''Begin to worry for your country''

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Alandi, Pune, Jan 11 (UNI) Art Of Living Guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been conferred with the 'Philosopher Saint Shree Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prize, 2006' here for his mission of uniting the world into a violence free global family.

Accepting the award yesterday conferred by the World Peace Centre, MAEER's MIT, Pune, Sri Ravi Shankar said that the human body was ''Gyan and Dhyan'', adding that human beings should worry for their country instead of themselves. The award carries a cash component of Rs 5.25 lakh, a citation and a momento.

''We should rid ourselves from 'chinta and ashraddha'(worries and lack of faith) and believe in 'Dharma' which is all encompassing.

You must attempt to make your life a bridge between 'aatmaa' and 'parmatma'. The way has been shown in the 'Dnyneshwari' written by the poet Saint Dnyneshwar,'' he sermonised.

The Guru advised farmers to only undertake 'organic' farming.

Land, water, is God and everything belongs to him, there is nothing other than God, he said.

Earlier, former Chief Election Commissioner Mr T N Seshan, who is also a member of the awards committee, said the Guru by his example, expressed principles of truth in simple language.

Expressing dismay at the current situation in the world, he said, ''peace is not just the absence of conflict. That which sustains life is Dharma, the path of the Guru.'' The award was presented to Sri Ravi Shankar by music maestro Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshwar in the presence of environmentalist Mohan Dharia and a large number of devotees.

On the occasion, the river side and all adjoining buildings were lit up. Around 9,033 lamps were floated in the river Indrayani to mark the number of verses in the 'Dnyneshwari''. Around 710 bhajan mandalis with 71 mridangams provided music to felicitate the Guru.