A CITIDEL OF FUTURE RELIGION

In the age of disbelief there is a light of belief from many lamps

People from the past faced with three inescapable problems. How to have food
and shelter. How to live with others and How to relate themselves to a faith.
We generally give less importance to third issue. Although the religion [Faith]
artifacts are the oldest that archeologists have discovered.

Then what was the faith of the cave man? Yes Hunger, Shelter, and raising
family. He occasionally felt that his actions are controlled by a strong force, this
force is ultimately gave him the image of God. The fear of God made him to
have a faith in him and this became his religion. Today many people close to
follow religion and there are many faiths as many societies.

The religious interpretations have always controversial. The course of human

history has followed many faiths but now a stage has come when all the faiths
are converging to one faith and there is a citadel of future of such religion. SUCH
A RELIGION OF ONE LIGHT FROM MANY LAMPS OF FAITHS IS BEING PRACTICED
in one ASHRAM i.e. PUNYASTAHALA Ashrama, the place of pure land of wisdom
and compassion created by sri Raghavendra Guruji.

In order to integrate the divers forces of society in to universal spiritual oneness

Punyasthala in spreading the message of Universal love Brotherhood and
Harmony

The ashrama is devoted to all religious and is unusual. This is because it has a
unique Panch Pavitra Dharma Granth Mandira which in essence is the sanctum
sanctitum of all religions and displays Geeta ,Bible , Quran ,Guru grinth sahib
and the Mahapuranas and also text gifted by H.H.The Dalailama for Buddhism.

The panchapavitra Dharm Granth Mandira was the culmination of shri

Raghavendra Guruji’s spiritual journey. Built in 1993 Guruji wanted to pay
homage to the knowledge that was encased in all the sacred texts for centuries.
He had foreseen the future of mankind was in the exchanges of this sacred
knowledge.
Treating all religions with equal dignity and respect Guruji wanted to create
harmony and integration in the human heart. He wanted to dispel ignorance by
lighting the torch of wisdom

Today Raghavendra Kripashrama Punyasthala is a temple village on the bank of

the Tungabhadra canal in chennagiri taluka of Davanagere District.

Shahazada Begaum a simple house wife from Davanager donated the central
stage of Ashrama. Gurujis devotee she wanted her life’s savings to reach out to
all religions. Appreciating this very courageous gesture of the simple yet great
lady Guruji named this stage after her i.e.SHAHZADA SABHA MANTAP.Every
year all interfaith conventions are held Shahazada Mantap Punyasthala under
the banner of Bharateeya Dharma Parishatt.

Interreligious conferences was held in which 500 religions heads from all
religions participated. More than 4thousand mass marriages conducted. Many
religious heads visited Ashrama and conducted prayers among them are Janab
Z.U.Huq from jami masjid in New Delhi Buddhist priests from Nichiren Shoshu
Taisekiji from Japan. Reverend Kol an American priest and shri Veerendra
Hegade of Dharma Sthala and many more had special congregational prayers
of all the religions. Vishwa Dahrma Stupa was built to commemorate the first
interfaith convention. It was Guruji’s tribute to world peace and universal
Brotherhood. The Viswa Dharma Stupa was the culimation of guruji’s relief in
universal love and compassion; it signifies the major religions of the world. The
Stupa is also tribute to guruji’s master who embodied the spirit of secularism.

Today the Ashrama is running a school to educate the poor and needy children
of the villages in and around the Ashrama which was founded 35 years ago by
Guruji. The school is imparting education to over 500 children. Recently a
nursery wing is also added to the school. The Ashrama is running a printing
press since 15 years.Lalita Kalanamantapis used for all social functions.
Every day evening prayers of all the religions are conducted. Every Sunday
special function is arranged to discuss the importance of teachings of all the
religions. Every day nearly hundred devotees are offered Prasada.

Your religion is your highest path. Treat other religions with equal
dignity. And respect as your friend. Practice the essence of your
own religion. Become a Godly Man.

This is the call from this pure land of wisdom and compession-Punyasthala. It is
paying homage to the knowledge that was encased in all the sacred texts for
centuries. Guruji had foreseen that the future of Mankind was in the need of
this sacred knowledge which comes from the lamps of all the faiths.

G M SHIRAHATTI

DIRECTOR [RTD] DOORDARSHAN KENDRE

9844005881