Report
Shri Shankar Shikshayatan concluded its annual discussion on Pandit Madhusudan Ojha’s Indravijaya with a two-day seminar at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, Delhi, on December 28-29, 2024.
Inaugural Session
In this session, the Vice Chancellor of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, Prof. Murali Manohar Pathak, who chaired the session, said that the two-day national seminar would provide an opportunity to showcase the ancient history and geography of India. He said history or itihasa was an integral part of the Vedas. There are several shrutis in these texts which offer a clear glimpse of Bharatavarsha’s history and geographical boundaries.
Introducing the subject, Prof.Santosh Kumar Shukla, Centre of Sanskrit and Indic Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, pointed out that there were two forms of history–one which revolved around the history of kings and rulers and other about the creation of the universe. The history of the creation of the universe is contained in the Purana. The history of mortal kings and rulers is known as itihasa. There is a reason why the Mahabharata and Ramayana are known as the itihasa of Bharatavarsha.
Prof. Gopal Prasad Sharma, Acharya, Department of Vedas, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, said that Indra was the main character in Indravijaya. Indra is the first king of Bharatavarsha or India. Therefore, the history of India is determined by the valour of Indra.
Prof. Sundar Narayan Jha, Acharya, Department of Vedas, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, said that the boundary of India was very vast–from the Red Sea to the China Sea.
Prof. Vishnupad Mohapatra, Acharya, Department of Justice, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, said that there were clear references to Indra’s victory in many verses of the Rigveda. There is also a reference to the war between devas and asuras. This proves that Indra has an important role in the history of India.
Second Session
This session was presided over by Prof. Devendra Prasad Mishra, Acharya, Veda Department, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit
University. He said that Pandit Madhusudan Ojha’s book was unique. It contains the history of entire India.
Is. In which the history of entire India is available. In the fifth chapter of this book, there are references to rishis and sages, namely Vishwamitra, Kutsa,Hiranyastup, Savya, Gritsamada, Vamadev, Madhuchhandas, Sumitra, Durmitra Vabhru, Avasyu, Gaatu, Samvarna, Vasukra, Vasukra, Vairup, Vamdevya, Kanva, Shrushtigu, Medhya, Gautam, Aurava, Nrimedha, Purumedh, Dyutan and Saptagu. A victorious Indra was greeted by all these sages. These references provide a major contribution in determining the history of India.
Other speakers included Prof. Ram Chandra Sharma, Professor, Department of Justice, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, Prof. Harish, Acharya, Department of Sanskrit, Kirori Mal College, Delhi University,Prof. Satish Kumar Mishra, Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Hansraj College, Delhi University, Dr. Dhananjay Mani Tripathi, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Dr. Mamta Tripathi, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Gargi College, Delhi University,Dr. Mani Shankar Dwivedi, Jamia Millia Islamia, Dr. Praveen Kumar Dwivedi, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Prof. Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University, Bhagalpur, and Dr. Arvind, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Meerut College, Meerut.
Third Session
Presided over by Prof. Ramraj Upadhyay, Acharya, Priesthood Department, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, pointed out that there were many technical terms in Indravijaya which called for a detailed analysis. Prof. Suman Kumar Jha, Professor, Department of Literature, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, said that the basic mantra of Aryans was Omkar and that it was worshipable. They all lived in harmony. Prof. Vijay Garg, Acharya, Department of Sanskrit, Hindu College, Delhi University said that Indus-Saraswati river used to flow in the area. There was a city named Saraswati on its banks. The Surya Sadan or the solar planetarium was situated in the same city.Prof. Ramanuj Upadhyay, Acharya, Veda Department, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit University, Dr. Kuldeep Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala,Dr. Arvind Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Sanskrit Department, Adarsh Vedic College Inter College, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Vijay Shankar Dwivedi, Department of Sanskrit, Delhi University, Dr. Sarita Dubey, Guest Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Jamia Millia Islamia, Dr. Sangeeta Sharma, Guest Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Jamia Millia Islamia, Dr. Madhav Gopal, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University, Dr. Kamini, Assistant Professor, Sanskrit Department, Mata Sundari College, Delhi University and Dr. Arpit Kumar Dubey, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Morarji Desai National Yoga University, New Delhi were other speakers who spoke during the session.
Closing Session
In this session, the Indian Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, delivered his speech as the chief guest through an online medium. In his speech, he explained the importance of the name of Bharatvarsha. Read his transcript here:https://shankarshikshayatan.org/ambassador-akhilesh-mishra-on-pandit-madhusudan-ojhas-indravijaya/
Well-known scholar of history, former chairperson of National Memorial Authority, Prof. Susmita Pandey in her presidential address said that a vivid explanation of the genesis of Creation has been given in the Rigveda’s nasadiya sukta. Pandit Madhusudan Ojha has explained these theories in various books on Creation, including Dashavadarahasyam.
Over 100 scholars participated and 30 papers were presented during the two-day seminar which was conducted by Dr. Lakshmi Kant Vimal, Research Officer of Shri Shankar Shikshayatan.