Shankaracharya united country by establishing Mutths: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Adi Shankaracharya united India by establishing Mutths (monasteries) in four corners of the country. Chouhan was speaking at the `Acharya Shankar Prakatotsav, Ekatm Parv' organized by the Acharya Shankaracharya Cultural Integration Trust and Culture Department of the Madhya Pradesh government at Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium on Tuesday evening.

"Acharya Shankar (better known as Adi Shankaracharya) connected India by establishing Mutths (monasteries) in all four directions of East, West, North and South," the chief minister was quoted as saying in an official release. "Because of them, the identity of our culture endured. His Advait Vedanta philosophy is giving the right direction to the people and his message will be conveyed to the masses," Chouhan added.

"Only one thing comes to mind after reading our Vedas and Upanishads, that we all have the same consciousness. We are all one," he said. Indian sages gave the message of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the whole world is one family) thousands or years ago, Chouhan said.

"India has given the message of live and let live," he added. `Ekatmdham' is being constructed at Omkareshwar where the entire world will get the message of unity, he said. Earlier, Swami Avdheshanand Giri and Chouhan inaugurated the program by lighting a lamp. Swami Avdheshanand said Adi Shankaracharya had visited the length and breadth of India thrice by the time he was 32.

Hailing Chouhan, he said the work which was to be done by teachers and saints was being done by the chief minister. Swamini Vimalananda Saraswati, another religious leader present on the occasion, commended the state government's decision to install a statue of Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar. Chouhan on this occasion also felicitated Swamini Vimalanand Saraswati for her contribution to spirituality and culture and Dr Kanshi Ram for contribution in the fields of culture, literature and grammar by presenting them citations.