NEW DELHI: For the first time in history, Gita Jayanti was celebrated at Red Fort, Delhi, India, on December 7. We are planning to have a Gita Jayanti Conference in the Bay Area in 2015, as a corollary to this Great Gita Jayanti 5151 celebration.
I was very fortunate to receive an invitation to participate in the International Gita Prerna Mahotsav – Grand Celebration of Gita Jayanti 5151 with world leaders, politicians, spiritual leaders and bureaucrats, at the Red Fort, India. My heartfelt thanks go out to Gita Manishi Mahamandaleshwar, Swami Shri Gyananandji Maharaj, the founder of Gita Global Inspiration & Enlightenment Organization of Bhagwat Gita (GIEO).
He organized this holy program and asked me to speak on the sacred “Bhagwad Gita”. It was truly an unforgettable and rewarding experience, for which I am indebted to my respected hosts and Lord Krishna. It is said that Lord Krishna granted a divine gift to the world in the form of Bhagawad Gita through Arjuna. It is considered the most precious Epic in the world.
Gita is the greatest inspiration and practical guide that teaches how to fulfill your responsibilities, remove all the pains and miseries, enhance the quality of life, and experience Ultimate Peace, and Happiness, “Sat Chit Ananda.”
The event was organized with these objectives: may Shrimad Bhagwat Gita become the source of practical inspiration of mankind across the globe; may there be an awakened outlook of fulfilling responsibilities; may all sorrow, misery, grief, depression, and fear cease and may mankind attain supreme bliss. Another goal was to involve, engage and inspire youth with the teachings of Gita philosophy, to develop positive attitudes and values so they are prepared to face daily challenges and prosper in their lives and careers.
Through these teachings, one learns to eradicate prejudices based on caste and creed, language and thinking, allowing one to develop a morally sound character that leads one to act responsibly toward the world, their nation, society and family.
More than 30 thousand people attended the grand celebration and millions more watched on TV. The event received wide coverage in India and was broadcast live abroad by Sansakar Channel.
Participants included External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Science and Technology Minister Dr. Harshvardhan, Spiritual leaders Jagat Guru Shankaracharya, Swami Gurusharananand of Vrindavan, Swami Ramdev, Shri Ramesh Bhai Ojha, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Heart specialist Dr.Naresh Trehan, Justice RC Lahoti, Justice Girdhar Malviya, as well as dignitaries from over 20 countries.
The printed copy of my Kindle bestselling book, “108 Mantras to Awaken Your Soul” was released at this conference. The book distills the 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita into 108 most prominent mantras. The book serves as a quick reference and helps to awaken the human soul (pure consciousness) in everyone seeking eternal happiness, peace and Anandam, i.e. blissful state of mind.
As a Gita lover and former CEO of a biotechnology company, I shared my life experiences of how Bhagawad Gita’s teachings (advised by H.H. Swami Hariharji Maharaj) had changed the direction of my life and helped me to deal with challenges living in USA for 45 years. Gita’s teachings have helped me cope with difficult situations, but I have learned from adversity and moved forward in life. My greatest reward has been feelings of self-satisfaction, feelings I had never experienced before, even after achieving career and life goals I had set for myself.
Seven years ago, the message came to me from Lord Krishna to share with others what I have learned in life and therefore, I founded Path to Anandam (www.pathanandam.org), a non-profit organizationto help others to live blissful life.
Satya Kalra is the Founder of ‘Path to Anandam’, Danville, California
Satya Kalra
