Vatican Keeps Extensive Collection Of Hindu Texts
The Vatican Library carries an extensive collection of ancient Hindu scriptures and various other Hinduism related texts.
Catalogue search reveals books on Rig-Veda, Atharva-Veda, Sama-Veda, Upanishads, Mundaka-Upanishad, Brhadaranyaka-Upanishad, Chandogya-Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, Svetasvatara-Upanishad, Bhagavat-Puran, Devimahatmya, Ramayana, Valmiki-Ramayana, Tulsidas-Ramayana, Mahabharata, Nala-Damayanti, Bhagavad-Gita, Parsuram, Mira, Wise Sayings of Bhartrhari, Bhaktiyoga, Krishna, Ramcharitmanas, Ramanuja, Brahma, Brahmanas, Hindu civilization, Hindu manners-customs-ceremonies, Hindu music, Hindu pantheon, Hindu psychology, Hindu theology, Yoga, Hinduism, Yoga-system of Patanjali, Yogic Powers and God Realization, etc. This Hindu collection is in various languages and some of the editions are as old as 1819.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauding Holy See and Pope Benedict, said that it was a remarkable gesture and a step in the right direction to understand each other. Zed invited Pope for a deeper study of ancient Hindu scriptures, which were very rich in philosophical thought, and offered to provide help if asked.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also commended Vatican for including well-known verse from Brhadaranyaka-Upanishad (“Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.”), line from Tagore’s Gitanjali (“Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.”), and reference to Mahatma Gandhi in “Way of the Cross at the Colesseum” Meditations and Prayers on Good Friday 2009 led by Pope and put together by Vatican Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.
Rajan Zed further said that in 200-page “Verbum Domini” (The Word of the Lord) apostolic exhortation released on November 11, 2010, Pope Benedict wrote about “the sense of the sacred, sacrifice and fasting…” in Hinduism.
Zed argues that in our shared pursuit for the truth, we can learn from one another and thus can arrive nearer to the truth. Dialogue may help us vanquish the stereotypes, prejudices, caricatures, etc., passed on to us from previous generations. As dialogue brings us reciprocal enrichment, we shall be spiritually richer than before the contact.
Vatican Library (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana) in Vatican City, library of the Holy See, whose traces go back to fourth century, has manuscripts, printed books, prints and drawings, coins and medals. His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Raffaele Farina is the librarian of the Holy Roman Church while Monsignor Cesare Pasini is the Prefect. It is said to hold about 75,000 manuscripts and over 1.1 million books, which includes Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209, the oldest known nearly complete manuscript of the Bible.
Too bad that someone does not keep an extensive historical record exampled by groups like Iran, that are too religious but are not accepted like the people in Israel are not by the united States…but are declared terrorists, at least until the uSA can get their own politicians completely out of trouble and also find some type ground to state they maintain a wholesome place for people to live.
The uS is currntly turning their back on Millions of their own citizens to help insurance companies not go broke like they almost did in the late 80’s from the spread of the HIV virus and VD epidemic.
Today…it is reported that the uS has been stock piling samples of dna material from women to study how to turn the genetic material into another perfect ovarian egg.
At least people will not accuse the Catholic of being in the uS solely for the reason of making money like some have accused other religious groups of being listed in the same clasification as bike riders have been as a group.
Good article…