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RE: Panel Discussion

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M.K.Sudarshan • August 22, 1997 


-----Original Message-----
From:	Mohan Sagar [SMTP:msagar@worldnet.att.net]
Sent:	Friday, August 22, 1997 8:34 AM
To:	bhakti@lists.best.com
Subject:	RE: Panel Discussion

Dear Sri Sudarshan,
>Most young people outside India who are desirous of learning about
>SriVaishnavism begin with the premise that it is all about a branch of
>philosophy called "VisishtAdvaitam" (did you know that not once has
>SriRamanuja used this phrase in any of his works!).
>The second premise is
>that the philosophy, and its attendent theology, by itself will provide =
for
>us simple and easy-to-digest answers for all the problems we face, or =
are
>likely to face, in the world and in our day-to-lives.=20

I strongly disagree with this. =20
Several years ago, I read a very interesting book called "Vedantic
Approaches to God." .  He came to the
conclusion that among the three, the visishtAdvaita vedAnta of Ramanuja =
was
the most logical, since it easily and seamlessly was able to intertwine
complex vedAnta (bhagavatha dharma?) with popularistic devotional belief
(loka dharma?).
Mr. Sudarshan, if
you would like to continue with these discussions, I would suggest that =
we
do so outside this forum.
adiyEn,
Mohan   dear sri mohan sagar,   it would be a pleasure to continue these =
discussions within or outside this forum . it will involve firstly =
defining 'loka-dharma' and 'bhagavatha-dharma' as per our SV tradition =
--- a fascinating subject very much close to my heart and head. it might =
well take us both into another round-tour of itihasas, puranaas, verses =
from swami desikan's poetry and other 'acharya-s' works. let me assure =
you that my views have not been shot from the hip (even on those rare =
occasions when i inadvertantly shoot myself in the foot i'm careful =
never to put it into my mouth!). I know exactly what I 'm saying in this =
matter because i base it on SV literature and my understanding of it. i =
wish i had the time to explain my central thesis on this subject.

sadly, i am now in the preparatory process of winding up my affairs here =
and my ISP tells me my service-subscription will expire in the next 48 =
hours. so i have to willy-nilly pull the plug from the bhakti-list too =
amongst others through which i have had such a great time talking to =
people half-way across both sides of the globe all these past months =
thanks to this fantastic thing called the web.

who knows i might be able to connect again sometime later and continue =
with not only the aborted bhishma-stuthi but also  with this apparently =
"controversial" line of discussion which i have initiated and which =
seems to have made many on the list so nervous and queasy that they're =
perhaps silently turning up their orthodox noses in distaste at it.=20

but believe me, if and when  i do resume eventually in the future you =
will yourself want it to be done  in the open and not under the =
carpet.... !

With best wishes,
sudarshan     =20





=20