Srivaishnavism in isolation.

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhaktas,

 

I would like to post a question for the Bhagavatas of this group, which has

been a concern for me for quite sometime. Consider a person so much in love

with the Srivaishnava sampradayam and day-in and day-out mingling with the

Srivaishnavas discussing about the Lord and immersing in his bhakthi. He

comes out of this environment and lands up in a place where he gets no

company of Srivaishnavas or people who can understand the value of the

devotion or Srivaishnavism. How should a person like this maintain his

Srivaishnavite thoughts in the midst of people who talk of other things? He

cannot express anything but has to listen to the people around him. Only

option he has, is to cry in front of the Lord to take complete control of

his thoughts and give him the strength. I would like to know what kind of

thoughts he should have and the means to maintain them. I apologize if this

aubject falls outside the scope of this discussion group.

 

Thanks,

Sheshadri

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Sheshadri Ranganathan,

 

The situation you are facing is nothing new. It happens to many

srivaishnavas. You should mingle with people and try to talk to them what

they are talking about. You may not be able to express your ideas publicly

since they may not agree with the view of others.

 

Try to make time for yourself to learn and read about our scriptures.

Reading about scriptures, particularly upanisads (for me) gives me lot of

strength to face life and problems of isolation in general. It is good to

somehow go to temples often. If you find a vaishnava temple it is fine.

If you find a Harekrishna temple that is also fine since atleast Lord

Krishna is common to us. You can also try to meet srivaishnavas here and

there to have a comfortable atmosphere. YOu should definitely keep

Bhagavadgita handy and read a chapter a day. That will keep all sorrows

away.

 

 

Sheshadri Ranganathan [sMTP:sheshadri_ranganathan]

Tuesday, December 07, 1999 4:43 PM

bhakti

Srivaishnavism in isolation.

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

[Krishna Kalale] stuff deleted

Thanks,

Sheshadri

 

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[Guest guest]

--- Sheshadri Ranganathan

<sheshadri_ranganathan wrote:

> Dear Bhaktas,

Consider a> person so much in love > with the

Srivaishnava sampradayam and day-in and> day-out

mingling with the > Srivaishnavas discussing about the

Lord and> immersing in his bhakthi. He > comes out of

this environment and lands up in a> place where he

gets no > company of Srivaishnavas or people who can >

understand the value of the > devotion or

Srivaishnavism. How should a person like > this

maintain his > Srivaishnavite thoughts in the midst of

people who> talk of other things?

> Sheshadri

 

adiyen is really glad to see young members like

Sri.Sheshadri and others asking sharp, realistic and

interesting questions.

 

Sri.Sheshadri's is very good question. To tenaciously

practice the tenets of SriVaishnavism one needs strong

and constant inter-action with other like-minded

SriVaishnavas. Also one needs SriVaishnava role-models

or 'walking examples' to be around us all the time.

Our faith in Srisampradayam flowers when it is tended

to and cultivated in an environment where satsangham

with other 'bhagavatas' is easily available or

accessed.

 

In an environment barren of day-to-day Vaishnavaite

symbols, practices and institutions the faith can most

likely begin to wither.

 

To those who leave the shores of India to foreign

lands this predicament is particularly common. Ancient

seers and 'achAryA-s' never left the shores of

Bharatam for fear that they may not be able, even if

for only a day, to maintain "nitya-agnihOtram" -- to

keep the daily sacrificial fires lighted.

 

In these modern days, our young boys and girls travel

to far-off lands and live there to earn their

livelihoods. Some of them do it out of pure personal

choice. Some do it out of force of personal

circumstances. In either case they find themselves in

alien environments amongst alien peoples and alien

faiths. The feel disorientated and rootless.

 

Fortunately, in countries like USA or as in some

countries of the Gulf, there are sizable populations

of SriVaishnavas and hence some kind of 'sampradAyic'

environment is created by them amidst their community.

They build surrogate 'Tirupatis' and 'SriRangams' in

foreign lands and seek to recreate the SriVaishnava

ambience even in the middle of Beverly Hills, Madison

Square, Hyde Park or a Dubai shopping mall. But a

surrogate is always a surrogate and to the true

Vaishnava faithful it may not always fulfil a yearning

for the original.

 

adiyen has also acutely experienced the problem of

"isolation" that Sri.Sheshadri has openly shared with

the group.

 

adiyen feels that the problem can be alleviated to

some extent as follows:

 

(1) There is the modern appliance of cassette-players

and recorders. Very useful. You can record your

favourite shlokas, upanyasams, kalapshepams, vedic and

prabhandic recitations. With a wonderful collections

built over the years you can instantly recreate by the

touch of a button Vaishnavite experiences in your

mind.

 

(2) There is the inter-net and there are chat-groups

like the Bhakti-group, malolan-net etc. galore in the

cyber landscape. Choose one in which you think you

will be most comfortable. You will instantly have the

satsangham of like-minded and like-speaking

bhagavatas.

 

(3) There are plenty of publications these days from

Ahobila mutt, TTD, Krishna-consciousness, etc. You can

for them and stay abreast of what is

happening in the religious world. Magazines like

"nrsimha-priya" can also take you out of your

isolation.

 

(4) Try and see a Srivaishnava trait in everyone

around you. Your friend may not be wearing

"urdhva-pundhra". He may not have had "samAshrayanam".

He may not even know what "prappatti" is or what

"dvaya-mantram" is. But he may be a good humble

individual. He may be truthful and sensitive. He may

have a charitable disposition. He may be soft-spoken

and gentle nature. he may love fine things in life

like music poetry etc. Is he not also a Vaishnavan?

Can you not be friends with him? Can he not help you

overcome your "isolation"?

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear bhagavatha,

Your question is very much relevant

for our times as majority of us land up most of the

times in an atmosphere which is anything but

spiritual.

 

Now the following can be adopted so that spiritual

mood is in us,when we can't get the same from outside

environment:-

 

1. Remember that Lord is everywhere as antaryamin and

the term Isolation immediatley looses its meaning.

2. Spiritual life or Philosophical life is a "Way of

life" and not" mere speculation or group discussions"

even though the later are included as elements of

Spiritual life.

As Lord Krishna says in the bhagavad gita,that

wherever we are,whatever we do(ofcourse according to

our understanding of Dharma),we must offer all at his

holy feet.This way of life converts all our actions

through mind,body and speech as a service to him.In

short our secular life is spiritualised.

3. We all know that "Good Books are the Best friends

of a man". Now our Good books are :-

1. Bhagavad Gita.

2. Srimad Bhagavatham.

3. Upanishads.

4. Brahma-sutras and works of alwars.

5. Last but not the least, all the books dealing

with the glory of our lord.

4. Carry photos of the Archaswarupa of our lord and

whenever we have free time,let us see the photo and be

blessed.If any of us can remember the form of our lord

in our mind,then it is still more better.If you have

computer save some of our lords' photos as jpgs etc

and view them whenever you want.

5. Finally if we have an access to internet,Join the

bhakti list and we can directly interact with people

close to our mind and heart.

6. Visit Temples of our lord whenever we can and feel

blessed.

7. I think whoever reads this message can surely come

out with other methods to remember our lord and

continue to be in spiritual mood.

 

Sri krishnaarpanamasthu

 

Suresh B.N.

 

 

 

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