PM Modi was on a 45-hour meditation trip in Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 45 hours of meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu on Saturday. PM Modi’s meditation began on May 30 and continued for around 45 hours until June 1.
After the meditation ended, the Prime Minister wrote a letter reflecting on his spiritual journey, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the future of India.
Read PM Modi’s full letter:
New Sankalp from Kanniyakumari Sadhana
Fellow peoples of India,
Democracy’s greatest celebration, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, concludes today in our country, the mother of democracy. After a three-day spiritual journey in Kanniyakumari, I have just boarded a flight to Delhi. Voting was underway in Kashi and many other constituencies throughout the day.
My heart is filled with so many experiences and emotions… I feel an endless flow of energy within me. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are my first in Amrit Khar. I began my campaign a few months ago from Meerut, the site of the first war of independence in 1857. Since then, I have crisscrossed our great country. The last of these election rallies took me to Hoshiarpur in Punjab, the land of a great guru and associated with Sant Ravidas. I then came to Kanniyakumari, at the foot of Maa Bharti.
No wonder, the election frenzy reverberated in my heart and mind. So many faces I had seen at rallies and road shows appeared before my eyes. The blessings from our Nari Shakti…the trust, the love…all this was a very humbling experience. My eyes moistened and I entered into ‘sadhana’ (meditative state). And the heated political debates, the attacks and counter attacks, the accusations and words that characterise elections…all of it just vanished into thin air. A feeling of isolation arose within me and my mind became completely disconnected from the outside world.
It is difficult to meditate with such a big responsibility, but the land of Kanniyakumari and the inspiration of Swami Vivekananda made it easy. I myself am a candidate and have come here to entrust my campaign to my beloved people of Kashi.
I am also thankful to God for instilling these values in me right from birth. I have cherished them and tried to live according to them. I was also thinking about what Swami Vivekananda would have experienced while meditating at this very place in Kanniyakumari. Part of my meditation was spent in a similar train of thought.
In this state of detachment, peace and tranquility, my mind was constantly on India’s bright future, India’s goals. The rising sun at Kanniyakumari gave new heights to my thoughts, the vastness of the ocean broadened my ideas and the expanse of the horizon constantly reminded me of the unity, oneness embedded deep within the universe. It was as if I was reliving my observations and experiences from the foothills of the Himalayas decades ago.
friend,
Kanniyakumari has always been a place close to me. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanniyakumari was built under the guidance of Guru Eknath Ranade. I had the opportunity to travel extensively with Guru Eknath Ranade and also spent some time at Kanniyakumari during the construction of the memorial.
From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, this is a common identity that is deeply rooted in the hearts of every citizen of the country. This is the “Shakti Peeth” (Abode of Shakti) where Ma Shakti incarnated as Kanya Kumari. It is in this southern tip that Ma Shakti performed penance and waited for Bhagwan Shiva who resides in the Himalayas in the northernmost part of India.
Kanniyakumari is a land of confluences. Our sacred rivers flow into various oceans and here these oceans join. And here we witness another great confluence, the confluence of Indian ideas. Here we have the rock memorial of Vivekananda, the magnificent statue of saint Thiruvalluvar, the mandapam of Gandhi and the mandapam of Kamarajar Mani. The streams of ideas of these brave people join here and form the confluence of national ideas. This gives rise to great inspiration for nation building. This land of Kanniyakumari carries an indelible message of unity, especially to those who doubt the nationhood and unity of India.
The magnificent statue of Saint Thiruvalluvar in Kanniyakumari seems to look out over the vast landscape of Ma Bharathi from the sea. His work “Thirukkural” is one of the jewels of beautiful Tamil language. It inspires us to take up every aspect of life and do our best for ourselves and the nation. It was my great fortune to pay tribute to such a great personality.
friend,
Swami Vivekananda once said, “Every nation has a message to deliver, a mission to fulfill and a destiny to reach.”
For thousands of years, India has been marching forward with a sense of purpose. India has been the cradle of ideas for thousands of years. We have never considered our acquisitions as personal wealth or measured it in purely economic or material terms. Hence, “Idam na mama” (this is not mine) has become an innate and natural part of the Indian character.
