Seventh Anniversary of Bhakthi List

[Guest guest]

Dear bhaktas: adiyEn feels that this exchange has

unfortunately, ceased to be a dispassionate one. All

of this reminds me of the oft-repeated peeve " Al Gore

- inventor of the internet " !!

 

The internet emerged NOT from Al Gore (of course!), but

from the research needs of military scientists in USA

during the 1960s. For the next two decades, the internet

remained largely a classified domain (as in ARPAnet etc.)

until the UNIX operating system gained currency during

the 1980s. Since then, UNIX users gained access to several

electronic newsgroups, bulletin boards and much more.

 

This was the technology prevalent at the time when bhakti

list came into existence. The founders of that group, Sri

Mani Varadarajan in particular, utilized such technology

to facilitate exchange of ideas pertaining to Srivaishnavam.

 

My point is simple - the internet existed long before

many of us were born; electronic discussion groups already

existed when many of us were little children - and most

importantly, SriVaishnavam has been around since the time

of the Vedas themselves. Even Ramanujar never took any

credit for " starting " anything new; and Swami Desikan -

even as a " sarvatantra swatantra " , didn't dream of making

any such claims. So, we are wasting our time trying to

glorify/attack/defend individuals in this context.

 

Brings to mind the famous statement of Isaac Newton, who,

when asked about how he managed to gain such profound

insights into the laws of physics, replied - " By standing

upon the shoulders of Giants " !! [a reference to Kepler

and Galileo before him]

 

Truly,

-Srinath C.

 

 

M.S.HARI Madabhushi Sarangarajan Hari [mshari]

Monday, May 21, 2001 7:45 PM

Praveena & Anand; nama-singapore ;

 

>1. Leaving out subject matter, authenticity etc., we found that

> your views - IN REPLY TO - " Seventh Anniversary of the

> founding of the Bhakthi List " mails - unethical and out of

> place.

 

General reply to Fold 3:

These replies are clarifications just like clarifications

to various mails. Terming both the mails as unethical and out of

place seems to be very much untenable.