Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Moscow, Ramakrishna Society – Vedanta Centre and the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, jointly commemorated the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The celebrations were presided over by HE Mr. Ajai Malhotra, Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation
In his opening remarks Ambassador Malhotra dwelt upon the contributions made by Swami Vivekananda, one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the 19th / 20th centuries, who was also a social reformer and a great scholar whose teachings influenced many across the globe and continue to do so even today. He highlighted the message propagated by Swami Vivekananda that ‘service to God can be rendered by service to mankind’.
Other prominent speakers on the occasion were Swami Jyotirupananda, Professor Rostislav Rybakov, Professor Mark Mokulsky, and Dr. Liliana Malkova, who highlighted various aspects of the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda and their enduring contemporary relevance.
The Labour Valour Fund honoured Professor Rybakov and Swami Jyotirupananda with awards on the occasion.
Swami Jyotirupananda, President of the Ramakrishna Society-Vedanta Centre in Moscow, was the first speaker. He emphasized Vivekananda’s role as a protagonist of the suppressed members of society in India. Swami Jyotirupananda reminded that in India the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda is celebrated not only by holding lectures and functions but also by charitable activities. During the 4 years from 2010 to 2014 special attention is devoted in India to helping women and children, as well as other members of society who are in need of support. Within the framework of the programme, children from poor families and orphans are fed, tended to by the doctors and given primary education. Another part of the action is the support of expecting mothers. There is also a moving exhibition in train on Swami Vivekananda which travels for three years from state to state.
Swami Jyotirupananda reminded the audience that Swami Vivekananda was the first person to spread the great Vedic wisdom across the world. He said: “Scientists say that a human being is an economical and biological creature, but this is not the whole truth.” The wise philosophers even before Ramakrishna and Vivekananda spoke against it. Today scientists admit that they acknowledge the consciousness but they don’t understand its nature, while Vedanta says the infinite Consciousness is the source of this Universe.
In order to save humanity from destruction Swami Vivekananda emphasized the need of Vedantic teachings such as Divinity of man, Onenness of Existence, Harmony of religions etc., which give civilization the proper direction for its journey.
Mark Mokulsky, Prof. and Dr. of Physical and Mathematical sciences at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, followed the discussion about Vivekananda by sharing his hypothesis on the connection between spirituality of Vedanta and genetic-molecular science. Mokulsky is very much interested in the in-depth interpretation of ancient religions. He spoke about a number of signs forming human genetic code and the mysteries ciphered in the ancient Vedic scriptures.
Another eminent speaker Rostislav Rybakov, indologist, Dr. of Historical sciences and Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1994-2009, elaborated about the relevance of Vivekananda’s teachings to the issues Russia has to face in our day. Rybakov maintains that Vivekananda’s philosophy is very much on the agenda for Russia and Russians of the 21st century.
He called Vivekananda a man that came from the future to teach people the great wisdom, and people are moving towards the understanding of his ideas very slowly and gradually.
Professor Rybakov believes that Russia, which in the past had a lot of things in common with India, has lost its traditional values. “Disrespect is one of the toughest issues that Russians have to fight today,” he says. “All kinds of disrespect. Disrespect towards people, towards history, towards law, and, finally, towards ourselves.”
Rybakov believes that the only path to follow is to educate children from the youngest age imbibing them with moral and ethical values that will lay the foundation for their future view of the world. “The way that we need to go is lengthy, torturous and complex,” Rybakov says. “But it is the only possible way.”
The finishing stroke of Rybakov’s speech was drowned in enthusiastic applause: “In my view Swami Vivekananda should become an honourable citizen of Russia, even after his death. We need him very much in our lives today.”
The programme concluded with an Indian Tea Reception hosted by the Tea Board of India, Embassy of India, Moscow.