Response to Shr MSHari@... mail 23 July 2003

July 23, 2003

Respected Sir Shri Sarangarajan Hari and other devotees:

The writer deeply regrets that a particular sentence and set of words are

taken apart and impressions and interpretations extrapolated to hastily

conclude that the writer is trying to stress other Gods, religions, sects

or beliefs.

PLEASE PLEASE, IT IS A HUMBLE REQUEST. AS HAS BEEN STRESSED IN NUMEROUS

POSTINGS IN THE PAST, THE IDEA IS NOT TO INVOLVE OTHER BELIEFS, SECTS,

GODS ETC.

Merely by giving an example of which one is aware and of which one has

heard and read need not be a sole reason for casting them as blasphemous or

sinful as is being made out to be.

No one, least of all the writer, is trying to convince or compel anyone.

This writer has no idea of lofty things like things like advaitam,

pASupatham that are opposed to VEdAnta-darSanam. The writer's mission is

to make sure that at least one person in this whole wide world of ours does

starts adopting the Sandhya ritual as a regular practice by reading the

importance of the same. Just one person. That's all. This writer is not

concerned with Gods, religion, caste, creed, sect and other divisions. He

is blind to everything except Dharma. And Elders and his Gurus have always

stressed that one of the basic ways to sustain Dharma is to do the Sandhya

regularly till the last breath. If in the process he is labeled as

" advatin " , it does not matter.

Examples are given not to hurt anyone's sentiments. Examples are given to

drive home a point. Thats all. If the essence is ignored and the external

words, construed personal tendencies and impressions are added to the

essence then the essence loses its favour and becomes a biased one.

Going strictly by what Shri Sarangarajan Hari has expressed strongly, a

more stronger objection ought to have been made by many on the Subject

itself i.e. " Srivenugopala..Sandhya Vandanam and Nike Shoes " .

Analysis of the words:

1. We should not entertain such words since shoes imply something dirty and

are the appropriate word is Paduka which is the correct reference and by

linking the holy name of SriVenugopala to Shoes the writer has done a great

sin and should be banned

2. Why Nike shoes? why not some other Indian company? The writer is a

slave to U.S. commercialism and is trying to promote Nike shoes. Banish

this utter nonsense

3. Instead of comparing shoes which are worn over the feet and which have

to be removed when we approach the Lord, why can't Mr.Ramachandran refer to

something more neutral like the slogan of Phillips " Lets do it better " ?

Notice that in doing such analysis on the periphery one is missing the

essence. The essence is beautifully summed up by the slogan of this

company... " Just do it " . No other company or advertisement conveys a

message so powerfully and clearly. This however is the writer's personal

impression that the slogan is striking. For some one else another slogan

may be appropriate which is also acceptable as long as it does not contain

bad words/foul language.

Many members have come back with kudos on highlighting the need to get

everyone involved with the basic responsibility of Sandhya. Not that the

writer is bothered but the fact is there are two sides to a coin and we

cannot

Draw hasty conclusions.

There are hundreds of messages, slogans, proverbs, sayings. Just because

one quotes a Shakespeare in these discussions does not mean that he is

promoting the Protestant religion!!!!

For the sake of Dharma however, since it does not behove anyone to hurt

even a small invisible bacteria, tomorrow 24 July ,2003 this writer will

perform 1008 Gayathri during Sandhya for the sole reason that he believes

in Ahimsa and from your words it seems you are in deep mental agony on

account of the words in the writer's email.

Attention is drawn to this writerâ€™s response to a query on June 30, 2003 on

why and what of Sandhya which was sent to many in these various forax. An

extract of what Dharma is and what is the perspective from which the

various postings are done is reproduced below

Om Tat Sat

Tat tvam Asi

----------------

Respected Sir:

Thanks for your kind words. As regards your two queries;

1. What is the need ? The answer is : Dharma. Full stop.

This writer gives below an extract from the ancient Dharmasangiti Sutra

which may perhaps give you an inkling of what the need is.

DHARMA

Dharma is equal, the same for all beings. For high or low or

those in the middle, Dharma cares nothing.