Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Feb 4 (PTI) There is a need to train priests in the hinterlands to follow the Vedic sequences of pujas (rituals) as mandated in the Vedas, said a pontiff on Sunday at the three-day Sanatana Dharmika Sadas conference.
Pontiff Ravi Shankar from Bengaluru made this observation on the second day of Sanatana Dharmika Sadas, a spiritual conference underway from February 3 to 5, being hosted by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in Tirumala under the aegis of the Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad.
“Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is working very hard to spread Sanatana Dharma’…There is a need to train the priests in the villages in the Vedic sequence of pujas as prescribed in the Vedas,” Shankar was quoted as saying in a press release shared by the temple body.
According to Shankar, atheists can transform into theists by chanting Annamayya’s Sankeertans, hymns.
Satyatma Theertha Swamy from Uttaradi Mutt in Udupi observed that a curriculum should be designed in such as way that students are taught Sanatana Dharma.
He noted that yoga should be introduced in schools to enhance physical and mental development among students and said that Sanskrit should be treated as a training language in every home.
Ishapriya Theertha Swamy from Adamaru Mutt in Udupi highlighted that in the land of Bharat, Vedas and Upanishads are like the two eyes and knowledge about these two scriptures should be increased.
Similarly, Y Raghavulu, international secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), called for measures to prevent religious conversions, along with pontiffs adopting one district for charity promotion among youth and children.
Vijaya Dattananda Swamy from Datta Peetham in Mysuru, Siddeswarananda Bharathi Theertha Swamy from Mauna Swamy Mutt in Courtallam and Shathagopa Sri Ranganatha Yatrindra Maha Desikan from Ahobilam, among others also shared their suggestions to the TTD.
TTD executive officer A V Dharma Reddy thanked all the pontiffs for their valuable suggestions to take forward the Hindu Dharmic programmes in a big way.
Following the participation of 24 pontiffs on the first day of the summit, 17 more participated on the second day while another 16 attended virtually.
A total of 57 pontiffs accepted the TTD invitation for the conference and participated both physically and virtually.
TTD is the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. PTI STH SS
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