Happiness of soul equally important along with technological progress: Ram Nath Kovind

Kolkata, Dec 27 (PTI) Ensuring happiness of the soul is equally important in an age where technology is progressing at a “supersonic speed”, former President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday.

Kovind said science and spirituality are not contradictory, but two sides of the same coin, which work hand in hand for the betterment of society.

Addressing the ‘World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality’ meet here, Kovind said “this is an age where amazing strides have been made by technological marvels”, but that is one side of the story.

“Science and spirituality are not disparate things, they complement each other. Scientists dedicate life in search of truth and their quest is called ‘sadhana’,” he said.

“Technology is progressing at supersonic speed as today we live in a networked world, as these are exciting times but human needs go beyond material comforts,” Kovind said, stressing on the “thirst” for reaching spiritual roots “which entails a journey within our self” for self-discovery.

Kovind said saints like Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Maa Sarada and Swami Vivekananda, who were in pursuit of spirituality, were from Bengal and they had rejected worldly comfort, but at the same time, debunked the notion about spiritual quest and ‘sanyas’.

“Saints like Swamiji dispelled the misconception that spiritual quest is not possible without attaining ‘sanyas’,” the former president said, adding, Swami Vivekananda approached spirituality in a scientific manner.

“For Swami Vivekananda, spirituality was not reflected in the act of renunciation. It is reflected in day-to-day action,” he said.

Calling for an enabling environment where people can pursue spiritual exploration after meeting their daily economic needs, he said “poverty and hunger prevent spiritual quest of an individual”.