[Advaita-l] An impressive profile of speakers at the Festival of Oneness 2023

[V Subrahmanian]

A study of the profiles of the 50 speakers during the Festival of Oneness
2023

https://indica.events/event/global-festival-of-oneness-gfo2023/#speaker34

brings out a very happy message. There are many engineers, doctorates and
management degree holders from prestigious Institutes. There are those who
have studied Veda and those who have attained great scholarship in various
traditional Shastras. That there are so many who have taken to deep study
and practice of Advaita is indeed heartening. Only 50 have got a chance to
speak during this festival. There might have been many who  could not be
accommodated in this festival.

There are countless aspirants of Advaita all over the world engaged in a
deep study and Sadhana,  coming from a wide variety of educational and
professional backgrounds. In this list there are a few Sannyasins too who
have had Engineering education as well. There are so many who are coming
forward to share their knowledge with others by writing and delivering
lectures. There are those taking classes to the benefit of a huge number of
seekers of Advaita all over the world.

A committed listening to the uploaded lectures of this season itself
constitutes an ennobling learning experience.

There is a famous saying that characterizes the unique nature of knowledge,
Vidya:


न चौरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं
न भ्रातृभाज्यं न च भारकारि।
व्यये कृते वर्धत एव नित्यं
विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानम्॥


It ((knowledge) cannot be stolen by thieves, nor can it be seized by kings.
It cannot be divided among brothers and it does not cause a load on your
shoulders. If spent, it indeed always keeps growing. The wealth of
knowledge is the most superior wealth of all.

सा विद्या या विमुक्तये

That is knowledge which liberates one from bondage.

Om