Puri, February 20: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday inaugurated the three-year long celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, the founder of Gaudiya Math and Mission in Puri here.
“Various religious traditions and practices are prevalent in different parts of our country. But there is only one belief and that is to work for the welfare of all considering the entire humanity as one family,” said President Kovind.
The President said that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to say that people should remember God with a humble attitude considering themselves to be smaller than grass. One must be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of any sense of ego and must give respect to others.
“One should always be remembering God. He noted that this feeling is found in all the followers of the Bhakti-Marg. The President said that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s constant love for God and his drive to connect the society with the thread of equality gives him a unique reputation in Indian culture and history,” said the President.
The President expressed confidence that the Gaudiya Mission would be successful in its resolve of spreading the message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to the world, keeping its objective of human welfare as paramount.
Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also spoke on the occasion.
