Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 Hari Om. I have been for most of the time a slient reader of the learned members' contributions. But the two mails given below really touched my heart and brought forth an 'aha'. Many thanks Prof.Krishnamurthy for such a lucid explanation of the need for the differing philosophies. Though brouhg tup in the advaita tradition of Sri Adi Shankara, I have been a great admirer of Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhwa etc. I always used to wonder which is the true path to follow. Can I add one small bit? At different stages of an individual's life, he/she may need one or all of the different paths! Personally I found that depending upon my ego's status it keeps shifting between Jnana and Bhakti. The ultimate truth of Advaita is intellectually known but not felt in heart. So the spiritual deficiency so rightly described by Swami Vivekananda arises. Guru does guide us at various stages and the path keeps meandering. Thanks for the exfellent post. And kudos to the 'temple cleaning' couple! It certainly helps in cleaning the inner temple! respects to all. s.v.swamy At 16:21 05/11/02 -0000, you wrote: ______________________ >______________________ > >Message: 11 > Mon, 4 Nov 2002 22:24:22 -0800 (PST) > "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk >Re: Why did these people not see the real ? > >Namaste. > > Guru Venkat asks the question: Why did these people not see the >real? Here the reference is to the great masters like Ramanuja, >Madhwa, Raghavendra and other great Vedantic stalwarts who >differed from Sankara in certain essential fundamentals. The >question that is being asked is: How did these stalwarts miss >the Real Truth of advaita? >But let us turn the table. A staunch follower of Ramanuja is >asking the same question in another list. How did Sankara miss >the Great Truth that our Ramanuja has so effectively >established? Sankara was no doubt a great Master. How did he >miss it? > >Put this way, the problem tantamounts to the following. If the >same scriptures, namely the Upanishads, are being interpreted by >different masters in different ways, how can we rely on the >Upanishads? Does it not make the logic of the Upanishads >suspect? Should not there be one, unique, correct interpretation >of the Upanishads? > >Before we answer these questions let us go back to square one. >What is the totality that is Hindu Vedanta? The common Hindu >masses who have carried forward the torch of the religion from >age-old times might not be able either to understand fully or to >communicate the principles of Hindu Vedanta, but any >knowledgeable and careful observer will recognize that their >beliefs and attitudes are traceable to one or other of these >great schools of philosophy, initiated by these Masters. It is >as if there were a multidimensional perspective in which the >nature of totality must be viewed, but we individuals are each >one-dimensional and each of us sees only what is projected in >that one dimension. We live in that one-dimensional >projection of the infinite-dimensional totality and the latter >is not revealed to us in our physical experience, because the >latter is always finite-dimensional. To comprehend the Universe >in its infinite-dimensional totality we have to get into >enquiry the Vedanta way. So we have to go to the Upanishads. >But the very nature of the Upanishads does not allow one unique >interpretation. The Upanishads are collections of free, candid >and detailed discussions between teacher and disciple and it is >for the reader to draw his or her own conclusions after >assimilating the analyses thus presented and in the light of >one’s own spiritual experience, if any. It is here that the >Masters help. Even to understand them you will need the physical >presence of a teacher before you – a guru – because he has the >spiritual experience. It is therefore not fair to expect the >Upanishads to tell you categorically whether this is right or >that is wrong. The privilege of making categorical >interpretations of the Upanishads has devolved on the great >Masters. >But any attempt to sort out the differing interpretations of >these Masters at an intellectual level can become an exercise in >futility, unless, perhaps one makes it a life-time occupation. >Those of the past who could have thus sorted it out can be >counted in one’s fingers. Two such men were Appayya Dikshidar >(1520 – 1593 A.D.) and Vedanta Desika (1269 – 1369 A.D.). Both >were masters in the different schools of philosophy, both were >prolific in their writings, and both were great intellects. But >each held his own stand, BECAUSE NEITHER OF THEM RESORTED TO >THEIR INTELLECT ALONE. >Intellect alone, however sharp it might be, cannot bring one to >the consummation of an understanding of Vedanta. The spark of >realization and the onset of spiritual becoming have to come >through faith and intuition, not just through study of books. >Listen to Swami Vivekananda on this: > ><<The soul can receive impulses from another soul and from >nothing else. We may study books all our lives, we may become >very intellectual, but in the end we find that we have not >developed at all spiritually. It is not true that a high order >of intellectual development always goes hand in hand with a >proportionate development of the spiritual side of man. In >studying books we are sometimes deluded into thinking that >thereby we are being spiritually developed; but if we analyse >the effect of the study of books on ourselves, we shall find >that, at the utmost, it is only our intellect that derives >profit from such studies and not our inner spirit. This >inadequacy of books to quicken spiritual growth is the reason >why, although almost every one of us can speak wonderfully on >spiritual matters, when it comes to action and the living of a >truly spiritual life, we find ourselves woefully