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Dear Reader,

Wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the Lord bless us with spirituality, humanity, peace, harmony, unity in diversity, righteousness, truthfulness, and a lifestyle that values austerity, simplicity, love for all and realisation of the God abiding within all beings.

The tenth World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality is being held on December 22 and 23, 2017, at the Westin Hotel in Kolkata to implore humanity to imbibe spirituality, which is the essence of all religions.  Service to God's creation is worship of God. Unity in diversity is the manifestation of the Creator. All the rivers flowing from different countries merge with oceans, which return water by way of rain enriching us and the earth. God is the cosmic entity without any beginning or end. God has manifested human being in His own image. God is the force within us that is divine and infinite. Hinduism, or rather Sanatan Dharma says, ‘God was alone, He manifested in many.’

In the great religious epic, the Ramayana, Saint Tulsidas wrote, ‘Siya Ram Mai Sab Jag Jane.’ The whole world is full of Lord Ram-Sita- incarnation of God and Goddess.

In Bhagawad Gita, Lord Krishna said, ‘I am seated in the hearts of all beings.’

‘Do your duties to the best of your ability with selflessness and righteousness.’

The core command of Hinduism is that of universal tolerance, acceptance, and righteousness. Our great nation has sheltered all religions. It is based on divine revelation as well as realisation. The strength of Hinduism lies in its infinite adaptability to the infinite diversity of human character and tendencies.

Each path exemplified by each religion leads to the same God. So there is no distrust of another point of view with respect to God. It is to protect one’s own faith, own path, own way of devotion, worship and realization of God. Protection of one’s culture and nationality is like protection of one’s own mother. Rishi Aurobindo, “Hinduism is reflected in the science of spirituality, No sect, no dogma, no creed, no bundles of formulas, no set of social rules, but a mighty eternal and universal truth; it has learned the secret of preparing  man’s soul for the divine consummation of identity with the infinite existence of God.” It is the science of preparing human being for internationalpeace, harmony, cooperation, expanding divinity, love protecting natural welfare and infinite bliss.

Guru Nanak, “Bear no hate to anyone. God dwells in every heart.”

St. Paul, “Overcome evil with good.”

Prophet Mohammad, “Recompense evil, conquer it with good.”

Hinduism, “With kindness conquer rage, with goodness conquer malice, with generosity defeat all meanness, with the straight truth defeat lies and deceit. Fear him who tries to destroy character/soul.”

Sufism, “Thy light is in all forms. Thy love is in all beings. Love all beings as manifestation of God and serve them.”

Lord Buddha, “Look equally with a kind heart to all the living beings.”

Bahai, “All humanity is one family. Women and men are equal.”

Jainism, “Each living being is potentially divine.”

Spiritual discipline is essential to adjust themselves to one another, character building, righteousness, growth, development, expounding the divinity, becoming the master of habits, creating good habits, morality, equity, sharing.

It begins from individual to the family encompassing the community, the nation and finally the whole of humanity. It sharpens the intellect to analyse between right and wrong. The spiritual light within unfolds the truth. Real knowledge begins with the perception of oneness – one matter, one life, one mind, one soul playing in many forms. Spirituality can guide us through the process of developing consciousness. Spiritual development within the mind, body and soul can help us to sweep off failures and dive into the ocean of success. Doctor and Prof APJ Abdul Kalam gained inspiration from an acclaimed enlightened guru when he was in depression for not being selected for a job. Steve Jobs’s intuition and insight was awakened through spirituality in India, so was Mark Zuckerberg’s, the co-founder of Facebook, acquired spiritual awakening in India.

Science has proved that physical individuality is a delusion; really my body is one little continuously changing body in an unbroken ocean of matter. Unity (Advaita) is the necessary conclusion of the other counterpart, the soul. Science is in finding unity. Its goal is to reach perfect unity. Chemistry’s goal is to discover one element out of which all others could be made. Physics discovers one energy out of which all are created / expanded / subdued. Science of religion has discovered that there is one universal soul out of which our souls are delusive manifestations. Manifestations are not creations in the world of science today. Lord Krishna, “The entire universe has been manifested from my form. All beings are dependent upon me but I am not dependent on them.”

God is everywhere and in everything. God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. Godis the architect of the universe. Truth, internal order, austerity, simplicity, prayers and devotion upholding the Mother Earth to give us bounty to live long, happily and united in grace free from ego. God calls “Oh children! Realise all in one and one in all. Behave with others as you would with yourself. Know that in all of them resides one universal soul.” We are the children of God, the sharers of immortal bliss.

Science and technology have been doing good to the creation. But it’s wrong – evil uses have been destroying the environment, living beings and creation. The wrong concept of religion is the cause of wars and killings. Spirituality has its multi-dimensional perspective and perception. It is cause of peace and harmony. Unity in verity is the plan of nature.

Rapid climate change – global worming has been affecting not only human beings but all living beings and nature. Spirituality can lead us to live with austerity, simplicity, abstinence from wastages and excessive consumption. Oxygen levels are falling two to three times faster than predicted. Livestock’s for meat are causing global warming.

In the Bible, God is pictured as creating plants and trees on the third day. God is depicted as a gardener. Quran, “Greenness as paradise where righteousness prevails." Islam has a green flag. In Hinduism, green is the sign of Wednesday, which is the day of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and benefactor of wisdom and prosperity. ‘Anahat’ (heart centre)- the Chakra in human body is symbolised by the green colour. It keeps the heart, lungs, liver, circulatory system, skin and pancreas healthy. The meanings attached to this colour are love and compassion. The national flag of India bears the green colour in the bottom. We celebrate the World Environment Day on June 5 every year. We pledge to protect environment- oceans, rivers, underground water, air, trees and plants and Mother Earth. Let us – individually and collectively- act to save Mother Earth by our action every day. Let us plant trees, conserve water, and keep our environment clean.  

Let us march ahead with the flag of humanity and spirituality to manifest the divinity which Supreme Lord has bestowed on us. May we live in spiritual consciousness. Oh God! Bless us to see thee in self and in all manifest thine within us.

Om, Amin, Amen, Ek Onkar, Ahura Mazda.