RSS chief calls for serious education in tradition

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has strongly batted for financial assistance to institutions like Kerala's famous Thanthra Vidyaa Peettham, where temple culture and associated rituals of worship are taught, saying that "serious education is needed in our tradition".
Addressing a function tonight at Thanthra Vidya Peettham at nearby Aluva, he condemned those who, without knowing the texts, dismiss the Vedas and try to establish the superiority of science on the basis of "half knowledge".
He noted that the whole world, including the West, was looking at India's spiritual tradition with the hope of finding answers to the problems faced by them.

"So, we must have scientists of that tradition, we must have students. It must be taught again and the endeavour of teaching our tradition must be supported by society as a whole," he said.
"They will have to have financial help," he said while emphasising the need for enrolling more students in such institutions to study subjects like Thanthra Vidya.
"First, we have to create people who have accurate and detailed knowledge of these shastras. They should be able to answer questions. They should be able to answer questions of the new generation. They should also be very trained in its performance, so that they can demonstrate the result. This education has to be there," Bhagwat said.

Recalling the contribution made by late Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma of the Travancore royal family in building such institutions, the RSS chief said, "Today is the era of democracy and, so, public opinion also matters.

"So, I will request all those who are assembled here that don't consider that this job is assigned only to Thanthra Vidya Peetham. This is our job, everybody's job. We have to show the world how we could achieve. Through our spiritual experiments we have uncovered many truths. Science did not know that till recently," he said after inaugurating a Study and Research Centre and a guest house here.

Bhagwat said a new way has to be evolved by combining the two streams of sciences -- spiritual and material -- as that could give bring to the world.
"That duty has been ordained to Bharat. It has come on our shoulders. We cannot run away from it. And, therefore, it is our duty to support all such endeavours," he said.