On Friday, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the four-day Global Summit organized by the Brahma Kumaris at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. During the event, Upendrra Rai, was honored with the 'Rashtra Chetna Puraskar.'
The Path is Important, Not Just the Goal and Means
While addressing the program, CMD Upendrra Rai remarked that significant attempts have been made to merge spirituality and religion in our country. However, from his understanding, spirituality and religion are distinct. He emphasized that discussions should encompass both religion and spirituality. He explained that those who founded religions may have experienced a revolution in their lives, which led to the birth of a religion. However, the religion we follow is often inherited, passed down from one generation to the next.
Children Should Study All Religions
Reflecting on this, he said, "We should not impose any religious teachings on our children but rather provide them with the resources to study all religions. We should give them the freedom to choose which religion resonates with them." He emphasized that when children feel an emotional connection, and their souls resonate with a particular faith, they can adopt that religion. He further elaborated that all religions offer pathways to reach the Divine, but the journey is personal, and the right path depends on one's inner connection. The goal and the means are not as important as the path itself, which ultimately leads to the destination. Mr Upendrra Rai drew a comparison between disciplines, stating, "Just as imposing mathematics on a poet would not yield results, forcing a child to follow a particular religion without understanding will not bring true spiritual fulfillment." He stressed that we often clutter our minds with unnecessary things, leaving no space for what truly matters. He concluded that spirituality teaches us to relinquish lesser valuable things with great dedication, achieving true spiritual balance.
Definition of Spirituality
CMD Upendrra Rai explained that simple, selfless actions—like picking up a stone from someone else’s path or cleaning another’s space—embody spirituality. He stated, "Everything else is merely ritualistic, adding only clutter to our lives." He concluded by emphasizing that spirituality is a part of daily life, while sainthood is the ultimate goal.