NEW DELHI: The Hon’ble Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya
unveiled the highly anticipated new book, “Five Prescriptions from the
Ashtavakra Mahagita: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Heart,” authored by
Daaji, the global guide of Heartfulness.
This high-profile
launch event brought together policymakers, spiritual seekers, academicians,
and thought leaders to explore a unique synthesis of administrative leadership
and profound spiritual wisdom.
Hon’ble Union
Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya ji said, “Heartfulness
is a science that helps us connect within and understand the power within. When
we try to master knowledge we reflect it in others which is precisely how Daaji
has been shining his light passed down from his Guru. This is the spiritual
knowledge of our country prevailing through eons. When we couldn’t understand
the vedas, our rishis gave us pravartikas followed by purnanas. Languages
changed but the knowledge has prevailed. In the present times Daaji is connecting
us with spiritualism.”
Revered Daaji
– Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission said, “May the youth of India awaken and take the country to the next
level. I am grateful to Mandaviya ji to come here today. He has been always
supportive of our movement. He has held us in high esteem and assigned a
football stadium in Kanha Shanti Vanam for 2036 Olympics .. We will not
disappoint our people and our leaders. The members of Shri Ram Chandra Mission
will do everything for the upliftment of Bharat Mata and the world at large.”
Adding his
thoughts on the book, Revered Daaji added, “The moment we started
writing this book more and more awareness came and the book was developed. The
dialogue between Ashtavakra and Raja Janak is unlike between Krishna as supreme
consciousness and Arjuna, a mere warrior, in the Bhagvad Gita. Here both of
them are giants of wise men. Raja Janak asks Ashtavakra the way to realise the
Highest Truth. Ashtavakra responds to treat desires as poison. But can you live
without desires in this world? We cannot live without desires, but Babuji says that though we may have
desires, we may not insist on their fulfillment and leave it to God to fulfil
them. Ashtavakra has five prescriptions: 1.Kshama (forgiveness) – forgiving the
self and others never to repeat the mistakes 2. Sincerity – being sincere in
your inner aspirations 3. Daya – compassion, 4. Santosham – contentment and 5. Saty
– Truth. These are all in sequence of priorities. Satya is the last in priority
of the five qualities according to Ashtavakra. All the qualities will flower as
the inner chakras open up. Meditation and inner cleansing helps in achieving
this The book is about how our system runs parallel with our these qualities. I
have treated Raja Janak as a spiritual patient and Ashtavakra as a spiritual
doctor..”
Drawing from his
background as both a contemporary spiritual master and a former pharmacist in
New York City, Daaji has approached this timeless dialogue of the ancient Ashtavakra
Gita as a living, practical protocol for human healing and modern
leadership.
“Twenty-six centuries ago, a sage
named Ashtavakra wrote a prescription for the human heart, with five medicines,
taken in order, each preparing the system for the next,” writes Daaji. “This
book is an attempt to fill those prescriptions.”
In this new work,
Daaji unpacks a singular, revolutionary verse from the ancient text in which
Sage Ashtavakra answers King Janaka’s questions about attaining liberation and
peace. Instead of demanding austere rituals, the sage prescribes five
infallible remedies to dissolve the deep-rooted emotional impressions that bind
us. They are Kshama (Forgiveness), Arjava (Sincerity), Daya (Compassion),
Santosha (Contentment), Satya (Truth).
The presence of
Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya indicates the growing relevance of these
ancient Indian philosophical tenets in shaping the next-gen empathetic
leadership in this century.