NEW DELHI: Former vice president Hamid Ansari emphasised on the power of faith when utilised “positively” for the benefit of humanity and not “reversed” as a motivator for lesser objectives while addressing an international conference on Guru Nanak Dev organised by the Mata Sundri College for Women in the national capital on Friday.
“Most of us know that faith is a powerful motivation in the psychological makeup of normal human beings and it manifests itself in different ways. It is a resource of spiritual power that brings forth the noblest in human character and yet the same faith can do the reverse when it emerges as a motivator for lesser objectives. The challenge for humans at every stage of history has been to promote the former and subdue or resist the latter. We have succeeded at times and benefited from the resulting human enlightenment, but failed like others and undergone suffering in one form or the other. The challenge is perpetual; it is both individual and collective. It is as much for the young people in this audience as it is for their teachers and the rest of the audience. Let us all resolve on this auspicious day to respond to it positively for the benefit of humanity,” Ansari said in his address.
The two-day conference, “Guru Nanak Dev Ji: Life, Philosophy and Legacy” was inaugurated amidst a gathering of Sikh dignitaries present to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh guru.
Ansari said the Sikh guru appeared on land, which, though renowned for its spirituality, was unable to overcome the apparent contradictions between its various manifestations.
“His appearance in rural Punjab in a period of social disruptions inspired him to draw upon the basic compassion of the prevailing religions — Hinduism and Islam, which looked upon the faithful as equals in the sight of God. He did so to identify the inconsistencies in the practices of those resulting in social disruption,” the former vice-president added.
He reflected on the character of Guru Nanak by reciting Urdu poetry. “Guru Nanak jis ko kehte hain, woh ek Mard-e-kamil the, ke jis ke paas seene main takaddus afrin dil tha. (Nanak was an embodiment of perfection, with a heart of gold).”
He also said that Guru Nanak devoted his life to bringing hope to anxious human beings in a period of turmoil and despair that characterised 15th century India.
At the event, a short film by S Vikramjit Singh Sahney, a Padma Shri recipient and chairman of the governing body of the college, was played.
The film was on the life and legacy of Guru Nanak. Huge paintings depicting nuggets of Nanak’s life and reflecting on his foreign visits and interactions with dignitaries were also displayed below the college auditorium.
Gurinder Singh Mann, a professor at Global Institute for Sikh Studies, New York presented a critical analysis of the writings on the Sikh guru, scholarships in his name, as well as his life and legacy.