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Rajan Zed urges to display Sanskrit scriptures in Louisiana classrooms alongside Ten Commandments
The religious leader argued that this would make students “enlightened citizens of tomorrow”.
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Rajan Zed is the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism / Courtesy Photo
Days after Republican Governor Jeff Landry signed a law, mandating display of the Ten Commandments in Louisiana public classrooms, a Hindu religious leader has sought to have ancient Sanskrit scriptures displayed alongside as well.
In a statement, Rajan Zed said that Hindus support the law, provided that posters featuring verses from the ancient Sanskrit scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), are also displayed alongside.
Zed emphasized that the Bhagavad-Gita is a "historically significant document” and is "recognized throughout the world," and therefore is a "treasure that should be displayed in public school classrooms" in Louisiana. He noted that this sacred text is considered the word of God spoken by Lord Krishna himself.
To facilitate this, the Hindu community has offered to cover all costs associated with creating, printing, and mounting these 11"x14" posters, ensuring no financial burden falls on the state, school districts, or schools, he said.
Zed serves as the President of the Universal Society of Hinduism.
Highlighting the influence of the Bhagavad-Gita, Zed mentioned several prominent Americans who were reportedly inspired by the text, including essayist-philosopher Henry David Thoreau, theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, novelist-philosopher Aldous Huxley, essayist-poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, and theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. Zed pointed out that the Bhagavad-Gita has fascinated and impacted millions of readers worldwide over the centuries.
He also described the Bhagavad-Gita as a philosophical and intensely spiritual poem that addresses the nature of action, religious and social duty, the human relationship to God, the means of liberation, and the nature of sacrifice.
He further argued that displaying verses from the Bhagavad-Gita in Louisiana's religiously diverse public school classrooms would result in students becoming well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow. Additionally, it would infuse morality and ethics into Louisiana classrooms, he said.
There are about three million Hindus in the United States.
Louisiana is reportedly the first US state to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in every public classroom.
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