Hindu scholar says West can benefit from Eastern culture

Returning to the campus where he earned his second doctoral degree in 1997, Shree Panditji Rajmani Tigunait, an author and spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, lectured before a classroom of students in Logan Hall yesterday on "Vedic Culture in the 21st Century." The Hindu Students Council and the Young Jains of America co-sponsored the event along with the South Asian Regional Studies Department, marking their first official forum this semester. Vedic culture, based on the sacred texts of Hinduism, has its roots in thousands of years of Indian philosophy. An important idea within the culture is mutual respect, the unification of religions and the reconciliation of Eastern and Western ideologies. Alternative medicines -- such as meditation, Hatha yoga and Ayurvedic medicine -- are also major aspects of Vedic culture. Derived from nature, they are intended to open the mind, increase blood flow and improve one's quality of life. While inherently a part of Vedic culture, those healing techniques are nevertheless easily adaptable to Western society, Tigunait said. "Vedic culture and the spiritual sciences can create a bridge between ancient-modern, spirituality-science and East-West," he said. "What is known as holistic health, integrated medicine, yoga and Ayurvedic medicine has already become very popular in the United States." In addition to lecturing to his audience, Tigunait offered a universal message. "On one level his message was geared towards the responsibility of Hindu students in America," said College junior Samir Shah, president of the Hindu Students Council. "But Tigunait also had a humanitarian message in his speech, one that stressed that people of all races and religions can benefit from Vedic culture." Tigunait also expressed a need for heightened awareness of Hindu culture in the United States. He maintained that this should be a priority for Hindu Americans. "There is currently no incentive or organization regarding Indian culture that is compatible with the American mentality and taste," Tigunait said. "High-quality material in the form of magazines, videos, audios, books and multi-media is needed to create a platform for dialogue on Vedic culture in this country." The theme of Tigunait's presentation was perhaps best represented by a common saying in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India: "All humanity is a single family."