Long Island Experience

[Guest guest]

Hello my dear fellow Madhwas,

 

My recent trip to Long Island was personally very gratifying for me. Was able

to spend a good bit of time with his holiness PuttigeSwamiji. Saturday morning

before the Pooja he blessed me with Mantropadesha and he explained to me how

one can control and channel one's mind. He said, if we try to avoid thinking

about one Vishaya which we consider bad, and force the mind not to think about

it, the mind will certainly take us there only without fail. So, we should

always give positive feedback to the mind, by indulging it in constructive ways

that interest us like writing, pravachana, music, sports, etc. He said he uses

the password " Poorna-Prajna " in whatever he does, i.e., to concentrate and give

100% prajna in what we are doing at the moment and not think about something

else, and thus not letting the mind wander. He said, his personal hobby is to

write on the Geetha from his personal experiences and in his earlier days it was

to play chess, and explained how he has used these to channelise the mind

effectively.

 

That day's Pooja at Dr.Sathish's place ( Dr. Satheesh had was well attended

with Bhakthas and in his Anugraha Bhashana he first spoke in Kannada and told

there were 3 Brahmas - AnnaBrahma or Utsava Brahma in Udupi , Kanchana Brahma

in Tirupathi ( that is why you have to pay for a quick darshana ), Naada Brahma

in Pandaraapura. Then he narrated the

the Story of Devaki feeling sad that she could not witness any of Krishnas

Leelas when he was young. To make her happy, Krishna re-enacts the stealing

Butter and running away from his mother after breaking the earthen pot with

kudagolu and laughing. Rukmini comes and hugs him thinking him as a baby and

then Krishna shows his real form as her husband. Rukmini requests that form of

Balakrishna to permanantly stay with her and Krishna orders Vishwakarma to

make a sculpture depicting that form. Rukmini keeps that idol in her house and

does pooja to it everyday. When Madhura goes under the sea, this idol is

hidden in the Gopichandana clay and after several thousand years eventually

travels with a ship to Malpe where the ship gets into trouble with a

thunderstorm. The captain of the ship screams for help and Sri MadhwaCharya

who is on the shore doing Dhyana in Brahmi-Muhurta hears this and waves to the

ship using his cloth and the thunderstorm calms down and the ship gets saved.

The captain wants to give the whole ship to Acharya, but after much insisting

from the captain, Srimad Acharya asks the two earthen clay rocks be given to

him, installs them as Oda-Bhandeshwara and Udupi SriKrishna. This is how

Krishna travelled from Madhura and has settled down in Udupi. He told the

same story in English for the benefit of non-kannada speaking people.

 

After the Mahamangalaarathi and Prasada, informal discussions began at about

3.00 PM and went on till about 4.30 PM.

The group was so enthusiastic and full of questions for Swamiji that we had to

intervene and cut it off as Swamiji had to go

for the evening Pooja at Dr. Ry's house. Here are some of the questions that

people asked ( I do not remember their names) and some of the answers that

Swamiji gave them as I understood them.

 

1. What happens to the soul after Moksha? Will they become God?

 

Swamiji answered saying they will be seperate from God forever, like two

immiscible liquids put together.

 

After his answer, Swamiji gave me an opportunity to talk about the concept

of Moksha.

To understand Moksha, I told them we should understand Bandha first and gave

the example of a baby growing in a

mother's womb. How the nine months of encapsulation is very essential for

the growth of the baby for first nine months,

and when the time is ready for the baby to come out, the same encapsulation

becomes detrimental to the health of the baby

even if it stays there for a single more day. This is exactly what we find in

every Bandha. It is very essential for the growth but

upto an extent, and if you continue to stay there for ever, it is detrimental

to your growth.

 

Moksha happens only as a prasaada of Paramaatma. It does not happen because

one is very intelligent

it does not happen because one can give a talk about it, it does not happen

because one knows all the 18 chapters of Geetha,

 

Naayam Atmaa Pravachanena Labhyo Na Medhayaa Na Bahunaa Shrutena,

Yamaivesham Vrinite Tena Labhyaha -- Shruti

 

It happens to only those that are picked by Paramaatma. This process of

granting Moksha is termed as " Prasaada " in shastra. Brahma-Darshana is another

term used.

