India exists because Adiguru Shankaracharya existed, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday after inaugurated a 108-feet tall statue of the spiritual leader in his 12-year-old self.
The perfectly sculpted ‘Statue of the Oneness’ against the backdrop of cloudy sky is an awe-inspiring sight on the banks of the Narmada.
The Chief Minister inaugurated it with the chanting of slokas by thousands of saints and said that all disputes in the world could be resolved by Advaita philosophy propagated by Adiguru Shankaracharya.
“The solution to all disputes, all disputes and fights in the world lies in Advaita Vedanta. It’s not just my belief, many people in the world believe it,” Chauhan said at the foundation stone ceremony of Advait Lok – a museum showcasing the life of Adiguru Shankaracharya.
“India exists because Adiguru Shankaracharya existed. Had he not been born, India would not have been culturally united. Lord Rama connected India from north to south, Lord Krishna connected India from east to west, but Adiguru Shankaracharya connected India from all sides,” Chauhan said.
More than 5,000 saints, including Swami Avdheshananda Giri, who pioneered the move, attended the event while Chauhan offered pooja at the foot of the idol atop a 54-foot-high plinth on Mandhata Hill.