TIES BETWEEN US-INDIA STRONGER BY STATE DINNER

OBAMA STRIKES HINDI CHORD WITH 'NAMASTE' AND
'SWAGAT', LAST MONTH SOUGHT LIGHT FROM "DIWALI"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seeking to strike a chord with Indians, US President Barack Obama twice turned to Hindi as he hosted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The 48-year-old American leader set the mood for the day when he greeted everyone at the beginning of a joint press conference with Singh with a traditional Indian "Namaste". He went on to describe India as a "rising and responsible" power and voiced confidence that it will assume its rightful place as a global leader in this century. In the evening, as he raised the toast along with Singh at the high-profile state dinner, the first black American President reached out to India by greeting the audience in Hindi with "Aapka Swagat Hai" (you are welcome). While Singh wished the Americans -"a happy Thanksgiving," marked on the fourth Thursday of November in the US, Obama pointed out that the White House had celebrated both Diwali and the birthday of Guru Nanak for the first time this year. He said the bond between India and the US includes more than two million Indian-Americans who enrich every corner of the US.

As regards Diwali, last October 14th, Barack Obama lit a ceremonial Diwali lamp in the East Room of the White House to ’’symbolize victory of light over darkness. He became the first American President that officially observed the auspicious occasion of the Festival of Lights. While the President lit the White House diya to ''symbolize victory of light over darkness", Sri Narayanachar Digalakote, a Sanskrit scholar and ordained Hindu priest of the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Lantham, Maryland chanted 'Asatoma Sadgamaya' from the 'Brhadaranyaka Upanishad': Lead me from Untruth to Truth. Lead me from Darkness to Light. Lead me from Death to Immortality.



In his Diwali message the American President said, ''This coming Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting Diyas, or lamps, which symbolize the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance,'' and that the significance of Diwali in Hinduism is "to celebrate the return of Lord Rama from his exile", Obama briefly explained.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are trying to broadcast His message throughout the world. By His mercy, people are taking this movement very seriously. Indeed, our books are extensively distributed in the Western countries, especially in America and Europe. Even the ecclesiastical orders in these countries are appreciating the value of the Krishna consciousness movement and are ready to unite for the highest benefit of human society. The followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu may therefore take this movement seriously and broadcast it throughout the world, from village to village and from town to town, just as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself did.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Purport in "Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita - Madhya-līlā: 25.264"