Special reference to rivers of Jammu & Kashmir
The revered Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth, Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Ji, has on Tuesday penned a letter to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, advocating for the revival of Vedic names for the rivers of the country, with a special reference to the rivers of Jammu and Kashmir.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth (one of the four Dharmic institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya), underscores the paramount historical and cultural importance of the holy rivers. Citing excerpts from the sacred Hindu scriptures such as the Shrimad Bhagwat Puran and the Rig Veda, he illuminates the eternal significance of the rivers to the people, nature, and heritage of our country, as well as the Vedic names bestowed upon them.
The excerpt from the Shrimad Bhagwat Puran shared along with the letter, “एतासामपो भारत्यः प्रजा नामभिरेव पुनन्तीनामात्मना चोपस्पृशन्ति || 17 || चन्द्र वसा ताम्रपर्णी अवटोदा कृतमाला वैहायसी कावेरी वेणी पयस्विनी शर्करावर्ता तुङ्गभद्रा कृष्णावेण्या भीमरथी गोदावरी निर्विन्ध्या पयोष्णी तापी रेवा सुरसा नर्मदा चर्मण्वती सिन्धुरन्धः शोणश्च नदौ महानदी वेदस्मृतिऋषिकुल्या त्रिसामा कौशिकी मन्दाकिनी यमुना सरस्वती दृषद्वती गोमती सरयू रोधस्वती सप्तवती सुषोमा शतद्रू श्चन्द्र भागा मरुद्र्धा वितस्ता असिक्नी विश्वेति महानद्यः || 18||”
The excerpt from the Nadistuti Sukta of Rig Veda shared along with the letter, “इमं में गंगे यमुने सरस्वति शुतुद्रि स्तोमै सचता परूष्ण्या। असिवक्न्या मरूद्वृधे वितस्तयार्जीकीये श्रणुह्या सुषोमया।।”
Expressing concern over recent changes or distortions in the names of these sacred rivers, Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Ji has impressed upon PM Narendra Modi to make a historic decision towards reinstating their Vedic appellations. The Shankaracharya makes a special emphasis for the restoration of Vedic names for the rivers currently flowing through Jammu and Kashmir – ‘Asikni’ for Chenab, ‘Vitasta’ for Jhelum, ‘Parushni’ for Ravi, and ‘Sindhu’ for Indus.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Vedic rivers hold a sacred place in the hearts and minds of people of our country, serving as lifelines that sustain life, cultures, and civilizations. Their Vedic names reflect the essence of cultural identity and spiritual connection with nature. Merely uttering the Vedic names invokes a sense of purity, pride and respect in the individual, and society.
Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Ji’s letter to the Honorable Prime Minister, while it keeps with the traditions and legacy of Adi Shankaracharya, the great philosopher who re-established the Vedic Sanatana Dharma, it also reflects a collective aspiration to preserve and honor the sanctity of the Vedic rivers, as well as India’s ancient wisdom and cultural legacy.
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