Digest Number 1759

[Guest guest]

Ramakrishna wrote:

 

> Dear Jagannath,

 

The incidence of the lovers' impropriety at Belur Math reminded me of a young

man 40 years ago who came to our Temple for Vespers only in bathing trunks.

After the service was over and he was leaving, he was approached and told kindly

that it was appropriate to wear more clothing in the Temple. He pointed to the

seated portrait of Ramakrishna above the altar and exclaimed, " But look at him! "

However, he understood, and he became a very devoted member of the group. And

he never came again unless he was fully clothed.

Edith

 

>  

>

> yes, i think what you are retrospecting about is right. we are all often too

judgemental in our life and whenever i have done the same i have felt ashamed

later that being righteous or moralistic is perhaps too rigid and narrow an

attitude to take in life. love is maybe the best way to deal with any situation.

>

> On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 Jagannath Chatterjee wrote :

> >

> >Dear Friends,

> >

> >I would like to share an incident with you.

> >

> >Last Sunday when I had been to the temple of our Bhubaneswar Math I saw a

strange sight. A teenaged couple were sitting in one of the benches. They were

in a very romantic mood and the boy was repeatedly trying to embrace the girl.

This was over and above their love talk. I was taken aback as such an incident

has never taken place in the temple premises of the Math in its 75 year old

history. I somehow finished my japam and came down in search of the Pujari

Maharaj who is in charge of the temple. I told him everything. He felt very

embarrassed and asked me to request the couple to vacate. I went up again and

told them politely that such behaviour was not tolerated. They both looked at me

and fell silent. However my anger did not subside at that and I informed the

Head of the Math. He immediately gave orders that the couple be driven out of

the Math premises.

> >

> >Later when my anger subsided I started thinking about the incident. The

teenagers were obviously wrong but was driving them out the only answer? Was it

the mistake of theirs or was today's environs responsible for such things? By

driving them away did we not drive away Thakur from their lives? Would they ever

visit the Math again with better intentions? Would it not have been better to

counsel them lovingly? I was really troubled by the incident and the thoughts

still rankle me. Is Thakur not for everybody? Are we so holy that we judge

others?

> >

> >I would like to know the views of our list members.

> >

> >Regards,

> >Jagannath.

> >

>