New Delhi, Dec 6: India and Russia further strengthened their cultural ties as part of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, highlighted by gifts of spiritual texts in Russian.
During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented President Putin with a Russian translation of the Bhagavad Gita, emphasizing the enduring spiritual connections between the two nations. “Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world,” PM Modi shared on social media.
In addition, Cheremin Sergey, Russia’s Minister for External Economic and International Relations, received a Russian translation of the ancient Sanskrit classic, Yoga-Vasishtha. This translation was produced jointly by the Rishi Vasishtha Institute, Moscow, and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi, led by Dr Shashi Bala and Olga Vlasenko.
Yoga-Vasishtha, attributed to Sage Vasishtha, offers profound philosophical guidance, addressing universal questions of human existence and providing lessons on overcoming sorrow, ego, fear, and dissatisfaction through self knowledge. Scholars believe this translation will inspire future generations of Russian readers, promoting reflection on universal consciousness and shared human values.
The exchange of these texts symbolizes a deepening of Indo-Russian people to people and cultural relations, complementing the broader strategic and economic cooperation discussed during President Putin’s visit.