United States Congressman, Raja Krishnamoorthi, who represents the 8th Congressional District of Illinois, lauded His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji of the Avadhoota Datta Peetham of Mysore, India, for his vision behind the Gita Mahayajna Initiative, while sharing he has taken his oaths of office on the sacred Bhagavad Gita.
On July 20, 2024, Congressman Krishnamoorthi addressed a gathering of over 5,000 people at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, for the “Sampoorna Bhagavad Gita Parayana,” during the Gita Utsav. The event, event jointly organized by the SGS Gita Foundation, and the Krishna Datta Hanuman Temple (KDHT), featured around 2,000 participants including 500 memorizers, 500 fluent readers from the 9th batch, and 1000 alumni, who came together to chant all 700-plus verses of the Bhagavad Gita.
The Congressman shared with the audience that his full name is Raja Krishnamoorthi and expressed that it was “only appropriate” for him to be part of the event celebrating the Gita and Sri Krishna.
“I think about the Bhagavad Gita a lot. I swore my oath to the Constitution on the Bhagavad Gita. The timeless truths of the Bhagavad Gita, you all know – have faith, do your duty, and don’t be attached to the results. Those are lessons that I try to apply in my own work in the United States Congress.”
“Sri Swamiji has inspired countless people around the world, including here in the United States. I’m so honored to welcome him to the best Congressional District in the country, mine,” Krishnamoorthi said congratulating all the chanters including a three-year-old boy, the youngest chanter in the crowd. “Three-years-old. Can you believe that? And, what they have memorized, what they are chanting, are timeless lessons that we will all learn from. It’s so impressive to see this group of people. Hopefully, one of these days, you will chant Bhagavad Gita in Washington DC.”
Krishnamoorthi invited Sri Swamiji to the nation’s capital, expressing his honor in attending the event, which celebrated the chanters, the Bhagavad Gita, and Sri Swamiji.
Sri Swamiji consistently emphasizes that every chapter of the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata offer “moral lessons” – it is more than just “mythological stories.” Viewing them as mere myths can lead to unnecessary doubts and questions. Instead, one should delve into the deeper meanings of these texts. By studying and understanding the verses of the Bhagavad Gita, people can find answers to the challenges encountered in their modern-day lives.
After the chanting concluded, Sri Swamiji expressed his joy and noted “You have all taken me to the abode of Lord Krishna. You are all forms of Krishna.” He told participants that their ability to chant even a single verse of the Bhagavad Gita is a result of good karma from previous births and assured them that chanting one chapter a day would provide strength and protection.
“You have forgotten your phone for 3-4 hours. How lucky you are. We can’t stay without our phone for even a second. It is like our breath,” said Sri Swamiji stressing that the Bhagavad Gita chanting will help alleviate problems. “I am not here in Chicago. I am in Krishna’s world. You must continue chanting the Bhagavad Gita despite any challenges in your lives.”
He commended parents of the participants for keeping their children focused on completing the Bhagavad Gita, despite kids go through so many distractions.
“It’s a huge miracle,” he noted. “Whether you have come to the Bhagavad Gita journey by accident or out of love, you are all very lucky.”
Sri Swamiji also participated in the Guru Purnima celebrations on July 21st at the Now Arena, where thousands of people participated and received blessings from Sri Swamiji.
“The Guru resides in our hearts, observing all our actions,” he told the gathering, conveying they were fortunate to have celebrated Guru Purnima. While acknowledging that traveling can be challenging, whether in India or the US, despite available facilities, he pointed out “Your presence here is a result of past virtues.”
Explaining the significance of Guru Purnima, he continued “Guru Purnima is a day to honor the lineage of Gurus. Regardless of your education, it holds little value if you don’t remember or acknowledge your Guru. With the Guru’s grace, you gain true knowledge.”
