Bhakti archives online

[Guest guest]

At 10:23 PM 3/11/97 EST, Sri V. Sadagopan wrote to Sri Mani:

>Please accept my most sincere thanks for all

>of your continous efforts to be of utmost help

>to the members of the Bhakthi group.

 

 

I also wish to thank Sri Mani for his efforts in maintaining

our Bhakthi list. Special thanks to Sri V. Sadagopan and

Sri Sudarshan but for whom this list will exist only in theory.

 

I think this list belongs to all of us. If what we post attracts

debate we should face it boldly and argue our case, not threaten

to walk out. If we did, we will be walking out from what is ours.

 

As we debate issues we must not offend other members. If a perfunctory

"sorry if I offend" is followed by a volley of curt and condescending

remarks, we don't have cause to be surprised if offense is taken.

 

Thanks, Dileepan

[Guest guest]

Sri Dileepan wrote:

>I also wish to thank Sri Mani for his efforts in maintaining

>our Bhakthi list. Special thanks to Sri V. Sadagopan and

>Sri Sudarshan but for whom this list will exist only in theory.

>

>I think this list belongs to all of us. If what we post attracts

>debate we should face it boldly and argue our case, not threaten

>to walk out. If we did, we will be walking out from what is ours.

>

 

Dear friends,

 

I also had a look at the Bhakti-archives this morning and I hasten to offer

my own hearty congratulations to Sri.Mani Varadarajan for a splendid job

done in a spirit of "bhagavath-kainkaryam".

 

Dear friends, I am deeply pained too by the recent exchanges of hot tempers

and words on the "list".

 

It is quite needless. That is all I wish to say.

 

Let us for a moment reflect on why 100-odd members have come together on the

"list" across 1000s of miles. Do we know each other well ? Do we understand

each other as persons ? Are our families known to each other ?

 

No, No and No.

 

And yet we all congregate on the "list" only for the single purpose of

sharing out little thoughts and experiences of "bhagavath-guna-anubhavam".

That is the only thing that holds us all together.It brings a little bit of

cheer into our otherwise grim lives, isn't it ?

 

Perhaps, in our "purva-janmA-s" we may all have had unfinished business to

do with each other; that is why in this one, in spite of being

geographically and circumstantially so far apart, the "marvel of the

net-technology" has yet brought us all together somehow ! That too is

"bhagavath-sankalpam" !!

 

So let us not abuse or trivialise this God-given opportunity to share with

each other all that is good in our faith, history and tradition.

 

We are not members here out of personal vainglory. There is nothing too to

be gained by exhibition of pique and short temper ! We will only needlessly

hurt each other and we will regret it all very much.

 

There is nothing wrong in asking questions and having a healthy debate in

our tradition. Our "pUrvAchAryA-s" all debated endlessly. You only have to

refer to the debates between Mandana and AdiSankara BhagavatpadAL to realise

how bitterly and rancourously they clashed with each other. Mandana called

Sankara an impostor in "ochre-robes"! Sankara called Mandana worse !

 

But they were also excellent human beings and never let their intellectual

differences stand in the way of realizing "sat-vishayam". Mandana in fact

became a disciple of AdiSankara !!

 

Now when compared to such giants we are but pygmies, dear friends.So why

should we make such a fuss about trifles ?

 

Let us not please get carried away! Let us not take ourselves so seriously.

Let's take our subject-matters seriously ! For therein lies true

"bhagavath-guna-anubhavam" !!

 

We are all sailing in the same boat, dear friends --- the boat of

"agnyAna-avivEkam" in a stormy sea of "samsAra" !!

 

Does anyone gain anything by "rocking" it ?!!

 

With due respects and regards to all,

 

sudarshan