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Re: Introduction as new member

From the Bhakti List Archives

Asset-Enterprise Technologies • August 11, 2001 


Dear Smt. Sandhya

Welcome to the bhaktilist, Smt Sandhya.

Bhaktilist is an ocean and many rivers come to rest
here. There is Ganges, Missouri, Rhine flowing
into this ocean of bhaktilist. The energy and
the overpowering of might rivers might sometimes
suppress a common and important essence of 
Sri Vaishnavam. That is 
 
Your love for Rama (Sriman Narayana)
 in itself is sufficient and
necessary condition for being Sri Vaishanava.

So this humble self welcomes you once more
as a Sri Vaishanava.

There are many other things that is emphasized
such as what we eat, costumes, rituals. 

I am sure you would agree with me that we are
what we eat and whom we spend our time with.

Eating satvic food cuts and decimates the 
biological taste we have developed in our genes
for food. To truly appreciate and enjoy the
limitless bliss of Sriman Narayana we have to
be single minded in our devotion to HIM.
Krishna asking the Gopis to come out of the
river forgetting their body (ies) drives home
this point. In essence we have to forget all
ephemerals and seek the ever present. Our
mind is weak as it wanders. The habits prescribed
in our scriptures help us arrest this wandering
and set our mind firmly unto Sriman Narayana.

Therefore, the recommendations and emphasis
on food, customs, rituals are not bad. But
they are second to love for Sriman Narayana
and all HIS bhaktas. Not just those bhaktas
who eat what I eat or speak the language I speak.
Lord Krishna has eloquently said in Gita
that those of us who can see HIM in other bhaktas
are dear to HIM, in support of this.

In the name of regional tastes, customs, rituals
I find no reason or justification your esteemed
self or anyone else from being precluded. As a 
matter of fact I have benefitted immensely from
reading your crisp and well written post.
You have flooded the thoughts of Sri Rama
and Sri Anjaneya into my dense and obtuse head.

Thank you and please take time to evaluate 
all that our elders post here and adopt the 
ones that appeal to you most toward our
Lord Narayana. 

Lord Sriman Narayana has no preference to anything.
HE is present everywhere. HE is infinite in HIS
compassion and love for all HIS bhaktas, without
consideration of nationality, language, habits
and social "markers" and symbolisms.

Om Namo Narayana
--
RK
PS: this welcome applies to our other new members
from Europe as well.



--- Sandhya Chandarlapaty  wrote:
> 
> Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaaya
> 
> I am grateful for being allowed to become a member
> of such knowledgeble and devout group of people. My
> thanks to Sri Mani for this.
> 
> I hail from Vijayawada, AP. I came to the US in '88
> and have been working in Motorola for the past 9
> years.
> 
> I am passionate about Sree Raama and am keenly
> interested in learning about the Vaishnava
> philosophy. My idea is that it will lead me to Lord
> Rama ultimately.
> 
> Not being a Vaishnavaite, I may not be able to
> contribute as much as I would be a reader. Please
> bear with me if I do write occasionally reg. topics
> that are mostly questions to me.
> 
> In gratitude to Sree Raama,
> 
> -Sandhya
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
>
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           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

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