SHRAVANABELAGOLA:In the presence of many devotees of Gomateshwara, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a number of religious matters. After inaugurating the newly-carved third row of steps up Vindhyagiri, he said a great country like India enjoyed a religious sanctity of its own in which saints and religious heads strive hard to protect and promote the concepts of religion.
Lauding Jain saints and spiritual gurus for their dedication at promoting spirituality, Modi said the need of the hour was to join hands and collectively work for the welfare of society. “The munis showed people the path to mukti and moksha,” he added.
Modi also said that people are more active and interested when religious aspects are raised, “but the same people lack interest in matters of social responsibilities”.
After reciting the Sanskrit poem on Gomateshwara, ‘Tam Gomatesham pranamami niccham’, Modi said that he regularly remembers Gomateshwara as “Charukeerthi Bhattaraka swamiji remembered my mother on this holy occasion.”