 

Shrutva-Matva Tathaa Dhyatvaa Tad-Ajnana Viparyayou

Samshayancha Paraanudya Labhate Brahma-Darshanam - Anuvyakhyana

 

I gave the second example as, when you are in 4th grade, you can call it the

Ajnana of 5th grade. Thus when you go thro

your Adhyayana at 4th grade and become eligible for 5th grade, it means you have

gotten moksha from 4th grade.

The same principle happens whether you are at 4th grade or at 400th or at 4000th

grade. Because Brahma-Jignasaa is

Anantha there is no end to this type of learning. Thus there is gradations even

in Moksha state and it is only Madhwa that has brought out this truth.

 

I wanted to give a third example, that of Purandara daasa, how as Navakoti

Narayana, his possessions are a bind on him,

and when Paramaatma prasaada happens, all the things he had considered precious

and essential become detrimental to

his growth and he gives it all away and goes to Vyasatheertha.

 

Bandhako Bhava Paashena Bhava Paashaascha Mochakaha - Srimad Acharya in

Brahma-Sutra-Bhashya

He is the Bandha Kartr as well as Moksha Kartr.

 

2. If Jeeva is undestructible as the Bhagavad-Geetha says then, how do we

explain the population explosion? Where did all these new jeevas come from?

 

Swamiji explained that Jivas are Anantha ( infinite in number) God takes a

bunch of them puts them in this world in various forms like animals, human

beings, and other forms. Gives a handful of them Moksha and takes them out of

circulation.

Brings in a new batch of animals, human beings and other forms and picks a

handful of them for Moksha, this continues for ever and has been going on for

ever.

 

3. When a muslim candidate stands for elections, mullahs are known to influence

people who go mosques to vote for them, whereas the Sringeri, Udupi and other

Mathas remain silent about the whole issue thro out elections. As

Mathadipathi's what are you doing to help the situation?

 

Swamiji said if there are two Hindu candidates standing for election, it is not

right for Hindu religious leaders to pick one

between the two and campaign for them, as that would divide the populace which

is already divided. He said, if two

muslims contest for the same seat, the mullah would do the same by remaining

silent.

 

He continued further, and explained how their situation has been made difficult

by government and politicians. He said

they only have about 10% of what they used to have 20 years ago because the govt

has taken away most of their possessions.

That makes them powerless and also to worry about their own survival as well.

In olden days, the kings would listen to them

and would take care of them and they did not have to do this. Also in olden

days, the population was concentrated in one place and these days people are

dispersed everywhere, one in Kashmir, one in Culcutta, one in England etc and

this makes their task of influencing the population more difficult.

Mathadipathis are still gearing up to face upto this age of computers and

internet.

 

He said the problem was with our constitution itself, our population have

understood the weakness and abusing it.

They know they have the power to change it, but they won't and continue to

abuse the situation. It is a vicious circle.

The constitution gives every 21 year old the vote to elect, it does not

discriminate if that 21 year old is a mad person or not. The same way a 13 year

old intelligent enough to vote is not allowed to vote because of his age. In

any system or social vyavastha a rule is a rule and there are always certain

exceptions and you can not keep bending the rules for them.

 

4. Why in Udupi Mathas there is discrimination even in this age, for Brahmins

and Non-Brahmins in Pankti-Bhojana?

 

Swamiji said, it is a Vyavastha, just as in an aircraft when they serve food

for executive class travellers, they will

put a screen across so others do not see it. The same way meat eaters and

others have to be seperated.

 

5. Caste system in India?. As Mathadipathi what are you doing to help the

discrimination and reverse-discrimination

against brahmins.

 

Swamiji explained Caste system was again a Vyavastha based on one's profession.

If everyone wants to do everything then

there will be chaos and nothing gets done. He said, take for example today's

function itself. There should be one person

receiving guests, there should be one person cooking food, etc. then only the

function will be a success. If the person

who cooks comes down, spends his time watching the pooja, then there will not

be food prepared by the naivedya time

nor there will be anything to eat after the pooja. So, as long as everyone

keeps doing " vihitha " karmas (and quoted from the

Geetha) there will not be a problem. Problem arises, because somehow, people

take it to be a prestige issue that

he somehow considers himself to be superior or inferior than others while doing

his vihita karma. This has caused the whole

social problem that we see today.

 

5. Why can't women do pooja and abhisheka that man has been privileged to do?

What are you doing to help women?

