(by Sadhubhusan das, ISKCON Manipur)
The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) at Imphal, Manipur along with ISKCON Youth Forum (IYF), Manipur, organized a seminar on Science and Spirituality on the 30th April 2016. The speakers of the seminar were His Holiness Subhag Swami and Professor Ramgopal Uppaluri, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati. The event was opened by an invocation by the students of the Bhaktivedanta Institute Mission Higher Secondary School who presented the Brahma Samhita prayers. Professor Uppaluri spoke on 'Meditation and Medication', focusing on the different aspects of medication, its uses, side effects and the alternative methods of how meditation helps to maintain one's bodily as well as spiritual well-being. The students and other participants appreciated the detailed descriptions and experimental data in the presentation.
His Holiness Subhag Swami presented a seminar on the Science of Happiness in an easily assimilable way for the students correlating the inspirational quotes of world famous doctors and scientists connecting them with the conclusions of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Speaking on how we consider happiness to be due to sense gratification and that the actual happiness or bliss comes when one establish himself on the platform spiritual understanding in relation with the Supreme Absolute Truth or Krishna and under the guidance of the proper spiritual authority. In conclusion Maharaj touched the point that we need to raise ourselves beyond the bodily platform to be able to see the oneness of the spirit then coming to the level of brahma bhuta, no lamentation no hankering, we can truly wish that'sarve sukhino bhavantu...let everybody be happy.' Subhag Swami has delivered lectures on science and spirituality at RIMS in the previous years also.
The seminar was made complete from all sides by a devotional Bengali group song and a cultural performance of the world famous Manipuri Rasa dance and the vibrant and colourful Lai Haraoba dance or Manipuri folk dance which were all presented by the medical students of the institute. The enthusiasm of the participating students and the delegates was inspirational. Book distribution and sumptuous prasadam made the closing of the event memorable for all.
We expresss our utmost gratitude to Dr. Sarada Ningthoujam, professor at the Department of Physiology, RIMS, Imphal, who gave so much of her time and took so much trouble to give a tangible shape to the event. Numerous thanks goes to the wonderful students of RIMS who volunteered to arrange the program. Our special appreciation goes to the staff and students of the Bhaktivedanta Institute Mission Higher Secondary School for opening the event by their invocation. We thank His Holiness Subhag Swami for blessing devotees at ISKCON Manipur by his presence and also Professor Ramgopal Uppaluri for giving us some valuable time. We seek the blessings of Srila Prabhupada and His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami so that we can also be a small part in their mission... 'prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra prachar hoibe mora nama.'