From the Bhakti List Archives

• January 9, 1996


To all members:
Thank you very much for the response to my enquiry.

The most gratifying part was when the discussion branched out into other very 
satisfying directions. The discussion reminded me that in Sri Krishna Mutt in 
Udupi there is a very nice shrine to Subrahmanya, but I was completely unaware 
of any connection between Subrahmanya and Murugan.

>From my original enquiry I not only learnt something about Murugan, but other 
things as well.  From Murugan, the discussion passed on naturally to Sriman 
Narayana. To my mind, my simple enquiry brought to the members thoughts, ideas 
and questions that have enlightened us all and at the same time made us think 
about our beliefs and a lot of things we take for granted without 
understanding them fully.

But then I was saddened to see that my simple enquiry had distressed several 
members of the group who had become distressed that I had raised the question 
in the first place.

Regards
--- Ramadas

PS: My wife read those messages and then wanted to know why she had not been 
consulted. She then went into the kitchen and prepared Panchamritham, the 
favourite food of Murugan.  We do not, of course, have access to plantain 
fruits as originally used so used bananas instead. This just goes to show that 
when advice is needed, the wife and the mother should be consulted first!

PPS: It is a very tasty sweet preparation, but being as I am, I think it 
tastes much better when used as a topping on icecream.