Sacred Verses for a Harmonious Society

The Rigveda is one of the oldest and most revered texts in the world, serving as the foundation of Hinduism. Being a treasure trove of ancient Indian wisdom, it covers a wide range of subjects, including cosmology, philosophy, rituals, social order and morality.

These selected suktas categorised under ‘Samajika Suktani’ are timeless Vedic hymns that illuminate the path to a harmonious and ethical society. They emphasize the power of shared knowledge, the unifying spirit of generosity, and the strength of unwavering trust in higher ideals. These hymns also offer powerful reflections on overcoming societal challenges such as addiction, and guide individuals toward inner mastery by transforming negative emotions like anger and ego. Together, they offer a comprehensive path toward nurturing a balanced, value-driven and spiritually-enriched social order.

This webinar will discuss the seven suktas about social harmony, which are:

1. Set of 2 suktas from the Rigveda and Atharvaveda: (1) Samajnana Suktam (RV 10.191),      (2) Sammanasya Suktam (AV 3.30) –  A Vedic vision of unity is discussed, wherein all live, love, think and act together as one harmonious community.
2. Saraswati Suktam (RV 7.95) – A Vedic hymn in praise of Saraswati, the sacred river Goddess, who grants wisdom, prosperity and purification to her devoted worshippers.
3. Bhikshu Suktam (RV 10.117) – A powerful reflection on charity and social responsibility, emphasizing that true wealth lies in sharing food, compassion and kindness with those in need.
4. Shraddha Suktam (RV 10.151) – A Vedic praise of ‘shraddha’ –  steadfast faith grounded in truth, leading to honest actions, generosity and devotion in every part of life.
5. Aksha Suktam (RV 10.34) – This hymn presents a Vedic perspective on the harmful impact of gambling, revealing its emotional pain, social consequences, and moral downfall through the voice of a regretful gambler.
6. Manyu Suktam (RV 10.83, 84) – This hymn is a Vedic prayer to Manyu, the divine force of noble anger and brave determination, seeking strength, guidance and triumph over negativity and life’s challenges.

Webinar Highlights

• Delve into hymns that celebrate knowledge, charity, faith, and inner strength as pillars of a balanced and value-driven life.
• Etymology, word by word meaning, and translations of selected sūktas
• Various interpretations of the hymns offered by scholars.

Webinar Format

• 6 online sessions + 1 Q&A Session
• The sessions will be streamed on Zoom.
• Recordings will be available on dashboard the next day for those who miss the sessions.
• Recordings will be available for a period of 6 months after the completion of the webinar.

Webinar Details

Dates: 14 to 19 July 2025

Timings: Everyday 7:15 to 8:15 PM IST

Number of Sessions: 6 + 1 Q&A

Facilitator: Prof. Gauri Mahulikar

Fees: ₹1500, US$40

Prerequisite

Availability of a computer with audio-video internet conferencing facility etc. is mandatory.

Reference Text

PDF will be shared with the registered participants.

Facilitator

Prof. Gauri Mahulikar is the Academic Director at CIF. As the Gurudev Tagore Chair of Comparative Literature Professor, she headed the Department of Sanskrit at the University of Mumbai. She also served as a former Dean of Faculty at Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth.

Know more about Prof. Gauri Mahulikar

Contact Details
Phone: +91 92077 11511

Email: cifwebinars@chinfo.org