info on a recent seminar in delhi

[L. Suresh Kumar-LSK]

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From: SG
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 10:15 AM

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON 'SEWA HI PARMO DHARMAH':

SEWA INTERNATIONAL organised a one-day seminar at the prestigious
India  International Center in Delhi on February 27, where German
Professors from Universities in Germany participated.

The renowned Professors were Indologist Dr. Edmund Weber, Dean of
Institute of Inter-Cultural Understanding, Dr. Carl Wilhelm-Dahm,
a  retired  Professor of  Theology  and  Sociology, Dr.  Axel  H.
Swinne,  Dean  of Sociology and  Editor of Studios Iriteus, and a
Social Economist,

The  Professors with their families visited various Sewa Projects
in  the  city of  Delhi  on  26th  February  and were  very  much
impressed  by the quantum of Sewa activity as well as the quality
being  offered. They  visited a TB clinic run by Shri Ramakrisnha
Mission  since 1933  and couple  of Sewa  activities run  by Sewa
Bharati Delhi. Dr. Edmund Weber initiated the discussion with the
"prevailing  view in the West that Hindu Philosophy does not deal
with  Charity and  Hindus do not carry out any Sewa activity". He
mentioned  that the  German Professors have embarked on this tour
to  get  the first  hand  feel  of  the  Charity and  Sewa  being
performed by Hindus in Hindusthan.

He   applauded   the  Sewa   activities  being  done  by  various
organisations   like  RSS,  VHP,  Vanavasi  Kalyan  Ashram,  Sewa
Bharati,  because he  has  witnessed the  activity himself  while
visiting   the  slums   and  hospitals  that  are  run  by  these
organisations. Ma. Suryanarayan Rao, senior Pracharak and earlier
Pramukh  of Sewa  Vibhag of RSS presented the keynote address for
the  seminar. He dealt in details the Philosophical, Cultural and
social  lineage  of Hindus  regarding Sewa. He extensively quoted
various  Sages  and Saints  of Bharat  like Veda Vyasa, Tulsidas,
Surdas,  Tukaram,  Ravidas and  some more  who inspired people to
serve  the  society as well  as the  whole animate world. He also
discussed  the  mindset  of  the person  offering  Sewa  and  the
benefactor, as known to Hindus.

Swami  Dayananda  Saraswati, an authority on Hindu Philosophy and
an  expert  on Sewa,  blessed the Seminar  with an elaboration on
state  of  Sewa in Hindu  Philosophy. He quoted the Upanishads to
support  his  statement that  Hindu Philosophy as  well as way of
life  has probably  encouraged the followers to sacrifice for the
welfare of the whole world.

Very  informative  papers  written  by Dr.  Madhav  Mehendale  on
History  of  Sewa in Bharat  and Jain  Sadhwi Dr. Sadhana Jain on
"Jain  view of  Sewa" were read at the seminar. Shri Shyam Gupta,
Joint  General Secretary  of VHP  described the  concept of  Ekal
Vidyalaya  (Single teacher  school).  Various organisations  like
Chinmaya  Mission,  VHP, Friends of Tribal Society, Sewa Bharati,
Vanavasi  Kalyan  Kendra,  produced  the  report  of  their  Sewa
activities  in  the country. In  the valedictory session Dr. Dahm
and  Dr.  Swinne explicated their  impressions of their visits to
Sewa Projects and the deliberations of the day.

They  said  that "they had a  different view of the Hindu charity
before they came here to India, being their maiden visit, and are
carrying  a  very positive  view of Hindu  charity now." Dr. Dahm
said  that, "he has been enlightened by certain new concepts like
the Pracharaks and full timers not receiving any remuneration for
the  service they  offer to the society as this does not exist in
their  country." Dr.  Dahm was  also impressed  by the  system of
"Vanaprasthi"s  joining  the activity instead of "moving out with
the   dog"  after   retirement.  Dr.   Swinne  said   that  "Shri
Suryanarayana  Rao emphasized the process of motivating youth and
people  and this  is the  key to  encourage people  to join  this
movement and that might uplift the people."

He  stressed  "the need for  motivating people as this had helped
Germany  to rise from the devastation of the II World war." Swami
Gokulananda  Maharaj,  President  of Ramakrishna  Mission  Delhi,
bestowed  the  seminar  with  his  valedictory  message.  Swamiji
elaborated  the  concept of Sewa  as professed by Sri Ramakrishna
Paramhansa and followed by Swami Vivekananda. Swamiji quoted some
of  the experiences of Swami Vivekananda to prove his points. The
German  Professors hoped that such deliberations with the experts
between  the West  and the  East,  more so  with Hindu  scholars,
should be conducted often so that the world can be presented with
a better and purposeful way of Charity.

The  German  Professors also  attended a conference in Jawaharlal
Nehru  University on  a  similar theme.  However, the  Professors
commented  that  the Seminar  conducted by  SI provided them with
philosophical,  cultural  &  historical  background  as  well  as
contemporary information while the JNU conference failed to throw
any light on the issue.