अद्य १६-१२-१९ दिनाङ्के चिन्मयविश्वविद्यापीठे दिनत्रयव्यापिन्याः अन्ताराष्ट्रीयसङ्गोष्ठ्याः प्रारम्भः अजायत। सरस्वतीवन्दनया इयं सङ्गोष्ठी प्रारब्धा । ततः सङ्कायप्रमुखा गौरीमाऊलिकरमहोदया सङ्गोष्ठ्याः स्वरूपं प्रयोजनं च व्यवृणोत्। तदन्तरं कुलपतिवर्येण प्रो.नागराजनीर्चालवर्येण भारतीयज्ञानपरम्परायाः स्वरूपं वर्णितम् । तदन्तरं कार्यक्रमस्य प्रमुखः अभ्यागतः प्रो.एम्.प्रसादवर्यः “autism spectrum disorder” इति आयुर्वेदविषयमादाय दिक्सूचिभाषणम् अकरोत्। स्वामिनः अभेदानन्दवर्यस्य ओजःपूर्णेन भाषणेन कार्यक्रमोsयं परिसमाप्तः ।
The inauguration of NFSI 2019 started on a bright note, with the presentation of the Purnakumbha to Swami Abhedananda. Dr. Ramakrishna Pejathaya, Assistant Professor, School of Ethics, Governance, Culture & Social Systems, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth (CVV), welcomed the dignitaries and the participants to the 3-day International Conference on Human Development and Indian Knowledge Traditions. Students of CVV sang the invocation song and the Kulageetam. Thereafter the dignitaries lit the lamp to the accompaniment of Vedic chanting by the Sanskrit faculty of CVV.
In her welcome address Prof. Gauri Mahulikar, Dean of Faculty at CVV, introduced the conference as a platform for networking and the exchange of academic deliberations. She also briefed the audience on the objective of the conference: the amalgamation of Indic Knowledge Systems and Contemporary Knowledge systems.
Prof. Nagaraj Neerchal, Vice Chancellor of CVV, spoke about his introduction to Indic Knowledge Systems, the importance of research in this field, as well as the integration of IKS and CKS.
Br. Sundar Chaitanya introduced the Chief Guest and Keynote speaker of the day, Prof. Vaidya M. Prasad who is the Principal of the Ashtanga Ayurveda Chikitsalaya and Vidyapeedham.
Prof. Prasad introduced Ayurveda as an Indian system of healthy and blissful living, not just medicine and mainly spoke about how Ayurveda addresses Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He gave an introduction to Autism and elaborated the constraints in Autism management. The Ayurvedic understanding of ASD is more philosophical than scientific. He then spoke about the constituents of Ayuh (life) – the Atma, the Indriyas, the Manas and the Sareera. He described the Manas as a postman who carries information from the Indriyas to the Atma, but a tricky postman who reads, and also adds flavour and colours to the letter that is to be delivered to the Atman. Prof. Prasad then enunciated on the tools of the Sareera – Agni and Ojas in the context of ASD. According to Ayurveda, in children with ASD, the Agni is underperforming or malperforming, thereby causing the accumulation of toxins. ASD starts from the Agni, spreads through the Ojas and spills onto the mental plane. Therefore, the treatment for ASD focuses on improving the Agni of the child, which in turn improves the Ojas and makes the Manas productive. Prof. Prasad’s session ended with questions from the audience.
Prof. Pasala Geervani, Pro Chancellor of CVV, introduced Swami Abhedananda and spoke about his work. Swami Abhedananda is currently serving at the Chinmaya Mission centre, in South Africa.
Swami Abhedananda addressed the gathering on the purpose of knowledge. He stressed that knowledge is not for making a living but for making life. He said the biggest task for a spiritual person is to use the knowledge of Sanskrit knowledge bring peace and harmony in the family, community and the world.
Buoyed and intrigued by these many thought-provoking talks and ideas, the inaugural session concluded with the promise of more such discussions through the course of the next three days..