India’s prosperity has also helped pave the way for progress across the globe. Take the independence movement for example. India achieved independence on August 15, 1947. At the time, many countries around the world were under colonial rule, and India’s path to independence inspired many of those countries and empowered them to win their own freedom. That same spirit was seen decades later, when the world faced the once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when concerns for poor and developing countries were growing, India’s successful efforts gave courage and support to many countries.
Today, India’s governance model has become an example for many countries across the world. Lifting 250 million people out of poverty in just a decade is unprecedented. Today, innovative practices like pro-people good governance, aspirational districts and aspirational blocks are being discussed across the globe. From helping the poor to last-mile delivery, our efforts have inspired the world by prioritizing individuals at the margins of society. India’s Digital India campaign has now become an example for the whole world, showing how technology can be used to empower the poor, bring transparency and ensure their rights. India’s cheap data is becoming an instrument of social equality by ensuring information and services reach the poor. The whole world is witnessing and studying the democratization of technology and leading global institutions are advising many countries to adopt elements of our model.
Today, India’s progress and rise is not only a momentous occasion for India alone, but also a historic occasion for all its partner nations across the globe. Since the success of the G20, the world has increasingly envisaged a bigger role for India. Today, India is recognised as a strong and important voice in the Global South. The African Union has become part of the G20 grouping at India’s initiative. This will be a key turning point for the future of African nations.
friend,
India’s development trajectory gives us pride and glory, but it also reminds us of our responsibility to our 1.4 billion people. Now, without wasting a moment, we must forge ahead toward greater obligations and greater goals. We must imagine new dreams, transform them into reality, and begin to make those dreams come true.
We have to view India’s development in global terms. For this, it is essential to understand India’s domestic potential. India’s strengths must be recognised, nurtured and utilized for global benefit. In today’s global context, India’s strength as a young nation is an opportunity that we must never look back on.
The 21st century world is looking towards India with a lot of hopes. And to move forward in the global landscape, some changes need to take place. The traditional thinking on reforms also needs to change. India cannot confine its reforms to economic reforms alone. We have to move forward in the direction of reforms in all spheres of life. Our reforms should also be in line with our goal of a ‘Bikshit India’ (developed India) by 2047.
We must also understand that reforms cannot be a centralized process for any country. That is why I have laid out a vision of reform, implementation and transformation for the country. The responsibility of reform lies with the leadership. When the bureaucracy functions on that basis and the people join the spirit of Jan Bhagidari, then you will witness transformation taking place.
To make our country a “Viksit Bharat”, excellence must be the guiding principle. We need to work swiftly in all four directions — speed, scale, scope and standards. In addition to production, we must also focus on quality and follow the motto of “zero defects, zero effects”.
friend,
We should be proud of every moment that God blessed us to be born on Indian soil, He chose us to serve India and play our role in the country’s journey towards excellence.
We must redefine our traditions in a contemporary way, embracing ancient values in a modern context.
As a nation, we also need to reevaluate our outdated mindsets and beliefs. We need to free our society from the pressure of professional pessimists. We must remember that being free from negative thinking is the first step to success. Success comes from positive thinking.
My faith, devotion and belief in India’s infinite and eternal power grows with each passing day. Over the last decade, I have seen and experienced first-hand this Indian capability grow even more.
Just as we used the fourth and fifth decades of the twentieth century to give fresh impetus to the freedom movement, we must use these last 25 years of the twenty-first century to lay the foundations for a ‘Viksit Bharat’. The freedom struggle was an era that demanded great sacrifices. The present era calls for great and continuing contributions from all.
Swami Vivekananda said in 1897 that we should dedicate the next 50 years to our nation. Exactly 50 years after this call, in 1947, India achieved independence.
Today, we have the same golden opportunity. Let the next 25 years be dedicated solely to the nation. Our efforts will lay a strong foundation for the next generation and the next century and take India to new heights. The energy and enthusiasm of this country suggests that the goal is not far away. Let us act fast. Let us come together and create a Vikshit India.
These thoughts were penned by PM Modi between 4.15 pm and 7 pm on June 1 during his return flight from Kanyakumari to Delhi.
