Session 51 (13 May 2021)
Dr. L. Sampath Kumar, Assistant Professor in Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, spoke on Vishnu Purana and Vaishnavism. He stated that Vishnu Purana is the most important in the Sattvika Mahapuranas. Vishnu’s centrality and that of Sri, his consort, seen in Vaishnavism, originated from the Vishnu Purana.
Session 52 (27 May 2021)
Dr. Ramakrishna Pejathaya, Associate Professor at Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, dealt with Mahabharata as all-encompassing literature. The Mahabharata, completed by Vyasa in three years, is the longest poem in the world and has a depiction of society in all its dimensions. It has history, geography, genealogies, various episodes, and eulogies that have influenced later writers for centuries. He also gave insights into the nested narrative of the Mahabharata and briefly touched upon a few popular stories that are not part of Vyasa’s Mahabharata.