The Sanskrit epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and the Greek epics Iliad and Odyssey have laid the foundations for the literary and artistic traditions of the East and the West, and are based on universal human values that transcend the boundaries of space and time. This event explored their shared cultural and ethical legacy and its relevance for today's world, addressing the principles of aesthetics that have nurtured poetic expression in enduring narratives of meaning and beauty. Arjun Bharadwaj is a contributing editor of the Prekshaa Pratishtana and a visiting professor at the Chanakya University, Bengaluru, India. Dr Prashant Sharma, founder of Dharma Alliance, opened the event, reflecting briefly on Dharmic traditions and cultures are premised on mutual respect, shared prosperity and the interconnectedness of all existence. “They remind us that across time and space, civilizations have sought to answer the same questions: what is truth? What is beauty, and how can human societies live in harmony with one another and the world around us?” he said.The dialogue then explored shared legacies of art, poetry, and philosophy and the relevance in a world that urgently needs wisdom, balance, and compassion. Ziaka invited Bharadwaj to share how his journey shaped his work, and how the great Greek and Indian epics convey timeless themes of truth, beauty, and human responsibility. “Could you tell us how values such as loyalty, honesty, and hospitality, but also the realities of conflict and war, are expressed in these stories, and how your perspective might inspire new ways of interreligious and intercultural dialogue today?” Bharadwaj responded that association with any great work of literature which has stood the test of time, and engaging and reading deeply any work of literature, whether in the original or in translation, gives us a kind of transcendental joy. “See, for instance, when you're deeply enjoying a poem or when you are enjoying the beauty of a sculpture or when you're enjoying the beauty of a dance or a music performance, you temporarily transcend your own physical or emotional problems,” he said. “So there is some kind of stress relief which at the forefront will naturally happen by engaging with the classical arts.” Building on this, Bharadwaj emphasized that these stories encourage us to reflect on our relationship with ourselves, with society, and with the many values expressed in the epics. Rather than prescribing what is right or wrong, they present situations that invite introspection, helping us to become better human beings by reconsidering our commitment to peace and harmony at the grassroots level.
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Learn more about the WCC interreligious work Current Dialogue - World Council of Churches’ journal on interreligious dialogue | 
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