deficient. To >quicken the spirit, the impulse must come from another soul. The >person from whom such impulse comes is called the ‘Guru’. >> > >Without the Guru therefore and without the faith in that Guru, >one falls into the disease of ‘The Crisis of Intellect’. Each >Guru, because of his faith and intuition, comes in a tradition >from one of these great Masters. Each Master emphasizes a >certain aspect of Man’s experience as the most crying need at >the time, as per his intuition through his own spiritual >experience. When the Vedic rituals became, over the passage of >time, only sacrifices for selfish ends in total disregard of >the rest of the living universe, a Buddha rises and establishes >the eight fundamental principles of ethical living and >encourages a disregard for the after-life. When in due time >humanity has a need to go back to the fundamental truth of the >oneness of all that lives, a Sankara arises and holds up the >torch of non-duality. Again when the community needs to be >reminded of the truth that this oneness does not mean that you >can close your eyes to the ‘adhyaksha’ (Gita, Ch.9 Sloka 10) of >the whole universe, a Ramanuja arises to tell them that Man is >an insignificant creature before the Super-director of Infinite >Compassion, Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Power and Infinite >Grace. Each of these Masters had their spiritual experience to >support them. Each was and is right – not ‘in their own way’ but >‘even in an absolute sense’. For all of them are projecting to >you what they consider, by their intuition, to be important, for >your good, in your finite dimensional projection of the >infinite-dimensional totality that is the Truth. Instead of >attempting to adjudicate, by our intellectual acumen, among >these different projections in the different axes, we should >thank ourselves for having the freedom to choose that one which >is appropriate to our taste, evolution, training and tradition. >Taste, evolution and training are O.K.; but why tradition? >Tradition contributes a major factor in our choice, because, >centuries of thinking make history and centuries of history make >tradition. > >praNAms to all advaitins, >profvk > > > >===== >Prof. V. Krishnamurthy >My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/ >You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site. > > > >HotJobs - Search new jobs daily now >http://hotjobs./ > > >______________________ >______________________ > >Message: 12 > Tue, 5 Nov 2002 05:39:17 -0800 (PST) > kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada >My PraNaams to this beautiful couple > >I am taking the liberty to post the story of beautiful couple who are >working self-lessly to change what they can rather than just complain >to the existing state of affairs. My humble praNaams to this >wonderful couple. Those who want to support this couple's effort can >contact Shreeman Mukundan Pattangi. > >Hari OM! >Sadananda > >------------------- > >After a week's hectic work, some people go to the > theatre, some watch a movie and munch popcorn, some > listen to music or read books, while still others > prefer the television... > > But for B Rajesh and his wife Rajani, relaxation is > of a different kind altogether. After taking care of > the demands of Rajesh's small factory, the > Chennai-based couple, along with their daughter and > some close friends, drive down to a remote village > where they stay for a week. Their mission: to clean > and renovate temples that have fallen prey to > neglect and the passage of time. > > Rajesh is an MTech from the Indian Institute of > Technology, Madras, and owns a small factory with a > turnover of Rs 3 million. Rajani works at the > government-run television channel Doordarshan. > The couple was first inspired by the words of Adi > Sankara, that once upon a time temples were the > focal point of village life and that all social > activities in a village revolved around the temple. > > The second inspiration occurred 15 years ago when > they came to know about a dilapidated Vishnu temple > in Thirumazhisai near Poonamallee from a friend. > "I still remember how the Vishnu temple looked when > I first reached the place," says Rajesh. "We could > hardly call it a temple. The face of Lord Vishnu was > not visible at all. There were cobwebs everywhere > and the whole place looked so dirty! We got all the > more inspired to start work, and it went on for > several weeks." > Rajesh and Rajani cleaned out and renovated the > temple. When the shankaracharya of Kanchi heard > about the couple's work at Thirumazhisai, he > summoned Rajesh to Kancheepuram and asked him not to > stop the exceptional work that he had just begun. He > also asked the couple to pay a visit to one Shiva > temple at Achirupakkam, in Kancheepuram district. > The shankaracharya had found the temple to be in a > very bad shape, with bats infesting the interiors > and few devotees visiting it. "Can you do something > there? Can you make the villagers visit the temple?" > he asked Rajesh. > > This became their second assignment. > Rajesh first visited each and every house in the > village and requested the villagers to come to the > temple, but no one was willing to do so. So he, > Rajani, and a few friends started cleaning the > premises on their own. Soon, the embarrassed > villagers joined the couple and their friends. Once > the temple became visit-worthy, they organised > prayers for the welfare of the villagers. > Within a month, the number of people coming to the > temple went up to around 500. "I didn't have to > personally do all the renovation work there," he > says. "I just kindled the interest in them, and that > was enough for the villagers themselves to clean up > the place. They understood that after all it was > their own temple." > News of the temple-renovating couple began to spread > and they soon started