Life of Bhagawan Mahaveer holds crucial lessons to contemporary world: Vice President

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the life of Bhagwan Mahaveer and the philosophy of Jainism hold many crucial lessons for contemporary world.

Addressing the gathering during the Bhagwan Mahaveer Janam Kalyanak Mahotsav organized by the Jain Seva Sangh on Mahaveer Jayanti, in Hyderabad today, the Vice President said that some of the answers to the serious questions of our times could be found in the philosophy, principles and teachings of Lord Mahaveer.

The Vice President said that Bhagwan Mahaveer’s messages of non-violence, truth and universal compassion illuminated a path of righteousness and honesty. He said that the spiritual radiance and moral splendour of Bhagawan Mahaveer’s teachings would keep inspiring everyone to strive for peace, harmony and progress for all humanity. He also said that Bhagwan Mahaveer was one of the most illustrious and celebrated spiritual teachers to have walked on this earth.

Shri Naidu said that Jainism has contributed greatly to the spiritual development of India and has helped fortify India’s unwavering commitment to the ideals of truth, non-violence and peace.

Referring to India’s glorious ancient civilization, the Vice President said that India was a leader to the world in many aspects. India was the cultural capital of the world, the seat of the highest human values of love, peace, tolerance and brotherhood and the source of profound knowledge and wisdom, the Vishwaguru to the world, he said. We have to reclaim our rightful position of leadership in the world, he added.

Stating that we are living in tumultuous times, Shri Naidu said that the world was fighting violence in several forms from terrorism, insurgency and civil wars on one hand and the consequences of unchecked exploitation of resources and unbalanced and poorly planned developmental actions on the other. “We have to either change the way we live or prepare to face the inevitable consequences of our actions”, he cautioned.

The Vice President said that some people were indulging in the terrorism to weaken the social fabric of the country and the world. He wanted all countries to unitedly fight against the menace of terrorism. He urged people to propagate and practice peace as it was a prerequisite for progress. Peaceful coexistence is the need of the hour, he added.

Pointing out that we are simply the trustees of whatever we have inherited in terms of social order and natural resources, the Vice President said “It is our sacred duty to hand them over to our posterity in the best of conditions so that continuity of life is not interrupted”.

Shri Naidu called upon people to strive to attain peace and spare no efforts to suffuse harmony into their relationship with nature. Expressing concern over the degradation of natural resources, he said “We must cease the reckless exploitation of the abundant resources of nature and exercise restraint in the way we live”. He said it was time for people to introspect and have a re-look into ancient values and identify the best of them to find solutions to the pressing issues.

Saying that Indian philosophy always believed in harmonious living with nature, the Vice President said that one must go back to roots and learn to love and live with nature.

The President of Shri Jain Seva Sangh, Shri Vinok Kimtee, the General Secretary of Shri Jain Seva Sangh, Shri Yogesh Singhi, the Chief Convenor of Bhagwan Mahaveer Janam Kalyanak Mahotsav, Shri Ashok Bermecha, the Convenor & Coordinator of Shri Jain Seva Sangh, Shri Praveen Pandya and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.