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Bhagavad Gita Key to Crime Prevention, Says Seer at University Seminar
Shivamogga, India – November 18, 2025 – The Bhagavad Gita possesses the power to address the root causes of crime, according to Gangadharendra Saraswati Swami, seer of Sonda Swarnavalli Mutt. Speaking at the inauguration of the seminar on ‘Bhagavad Gita and Prevention of Crime’ at Kuvempu University on Tuesday, the seer stated that unchecked desire and hatred, originating in the senses and mind, are primary drivers of criminal behavior. He argued that by learning to control these impulses through the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, individuals can be steered away from criminal activity.
The seer highlighted the rising crime rate in India, including cybercrimes, with crimes against women reaching 4.48 lakh cases in 2023. He mentioned the Bhagavad Gita Abhiyana, a program started in 2007, which has taken the Gita’s teachings to prisons with the aim of reforming inmates.
However, the seminar was not without controversy. Vice-Chancellor Sharath Ananthamurthy expressed that the program should have included a session that also discussed the views of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on the Bhagavad Gita, especially because the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti protested because the Bhagavad Gita defends the Chaturvarna system.
“There is a need to discuss an issue from all possible angles and perspectives,” he said.
The seminar, a collaborative effort between Kuvempu University, Swarnarashmi Trust of Shivamogga, and Bhagavad Gita Abhiyana Samiti of Shivamogga district, also featured remarks from MLC D.S. Arun, advocate Ashok Bhat, and University Finance Officer H.N. Ramesh, among others.
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