The Kerala Hindus of North America gifted the sacred ‘Rig Vedam’ to the parents of India-American US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, an occasion marked by deep reverence at the Dayton Temple, Ohio.
A viral video shows Vivek’s father conducting a ceremonial pooja for the ancient text before passing it on to him.
The atmosphere resonated with spirituality as Ramaswamy, in turn, recited the potent Aikyamatya Suktham, embracing the profound wisdom encapsulated within the Rig Vedam.
In a momentous ceremony at the Dayton Temple, the Kerala Hindus of North America presented the sacred ‘Rig Vedam’ to Vivek Ramaswamy’s parents, met with profound reverence.
As a testament to tradition and heritage, Vivek’s father led a ceremonial pooja for the ancient text before passing it to Vivek. The atmosphere reverberated with spirituality as Vivek recited the powerful Aikyamatya Suktham, embracing the cherished wisdom of the Rig Vedam.
In November, last year, Ramaswamy opened up about his ‘Hindu’ faith, emphasising that it provides him with freedom and has motivated him to undertake this presidential campaign as a moral obligation.
Speaking at ‘The Family Leader’ forum organised by The Daily Signal platform, the Indian-American entrepreneur drew parallels between the teachings of Hinduism and Christianity, expressing his intention to promote shared values for the benefit of the next generation.
Ramaswamy said, “May faith is what gives me my freedom. My faith is what led me to this presidential campaign…I am a Hindu. I believe there is one true God. I believe god put each of us here for a purpose. My faith teaches us that we have a duty, a moral duty to realise that purpose. Those are God’s instruments that work through us in different ways, but we are still equal because God resides in each of us. That’s the core of my faith”.
The Ohio-based bio-tech entrepreneur also drew parallels between Hindu and Christian faiths and said that these are the ‘shared values’ of God, and he will stand for those shared values.
“I went to Christian High School. What do we learn? We learnt the 10 commandments. We read the Bible. Scriptures class. God is real. There is one true God. Don’t take his name in vain. Respect your parents. Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t commit adultery. What I learned at that time, is that these values are familiar to me. They don’t belong to Hindus. But, they don’t belong to Christians either. They belong to God actually. And I think these are the values that undergird this country,” Ramaswamy said.
Notably, 38-year-old Ramaswamy is a native of southwest Ohio. His mother was a geriatric psychiatrist and his father worked as an engineer at General Electric. His parents migrated to the US from Kerala.
Ramaswamy’s campaign has gained attention, and he has risen in GOP primary polls, although he still trails behind Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in support.
The next US presidential election is scheduled for November 5, 2024.
