New Member Introduction: Welcome to Sri Nair.

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

Let us welcome Sri Nair, a new member to the list. We

are happy that he is quite active and we look forward

to his continued participation in the list discussions

with his thoughtful insights.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Advaitin List Moderators

 

--- Madathil Nair <madathilnair wrote:

>

> Namaskar!

>

> I am sorry, in my initial enthusiasm, I overlooked

> the

> requirement of an introduction. I have already

> posted

> three or four small messages. Thanks for displaying

> them.

>

> I am 55, married with two daughters, working for the

> last over 25 years in an administrative job in an

> Arabian Gulf country.

>

> My interest in Advaita Vedanta began in the later

> seventies with the reading of Bhagvat Geetha and

> the

> various Upanishads as interpreted by Swami

> Chinmayanadaji. I should admit that most of what I

> read or heard then went over my head although I had

> a

> bloated feeling (in the head, of course!) that “I

> knew

> something”. Subsequently, in the mid-eighties, I

> happened to listen to a disciple of Swami Dayananda

> Saraswathiji and it was with him that “that

> something

> I knew” blossomed into what I can now legitimately

> call “logical knowledge”. At around the same time, I

> also had a few opportunities to listen directly to

> Swami Dayananda Saraswathiji and happened to narrate

> to him in writing how his teachings were influencing

> me. When I sought his advice about what I should do

> next, he simply answered in one word:

> “Contemplate!”.

> I felt he was pulling my legs as what I was looking

> forward to receiving from him was some sort of a

> miracle manthra or a secret advice that would

> instantly transform me into a jeevan muktha. I

> hadn’t

> the faintest idea how to “contemplate”. Sadly,

> therefore, it took me a couple of years to really

> know

> that I was, in fact, already “contemplating”. That

> knowledge occurred quite accidentally. I think I

> should call it grace. That is history.

>

> From then, till today, I have “contemplated” inspite

> of my several

> personal drawbacks and handicaps. In fact, this

> “contemplation” is the

> mainstay of my meditation and prayers and it has

> granted me insights that no

> books or gurus could ever have imparted.

>

> I hail from Palghat in Kerala. Nevertheless, if you

> ask me where I belong I would like to borrow from

> Sankara and proudly answer "Svadesho

> Bhuvanathrayam",

> because I "know" that that is the TRUTH about

> everyone

> of us. My Ishta Devatha is the Universal Mother -

> call Her Meenakshi, Kamakshi, Visalakshi, Mariamman,

> Matha Amritanandamayi or by any other name. I have

> organized a small prayer place in my house where I

> have pictures of all these so many forms of Mother

> housed. It is a virtual Mahila Samaj! The only

> exceptions are the male minority of Lord

> Guruvayoorappan (my wife’s heartthrob!) and my

> favourite Hanumanji. Despite my many failings as an

> ordinary human being (which of course do not harm or

> hurt anyone), I endeavour to see Maa in everything,

> for I "know" that there is nothing other than Maa

> (Consciousness). I always call out to Her. I can

> feel

> Her close by me listening and protecting. That

> awareness keeps me happy and kicking (to use a slang

> with all apologies). I know that this is all

> emotional

> and sentimental and has nothing to do with Advaita

> Vedanta. But the sweetness of it all is beyond

> words

> and I would not be describing me properly to you if

> I

> hold out on such details.

>

> I have also read important works of Bhagwan Ramana

> Maharshi such as Upadesa Saaram and heard discourses

> on the same. The simplicity and lucidity of

> Bhagwan’s

> thoughts have always fascinated me. I am regular

> chanter of Soundarya Lahari, Lalitha Sahasranama,

> Devi

> Mahathmya etc.

>

> Thanks and regards to everyone.

>

> M.R. Nair

>

 

 

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