Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Sundar's comments

From the Bhakti List Archives

Jaganath.Bharadwaj • April 30, 1996 


I believe Sundar has totally misunderstood what Sampath meant by book
learning.

Books, email etc have their place in the realm of learning.  The idea
of learning at the feet of a Guru gets its significance not only
because of the learning of a Guru, but most importantly because of
the fact that the shishya SERVES THE GURU during his tenure as a
student, and it is this service that brings realization.

In today's context books and email may partially replace a Guru in
terms of the learning that the Guru can impart but the SERVICE part
cannot be done through email or reading books.  It has to be done by
serving Vaishnavas that Sriman Narayana will put us in touch with if
we are desirous of such service.  This includes elders in our family,
the local Vaishnava priest or any other individual ome may come
across.  Also one must either have had Samasrayam and prapatti (or
just Samasrayam in the case of Tenkalais) or be resolved to get the
same done from a Guru at the earliest opportunity.  In such an
eventuality the book learning will work almost as well as learning
from a Guru.

In short it is Bhagavata seva alone that will give us Jnanam.  In the
past the source was one.  Now it is different.

Jaganath.