received calls from various > villages requesting them to rebuild several > dilapidated temples. > Thus began their new journey. One temple after > another was cleaned and renovated as the years flew > by. Now, after 15 years of relentless work, they > have renovated 50 temples in and around Kancheepuram > district, a few kilometres south of Chennai! > Rajesh and Rajani's modus operandi is this: Every > weekend, accompanied by a few friends and relatives, > with bagsful of fruit and flowers, they drive to the > village where their efforts are needed. Without > waiting for the villagers to join them, without even > calling them, they start cleaning the temples. This > act generally prompts the villagers to join them. > Sometimes they carry food prepared at home to the > temple site; at other times they carry the necessary > provisions and, with the help of the villagers, cook > lunch in the village. But they always make sure that > the villagers join them in partaking of the lunch. > After a day's work, they prepare prasadam and > distribute it to all the villagers. > "Free food also attracts the poor villagers and they > join us in the renovation work that way," says > Rajesh. "After a few visits, we become friends. We > start carrying the provisions needed for a feast and > the villagers join us in preparing the meals. We sit > together and eat the food. My driver Antony is a big > help in the effort." > One of the most exciting experiences the couple has > had was at Kovalam, a place near Chennai. When they > came to know that a place filled with waste and > plastic bags was once a temple tank, they decided to > reclaim it. > "Funds are never a problem for us, we get money from > somewhere," says Rajesh. "In this case, somebody > gave a bulldozer free, somebody gave two lorries > free, someone gave diesel free... all for a good > cause. Within five days, we dug up the whole place > and collected two lorries full of plastic waste. > After that, we invited the district collector to > inaugurate the tank. After the inauguration, he > promised to construct a compound wall. > "It is a service and not only the local people but > even the government is involved in such constructive > projects. Once the tank reappeared, the villagers > started getting good water! We also renovated the > temple in the process. Believe it or not, Kovalam is > a Muslim-dominated area and a Muslim gentleman > donated Rs 1,000 to the temple!" > Another unforgettable incident occurred at Nemam > where they came across a temple that was locked for > 25 years. When they first reached the place, they > couldn't even locate the temple; the tall grass > around hid it. When they asked the villagers to help > them clean the place, the villagers retorted: 'How > much money will you give us?' Rajesh told them, 'I > have come here to clean your temple. You have to pay > me for that! This is your temple and it is this > deity that will bring you health and wealth. Since > you are not cleaning it, I will do it for you.' His > answer silenced them. > Soon, one by one, the villagers joined them in > cleaning the surroundings. "As we moved forward, > cutting the bushes, we saw the temple, and also > knee-deep dust inside. The temple was built in such > a way that only on the 1st of Chithirai [the Tamil > New Year Day, which coincides with April 14], > sunlight would fall on the deity. So the whole area > was very dark and we could not see anything. Then > somebody lit a matchstick and suddenly we saw a Siva > lingam three feet tall!" > This is not an isolated story, Rajesh says. > Once the locals are motivated enough to take care of > the temple and other community activities, they help > the villagers form a village committee. Slowly, the > couple moves to another village, another temple, and > another challenge. > Encouraged by Rajesh and Rajani's effort, a few > voluntary organisations have also chipped in. For > example, the Sankara Netralaya, one of the most > famous eye hospitals in Chennai, arranges free eye > camps for the poor and old villagers when such > temple-cleaning operations are on. When the doctors > visit the villages, the villagers invite the doctors > to eat food with them. > Not that the couple never faced difficulties. They > had to encounter resistance and protests in some > places where the villagers suspected their motives. > Why do these city people come here? Is it to grab > our land? Once, when Rajesh opened a temple that was > locked for 50 years, he received a lawyer's notice > for doing so. But no hurdle has deterred the couple > or dampened its spirit. > Both Rajesh and Rajani believe that religious places > are very important for the development of a village. > "We are willing to clean and renovate other > religious places too. The good thing is, when we > start cleaning old temples, people belonging to > other religions also start cleaning their places." > Money and help have never been a problem for them. > People from unexpected quarters come forward and > offer them money and manpower. > "All the profit that > I make from my small factory goes to this work," > says Rajesh. "I am only a catalyst. I have to only > start and afterwards the villagers themselves > continue the work. And we do it because we get > pleasure out of the work." > ==================================== > > azhwAr emperumAnAr JeeyAr thiruvadigalE sharanam > > adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan > Mukundan Vangkipuram Pattangi > http://www.radioramanuja.com > > > >===== >What you have is His gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to Him - Swami Chinmayananda. > > > >Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site >http://webhosting./ > > >______________________ >______________________ > > > >Your use of is subject to > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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