Fw: why we should not watch the war coverage on television

[Guest guest]

---- Original Message -----

"Gummuluru Murthy" <gmurthy

"Ram Chandran" <rchandran

Sunday, March 23, 2003 4:54 PM

why we should not watch the war coverage on television

 

>

>

> namaste shri Ram Chandran-ji,

>

> I prepared the following article for posting in the Advaitin List.

> Although I think this is a suitable article for discussion on the

> List (as sAttwicity of the heart and purity of mind are legitimate

> topics for our List), because of the ongoing war, and your hints

> to other members at times that some of these topics are not relevant

> to the List, I thought I should send this to you first. If it is

> suitable, please post it on my behalf. If it is not suitable, please

> let me know.

>

> Regards

> Gummuluru Murthy

> namaste.

>

> Irrespective of what our opinions are regarding the legitimacy,

> legality, morality or otherwise of the ongoing war, from our

> spiritual-growth pwerspective, I would think it would not aid

> our spiritual-growth to watch the television coverage of the

> war.

>

> 1. sAttwic mind is a sign of spiritual growth and is a must

> for AtmavidyA. The images of the war and the bombings are not

> suitable for sAttwic contemplation.

>

> 2. In santasujAtIyam, sage santkumAra says (I am paraphrasing)

> ".. the natural inclination of man towards pursuits that are

> unreal is alone the cause for the senses being led to error.

> The soul that is constantly affected by the pursuit of objects

> that are unreal, remembers only those with which it is continuously

> occupied, gets into bondage due to them, and hence gets away from

> its main pursuit of self-purification..."

>

> 3. However noble our thoughts are with regard to war and its

> utility and the need for war or otherwise, the visuals on the

> television of the war with or without superposition of commentary

> leave an unedible impression on the mind and scar the mind permanently.

>

> 4. The pictures of the ammunition and bombing generate shock and

> awe, not only to the children and adults of the region, but also

> to the viewers and listeners of these visuals and sounds. There

> is no doubt that such visuals and sounds have traumatic effect.

>

> 5. The growth of the idea of this type of ammunition is

> remarkable and interesting. When our children are growing up,

> they used to play with toy transformers and toy soldiers and we

> restricted their playing with them saying that is not good for

> their psychological development. When the children, as teenagers,

> were playing with the computer games shooting down other warriors

> in those games, again, we objected (correctly) our children playing

> these games as it would scar their psyche permanently. Thus we

> acted as advisers to children and shielded them from the bad

> effects of these games.

> Now, when these childrens' games and teenage computer games have

> graduated to people shooting with precision at targets and with

> tremendous force, and because there are no other adults to act

> as advisers for us (and to shield our souls from scarring), it

> is necessary that we act as our own advisers to set the jIvAtmA

> on its proper course of sAttwic purity.

>

> This is not to say that we pretend that nothing is happening.

> We continue to do what we have to do (kurvanneva iha karmANi).

> Until we are a jivanmukta (in which case whether a war is going

> on or whether there is complete peace on the Earth, the jIvanmukta

> is not affected), we have to strive for that sAttwic guNa.

>

> Regards

> Gummuluru Murthy

[Guest guest]

This war that is going on is not a video game that you

can just avoid and pretend that it doesnt exist.

 

Sattvic guna is essential to attain the ultimate bliss

in life, but the bliss that you attain due to

ignorance is useless.

 

Isolating yourself from the realities of the world,

pretending ignorance about all harsh realities of life

and then attaining spiritual progress is a luxury.

Luxuries are rajasic, not sattvic.

 

Prepare your mind, do not protect it.

 

With all due respects.

 

-Vinayak

--- Ram Chandran <rchandran wrote:

> ---- Original Message -----

> "Gummuluru Murthy" <gmurthy

> "Ram Chandran" <rchandran

> Sunday, March 23, 2003 4:54 PM

> why we should not watch the war coverage on

> television

>

>

> >

> >

> > namaste shri Ram Chandran-ji,

> >

> > I prepared the following article for posting in

> the Advaitin List.

> > Although I think this is a suitable article for

> discussion on the

> > List (as sAttwicity of the heart and purity of

> mind are legitimate

> > topics for our List), because of the ongoing war,

> and your hints

> > to other members at times that some of these

> topics are not relevant

> > to the List, I thought I should send this to you

> first. If it is

> > suitable, please post it on my behalf. If it is

> not suitable, please

> > let me know.

> >

> > Regards

> > Gummuluru Murthy

> > namaste.

> >

> > Irrespective of what our opinions are regarding

> the legitimacy,

> > legality, morality or otherwise of the ongoing

> war, from our

> > spiritual-growth pwerspective, I would think it

> would not aid

> > our spiritual-growth to watch the television

> coverage of the

> > war.

> >

> > 1. sAttwic mind is a sign of spiritual growth and

> is a must

> > for AtmavidyA. The images of the war and the

> bombings are not

> > suitable for sAttwic contemplation.

> >

> > 2. In santasujAtIyam, sage santkumAra says (I am

> paraphrasing)

> > ".. the natural inclination of man towards

> pursuits that are

> > unreal is alone the cause for the senses being led

> to error.

