Pujol gives insights into his academic journey and passion for Indian philosophy and Sanskrit which are informed by his experiences and travelling in India.
Oscar Pujol, the Director of Instituto Cervantes, talks about his unique academic journey and his profound interest in Indian philosophy and Sanskrit in an engaging conversation with The Sunday Guardian. Pujol’s story is one of unexpected discovery and deep intellectual engagement, rooted in his travels and experiences in India. In 2002, he helped in establishing Casa Asia (Barcelona). He founded the Instituto Cervantes at New Delhi in 2007.
Pujol studied Sanskrit at the Banaras Hindu University, where he was later awarded a doctorate. He has published several books and translations from the Sanskrit classics and the two Sanskrit dictionaries: the Sanskrit-Catalan and the Sanskrit-Spanish. “I must say that I was really never interested in Indian philosophy till I came to India,” Pujol begins, recounting the genesis of his scholarly pursuit. His academic interests initially lay elsewhere, focused on Spanish literature and philosophy, areas he passionately explored from a young age. “I love literature and philosophy,” he notes.
Pujol’s academic journey took a decisive turn when he first visited India at the age of 19. He recalls the transformative nature of this experience vividly: “When I came to India, I was really surprised. It really was, for me, a kind of eye-opener because India was different from all the places I’ve been earlier.” Having traveled extensively across Europe and even Turkey, India presented a distinct cultural and philosophical landscape that intrigued him deeply. “This place has something different from all the places I have seen,” Pujol reflects, emphasising the profound impact India had on him.
It was in India that Pujol’s path intersected with Indian philosophy serendipitiously. “By chance, I stumbled upon a translation of the Bhagavad Gita,” he recounts. The Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the Indian epic Mahabharata, captivated Pujol, especially its third chapter, Karma Yoga. “For me, that book solved the questionof how to lead a spiritual life without having to renounce the world.”
Pujol delves into the essence of Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, as expounded in the Bhagavad Gita. “How to lead a really spiritual life of being in society, being on the job, being married, having kids, raising a family,” he explains. “And I thought the Gita solved this problem in a very elegant way, an easy way, by proposing the Karma Yoga, the fact of working without attachment for the results. This is a wonderful thing. It’s a very easy thing when you think about it, although the Gita explains it with the help of Buddhi Yoga, the yoga of the intellect.”
The concept of Karma Yoga, according to Pujol, offers a profound and practical approach to spirituality. It emphasises the internal renunciation of desires and attachments, rather than an external withdrawal from the world. “The real renouncement, it’s an internal one, not an external one,” Pujol articulates, highlighting the significance of maintaining one’s responsibilities and duties while cultivating a spiritual mindset.
This revelation, stemming from his engagement with the Bhagavad Gita, ignited Pujol’s desire to delve deeper into Indian philosophy and Sanskrit. “After reading the Gita in a translation and collecting many, many translations of the Gita, I did work on the Karma Yoga,” he says. This scholarly pursuit ultimately led him to learn Sanskrit, the ancient language in which many foundational texts of Indian philosophy are written. “That’s where everything started,” Pujol rejoices.
Pujol’s exploration of Indian philosophy didn’t stop with the Bhagavad Gita. He was also deeply influenced by the Upanishads, ancient Indian texts that form the philosophical basis of Hinduism. “The Upanishads are essential. They open a new way in India, which is the way of knowledge, Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge. And they are very critical of the external ritual. They give value to the real spiritual things. So, this is a revolution in itself.”
The synthesis of various paths in Indian philosophy is exemplified in the Bhagavad Gita, according to Pujol. “The Gita takes where the Upanishads left off and adds another path, which was also necessary, which is the path of devotion, Bhakti Yoga. So, with the Gita, you have the three paths coming together: the path of action, the path of knowledge, and the path of devotion in a unique system,” he elaborates. This holistic approach is one of the Gita’s strengths, making it accessible and applicable to a broad audience.
Pujol also delves into The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a foundational text in the practice of yoga. “The Yoga Sutras have a lot of influence from Buddhist texts because the Buddhists were the ones who really developed systematically, the science of meditation,” Pujol notes. He highlights the significance of Buddhist contributions to the development of meditation practices, which were later integrated into the Yoga Sutras. “The Yoga Sutras take things from the Vedic tradition, from the Buddhist tradition, and makes a wonderful synthesis.”
One of the unique aspects of the Yoga Sutras is the introduction of Ashtanga Yoga, which combines asanas (postures) with meditation. “The Ashtanga Yoga has this particularity, which is not so much in the Buddhist tradition, which is asana. And it begins the tradition of combining asanas with meditation, which then flourishes into medieval tantric yoga,” Pujol explains.
In 2007, Pujol took on the task of establishing Instituto Cervantes in India, a decision influenced by his extensive background in promoting Asian culture in Spain and his profound knowledge of India. At the time, Pujol was working in Barcelona at Asia House, an institution under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aimed at fostering Asian cultural awareness in Spain. He had spent five years there, deepening his understanding of Asian societies.
Pujol explains the context: “The Instituto Cervantes, a governmental institution, was expanding globally but had minimal presence in Asia. Spain historically did not have the same level of engagement in Asia as other European powers like Portugal and Britain.” Recognising a gap in cultural exchange and understanding, Spain initiated efforts to open Cervantes centers across Asia, starting with Beijing and Japan.
When it came to India, Pujol was the natural choice due to his prior experience and love for the country. “They thought I was the right man because of my knowledge of the country, the culture, my love for India, and my ability to speak the local language,” he says. This background equipped him to navigate and establish the Cervantes center effectively.
Upon opening the Instituto Cervantes in India, Pujol observed a burgeoning interest in Spanish culture and language, driven partly by the global popularity of Spanish artists like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias. The arrival of cable TV in the 1990s also played a significant role, exposing Indian audiences to Spanish music and culture. “People started realising that there was a Spanish-speaking world beyond the English-speaking one,” Pujol notes.
The Instituto Cervantes in India quickly became a hub for Spanish language education. By 2015, it had the highest number of students among all Cervantes centres worldwide. This surge in interest transformed Spanish from a niche language into a sought-after skill. One of the key successes of the Cervantes center in India is its teaching methodology, which focuses on speaking Spanish from the beginning. Looking ahead, Pujol highlights the center’s focus on training Indians to teach Spanish. “One of our priorities is to teach Indians to teach Spanish well,” he states. By partnering with universities and offering free training programs, Instituto Cervantes aims to meet the growing demand for Spanish language education in India.
Pujol underscores the strategic importance of Spanish for Indian professionals, particularly those aiming for opportunities in the United States. “If you are Indian and know Spanish, Hindi, and English, you speak three of the five most spoken languages,” he points out. This linguistic proficiency opens doors globally, especially in the Americas, where Spanish is widely spoken.
The establishment and success of Instituto Cervantes in India reflects the broader cultural and economic ties between India and the Spanish-speaking world. As trade and cultural exchanges between India and Latin America grow, the demand for Spanish language skills continues to rise. Pujol’s efforts have not only fostered a deeper understanding of Spanish culture in India but have also empowered countless individuals with a valuable linguistic asset.
As director of Instituto Cervantes, Pujol continues to foster intercultural dialogue and promote the study of languages and literatures. His personal journey serves as an inspiring example of how embracing new perspectives and engaging with diverse cultures can lead to profound personal and academic growth. Through his study of the Bhagavad Gita and Sanskrit, Pujol has not only enriched his own understanding but has also contributed significantly to the cross-cultural appreciation of Indian philosophical traditions.