Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on December 7 asked Generation Z to read the Bhagavad Gita to seek solutions to the complexities of life.
Speaking at the valedictory function of the month-long ‘Bhagavadgitosava’ (reciting verses of Bhagavad Gita) organised by Paryaya Putthige Mutt and Sri Krishna Mutt at Udupi, Mr. Kalyan told the youth, “Do not treat Bhagavad Gita as a book to be kept in the pooja room wrapped in a red cloth. Read it if you are depressed. The Gita is your counsellor. If you are confused, it will become your mentor. If you are a leader, the Gita is your moral compass.”
He said that the new generation and young professionals of “this digital age live in a constant Kurukshetra and in a battlefield of information overload, career pressure, identity confusion, and loneliness.”
“For them, the Gita is not only a philosophy. It is a guide to mental strength and a manual for emotional resilience,” he added.
Asking the Hindu community to rear cows, the Deputy Chief Minister said that each family can adopt a cow.
“Before blaming other religions, why don’t we Hindus protect cows?” he asked.
“Cow slaughter continues in certain regions, threatening the ethical and economic foundations. By supporting cow protection initiatives, from community efforts to activities led by traditional mutts, we can safeguard cows,” he said.
Mr. Kalyan said that the mere recital of Gita verses is not enough and that its essence should be practised in life.
Sugunendra Tirtha, senior pontiff of Putthige Mutt, appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to include the teachings of Madhwacharya, a proponent of Dwaitha philosophy who founded the Ashta Mutts in Udupi, in the syllabi of schools in Andhra Pradesh. He further appealed to Mr. Kalyan to include the Bhagavad Gita’s teachings in school textbooks in Andhra Pradesh.
The seer said many components of composer Tyagaraja, a doyen of Carnatic music, have been lost. Efforts must be made to trace those compositions by opening a Tyagaraja Research Centre. The Andhra Pradesh government can do it, he added.
Published – December 07, 2025 08:09 pm IST
