Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 10: Veteran scholar and Shatavadhani Dr Ra Ganesh has strongly spelt out his reservations against the practice of drawing parallels between socialism and philosophy.

He was delivering the valedictory address at the two-day national level Sammelan of Karnataka Darashana Parishat, which concluded at Rajangan of Sri Krishna Math here on Monday March 9.

Ganesh argued that to be able to properly understand and analyze the western socialism principles like that of Karl Marx, an in-depth study of the scriptures of Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa should necessarily be conducted. "In the recent past, efforts are being made to project Dr Ambedkar as a harbinger of socialism. If we study his original works, it becomes evident that his principles have philosophical aspects in them," he noted.

If at all the people have nurtured a feeling that the tradition of Indian philosophy has dried up, one can safely consider them as ignorant. The debate on realism and idealism that took birth in the recent past had been generated long back in India through 'Dwaita' and 'Vishishtadwaita' principles, Ganesh pointed out.

The philosophy has dealt with subjects like the connection between world, life, Lord, attachments, liberation etc. At least five thousand students of philosophy may be required to give rise to about a hundred visionaries. Any other subject can get a sense of totality only when philosophy is also studied along with them, he argued.

Paryaya Puttige Math Swamiji Sugunendrateertha presided. Kundapur Seva Sangam director Dr S N Padiyar, DK district Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pradip Kumar Kalkura and various other dignitaries were present.