Our spiritual culture embedded in spirit of service, my govt working selflessly for people: PM

PTI, Jan 15, 2025, 7:04 PM IST

PM Narendra Modi (PTI / File)

Navi Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted India’s spiritual culture is deeply rooted in the spirit of service and his government has been working selflessly for people’s welfare for more than a decade.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating an ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) temple at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, Modi, who assumed office for a third time in June last year, emphasised his government has launched a slew of welfare measures like building toilets, homes for the poor and providing LPG connections and medical insurance to citizens.

“This spirit of service brings true social justice and is a symbol of true secularism. The main foundation of our spiritual culture is the spirit of service. India is not just a piece of land surrounded by geographical boundaries. It is a living land, living culture. Knowledge is spirituality and if we want to understand India, we have to imbibe spirituality,” he underlined in his speech.

He said followers of ISKCON, a global bhakti movement founded on the Bhagavad Gita teachings, across the world are connected to each other by their devotion to Lord Krishna.

Modi said the spirit of service propagated by the ISKCON movement inspires the youth and helps them create a sensitive society which promotes human values.

“It inspires people to heal in India and look after their well-being,” the PM maintained.

Modi said true service is symbolized by self-less human endeavour where there is no other interest and described India as an “extraordinary, wonderous land”.

He noted the grand temple showcases various forms of the divine and a museum based on Hindu epics Ramayana and the Mahabharata was being constructed to cater to the interest of the new generation.

Modi expressed confidence that the temple complex, spread across nine acres, will become a sacred centre enriching India’s consciousness along with faith.

“ISKCON followers worldwide are united by their devotion to Lord Krishna,” emphasised Modi and highlighted that another connecting thread is the teachings of the movement’s founder, Srila Prabhupada Swami, which guide the devotees round-the-clock.

The PM noted Srila Prabhupada Swami promoted the importance of the Vedas, Vedanta, and the Gita during India’s freedom struggle, linking their teachings to the consciousness of common people.

At the age of 70, when most people consider their duties fulfilled, Srila Prabhupada Swami started the ISKCON mission and travelled the world over, spreading Lord Krishna’s message to every corner, Modi pointed out.

The PM observed that those who view the world only from a material perspective see India as a collection of different languages and provinces. However, when one connects their soul with this cultural consciousness, they truly see India.

He highlighted that the Eastern India saw saints like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, while in the West, revered saints like Namdev, Tukaram, and Dnyaneshwar emerged in Maharashtra.

Modi remarked that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spread the ‘Mahavakya’ (drawn from Upanishads) mantra to the masses, while the saints of Maharashtra shared spiritual nectar through the ‘Ramkrishna Hari’ mantra.

Similarly, Srila Prabhupada Swami popularized the Gita through ISKCON, publishing commentaries and connecting people with its essence, the PM maintained.

The Prime Minister remarked that these saints, born in different places and times, advanced the stream of Krishna devotion in their unique ways.

He highlighted that all religious texts and scriptures are rooted in the spirit of service and ISKCON operates with this conviction, contributing to education, health, and the environment.

Modi noted ISKCON was undertaking significant service activities at the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

The PM said his government was continuously working for the welfare of citizens with the same spirit of service.

He remarked that building toilets in every home, providing gas connections to poor women, ensuring tap water in households, offering free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to citizens and providing pucca (concrete) houses to homeless persons are actions driven by this spirit of service.

Underscoring that the Centre was connecting various pilgrimage and religious sites across the country through the Krishna Circuit, Modi highlighted that this tour extends to Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.

The circuit’s aims to make it easier for devotees to visit various sites associated with Lord Krishna, he said.

Stressing that in the past decade, the country had seen simultaneous progress in development and heritage, the PM underlined the significant contribution of institutions like ISKCON to this mission.

The PM opined that temples and religious sites have been centres of social consciousness for centuries, and gurukuls (residential schools) have played a crucial role in promoting education and skill development.

Modi remarked on how ISKCON’s young practitioners embrace modern technology while following their traditions, making their information network a model for others.

He said the Bhaktivedanta Ayurvedic Healing Center and the Bhaktivedanta College for Vedic Education established in the temple complex will benefit the entire country.

Modi stressed on the need to create a society of sensitive individuals who advance with human qualities and a sense of belonging.

The Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple, an ISKCON project in Kharghar, includes a temple with several deities, a Vedic education centre, proposed museums and auditorium, healing centre, among others.