Udupi: Oriental Knowledge Conference – A confluence of south and north, says Puthige Swamiji

Team Udayavani, Oct 25, 2024, 9:22 AM IST

Udupi: In a unique blend of the North and South, the All India Oriental Conference being held in Udupi marks a significant cultural and intellectual confluence, according to Paryaya Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji of Sri Puthige Matha.

Delivering his benediction at the inauguration of the three-day event, Swamiji remarked, “While most of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, including Rama and Krishna, took place in North India, the South is the land of the great Acharyas – Shankara, Ramanuja, and Madhwa. Hence, while the North holds a place for divinity, the South is the abode of devotees. For many years, oriental conferences were largely held in the North, but now, we witness a harmonious union between the two regions.”

The conference, jointly organized by the Indian Vidvat Parishad, Paryaya Sri Puthige Matha, and Central Sanskrit University, aims to shed light on the importance of preserving India’s ancient knowledge and spiritual heritage.

According to Swamiji, India’s rich cultural heritage, rooted in Sanatana Dharma, needs to be protected, and this can only happen if Sanskrit, the foundation of ancient Indian knowledge, is preserved.

Role of Sanskrit in Cultural Preservation

The Swamiji stressed that cultural preservation is intrinsically linked to the preservation of Sanskrit. He quoted the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna declares that spiritual knowledge is the highest form of learning. “Sanskrit is the key to this spiritual knowledge, and its protection is crucial for the preservation of our ancient wisdom,” he added.

Other prominent religious leaders, including Sri Pejawar Matha’s Sri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha, Sri Bhandarkeri Matha’s Sri Vidyashekar Tirtha, and Junior Yati of Sri Puthige Matha Sri Sushreendra Tirtha, also offered their blessings during the event.

Acharya Balakrishna on Sanskrit and Aryan-Dravidian Divide

Acharya Balakrishna, Chancellor of Haridwar’s Patanjali University, emphasized the need to safeguard both Sanskrit and Indian culture. He noted that the preservation of Sanskrit is essential to maintain the thousands of years of India’s oral traditions. “The Aryan-Dravidian divide propagated by the British has been debunked by the archaeological findings in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Harappa-Mohenjo-Daro civilizations,” he said.

Acharya Balakrishna further announced that Patanjali University will undertake a detailed study of the ancient settlements of Mohenjo-Daro.

Conference Highlights and Future Plans

The conference also witnessed the release of ten books by the Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi. AIOC President Prof Saroja Bhate presided over the event, and various dignitaries, including Cha Mu Krishna Shastri, Chairman of the Indian Language Committee, Dr. S Ahalya, Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka Samskrit University, and local leaders like MP Kota Srinivas Poojary and MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty, attended.

In his speech, Baba Ramdev expressed confidence that in the coming years, India’s Gurukuls would emerge as centers of learning, replacing institutions like Oxford and Harvard. He stressed the need to revive the concept of holistic education rooted in Sanatana Dharma. “The future belongs to Sanskrit and Sanatana Dharma, and there is no need for an inferiority complex when it comes to Indian culture,” he said.

The event concluded with a resolution to organize a world conference on Sanskrit studies, with participation from scholars across the globe, including from foreign countries.

Scholars honoured

Five distinguished scholars were honored at the event, including Prof. Srinivas Adiga of Udupi Sanskrit College, former Principal Dr. N. Lakshmi Narayan Bhat, Dr. A.V. Nagasampige of Poorna Prajna Research Institute, Shatavadhani Udupi Ramanath Acharya, and Prof. P.C. Muralimadhavan from Kerala. They were awarded the title of ‘Mahamahopadhyaya’ by the Indian Vidvat Parishad.