Dr. S.N. Sridhar opined that to preserve the traditional methods of doing

pooja and handing them over to future generations,

we may be better off giving them off to women first, as they can do a

better job in training our kids than man has been

able to do so, so far.

 

Swamiji explained how taking care of the family has been a woman's

responsibility and if they start doing what man has been

doing all these days, then who will take care of the family?. He also said,

there are things that we want to do, but we have to

respect the " vyavastha " or the rule otherwise other part of the vyavastha will

fall apart. As an example, he said for Sanyasins

like himself, there is no " Gayathri Japa " ( this was a revelation to many of us

including me !!) prescribed, instead they have

only " Pranava Japa " and Gayathri is given to Grihasthas and other

non-sanyasins. So, even though he would like to do

Gayathri he can not, and to preserve Gayathri it has been given to

non-sanyasins. He also mentioned here that, Gayathri

is for Mantra-Siddhi, and if it is not kept up for three consecutive days, then

it will slip away. That is another reason why

women have been kept out of Gayathri, devara pooja etc for biological reasons.

 

 

There is an institution in Maharashtra which does Upanayana to women and trains

them as priests. If as a forward thinking Mathadipathi you take the

initiative the name and fame of doing this first in Karnataka will go to you,

otherwise it will happen anyway circumventing you, it is only matter of time

that this will happen in Karnataka and elsewhere. This point was raised by Dr.

S.N. Sridhar, who teaches linguistics and who is also the Director of India

Studies at Stoney Brook University. I remember his name because he gave me a

booklet, and also they publish a magazine called " ananya " .

 

6. I find peace and calm in doing volunteer work at the food-kitchen ( it is a

food for the homeless centre) on Fridays.

Now do I have to take Sanyasa to attain salvation? ( This question was asked by

a woman)

 

Swamiji laughed and said " you are already doing the work of a sanyasi . "

 

At this juncture it was 4.30 and we had to force people to stop asking

questions. I believe they have organized Q & A sessions

exclusively on Sept 18 and have rented a hall for that.

 

In the evening Pooja, in his Anugraha Bhashana, Swamiji narrated the story of

a blind man. He wanted to marry but no one would give daughter to him as bride.

SO he did strict penance and pleased God. God was pleased with his

penance and asked him to ask anything. The blind man was quick enough to ask

for wealth, health, long life etc etc and the

list went on and on. Then god stopped him and asked him to ask for just ONE

boon, the blind man was sharp and he

asked to see great great grand son's wedding going in a golden palaki. This

way all the health, wealth, long life, eyesight,

etc all bundeled into one boon. Same way, if you have God in your hand it

means you have it all. So instead of asking

manythings just ask for Bhakti in god. Bhakti in God that is the only thing

you need. He quoted Bhagavatha and said how god will listen to his Bhaktas and

comes to them.

 

On the way back from Dr. Rye's home, I had the fortune of taking the Swamiji in

my van back to Dr. Satish's house, and

that gave me a full 45 minute one-on-one conversation opportunity with him.

Here are some of the questions I had for him,

and the answers I got.

 

1. When Srimad Acharya says, Jignassotha Jnanajaat Tat Prasaadaadeva Muchyate

what is Bhakti here?

 

Bhakti is hidden in Jnana, just as Jnana is hidden in Bhakti. Bhakti without

Jnana is blind-faith and Jnana without Bhakti

would be aimless study.

 

2. Is it right on our part to burden the future generation with our belief

system?. Is it not just enough if we put them in the

path of enquiry?. Is not belief a burden on the thinking principle?

 

He said we will have to burden them with some of the beliefs. If we let

everything to be reasoned out before put to practice in life, we will not be

able to make them do anything.

 

He talked about the Children-program that was planned in Allentown. He said

there was some problem in getting Place for

that conference, so it will have to done during his stay in Washington DC.

 

I asked him if he would teach us a small Grantha during his stay in DC, and he

said he was thinking of Chapter III of Tatparya

Nirnaya. ( ie Mh. Bh. Tatparya Nirnaya).

 

Vageeshachar, was saying after Chaturmasya in NY, they will be in Washington

DC, and that he does not have any

itenary finalized yet.

 

The next day morning ( it was Ekadashi day), the Pooja was a little bit early,

as he had to go somewhere with someone else.

and after the Pooja I started heading back towards Virginia.

 

Jayakrishna Nelamangala

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