Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath addressed the National Seminar ‘Contribution of Yogiraj Baba Gambhirnath in Indian Yoga Tradition’ at Deendayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University today. On the occasion, he released the books’ Unattainable Dimensions’ and ‘Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude’ and also visited an exhibition of oil paintings of 20 gurus of the Nath sect.
CM Yogi Adityanath described the seminar as a national platform focused on a unique tradition of India. He said that about 200 countries of the world have their own identity, traditions and characteristics. Some countries have made their mark through trade, art, innovation and preservation of cultural heritage, but material achievements also have their limits. The specialty of India is that it has opened the mysteries of the universe by transcending these boundaries and reaching a higher level of consciousness.
CM Yogi Adityanath said that in Indian thought, truth has been considered as one, which scholars try to achieve through different ways. This ideology got respect all over the world, but in India itself some people made it a subject of protest. Underlining the importance of Ganga Aarti by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025 witnessed 66 crore devotees, which shows the power of India’s spiritual influence and cultural heritage.
CM Yogi Adityanath termed as wrong the perception that India did not pay attention to technology. He said when the world was in the darkness of ignorance, Indian sages were codifying knowledge 5000 years ago. The Mahabharata and the Upanishads compile in-depth information on dharma, artha, kama, moksha and the mysteries of the universe. He said that earlier the world used to look towards India due to its alienation from India’s knowledge tradition, but now India has to run after the world.
Referring to the change in India’s global identity in the last ten years, he said that earlier there was no special identity of Indians in the world, but today every country wants to establish relations with India. India’s yoga tradition has been adopted by 193 countries, even China, which did not believe in religion, is researching yoga and Buddhist philosophy.
CM Yogi Adityanath said that India has never forcibly enslaved any country. He told through the example of Shri Ram that he did not become the king of Lanka despite conquering it and returned to Ayodhya considering Janani-Janmabhoomi as supreme. This is the identity of India.
CM Yogi Adityanath , while discussing the preparations for Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025, said that it was planned in 2022 itself. Some called it a waste of government money, but with an investment of Rs 7,000 crore, the state got an economic return of Rs 3 lakh crore. He said faith can also become the basis of economic development, and if the previous governments had understood this, Uttar Pradesh would not have gone through an identity crisis.
Referring to the spiritual tradition of Nath Sampradaya, CM Yogi Adityanath aid that this sadhana system started from Lord Shiva and was systematized through Yogiraj Matsyendranath and Mahayogi Gorakhnath. The influence of this tradition can be seen from Tibet to Sri Lanka, from Bangladesh to Afghanistan. He said that Baba Gambhirnath made Gorakhpur his’ sadhana sthal “and went to different places and promoted yoga and spiritual sadhana.
CM Yogi Adityanath said that the disciples of Baba Gambhirnath spread all over the country, including many important personalities like Professor Shri Akshay Kumar Banerjee of Kolkata University and Yogi Shantinath. He also contributed to the establishment of Gorakhpur University. Baba Gambhirnath took Samadhi in the Gorakhnath temple in 1917 and even today his followers come here from all over the country.
Underlining the importance of the seminar, he said that it should focus on the Siddha Sadhana of India. Baba Gambhirnath contributed to all disciplines of yoga, and his teachings should become the subject of academic research. He said that India’s spiritual tradition has unravelled the mysteries of the universe through the expansion of consciousness, and is an invaluable heritage of the nation.