Page 31 - The Indian EYE 021425

SOUTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 14, 2025 | The Indian Eye 31

“Mann Ki Baat.” We reached more and reaffirmed that even though we
than 200,000 students in intensive teach with a Western perspective, we
courses, which was beyond anything remain faithful to the purity of the
I had imagined. This expansion re- Vedic tradition.
quired a lot of hard work from an en- You are now traveling more to the
tire family of dedicated people, and it US. What are your plans to engage fur-
showed me how a serious, authentic ther with Vedantic followers and the In-
approach to Vedanta can truly flour- dian community in North America?
ish anywhere. We have just launched our first
You already have many followers. regular online class in San Francis-
Now, after this award, do you see a co, offering Vedanta in English from
growing interest in Vedantic philosophy a Western perspective, which can
in Brazil? speak directly to both Americans
Yes, this award brings a sense and Indians living abroad who might
of official recognition to our work appreciate hearing these teachings
and underscores its authenticity. For through a slightly different cultural
those of us living so far from India, lens. We also plan to hold workshops,
there is often a feeling that we might retreats, and live sessions throughout
be disconnected from the source. the year, creating a community of
This recognition helps reassure our The scholar has dedicated his life to spreading the message of Vedas people who value this knowledge.
community here in Brazil—and around Brazil and across the world Additionally, Brazil itself is a
abroad—that we are genuinely part very fertile place for spirituality—a
of the paramparā. We hope it will country formed by many different
encourage even more collaboration ciated our efforts to bring it forward. people, but we functioned as if we cultures. We plan to invite students
with institutions in India, facilitat- PM Modi mentioned you in his were a large organization, reaching and seekers from all over the world
ing opportunities for our students radio address “Mann Ki Baat” a few thousands of regular students and to visit Brazil, stay in our gurukulam,
to pursue deeper studies in ashrams years ago. How did that help deepen hundreds of thousands in intensive and experience an immersion not
and Sanskrit universities. your relationship with India? courses. only in Vedanta but also in some as-
I also believe it sends a strong It was completely unexpected. When PM Modi mentioned our pects of Brazil’s indigenous heritage.
message to younger generations, For all those years, our main focus work on “Mann Ki Baat,” it high- We see intriguing parallels between
including those in India, who might had been to share Vedanta as broad- lighted that our efforts had resonat- the ancient Amazonian culture and
have overlooked their own tradition. ly as possible while using the best ed in India itself. Some Indian insti- the Vedic view of life, and we hope to
Coming from a Western perspective, technological tools available—pod- tutions and individuals also started highlight these connections.
I can testify to how crucial Vedanta casts, social media, online courses— to pay attention to what we were You have spent a lot of time in In-
is for living a balanced life—not just to make these teachings accessible. doing and opened their doors to us. dia. Now, you must be excited to travel
in terms of worldly success but in We were a small team of around ten It strengthened our ties with India back to receive this award?
cultivating genuine well-being and It is truly a moment of celebra-
self-knowledge. We need spiritual tion, and I hope to go there in April,
grounding to balance our modern, once the dates are confirmed by the
consumer-driven lifestyles. Indian government. This journey will
Recently, PM Modi visited Brazil not be complete until I am able to do
for the G20 meeting. You performed a proper namaskāram to the gurus of
mantras and a Ramayana presentation our lineage. My plan is to bring our
in front of him. How was your experi- team of teachers and students along
ence and interaction with PM Modi? with other cultural supporters to cel-
It was an intense and deeply ebrate together.
meaningful experience, even though I want to take this opportunity to
the time we had with him was quite pay my respects to Swami Sakshat-
short. My wife, our students, and I krtananda in Rishikesh, as well as
wanted to offer our very best, with other Swamis from our tradition who
hearts full of gratitude. We have re- have been the true torchbearers of
ceived so much from Vedanta while this sacred knowledge. They are the
living outside of India, and this was a real holders of the paramparā, and
rare chance to give something back. my receiving the award would mean
Performing the Ramayana in nothing without bowing to them in
Sanskrit, showing the depth of each gratitude. We also hope to share a bit
character, and seeing how PM Modi of our Brazilian experience with local
connected with that energy was un- audiences in India, perhaps inspiring
forgettable. He came to us afterward them to recognize the immeasurable
and said he would never forget this value of their own tradition.
performance. We, of course, will nev- Throughout all these efforts,
er forget that moment either. He was there remains one unchanging
kind, curious about our journey, and thread: the power of Vedanta to heal
committed to promoting Indian cul- and guide us, wherever we live. If
ture. We also got to share our vision we approach it with humility and an
that Vedanta, as a tool for knowledge Acharya Jonas and his students with PM Modi at the welcome reception for the Indian leader open heart, this timeless wisdom can
and healing, has not yet been fully es- during the G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro transform our lives. It is a blessing for
tablished in the West, and he appre- which I am eternally grateful.

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