PM Modi joins Navkar Mahamantra event, says heritage connected to Viksit Bharat

IANS April 9, 2025 137 views

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently participated in the Navkar Mahamantra Day event, connecting spiritual heritage with national development. He announced the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitize millions of manuscripts, emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural roots. Modi highlighted the Jain philosophy of self-improvement and inner transformation as crucial for national progress. The event, held ahead of Mahavir Jayanti, underscored the significance of spiritual wisdom in modern India's vision.

"An India that will not stop, an India that will not pause... will touch heights but will not be cut off from his roots." - PM Narendra Modi
New Delhi, April 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the philosophy of Navkar Mahamantra is connected to the vision of Viksit Bharat and developed India means development as well as heritage.

Key Points

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- Launches Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitize ancient manuscripts

PM Modi said this while speaking at an event to mark the Navkar Mahamantra Day at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital.

In his address, he said that he has spoken from the Red Fort earlier that a developed India means development as well as heritage. "An India that will not stop, an India that will not pause... will touch heights but will not be cut off from his roots."

PM Modi said that, unfortunately, many important texts are slowly disappearing. "That is why we are going to start 'Gyan Bharatam Mission'. This has been announced in this year's budget. Preparations are being made to survey millions of manuscripts in the country. By digitising the ancient heritage, we will connect antiquity with modernity."

He said this mission is an Amrit Sankalp in itself. "New India will explore possibilities through AI and show the way to the world through spirituality."

PM Modi said Jainism inspires us to win over ourselves. "Navkar Mantra says believe in yourself. The enemy is not outside, it is inside us. Negative thinking, dishonesty, selfishness, these are the enemies and winning over them is the real victory...," he said.

At the event on Wednesday, PM Modi joined others in chanting the sacred Jain mantra, 'Navkar Mahamantra'.

The PM said that Navkar Mahamantra embodies humility, peace and universal harmony, and he was delighted to take part in the Navkar Mahamantra Divas programme. "Come, let's all chant the Navkar Mahamantra ...Let every voice bring peace, strength and harmony. Let us all come together to enhance the spirit of brotherhood and togetherness," he said.

"The Navkar Mahamantra is not just a mantra. It is the centre of our faith... and its importance is not just spiritual. It shows the path to everyone, from self to society...", he said, adding, "Navkar Mantra says believe in yourself. The enemy is not outside, it is inside us. Negative thinking, dishonesty, and selfishness are the enemies and winning over them is the real victory. Jainism inspires us to win over ourselves."

Prime Minister Modi said, "The influence of Jainism is visible in the new Parliament building, too... There is an idol of Tirthankara at the entrance of the Lok Sabha. This idol has returned from Australia. There is a wonderful painting of Lord Mahavir on the roof of the Constitution Hall. All the 24 Tirthankaras are there on the wall..."

Navkar Mahamantra Divas precedes Mahavir Jayanti, which falls on April 10 this year. The festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, who was born in 615 BC.

Reader Comments

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Priya K.
Beautiful initiative by PM Modi! 🙏 Preserving our ancient texts through digitization is such an important step. The Navkar Mahamantra truly brings peace to the heart. #ViksitBharat
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Rahul S.
While I appreciate the focus on heritage, I hope the government allocates equal importance to implementing these spiritual principles in governance. The message of overcoming inner enemies is powerful - would love to see it reflected in policy decisions too.
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Anjali M.
As a Jain, I'm so happy to see our traditions getting national recognition! The Navkar Mantra is indeed timeless wisdom. My grandparents will be thrilled to hear about the Gyan Bharatam Mission. 😊
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Vikram P.
Interesting how PM connects ancient wisdom with modern technology through AI. The part about the new Parliament building incorporating Jain elements is fascinating - didn't know about those details!
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Sunita R.
The message about overcoming inner enemies is so relevant today. We all struggle with negative thoughts sometimes. Maybe if more people practiced this, our society would be more peaceful. Beautiful words on Mahavir Jayanti eve!
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Karan J.
While I respect the spiritual aspects, I wonder about the practical implementation of the Gyan Bharatam Mission. Digitizing manuscripts is great, but will they be made accessible to common people and researchers? Hope there's transparency in the process.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Narendra Modi Navkar Mahamantra Jainism Viksit Bharat Spiritual Heritage Gyan Bharatam Mission Mahavir Jayanti
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