-Subhoshree Mitra, General Secretary

Sophia Club organized a lecture which was held in March,2018 and our guest lecturer was Swami Shri Hari Prasad and along with our own HOD, Dept. of Arts, Prof. Dr. Anthony Savari Raj. 

After an opening and welcome by Sophia Club’s Vice President Sadvansha Munshi. Anthony sir welcomed Swami Ji, he then with a gleaming face, told us about his friendship with him and how open and big a heart he had. Swami Ji then started his lecture first by briefly explaining the four purusharthas, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. He started the lecture with slight humour and told us that each separate person has his own understanding of these purusharthas and he could only impart to us what his own understanding was, we were free to learn and form and understanding of our own. To understand them we should know the words of the scriptures themselves, everybody does not believe and those who do believe, they believe in only some of them.

Swami Ji then explained dharma and how the four pillars which guided it, principle of righteousness, honesty of purpose, truthfulness and not hurting others. Following these life moves forward in a proper way. Dharma is culture 

specific; every place has their own traditions which they follow. Dharma has few more shastras under it, but to study them would take time. Then there is artha shastra, which dictates what a person aims in his life and how to achieve it. Many people have similar aims in life but they are never the same. Each person has a different outlook to life. How one achieves success in life and the morals which guide us to the right actions done in a proper way. A narrow mined person will take his decisions viewing those close to him as family and a deeper and more understanding person will take the same decisions viewing the entirety of the population and mother earth as his family. Kama, the next shastra gives us the knowledge about not only physical pleasure but it also explains love for other people and the world. It explains all types of pleasure in life and thus has 64 further shastras under it. There exist shastras even for cooking and enjoying food. It guides people to understand that if there is a thing in your life you will enjoy it and if it is not present you won’t mind its absence. Finally there is moksha, which makes you ask yourself questions like who you are to yourself, what is the most important thing for you and may more. By observing yourself you can achieve moksha. Experiences in life are only to show you where you are and where you can go from there, they are not meant to tie you down. All of these shastras have negative effects if overly done, Kama can make a person only strive for physical pleasure, dharma can restrict your view to only what you believe in and artha can give you frustration when you compare yourself to others. All the shastras therefore have to learnt and not overdone.

He concluded his lecture by telling us that we shouldn’t keep asking questions and we should look for answers ourselves instead. We need to liberate ourselves from ideas which control us and make us their slaves. Nobody can free a slave who doesn’t want to be freed; only you yourself can strive for liberation in your life.

The lecture followed a quick Q & A sessions where Swami Ji gave us answers which opened our minds more. The vote of thanks was given by Robin sir; he thanked Anthony sir for planning this event and thanked Sophia Club for their work to prepare a suitable stage for that lecture and making this event successful and meaningful. 

All students walked out realising that they had now been given a torch which would help them shine some light on their lives and guide them on their journey of life.