- A sacred confluence of Ramcharitmanas, knowledge and universal compassion unfolds at Harvard
- ‘Manas Guru Prasad’ marks Morari Bapu’s 40th Ram Katha in the United States and 982nd overall
- Nine-day spiritual odyssey brings together saints, scholars, writers, thinkers and Katha narrators
- First Tulsi Janmotsav outside India to celebrate Goswami Tulsidasji’s timeless spiritual legacy
NE SPIRITUAL BUREAU
BOSTON, AUG 16
When the sacred verses of the Ramcharitmanas resonated within the hallowed precincts of Harvard University on India’s 80th Independence Day, it became more than the beginning of a nine-day spiritual discourse—it was a luminous confluence of India’s timeless wisdom, universal values and the quest for knowledge.
Morari Bapu’s 982nd Ram Katha, titled ‘Manas Guru Prasad’, commenced at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, on August 15, marking his 40th Ram Katha in the United States. Organised by Lord Dolar Popat and his family, the Katha will continue till August 23.
The opening of the Katha on India’s Independence Day lent a profound spiritual dimension to the national celebration. The programme commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp and Vedic ghanapath, followed by a traditional welcome ceremony by the organisers and Lord Dolar Popat.
Saints and spiritual leaders from India, Katha narrators, writers, scholars, thinkers and distinguished guests from different walks of life attended the inaugural programme.
Reflecting on the extraordinary coming together of Harvard, the Ramcharitmanas and the spiritual gathering, Bapu described it as a meeting of “hard work and heart work” and observed that the world today needs the language of saints.
Expressing gratitude for the welcome and respect extended to the Katha, Bapu said:
“This was meant to happen, and therefore it is happening. This is not historical, it is spiritual.”
A scripture to be lived, not merely worshipped
Describing the Ramcharitmanas as a sadgrantha, or noble scripture, with universal relevance, Bapu underlined truth, love and compassion as its three foundational principles.
He emphasised that the spiritual wisdom contained in the Manas cannot remain confined to ritual or reverence, but must become part of everyday conduct.
“Until a word becomes an action, nothing really comes of it. This is a scripture meant to be lived,” Bapu said.
Drawing a spiritual distinction between a granth and a granthi, Bapu explained that a granthi represents an inner knot that causes a person to cling to and protect rejection, whereas a granth opens a pathway from rejection towards acceptance.
In the intellectual setting of Harvard, Bapu said the presence of the Ramcharitmanas was entirely natural, as literature recognises it as a mahakavya, or great epic. He recalled that Goswami Tulsidasji went beyond describing it merely as a great epic and also presented it as a mahamantra.
From rejection to acceptance, from intellect to inner awakening
Bapu also reflected on the need to transcend both the worldly and the other-worldly in order to discover what is original and fundamental.
On the opening day, he narrated the story of Kunala and Emperor Ashoka, using it to illuminate the destructive consequences of rejection and the transformative strength of compassion.
He also dwelt upon the architecture of the Manas, including its seven stages and the sequence of salutations offered to the deities, the Guru and the principal characters of the Ramayana.
Articulating his spiritual aspiration, Bapu said:
“I have no mission, but I do have a sweet aspiration that the heart becomes a thinker and the intellect rises beyond the three gunas,” Bapu said.
Tulsi Janmotsav crosses India’s shores
The nine-day spiritual gathering carries another historic significance—the first celebration of Tulsi Janmotsav outside India.
Around 50 Katha narrators from different parts of India, along with Gujarati writers, poets, artists and eminent personalities representing diverse fields, are participating in the celebrations.
Tulsi Janmotsav will be observed on August 19, coinciding with Tulsi Jayanti, adding another sacred dimension to the Harvard Katha.
Alongside the daily Ram Katha, the programme will feature evening sessions with discourses by scholars and eminent speakers, creating a broader dialogue between spirituality, literature, philosophy and contemporary thought.
The ongoing ‘Manas Guru Prasad’ Katha thus carries a special milestone in Morari Bapu’s spiritual journey. Having previously conducted 39 Ram Kathas in the US, the present Katha becomes his 40th on American soil and 982nd Ram Katha overall—bringing the universal message of the Ramcharitmanas into one of the world’s most renowned centres of learning.
