In remembrance of the late Shankaracharya of SWAHA, Pt. Hari Prasad
The spiritual vision that the Shankaracharya of SWAHA Pt. Hari Prasad represented, has been transmitted through the generations to create the ethos of SWAHA. The values he cherished and taught remain a cornerstone of SWAHA’s values today. As we remember and reflect upon his contributions on the occasion of his birth anniversary on December 10, let us consider some of his words of wisdom:
The scriptures were created so that we could know who we truly are. Every human being is divine by nature. There are two sides to each of us: the physical body and the spiritual self. The spiritual self is the soul—the atman—which lives within everyone. The soul is eternal, everlasting and indestructible. Through the atman in us, we can recognise the Paramatman, the Supreme Creator.
Divinity lives inside us; all the holy places we worship outwardly also exist within our own being. But if we do not recognise this inner divinity, we cannot make use of it. We have been given a human body so that we can awaken this inner spirit, this divine consciousness and fight against the lower qualities: anger, greed, temptation and violence. Those lower tendencies constantly attack the mind. When our inner consciousness awakens, we rise above them and move through life in the right direction, realising who we truly are.
Our body is divine because it has come from a divine source. Through it, we perform actions. Good actions bring good results, and harmful actions bring suffering, even if the consequences appear only in another life. This is why some places enjoy peace and prosperity, while others experience difficulty and hardship. Scripture teaches that good and bad actions follow every person; this is divine law.
Human beings have a duty. We are called to become better, to help build a better country, to make ourselves happy and to bring happiness to others. We are all divine by nature, and our responsibility is to draw on that inner divinity: live righteously, uplift others and set a positive example for the world.
Shankaracharya Pt. Hari Prasad’s life was his message, an eternal message that fuels the flame of SWAHA. It continues to illuminate the path for all, drawing us towards the enlightenment that he fervently advocated.
