A one-day conference on Indian philosophy was held at the SASTRA, a deemed to be university, here on July 25 as part of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research sponsored Indian Philosophers’ Day celebrations.
According to a university release, in the first session, R. Seshadri, head of the Department of Sanskrit, Swami Dayananda College of Arts and Science, Manjakkudi, Tiruvarur district, delivered a lecture on “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam”.
Stating that it stands out as a guiding principle that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living beings and promotes a sense of global unity, Mr. Seshadri said that this ancient concept, rooted in the scriptures, had relevance in contemporary times, fostering a deeper understanding of shared humanity and interconnected existence.
Delivering a speech on “Philosophical contributions of Sri Madhvacharya” in the second session, G. Acharya, guest faculty, Department of Oriental Studies and Research, SASTRA, explained Sri Madhvacharya’s “Dwaita” school of thought by narrating some interesting anecdotes from the life of the acharya.
In the third session, the relevance of Sri Ramanuja’s philosophical traditions in contemporary society was discussed by the retired head of the Department of Sanskrit, University of Madras, P. Narasimhan.
Pointing out that Sri Ramanuja’s philosophy was relevant today in four different levels – scientific, physical, mental and spiritual, he said that though Indian philosophical systems looked so diverse they were actually built one upon another.
SASTRA’s Department of Oriental Studies professor S. Venugopalan spoke on Sri Adi Sankara’s ideas for spiritual integration of the universe. Liberating knowledge of the true identity of individual self as Atman-Brahman was the central philosophy of Sri Adi Sankara, he added.
Around 150 students from various colleges attended the conference, the release added.
Published - July 26, 2024 05:28 pm IST
