SANGA "ASK THE SWAMI" NOW ON BELIEFNET.COM

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SANGA "ASK THE SWAMI" NOW ON BELIEFNET.COM:

Prestigious website adds Swami B.V. Tripurari's Q&A as a regular column

 

 

Dear Devotees,

 

Sanga began four years ago in 1998, after the publication of Aesthetic

Vedanta, with only 30 rs. It is an online community and mailing

list that focuses on the teachings of the Gaudiya Vedanta lineage, and the

writings of Swami B.V. Tripurari. Dubbed the "Thomas Merton of the modern

bhakti tradition," Swami Tripurari has authored a number of ground-breaking

works, and the Sanga mailing list - normally in Q&A format - appeals to both

new and familiar faces with its diverse range of hari-katha. Now, in 2001,

Sanga has close to 10,000 readers, and excerpts are featured on the

Beliefnet website as a regular column.

 

Sanga has often been featured on on-line Gaudiya Vaisnava news organs,

however Beliefnet -- as the most prestigious and largest commercial

non-sectarian religious site on the World Wide Web -- casts a much wider

net, not only in terms of scholarly academic interest, but also in terms of

preaching. This user-driven website is, in its own words a "multi-faith

e-community," that provides enlivening fora, debates, information links,

daily inspiration, etc., all seeking to aid the spiritual seeker on his or

her path. With its no-frills, no-nonsense approach, and a plethora of

on-line tools, the site now has the reputation as "by far the most

sophisticated and diverse spiritual site currently of the web" (New Age

magazine, July/Aug 2000). Dr Brenda Brasher of Christian Science Monitor has

called it an "on-line marketplace of religion". Thus the sheer preaching

potential of this Webby Award nominee, which appeals to followers of all

religions, from businessmen to alternatic lifestyle enthusiasts, is clear.

 

Arun Venugopal, editor of Beliefnet Hinduism, contacted Sanga a few months

ago about featuring selected Q&A with Swami Tripurari on the Beliefnet

site. Mr. Venugopal said he had been a r to Sanga for some time

and was so impressed that he signed up a number of friends and family

members that he felt would appreciate the Sanga of Swami Tripurari.

 

Brahma Das, the current editor of Sanga said this about its remarkable

success:

 

"It was the earnest desire of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada that his

disciples find the ways and means to broadcast the message of Sri Chaitanya

to every town and village. What began as a modest effort by Swami Tripurari

and his staff is now blossoming into a successful and well-received tribute

to the glories of Mahaprabhu and our beloved Srila Prabhupada. Devotees,

scholars and seekers from all over the world tell me they are subscribing to

Sanga because of the excellent heartfelt and objective presentation of

Gaudiya Vaisnavism by Swami Tripurari that they find there. I am thankful

that I am able to contribute in my own small way."

 

"ASK THE SWAMI" with Swami B.V. Tripurari is a regular feature of

www.Beliefnet.com and can be found on the Hinduism pages. The recent Sanga

"We are Students Forever" is currently featured on Beliefnet's frontpage

under the heading "Are Gurus Necessary? - Ask the Swami."

 

Beliefnet is at: http://www.beliefnet.com

Sanga home page: http://www.swami.org/sanga

 

In service,

Rama Kesava dasa

rama.kesava.BVTS@pamho.net

 

[Pita das]

Jaya Tripurari Maharaja