra. With as much devotion as he spoke on spiritual matters, with equal promptness he delivered articulate discourses on national issues. Because our nation is the birthplace of our culture. This nation is the very foundation of our existence. Swamiji always taught that we should link our spiritual advancement with personal growth, and make personal growth the vehicle for national progress. To fill the people of India with self-respect towards India was Swamiji’s mission. With this objective, he initiated the Gita Jnana Yajna. He began the campaign of taking the wisdom of the Upanishads, Vedanta, and our scriptures to the common people. And today, we can see the results of that resolution of his in many ways. Due to the efforts of Chinmaya Mission, today there are lakhs of youth who are serving as cultural brand ambassadors of India. These youth are passing on Indian values to the new generation. This contribution of Pujya Gurudev is an important chapter in India’s cultural and spiritual renaissance.
Friends,
Today, I also recall the occasion of Pujya Gurudev’s birth centenary. In 2015, I had the privilege of releasing a special commemorative coin in his memory. Even then, I had remarked that Swamiji’s life was a wonderful confluence of knowledge, action, and devotion. His Guru, Swami Sivananda ji, had blessed him with the words: “Go, roar like a lion.” He lived his entire life in that very spirit. The confidence and inner strength in his speech left an enduring impression of his thoughts on everyone’s heart. His radio programme named ‘Art of Man Making’ provided direction to countless individuals.
Friends,
The mission of great personalities remains alive even after they depart. That is why today we see that more than 100 educational institutions of Chinmaya Mission are shaping the future of lakhs of children and youth. In these institutions, they are receiving modern education while also assimilating Indian values.
Friends,
The vision that visionary individuals like Swami Chinmayananda ji held at the time of independence – today the nation is fulfilling its responsibilities in that very direction. To ensure that our education system aligns with the needs of a new India, we introduced the National Education Policy. In this new Education Policy, priority has been accorded to Indian knowledge traditions, education in the mother tongue, modern science, and new technology.
Friends,
Another mission of Swamiji’s life was: pride in Indian heritage and its preservation! All of you are familiar with the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari. The resolution to build a memorial on that massive rock amidst the sea was taken by Shri Eknath Ranade ji. At that time, Pujya Gurudev stood firmly by his side. The first financial contribution for this great endeavour was also made by Pujya Swamiji. Today, the Vivekananda Rock Memorial stands as a centre of inspiration for lakhs of people visiting from across the country and the world.
Friends,
Today, from north to south, east to west, India’s cultural centres are undergoing a renaissance. Be it the renewed form of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the grand temple of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya, the Mahakal Mahalok of Ujjain, or our shrines like Kedarnath and Badrinath. If you have visited Kedarnath ji recently, a divine, grand statue of Adi Shankar, Adi Shankaracharya ji, has been established there, where Adi Shankar shed his mortal coil. Today, they are returning to their majestic form. All of you know that at one time, so many statues were stolen from India, taken abroad, and sold there. There was no one to stop it, no one to inquire – leave aside those who worshipped them, there was no one even to ask. Over the past 12 years, we have brought back more than six hundred and fifty such stolen ancient statues. Our cultural centres are becoming part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Friends,
Just as Swamiji took our dharma and philosophy to the people of the world, similarly, today International Yoga Day is connecting people across the globe with India and with our ancient, glorious tradition. This confidence of taking pride in our heritage, this assurance of liberation from the mindset of subjugation, is evidence that the nation is now advancing on the path envisioned for centuries by our rishis and patriots. Their strength of thought is our greatest asset along this path.
Friends,
Different institutions and organisations have their respective objectives, but the one purpose that unites everyone, the destination where all paths converge, that goal is: the development of the nation, the pride of the nation. In Swami Chinmayananda ji’s time, according to the challenges that lay before the country, he shaped his resolutions. In the passing decades, times have changed, new challenges have arisen before the nation, and new distortions have entered society. Today, the responsibility of finding solutions rests upon all of us. Today, we have to unite society against divisive forces, and make our fellow citizens aware of self-reliance. We have to connect every individual with the resolution of a Developed India by 2047. We must become even more proactive towards these objectives.
Friends,
In 2047, when India completes 100 years of its independence, around that very period, Chinmaya Mission will also celebrate its centenary year. That is to say, Chinmaya Mission’s centenary journey and the journey towards a Developed India will progress together. Therefore, our goals are one, our objectives are one, and we must take this journey forward together. You possess the great legacy of Gurudev and decades of experience. You have a vast family of dedicated Acharyas, seekers, and workers across the globe. I am confident that all of you together will play an important role in building a Developed India. With this conviction, I once again bow at the feet of Pujya Gurudev. I extend my heartiest congratulations on the Amrit Mahotsav to all the saints, Acharyas, seekers, and service-oriented companions of Chinmaya Mission.
Hari Om.
Hari Om.
Hari Om.
Thank you very much.
DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s address. Original address was delivered in Hindi.
