Ranjan Das
Patkai
Introduction: When Shlokas Meet Statecraft
In a digital world where everything moves fast, from food and fashion to even elections, the image of a global leader quoting the Upanishads while discussing GDP might seem surprising. But in India, it’s simply part of who Prime Minister Narendra Modi is. Whether addressing the United Nations or launching a development scheme in rural India, he invokes India’s civilizational soul as naturally as he talks about infrastructure, innovation, or artificial intelligence. For him, quoting scripture is not about performance; it is about our collective philosophy of this nation.
A 272-page edited volume comprising 34 speeches delivered by Modi between 2015 and 2024 on various occasions was launched on April 18, 2025, i.e. the World Heritage Day, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). The volume, titled asSanskriti Ka Paanchva Adhyay, was unveiled in the presence of spiritual and cultural luminaries like Swami Avdheshanand Giri Maharaj, Harivansh Ji, Ram Bahadur Rai Ji, and others. This volume is compiled by Dr. Prabhat Ojha and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book is by no means about election slogans or political memoirs. Instead, it offers deep cultural insights of timeless wisdom, serves as a contemporary guide for 7,000-year-old national soul, and stands out as one of the most grounding reads in our digital, data-driven era. This essay is a humble attempt to introduce this masterpiece by highlighting its key themes.
Sanatan Dharma: The Timeless Blueprint of Civilisation
We must begin with the central theme of this cultural discourse: Sanatan Dharma. This is not about Lord Ganesha as a metaphor, but the foundational spirit underpinning Bharatiya thought. Unlike ideologies that emerge and expire with the shifting of governments, Sanatan Dharma has no expiry because it had no beginning. It is the philosophical blueprint of our civilisation. It is unbranded, all-inclusive, and ever-evolving.
Prime Minister Modi presents Sanatan Dharma not as a religion but as a human operating system. Its purpose is not dominance but integration. He connects it to environmental consciousness, compassionate living, personal discipline, and even curiosity about the cosmos and matter particle. Whether on international stages, diaspora gatherings, or domestic platforms, Modi invokes Sanatan Dharma not as an reminiscence of the past, but as a guide for the present and future. He embodies Sanatan Dharma as a global culture that is relevant and appealing to all human beings. He portrays temples as beyond just as places of prayer, but as architectural encyclopedias and community centres infused with ancient wisdom. Festivals, rituals, and folk traditions, often ridiculed as backward in colonial or postcolonial narratives, are redefined by him as dynamic social and personal laboratories of dharmic insights. In this vision, Diwali and Holi are not merely festivals of lights and colour; they become civilizational software updates.
Perhaps the most profound insight from these speeches is that Sanatan Dharma is not a relic; it is a living, evolving force. It absorbs, adapts, and reorients without losing its core. It has embraced Buddhism, Jainism, the Bhakti and Sufi traditions, and modern scientific inquiry - from Aryabhata to APJ Abdul Kalam. Modi draws strength from this flexibility. He does not advocate a fixed past but promotes a flowing continuity. He emphasesed that Sanatan Dharma is not about nostalgia, it is about clarity. It urges us to stay rooted while reaching for the stars.
Akhand Bharat: Mapping the Geography of Shared Memory
Now, consider Akhand Bharat, a phrase that can evoke either reverence or unease, depending on who hears it. But in Modi’s worldview, it is not a project in redrawing borders; it is an effort in restoring memory. In his cultural narrative, Akhand Bharat is not at-all geopolitical, it is absolutely philosophical. It talks about a commonality that spans from Iran, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Bhutan to Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and beyond. These are the regions once steeped in the sound of Sanskrit and the ethos of dharma. The speeches in this line reference the Ramayana Circuit, the Buddhist Circuit, temple restorations, and the rise of heritage diplomacy. Unity here is not enforced through sameness, but through samanvaya, meaning harmonious coexistence. For Modi, Akhand Bharat does not imply one language, one race, or one rule. It envisions one spirit which is rooted in dharma, seva (service), and spiritual awakening. It is unstoppably flowing across a huge landscape which were once connected through shared consciousness. It may be conceived as a form of spiritual federalism, and it has nothing to do with territorial expansion. And Modi delivers it not with the aggression of a strategist but with the calm of a sage.
Cultural Nationalism: Beyond Banners and Anthems
Modi’s version of cultural nationalism is often misread, especially by those unfamiliar with Kalidasa or the pulse of a village during Navratri. Cultural nationalism, as presented in this series of lectures, seeks to reconnect with a timeless cultural rhythm muted by colonial narratives and modern indifference. The inherent idea of cultural nationalism is not exclusionary. It is celebratory. Modi does not say, “Be Bharatiya.” He says, “Understand what it truly means to be Bharatiya.” That includes familiarity with folk traditions, the oral epics passed down through generations, and the ability to recognize cultural icons without digital help. It is a form of nationalism that smiles, recites a Sanskrit verse, and likely offers a humble bowl of khichdiasa part of its offerings of love, compassion, and care.
Modern Dharma: Governance Guided by Wisdom
What makes Modi’s speeches resonate is the fusion of ancient thought with contemporary governance. This synthesis is no accident, it is deliberate dharma. Take the example of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, rooted in the Vedic concept of shaucha (purity). Or Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, which becomes Shakti Sadhana in action. Similarly, yoga is not used as political theatre; rather, it is a bridge to global cultural respect. In the same line, Ayurveda is not framed as “alternative”; it is recognised as a sophisticated, time-tested science. His emphasis on Sanskrit education, heritage tourism, and indigenous knowledge systems is not about reverting to the past but recovering from cultural amnesia. And then, there are the resurrections of overlooked figures like Lachit Borphukan, Rani Durgavati, and Adi Shankaracharya, for instance. These individuals who once occupied the margins of history but now inspire the national pride. This is not the rewriting of history, it is its rebalancing with proper perspectives.
Final Remarks: The Philosopher in a Politician’s Kurta-Pyjama
In an era driven by fleeting hashtags and collective amnesia, this edited volume of speeches stands tall like an ancient banyan tree. It is very deeply rooted, far-reaching, and unapologetically rationalistic. Through these speeches, we encounter not just a prime minister but a cultural statesman in the truest sense. He is a thinking sage in a leader’s attire, who speaks less like a CEO and more like a seer with a strategic vision.
This essay is not about idolizing Modi. It is about witnessing a rare moment where governance meets scripture, where slogans meet shlokas. It is abouta nation, once instructed to forget itself, being gently reminded that you are not merely an emerging economy, you are an enduring civilisation. Yes, India is building bullet trains and artificial intelligence startups now. But under Modi, it is also rebooting its soul. And Sanskriti Ka Paanchva Adhyay just might be the user manual we didn’t know we needed.
