Amity Centre of Sanskrit & Indic Studies, Amity School of Liberal Arts, Amity University Gurugram organized seminar on Promoting Human Values and Culture for Peaceful Co – Existence On Friday, 22nd July 2022. Welcome Address and opening remarks were given by Prof. Sanjay K. Jha, Director, Amity School of Liberal Arts, Amity University Haryana
Prof. Jha said, the way a country without laws is not a nation, likewise humans without human values is not a human. In reality we do not remain humans any longer. We should have values which we find in the Vedas for example the 10th mandala of Rig Veda where there are injunctions that invoke all the human beings to be humane and create divine peace. Aim should to be to see all human beings living in peaceful coexistence in a time and age of degrading human values.
Dinesh Chandra Shastri Sir in his address mentioned, that Human values, Vedas, Adigrantha are all treasures from Hindustan. The man is said to have come up from the union of Manu and Shraddha. The human values have all come from Bharata-Desha. All communities, all races, all castes are living here in harmony. Our society is blessed with many pure seasons and rivers. People of India have values in their DNA.
Further, Prof. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, Ex. Vice-Chancellor, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, New Delhi stated that out of the four pillars of social system in India -Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha_ Dharma can be considered as supreme. Dharma does not mean only religion, but in reality duties of people. People who fulfil these become a real man in totality. Otherwise, the society without duties is sure to fall into crisis. One major reason for the society’s downfall is values and dharma not being followed by people. People who do not follow these value systems and dharma finally results in chaos. Like a students’ dharma is to study and a teacher’s is to teach. Where people do their duties it leads to happiness according to Chanakya. Greed is the cause of sufferings. ‘Dana’ or ‘Tyaga’ is important. Even if one has to give from their own it should be done. For being a true Indian, we should imbibe these values and only then we will be able to establish a happy environment.
Prof Om Nath Bimli, HoD Department of Sanskrit University of Delhi in his address said that by following the Karma and Vedanta’s path one can follow the path to final enlightenment. Dharma is human value. Human behavior should be such that it should be beneficial for the world rather than being destructive. The values, virtues which leads to moksha is the real one. One should follow the Gita values for Devi and Asuri prakriti. Interpersonal relations, strained relations and other situations can be dealt with the help of these values. Bhagwat Gita speaks of people who have not attained real knowledge. Such people should be oriented towards these values incorporated in our ancient texts. All evils fade away when people learn to live with values.
Prof Sudhir Kumar, Professor School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies, JNU New Delhi, said that there is need to revive human values. Although we know very well that India has been the land of Rishis, Munis, Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, Gita, and Sutras. But he felt India as a nation has digressed from the original path.
Dr Shivani Sharma, Associate Professor Department of Philosophy Punjab University Chandigarh said that through virtuous life we can lead a life full of values. Every value system promotes meta-physics of the system. Today we live in challenging times, troubled times. We need to strike at important questions and that should lead to debates and discussions. She spoke about this whole concept of ‘Other’ emphasizing on the importance to treat all individuals as equal. Coexistence is important. Concept of peace that needs to be interpreted well. It should not mean that state imposes something.
Dr. Ashutosh Angiras, Associate Professor & Head of the Department of Sanskrit and Hon. Director, SDHD & T Centre, SD College, Ambala said that although after every prayer we invoke the important human values and think about following the dharma, we tend to forget the values in our day-to-day functioning. Importance of questioning should be explained to the students. Even counter-questioning should be encouraged. Human values lead you towards freedom. What to do with your freedom? What should be the compulsive choice and what makes you a sensible human being? It teaches you how much to consume.
Chief Guest Prof. Ramesh Chandra Bhardwaj Honorable Vice Chancellor, Maharshi Valmiki Sanskrit University Kaithal, Haryana in has address said that “Bhartiya samaj is a Vedic samaj full of values since ages.” According to him we should continue with the tradition.
Dr. Pankaj K. Mishra, Department of Sanskrit, St. Stephen's College, Delhi added that “Human beings do not have any value, only material things have value. Value is not universal. Values are selective. Pakistani Mool, Bhartiya Mool etc. do exist which tells us that values are not universal but specific.
Overall seminar was highly fruitful. Total 88 students attended the session.