THE INVITATION CARD
From Left: Fr. Keith Abranches, SJ-Rector of Dnobili College,
Dr. Fr. Nelson Falcao, SDB, The Pune Jesuit Provincial Fr.
Bhausaheb Sansare, SJ, Shri Abhay Tilak, Fr. Jaycelan MSFS,
Fr. Ovidi Pereira, SJ
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| Snehasadan Chairman Fr. Provincial of Pune Jesuits. |
‘From the point of view of humanity, today’s topic ‘Avatar Aani Tanudharan
(incarnation)’ is the most important and very valuable. If we go back to the history of every religion, we will notice, how much God is involved in the life of human beings. He as a tremendous interest in the lives of
(incarnation)’ is the most important and very valuable. If we go back to the history of every religion, we will notice, how much God is involved in the life of human beings. He as a tremendous interest in the lives of
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| Dr. Fr. Nelson Falcao, SDB |
the people’, said the Pune Jesuit Provincial Fr. Bhausaheb Sansare SJ in his Keynote address. He was speaking at the discourse organized at Snehasadan. The Jesuits Swami Amalananda, SJ, the then French Jesuit Fr. Deleury, later joined by Fr. Beneditty, SJ, the Hindustani Music copmposer and singer (he composed many excellent Marathi hymns and melodies for the Marathi speaking Christians.
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Dr. Sadanand More delivers his main addresson
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The famous book published was Catholic Sadgite) started living among the Hindu Brahmins in the Sadashiv Peth. Much later Rev. Fr. Matthew Lederle entered into this apostolate. The work of the Interfaith Dialogue began around 1958 between Hindus and Christians.he Varkari Sampraday Scholar, Mr. Abhay Tilak while expounding the Hindu understanding of Avatara in Vaishnava Tradition said, ‘The Sanskrit Avatar’ is derived from prefix ‘ava’ means ‘off, away, down’ and the verbal root ‘tr’ meaning ‘to cross over’. Thus the word ‘avatarnika’ that is ladder is derived from this word, by which someone comes down from above. Thus some one of higher status coming down to earth for salvation of mankind’, He further reiterated that human beings transact in a suitable manner is called Dharma.
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| Shri Abhay Tilak, Dr. Nelson Falcao, SDB place Baby Jesus |
The Varkari Sampraday Scholar, Mr. Abhay Tilak while expounding the Hindu understanding of Avatara in Vaishnava Tradition said, ‘The Sanskrit Avatar’ is derived from prefix ‘ava’ means ‘off, away, down’ and the verbal root ‘tr’ meaning ‘to cross over’. Thus the word ‘avatarnika’ that is ladder is derived from this word, by which someone comes down from above. Thus some one of higher status coming down to earth for salvation of mankind’, He further reiterated that human beings transact in a suitable manner is called Dharma.
‘The Avatar descends upon the universe in order to establish suitable order in the chaotic moral conduct of human transactions. However, in the Bhakti Tradition of Maharshtra’s Varkari Sampradaya, even the devotion of devotee forces gods to assume avatar on earth is the power of devotion or Bhakta's devotion has given a different twist to the world of Avataras,’ underlined the Scholar. The Program began with the lighting of the Traditional Samai. Mr. Tilak, Fr. Nelson Falcao SDB and Rv. Fr. Provincial placed the statue of Baby Jesus in the manger. Beginning his discourse with opening shlokas of Kristpurana, Fr. Nelson Falcao presented the account of the Hindu Avataras in Vaishnava Sect as he also pointed out some salient similarities between Avatara and Tanudharan. ‘They both are physical in nature and yet are both highest in form and free from everything. Moreover, they express God’s personal care and love as well as value love and devotion more than knowledge’, said he. Dr. Nelson Falcao wrote his doctoral thesis on ‘The Khristpuran’.
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| Rapt Audience |
The Bhagavadgita was written in the Sanskrit language comprehensible only to the Brahmins. Taking up the cause of the simple people in search of a way to pray therefore, Sant Dnyaneswar wrote ‘Dnyanewari’ his well-known and much loved commentary on the Bhagavadgita in the ordinary man’s language. Thus he made the sacred book accessible to the most ordinary human beings for devotion. Similarly, the sacred New Testament of the Bible was inaccessible to the ordinary Christian Catholic converts from the Hindu religious tradition in the 16th Century. The then English Jesuit Priest Fr. Stefans being aware of this spiritual hunger of the neophytes, wrote ‘The Khristpurana’ the life of Christ in the Dnyaneshwari fashion, in the Marathi of Sant Dnyaneshwar with equal ease.
‘The Khristapuran’ Scholar further said, ‘Just as the life of Rama is an ideal for the Hindus, likewise Jesus Christ too was not only concerned about the transcendental life but he very much cared for the lives of the people here and now. He too worked for establishing peace, justice and love. Of course by way of differences the Hindu Religious Worldview is cyclic whereas Christian Religious Worldview is linear’, pointed Dr. Falcao.
‘There is neither agreement in the number of Avataras, nor there is a single idea about the same. However, Ishwar (God) embraces an Avatara to bring in and establish the Dharma (moral/ethical Order in the universe),’ said the celebrated speaker Dr. Sadanand More. He is a well-known speaker not only in the Pune city but all over Maharashtra for his Kirtans. Rev. Fr. Superior welcomed and felicitated the prolific writer and professor at the University of Pune. One time Head of the Philosophy Department at the same university, the tenth generation issue in the family of Sant Tukaram presided over the program.
Present for this program were the rector of De Nobili College-Fr. Kieth Abranches SJ, the Parish Priest of St. Francis de Sales Church-Fr. Jaycelan MSFS, the director and Superior of St. Joseph’s Technical-Fr. Subhash Tribhuvan SJ, the manager and Superior of Loyola High school-Fr. Peter D’Cruz SJ, the veteran Fr. Theo de Sales SJ, the Socius to the Pune Provincial-Fr. Francis D’Souza SJ, Fr. Valente Fernandes SJ and Br. Sandeep Jagtap SJ. It was heartening to see the fraternity of Pune Province endorsing the Dialogue ministry at Snehasadan Institute for the Study of Religion.
Mr. Vishwas Chakranarayan brought a group of Hindu youth from his Housing Society to decorate the Institute Hall for this Dialogue event, a true team work. The program came to a close with Christmas snacks to all the present.
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