Mass Recitation of Soundarya Lahiri Held

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BANGALORE (29 Jan, 2007): More than 60,000 women, 100 shlokas, one

raga and one voice ...

 

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, women congregated at Palace Grounds and

rendered slokas from the Soundarya Lahiri, composed by Adi Sankara.

The work is addressed to the Universal Mother — Adi Shakti, Vidya and

Lakshmi. It was released in the presence of senior pontiffs and senior

BJP leader L K Advani.

 

The unique aspect of the recitation was that all the women sang

different poems and shlokas in the same raga. Advani described the

event as unique in the spiritual history of India, as he did not think

it was possible for over 60,000 people to congregate at one place and

sing poetry in unison.

 

Advani said such mass recitation of Adi Sankara's poetry had never

been held in the past and that it was an unforgettable experience. He

recalled the contributions of Adi Sankara as rishi, organiser, poet

and national integrationist.

 

"He went to different places of the country on foot and set up mutts.

He took his concept of 'Advaita' out of Kerala, all the way to

Kashmir.He always saw India as one country, one nation and one culture

and even one spirituality."

 

The BJP leader lauded Adi Sankara's poems for inter-linking beauty,

truth and divinity and celebrating the Mother Cult,which is one

goddess but has many forms in many places across the country.

 

Advani said mass recitation is a symbol of collective strength and

action "which alone brings self-respect". "Sankara worked for the

oneness of all. He believed in one Hindu country with one heritage,"

he said.

 

"We also have to admire Sankara for weaving science into spirituality.

I realised he links the three elements of knowledge, science and

spirituality. One is incomplete without the other," L K Advani added.

 

SOURCE: The Times of India

URL: http://tinyurl.com/25jw4z