India’s ancient traditions and philosophy big hope for world, says PM Modi

Modi was speaking via a video conference on the occasion of Jain saint Acharya Vijay Vallabh Surishwar’s 150th birth anniversary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the power of India’s ancient traditions and philosophy were a beacon of hope in a world that is experiencing violence and is in need for inspiration and encouragement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the teaching of Jain gurus like Surishwar epitomised solutions to these global crises. (PTI)

“Today the world is experiencing the crisis of war, terror and violence, and looking for inspiration and encouragement to break out of this vicious circle. In such a situation, it is the ancient traditions and philosophy coupled with the power of today’s India that is turning out to be a big hope for the world,” he said.

Modi was speaking via a video conference on the occasion of Jain saint Acharya Vijay Vallabh Surishwar’s 150th birth anniversary.

He said that the teaching of Jain gurus like Surishwar epitomised solutions to these global crises. “Acharya Ji lived a life of non-violence, solitude and renunciation, and made constant efforts to spread faith in people towards these ideas...(all this) is inspirational,” Modi said.

With Gujarat assembly elections less than a month away, the Prime Minister said that the state had given two “Vallabhs” to the country. “It is a coincidence that today we are seeing the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Acharya Ji and a few days later we are going to celebrate Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary, National Unity Day,” he said.

The PM said that the ‘Statue of Peace’ in Rajasthan’s Pali — a 151-inch tall memorial dedicated to Acharya Vijay Vallabh and unveiled in 2020 — was one of the largest statues of a saint in India, even as the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat, an ode to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was the tallest statue in the world.

“These are not just tall statues, but they are also the greatest symbol of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. Sardar sahib had united India which was then divided into princely states... Acharya ji also travelled to different parts of the country and strengthened the unity, integrity and culture of India,” Modi said.

Encouraging people to adopt indigenous products, Modi said that the prosperity of a country was dependent on its economic prosperity, and by buying local, the art and culture and India’s civilization could be kept alive.

“The message of Swadeshi and self reliance is extremely relevant in Azadi ka Amritkaal. This is the mantra of progress for a self-reliant India. Therefore, from Acharya Vijay Vallabh Surishwar Ji to the present Gachhadhipati Acharya Shri Nityanand Surishwar Ji, this path has been reinforced and we have to strengthen it further,” Modi said.