Kathmandu, Jan. 3: Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai initiated the Kathmandu-Mount Abu “Lord Pashupatinath Jyotirlingam Rath Yatra” (chariot procession) organised by the Bramha Kumari Rajyoga Sewa Kendra, Nepal, amid a special function here today.
Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai at open Theatre, Tundikhel on the occasion of the initiation of Kathmandu-Mount Abu Lord Pashupatinath Chariot procession organised by Brahma Kumari Rajyoga Sewa Kendra,Nepal on Monday.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Bhattarai also performed worship and paid obeisance to the Shree Pashupatinath Jyotirlingam chariot.
At the function, Rajparishad Standing Committee chairman Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi inaugurated a religious talk programme on the topic “Entering into a new age through spiritual empowerment.”
Addressing the talk programme, Dr. Rayamajhi expressed the wish that the twenty-first century would be an age of spiritual thinking and an age devoid of war, violence and nuclear weapons.
He said spiritual thinking was necessary in the political and social spheres and that religion guided mankind on the path of righteousness.
Science should foster world peace and human welfare in the twenty-first century, not destruction, he emphasised.
Dr. Rayamajhi, on the occasion, gave the banner of Lord Pashupatinath to the chief of the Rath Yatra sister Rajyogini Bramhakumari Rajdidi, an urn to Bramhakumari Kiran and cloth strap and badge of the Rath Yatra to the Bramhakumars and the Bramhakumaris.
Cpn-uml general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal pointed out the need for guiding the human society on the path of material and spiritual progress by imbuing morality, good conduct and pious deeds while at the same time freeing it of demonic forces.
Because national progress cannot be attained without character development, mankind should learn to live his life in good faith and benevolence, he observed, expressing the hope that the Rath Yatra would help spread the glory of Nepal, the country of Lord Pashupatinath, in the world.
Minister for General Administration Siddha Raj Ojha said that although Nepal is poor in terms of wealth, it is rich in spiritual heritage and that religion promotes happiness, progress and prosperity of all beings.
Calling upon all the religions to move ahead in ending the suffering, pain and tribulations of mankind, Mr. Ojha said that knowledge on spiritualism should be imparted at an early age.
Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture Sharat Singh Bhandari observed that with the advancement of science and technology has come progress and development as well as wars and destruction.
Activities that have come in the name of modernisation have eroded religious values, cultural norms and moral standards, he opined.
He said although a Hindu country, Nepal has given equal importance to all the religions and warned that no any faith should try to take advantage out of the poverty and the compulsion of the people and convert them into other faiths.
At the programme, Minister of State for Information and Communications Govinda Bahadur Shaha released a song album “Mero Hajur” by Ananda Karki. On the occasion, Mr. Shaha called upon the entire humanity to adopt the path of righteousness and imbibe moral values so as to make the 21st century a golden age.
He said we should engage in good deeds and pious ways for one gets to know the fruits of his/her deeds in this life.
President of the cpn-ml sahana Pradhan emphasised imparting of moral education for character development and said we should all strive together to banish poverty, illiteracy, violence and hatred from the country at the dawn of the 21st century.
Member of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Swami Dr. Prapannacharya said that while religion preached peace, science invited violence and destruction.
Founder of the association for character building, Shree 1008th Swami Sachchidananda Bisuddhadev stressed that the twenty-first century should be an age of mutual trust and goodwill and said coordination should be maintained between science and religion.
At the programme presided over by director of the Brahma Kumari Rajyoga Service Centre, Bramha Kumari Rajdidi, president of Nepal Anubrat Samiti Mr. Hulas Chand Golchha, founder of the World Peace Academy Dhammachariya Bhikshu Gyan Purnik Mahasthavir, senior vice-president of the World Hindu Federation International Committee Bharat Keshari Singh, Bramhakumars Ram Singh Ayer and Surat Bahadur Ayer, industrialist Jeevan Lal Piya and others spoke on the importance of spiritualism for national development.
The chariot procession will conclude in Mount Abu, India, on February 8 after passing through various towns in Nepal and India.