Mysuru: It is a sad commentary of the times that great souls are being confined to particular sects, community or castes, regretted MLA S.A. Ramdas. He was speaking after inaugurating Sri Shankara Jayanti and Philosophers’ Day celebrations organised by the Karnataka Sena Pade at the Shringeri Shankar Mutt here on Sunday and said that in the present day circumstances, the whole world was in search of peace.

Sri Shankaracharya, in his preaching, has talked about what is required for a worthwhile and peaceful life. However, the tragedy is that, in the present political system, all such great souls have been confined to the castes they are born, he regretted. A meaningful life always means thinking about the human values and how to imbibe them in our lives. This is what Shankaracharya has said. He had seen the Chandala (lowest caste) as a Shiva.

But today, this action of the great Acharya is being viewed and debated in many ways. Shankaracharya’s thinking is timeless. This is why his greatness has endured for all these centuries, said Ramdas.

On the occasion, Sri Shankara Ratna awards were presented to achievers in various fields — Akhila Bharata Congress Samaja Seva Samiti State President P. Lakshman Prabhu, Corporator B.V. Manjunath, LIC officer Dr. P. Shantharaje Urs, Science teacher N.V. Dinesh, Dr. K. Krishnamurthy, Samshodhana Pratishtana Founder Dr. K. Leela Prakash, St. Mother Teresa Virtual University Registrar Dr. R. Vijaya Sarswathi and Social Activist Mohammad Nazeer.

Along with this, Pratibha Puraskar was presented to students who had scored the highest marks in SSLC exams.

BJP Leader Yashasvi Somashekar, Mysuru City and District Brahmana Sangha’s D.T. Prakash, Congress former City President Ravishankar and others were present.