> > The soul that is constantly affected by the

> pursuit of objects

> > that are unreal, remembers only those with which

> it is continuously

> > occupied, gets into bondage due to them, and hence

> gets away from

> > its main pursuit of self-purification..."

> >

> > 3. However noble our thoughts are with regard to

> war and its

> > utility and the need for war or otherwise, the

> visuals on the

> > television of the war with or without

> superposition of commentary

> > leave an unedible impression on the mind and scar

> the mind permanently.

> >

> > 4. The pictures of the ammunition and bombing

> generate shock and

> > awe, not only to the children and adults of the

> region, but also

> > to the viewers and listeners of these visuals and

> sounds. There

> > is no doubt that such visuals and sounds have

> traumatic effect.

> >

> > 5. The growth of the idea of this type of

> ammunition is

> > remarkable and interesting. When our children are

> growing up,

> > they used to play with toy transformers and toy

> soldiers and we

> > restricted their playing with them saying that is

> not good for

> > their psychological development. When the

> children, as teenagers,

> > were playing with the computer games shooting down

> other warriors

> > in those games, again, we objected (correctly) our

> children playing

> > these games as it would scar their psyche

> permanently. Thus we

> > acted as advisers to children and shielded them

> from the bad

> > effects of these games.

> > Now, when these childrens' games and teenage

> computer games have

> > graduated to people shooting with precision at

> targets and with

> > tremendous force, and because there are no other

> adults to act

> > as advisers for us (and to shield our souls from

> scarring), it

> > is necessary that we act as our own advisers to

> set the jIvAtmA

> > on its proper course of sAttwic purity.

> >

> > This is not to say that we pretend that nothing is

> happening.

> > We continue to do what we have to do (kurvanneva

> iha karmANi).

> > Until we are a jivanmukta (in which case whether a

> war is going

> > on or whether there is complete peace on the

> Earth, the jIvanmukta

> > is not affected), we have to strive for that

> sAttwic guNa.

> >

> > Regards

> > Gummuluru Murthy

>

>

 

 

 

 

Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!

http://platinum.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

-Thomas Jefferson

 

Infinitely more arduous is the vigilance required to achieve

the ultimate freedom. May all strive for it as the Spirit guides them!

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...>

wrote:

> ---- Original Message -----

> "Gummuluru Murthy" <gmurthy@m...>

> "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...>

> Sunday, March 23, 2003 4:54 PM

> >

> > 2. In santasujAtIyam, sage sanatkumAra says (I am paraphrasing)

> > ".. the natural inclination of man towards pursuits that are

> > unreal is alone the cause for the senses being led to error.

> > The soul that is constantly affected by the pursuit of objects

> > that are unreal, remembers only those with which it is

continuously

> > occupied, gets into bondage due to them, and hence gets away from

> > its main pursuit of self-purification..."

> >

[Guest guest]

Namaste all.

 

I am virtually on the spot or in its close vicinity with Iraqi

missiles crashing all around. The war probably is not going the way

those who are close around me or, for that matter, I personally (a

confession)want. That is a disturbing thought. As a result, there

is an urge to watch the TV to find out if there are any 'favourable'

developments, the absence of which naturally lets us all down

(another confession).

 

The best thing therefore is to keep the TV on (not to close it at

all), go to the prayer-place and sit there with Maa. She keeps the

drama going - the war-cries, blood, pain, everything. She knows how

to take care of the show. If that doesn't favour Bush, there is no

reason for complaints. Bush, Blair, Shri Saddam (the Shri is

deliberate) et al are all in the deluded list. Keep the head

sticking out of muddy waters to look at the Milky Way in Mother's

presence in total surrender. That is the only hope. The world is

always safe in Her hands. Let the TV blare. Does it matter any more?

 

PranAms.

 

Madathil Nair

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Madathil-ji.

 

As always, you are right-on. Sattwa is within, not on the TV screen.

There is nothing that is not Shiva: learn to recognize Him everywhere in

the cosmic dance of Mahamaya.

 

"Always remember that if you are calm within, nothing can shake you. You

must learn 'to stand unshaken amidst the crash of breaking worlds.' If you

are calm enough that nothing can disturb you, you see the whole universe

reflected in you." -Yogananda

 

However, please duck if you see something come whizzing towards you.

 

Pranams,

Shivaram

 

 

On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 09:37:47 -0000, Madathil Rajendran Nair

<madathilnair wrote:

> Namaste all.

>

> I am virtually on the spot or in its close vicinity with Iraqi missiles

> crashing all around. The war probably is not going the way those who are

> close around me or, for that matter, I personally (a confession)want.

> That is a disturbing thought. As a result, there is an urge to watch the

> TV to find out if there are any 'favourable' developments, the absence of

> which naturally lets us all down (another confession).

>

> The best thing therefore is to keep the TV on (not to close it at all),

> go to the prayer-place and sit there with Maa. She keeps the drama going

> - the war-cries, blood, pain, everything. She knows how to take care of

> the show. If that doesn't favour Bush, there is no reason for

> complaints. Bush, Blair, Shri Saddam (the Shri is deliberate) et al are

> all in the deluded list. Keep the head sticking out of muddy waters to

> look at the Milky Way in Mother's presence in total surrender. That is

> the only hope. The world is always safe in Her hands. Let the TV blare.

> Does it matter any more?

>

> PranAms.

>

> Madathil Nair