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| Dr Pankaj Gupta with Swami Ananga Mohan Dasa and Manesha A Agarwal at IIHMR University, Jaipur |
A Swami Ananga Mohan Dasa of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Kolkata, was organised for Faculty, Research Officers and Staff of IIHMR University on 3rd April 2019 in the Auditorium, between 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Important dignitaries who attended the session included Dr. Ashok Agarwal, Trustee - BCT & IIHMR, Mrs. Manisha Agarwal, Board of Trustee, BCT, & Dr. Pankaj Gupta, President, IIHMR University, Jaipur.
Dr. Pankaj Gupta, Swami Ananga Mohan Dasa, Mrs. Manisha Agarwal on the Dice at Old Audi.
Dr. Pankaj Gupta, President IIHMR University, started the session with his welcome address. He introduced Swami Ananga Mohan Dasa as doing melodious Kirtans, a teacher for Bhakti Management classes, member of National Management Counsel, Kolkata Rath Yatra Chairman, leading the Wellwishers forum, Chairperson of the Communications of Eastern India Division Counsel (EIDC), also one of the mastermind behind developing the Srinida Prabhupada places. He said that we are trying to integrate this in our curriculum, so that students get self-awareness, knowing who they are, and understanding the potential of they are there in this earth. We have launched courses on Happiness, Mindful leadership, Spritual Awakening, Ancient Wisdom, with the objective of going in this path. He said that with Swami Ananga Mohan Dasa here and with your address we would be learning many things and with this welcome address he invited swamiji for his ashirvachan (आशीर्वचन - शुभ र्चन).
Swamiji started his talk by saying Hare Krishna and said that he is very happy that he could serve IIHMR University, in this Holy land of Jaipur, and that it is Krishna willing that he could come here and deliver this talk. He said that for us as Vaishnavas, Jaipur is very holy land as our main five deities, were brought from Vrindavana to Jaipur, hence Jaipur is called Guptavridavan. He said that he will share some of his realizations that he had learned from his Spiritual masters. He said that according to scriptures that if we do something according to guidelines it becomes very auspicious. He said that when we were small there was Robin Blue, then came Ujala, and now in the washing powder it is added, and so things keep on changing but somethings remain same which are our scriptures. He recalled Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (famous in Bengal) who said that we have taken birth in Holy land of India, let’s do something good for others. He explained the meaning of Bharata as Bha means Knowledge and Ratha means those who are interested to know about themselves and spirituality and knowledge. Hence this country is called Bharata. We are Bharat vasi and it is very auspicious to be here.
He said that in this age of modern civilization we are all disturbed and everyone of us is searching for happiness and the whole world is trying to make our lives more comfortable. He said that are we comfortable now or 40 years back without our mobiles, and gadgets (fans, ACs, washing machines, etc) for improving ourselves. He said that the reason why we are using gadgets is to save time but are we having time for our family, ourselves? He also reminded Rabindranath Tagore song in Bengali that I am searching happiness in this world as a musk deer (कस्तूरी मृग) is searching happiness outside. He said male musk deer has a very beautiful fragnance (substance – कस्तूरी - Kasturi) in his navel. The Kasturi is so much fragmented that it makes the deer mad, as it is searching it outside, which actually is inside his body. He reiterated this fact by referring Ramayan and Mahabharat which also says that Our Journey for searching happiness outside is never possible. Then he asked a question on the main difference between animals and humans. He said that animals can have logic (as we trust more on dog for guarding our home), Maharana Pratap Chetak horse (who saved his life in the battle of Haldighati), they can also have intelligence (a cat steals the milk when no-one is there in the room), weaver bird's nest (no-body have taught them), also have light in night, Elephants have emotions (when one elephant die, the rest of the herd cries (mourns) that death), and they also share words. He then recited a shlok of Mahabharat and asked everyone to recite that with him:
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| Swami Ananga Mohan Dasa at IIHMR University |
human or animal, what is the difference?
आहार ननद्रा भय मैथुनं च सामान्यमेतत् पशुभभनवराणाम् । धमो हह तेषामधधको वर्शेष: धमेण हीनााः पशुभभाः समानााः ॥
आहार, ननद्रा, भय और मैथुन – ये तो इन्सान और पशु में समान है । इन्सान में वर्शेष केर्ल धमव है, अथावत् बिना धमव के लोग पशुतुल्य है ।
food, sleep, fear and mating, these acts of humans are similar to animals' | of them (humans), dharma (right conduct) is the only special thing, without dharma humans are also animals ||
He said that it is Dharma is the only thing that makes a person differ from animals. Then he explained what he meant by Dharma. He said that Dharma of Fire is producing heat and light, Dharma of Sugar is sweetness. Then he said what is the Real Dharma of Human beings is to love someone and get loved by someone. Love can be with your family, son, daughter, grandson, people, country, animals, pets, and is unconditional i.e. without any expectations. We suffer in this world because of our expectations. He said that here comes the importance of Spirituality. He said that Spirituality starts with hearing. He said that Chanakya pandit says that if a person wants to be intelligent and those who are seekers and want to happy in their life they must spend time in three categories - for character building read Ramayan in the morning, Mahabharat in day, Bhagwat Gita in the evening. He said to be happy in life one should read these scriptures.
He said that we have two ears and one mouth so the ratio of hearing to speaking is 2:1, but we do opposite. That is why we face problem. He said that our speech should be controlled without giving any pain to someone. He said that one should speak truth if it is good, and untruth with politeness. He said that to learn something new one must hear. One should speak which is good for everyone and should hear only that for someone which would make good relation with that person.
He said that our culture is like that in evening we had Kirtans, and there are many beautiful examples of Rajasthan culture like Haldighati, Panna Daic etc. He said culture could be changed by hearing good as when we hear good, as it changes our thoughts, thoughts become words, words become action, and action becomes habit, habits become nature, and nature becomes character.
He said that according to Ramayan - Pain is inevitable but Suffering is optional (if you have faith). He requested everyone to read and understand the Vedic Wisdom which is there in our blood. Our blood group is Bhakti, Devotion, Bhavna, Chetna and Gyan and in that way we have been born and brought up. We are all trying to become happy, but material world will always give us problems as a challenge and makes us worry. He said that we all worry but statistics shows that 85% of the worry would not be going to happen only 15% is going to happen, which is real worry. That 85 % includes that which has happened, still worrying, something is happening, you can have hold on that, called as Chinta. He about Chinta as : चिता चििंता समाप्रोक्ता ब िंदुमात्रिं विशेषता। He said "Chita" and "Chinta" are said to be same still there is a difference of a dot. Pyre (chita) burns the dead while Worry (chinta) burns the alive. He said that Chinta is like a Rocking Chair which never takes you anywhere. He said that when you read scriptures (specially Bhagwat Gita) with faith, it gives you Hope and Enlightenment. In the end he said that the main thing that he wished to convey that Spirituality is not Ritualistic, it comes from Heart, and no-one can force you and if you read scriptures one will find that the world is blissful. This happens as one’s perception towards life changes by reading Bhagwat Gita.
After which “Shawl” and Memento (small pot with plant) were given to felicitate the guests who are engrossed in the task of spiritual upliftment of others and to honour the guests as a mark of respect.
