New York, NY – August 04, 2024: Morari Bapu today dedicated his nine-day-long spiritual event at the United Nations Headquarters to the organization and prayed for world peace. After concluding the discourse, he walked to the General Assembly of the UN, where he placed the Ram Charita Manas (Ramayana) of Goswami Tulsidas and chanted the Vedic hymn:
Om Sarve BhavantuSukhinah Sarve Santu Niraamayaah | Sarve BhadraanniPashyantu Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
(Om, May All be Happy, May All be Free from Illness. May All See what is Auspicious, May no one Suffer.)
The leading light of Hindu Vedic Sanatana Dharma then chanted the name of his discourse, “VasudhaivaKutumbakam,” followed by the holy greeting of ‘Jai Siya Ram’. VasudhaivaKutumbakam is a Sanskrit phrase found in Hindu sacred texts such as the Maha Upanishad, meaning “The World Is One Family.”
Morari Bapu held a spiritual and historic nine-day Ram Katha discourse (narration of Ramayana) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York; a first-of-its-kind event by any spiritual leader. The event took place between July 27 – August 04, 2024.
The Hindu spiritual guru said that the main and special shrotas (listeners) of this discourse were the five elements – sky, water, earth, air, and fire.
During the course of the week, Morari Bapu met the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, who said, “While you had circumambulated the United Nations Headquarters building earlier, you are now at its heart.” She added that the event had bolstered efforts to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Morari Bapu reciprocated the warm sentiment by communicating that his “Vyaspeetha will always be with the UNO program for world peace, world progress, and world happiness.”
Many years ago, Bapu had walked around the UN Headquarters while chanting the holy name. This time, he repeatedly emphasised that world leaders must rise above petty interests and make a full effort to end wars that are on in Israel and Ukraine.
Earlier on July 30, several dignitaries attended the discourse, including Commissioner of International Affairs Edward Mermelstein, Deputy Commissioner of International Affairs Dilip Chauhan from the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs along with Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff Aissata Camara.The NYC Mayor’s Office also extended the highest honour to Morari Bapu’s Vyaspeetha.
Consul General of India in New York Binaya Srikanta Pradhan and Surendra K. Adhana, Counsellor & Head of Chancery at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, were also esteemed guests.
The spiritual leader’s teachings aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting peace, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He cited examples from the Ram Charita Manas to explore how these SDG themes were elaborated and advocated in the sacred text.
On the concluding day, Morari Bapu related the characteristics of Ram Rajya, or the rule of the ideal king Lord Ram, and how these too exemplified a model code of life that matched the principles of the United Nations.
