Pramukh Swami at the UN

New York, Sept 10: Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha BAPS was warmly received at the United Nations assembly hall in New York on the rece...

New York, Sept 10: Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha BAPS was warmly received at the United Nations assembly hall in New York on the recent occasion of the World Peace Summit being held there.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj is a personality who is an international representative of India and Hinduism and has been recognised as such in the Guinness Book of World Records. He is widely respected by all the religions of the world for his efforts for the last 30 years, touring the world eighteen times to bring the leaders of world religions together in peace and goodwill.

While delivering his message to the attention and thunderous applause of a packed assembly hall at the United Nations, Swamiji said, quot;Harmony and friendship between all religions is the most important need of this age. For this, religious leaders should often meet and talk to other religious leaders. We must freely and with friendship have dialogue with each other.

When we met the Pope in 1984, many journalists asked, quot;What purpose will the meeting of two religious heads serve?quot; We answered, quot;When religious heads meet each other it lessens bitterness and increases harmony between the followers of the two faiths.quot; A single meeting, a single dialogue can positively influence the minds of millions. Religion imbues love for all.

All of us have realised the value of life and bio-diversity and are endeavoring to preserve all forms of life. Should not religious-diversity also be preserved? Every religion should be allowed to exist and flourish.

No faith should destroy another faith. Allow each faith to serve the world in its own way.

Dialogue amongst religious leaders is not enough, a dialogue with our own followers is of equal importance. A religious leader can mould the lives of his followers. Depth is more vital than the number of followers.

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Thus, every Hindu should become a better Hindu, every Jew a better Jew, every Christian a better Christian, and every Muslim a better Muslim. This should be our goal. Lastly, there is nothing more important than dialogue with oneself.

We must ask ourselves how close we are to the teachings of our founders. Let us live more fully the philosophies and teachings of love, truth, compassion, non-violence, harmony, faith and devotion of our founders.quot; Pramukh Swami Maharaj was also recognised as quot;The Master Builder of Templesquot; in the Guinness Book of World Records last month and the BAPS Sanstha has been accorded the highest recognition that an NGO can be accorded by the United Nations Organisation: General Consultative Status with its Social and Economic Council.