Nevada (Face2News)

Dismayed Hindus are still awaiting permission to display ancient Hindu scripture Bhagavad-Gita on the entrance lobby table at Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Manchester (New Hampshire), despite making a formal request in an email on September five.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who made this request, received an email from Manchester VAMC on September 12, saying: “The Manchester VA Medical Center’s Facility Display Committee has received your inquiry. Your request is being reviewed by our committee.” Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, received no response after that despite repeated requests.

Zed points out that the presence of sacred texts at the entrance of hospitals is highly beneficial as scriptures provide us comfort and strength and God wants us well. But Manchester VAMC should not be in the business of discriminating among different scriptures as every scripture is sacred to its devotees.

Moreover, inclusion of pre-BCE Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), which is a treatise on yoga, in the display is highly appropriate as Manchester VAMC reportedly offered various yoga classes in Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, Nashua; some of which included meditation; and organized a “Mindfulness Group”, Rajan Zed indicates.

In addition, Bhagavad-Gita is about a battle and it teaches us that “action is better than inaction” and thus is very fitting to be displayed at a facility for veterans who fought battles for our country. It also goes well with the Mission of VAMC Manchester, which included improving “health and well-being” of veterans, Zed notes.

When you grant us permission to display, we will be glad to supply you a copy of Bhagavad-Gita, Rajan Zed wrote in the email.

Zed adds that various universities in USA reportedly teach the wisdom of Bhagavad-Gita and Harvard University Press had published its one of many English translations. How much more time Manchester VAMC needs to decide a simple issue of a small lobby display? Rajan Zed asks.  Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.