My PRE-RELEASE BOOK COPY PRESENTATION
To Jagadguru Sri Shankara
Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal
‘DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE THROUGH
LENS AND BLURRED GLASSES’
A JOURNEY INTO DISTORTED VISIONS
OF MODERN-DAY POLITICS’
By Vanam Jwala Narasimha
Rao
Early this morning,
along with my wife Vijayalakshmi, I had the rare fortune of meeting His
Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, the 70th
Jagadguru Peetadhipathi of the sacred Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, who is presently
visiting Telangana and Hyderabad. The divine rendezvous took place at the
Skanda Giri Sri Subramanya Swami Temple in Secunderabad, where we spent over an
hour in the luminous presence of the revered Seer, absorbing his calm grace and
spiritual radiance.
This blessed meeting
was made possible through the initiative of two devoted disciples of the
Peetham, respected Sri Harkara Srinivasa Rao, a senior High Court advocate, and
respected Sri Chintapalli Subrahmanya Sharma Ghanapati, both ardent followers
of Swamiji. Sri Subrahmanya Sharma, who virtually lives in the orbit of
Swamiji’s spiritual energy, travels with him everywhere, dedicating his time to
serving the divine mission of the Peetham.
The purpose of our
visit was deeply personal and spiritually fulfilling. I had carried with me the
pre-release copy of my forthcoming book ‘Democracy and Governance Through
Lens and Blurred Glasses: A Journey into Distorted Visions of Modern-Day
Politics.’ Presenting this work to Swamiji I felt like offering a humble
garland at the altar of wisdom, an author’s prayer that his thoughts find a
moral compass through divine blessing.
Swamiji received the
book graciously, heard my brief exposition on its content and spirit, and
expressed appreciation for my attempt to examine democracy and governance
through a moral and philosophical prism. He was particularly pleased to learn
that Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairman of the National Human Rights
Commission and himself a disciple of Swamiji, had written an appraisal of the
book. His kind words and blessings filled our hearts with immeasurable joy.
Around the same time,
the temple courtyard resonated with another scene of devotion and benevolence.
A young and vibrant philanthropist, Sri Narendra Kumar Kamaraju, Managing
Director of Praneeth Group, arrived with his wife Mrs Bhanu Rekha, for
Swamiji’s darshan. He had also brought along students and teachers from the
Sampradaya Pathasala run under the auspices of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
In a gesture of
graceful charity, the couple presented each student with specially (customized)
stitched formal dresses and two fresh oranges, a simple yet deeply symbolic act
of cultural continuity and human kindness in Swamiji’s presence. Swamiji
blessed every child with warmth and affection, and, to our delight, involved me
and my wife too in the distribution program. The atmosphere was filled with
purity, where learning met compassion, and faith embraced social
responsibility.
Sri Narendra Kumar
Kamaraju deserves special mention. He exemplifies the spirit of true social
entrepreneurship, one that goes beyond mere philanthropy. Through consistent
commitment to corporate social responsibility initiatives, he has been
supporting a range of programs aimed at uplifting underprivileged sections,
particularly within the Brahmin community, while promoting education, cultural
preservation, and community development. His quiet contribution mirrors the
ancient vision of Dharma in Action: service as the highest form of
worship.
During our
conversation, Swamiji enquired about my present literary pursuits. When I
mentioned that I am engaged in writing a simplified English rendition of the Valmiki
Ramayana, presented in small, contextualized articles that relate the
eternal wisdom of the epic to contemporary times, Swamiji was visibly pleased.
He blessed me wholeheartedly and remarked that such a work would be
particularly useful for Non-Resident Indians and their children, who seek a
bridge between the heritage of India and the modern world they inhabit.
What left me in awe was
Swamiji’s spontaneous directive that I take up the task of writing a
comprehensive history of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, also known as Sri
Kanchi Matham. It was not merely an instruction; it was an entrustment of
sacred responsibility. With folded hands, I accepted the divine command,
expressing my willingness to undertake the work and requesting that relevant
literature and reference material be made available.
Later, I came to know
that soon after our departure, when Sri Harkara Srinivasa Rao went for darshan,
Swamiji himself mentioned my acceptance of the assignment and instructed him to
facilitate the collection of all necessary literature for the project. Such
divine orchestration reinforced my conviction that this was not just a
coincidence, but a calling, one that aligns human effort with a higher will.
‘Sreekaryam’ Challa
Vishwanatha Shastry of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, who was present during the
presentation of my book, gracefully coordinated the proceedings with his
characteristic humility and devotion, along with Sri Chintapalli Subrahmanya
Sharma Ghanapati. After receiving Swamiji’s blessings, my wife and I went to
the main sanctum of the Skanda Giri Sri Subramanya Swami Temple for darshan
before leaving. The serene ambience of the temple, the sacred presence of the
Acharya, and the intertwining of intellectual, spiritual, and social pursuits
made the occasion truly unforgettable.
As I look back upon the
morning’s events, I realize it was not merely a meeting — it was a moment of
divine convergence, a sacred intersection of thought and faith. That day marked
the beginning of a new chapter in my life, a moment when a thinker received the
blessings of a sage, the merging of Jnana and Bhakti, when
intellect bowed before wisdom, and when reason found its harmony with faith.
The book I offered to
Swamiji represented my quest for truth in the turbulent and complex arena of Democracy
and Governance, an intellectual pursuit to understand how ideals blur amidst
power and practice. The command I received from him, on the other hand,
symbolized the call to seek eternal truth in the timeless realm of Dharma,
where wisdom is not debated, but realized through devotion and understanding.
Between these two, the
worldly and the spiritual, the temporal and the eternal, lies the bridge that
Swamiji gently pointed towards. It is a bridge that connects reason with
reverence, knowledge with compassion, and governance with goodness, a journey
from viewing democracy and governance through lens and blurred glasses to
perceiving life itself through the clear vision of wisdom.
With His Holiness
Jagadguru Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal’s divine blessings, I now
look forward to an opportunity, extended by those who truly value the spirit of
Democracy, Governance, and Moral Integrity, to present my book to individuals
and institutions that matter, especially to those who carry the commitment to
preserve, protect, and promote the ethical essence of public life.
The book, published with no revenue intent, is not merely an author’s expression but a citizen’s prayer that, governance may once again be guided by conscience, and democracy may regain its purity through understanding, reflection, and reform. If my humble effort can contribute even in the smallest measure to this larger awakening, I shall consider it the truest realization of Swamiji’s blessings.
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