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Returned mail: I sent yesterday..

From the Bhakti List Archives

a.prathivadi-bhayankaram-a • March 5, 1996 


Dear Bhagavathas,

I sent this yesterday but apparently Alarmelu mangai thayar seems to have 
been not in my favour. It bounced. Trying again. Let me see what the 
reslt is.

Regards
Anand

Forwarded message:
> Subject: Returned mail: Local configuration error
> 
> Hi,
> 
> After reading Bhardwaj's letter, I feel that this is the central dilemma. 
> That is, is the overall philosophy more important or the meticulous 
> following of rules more important. The problems are at various level. At 
> a fundamental level, religion as philosophy of life is threatened by 
> hedonistic, materialistic existentialism. At the next level, Hinduism is 
> facing grave dangers -- external dangers as from negative propaganda 
> about casteism and that we are dogmatic or superstitious etc.; 
> internally, due to the tension between the forces which see religion as 
> spiritual aspect and hence mainly an instrument of personal discovery 
> (travelling together but each to one's own destination as it were) and 
> the other of religion as  social existence i.e., orgiastic expression. 
> Within that, vaishnavism is facing grave dangers (a) because of general 
> neglect and loss of historical heritage -- temples, manuscripts and 
> archives etc., being subjected to economic neglect. (The issue of 
> unhygienic use of the space abutting Kanchi Varadaraja perumal temple is 
> an example). Temples have been historically misused as instruments for 
> expression of political power and dominance. It is ironic that now they 
> are used for expression of marginalisation of those groups who are 
> associated with temple - i.e., spiritualists, priests etc. In all the 
> readings about casteism that I have gone through so far, everyone 
> mentions as if it is brahminical order; tell me in reality who controls 
> political and economic power and how relevant is the brahminical order is 
> today. 
> 
> Therefore, the scale and magnitudes of issues are such that we have to 
> wahe a myriad battles all at the same time. The distinction between 
> religion and culture, between tradition and dogma etc., is so thin that 
> only a deep appreciation based on exposure to works of great acharyas and 
> azhwars can one realise the importance of overall philosophy of bhakti, 
> within that the importance of agamas, and principles, within that which 
> are general rules (sadharana nyaya) and special rules (visesha nyaya) and 
> the principles of precedence, etc. What we as individuals with our limited 
> knowledge, time and specially with our distance limitations can do is 
> limited. But that is not to discourage active participation in such 
> protests because that is important. But we may collectively achieve much 
> better mileage if we identify people in India who are trying to take up 
> these issues on the basis of knowledge of scriptures and know why 
> something is wrong and whether that should be judged under sadharana 
> nyaya or visesha nyaya etc. There are people like Ahobilam jeear swamy, 
> in Vijayawad the Chinna Srimannarayan jeear, in triplicane there are some 
> people (Srinivasa Young Men Association), etc. We may be better off by 
> identifying some such people and support their efforts.
> 
> This is for your consideration. If it sounded like preaching please 
> forgive me. I am very ignorant of spiritual matters and the purpose of my 
> joining the Bhakti group is to learn from all of you.
> 
> Regards
> Anand
> 
> 
>