Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

Last updated on 5th Feb. 2015 Here's the pdf document version of Conversation on 'secular parenting' & religion between USA scientist & Indian technologist . And here's the Word document version (same content) of Conversation on 'secular parenting' & religion between USA scientist & Indian technologist . The deep indentation formatting requirements of the document/post was difficult to be done using this blog's editor (it would have required elaborate hand-coded HTML tables, IMHO) and so it has been provided in pdf and Word document versions linked above.

Last updated on Jan. 27th 2015 Some time ago (on Jan. 24th, 2015) I added the following question (on the mygov.in portal) for the joint radio address by US President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Modi scheduled to be aired on Jan. 27th 2015, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Modi-Obama-Man-Ki-Baat-on-January-27-at-8pm/articleshow/46004291.cms . --- start question --- Mr. President & Mr. Prime Minister, as USA and India are two of the world's largest and deeply religious countries in the world, is it possible for USA & India to take the lead, in today's rather tense inter-faith world environment, to showcase to the world a path by example, for a multi-faith environment which includes atheists & agnostics (religious pluralism) where all (or most) can live peacefully, respecting faiths other than one's own (including atheist & agnostic attitudes/views)? --- end question --- ------------------------------------------------------------------...

From Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's discourse on 4 Sept. 1996, as provided in the discourse text here: http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume29/sss29-40.pdf The distinction between Krishna and Raama Today we celebrate the birthday of Krishna. Where was he born? In a prison. What were his possessions? Nothing. Born in a prison, he was taken to the house of Nandha and then he went to Mathura. He owned nothing. But he became the greatest figure in the world. What does this show? Worldly possessions are not the secret of greatness. Krishna's greatness consisted in his permanent state of Aanandha (bliss). If you recognise the distinction, between Krishna and Raama, you will appreciate better the nature of Krishna. Krishna always smiled at the outset and carried out his task later. For Raama, the deed came first and then the smile. Krishna made women cry. Raama wept for the sake of women. Raama went into the battle only after having a strong cause for it. Krishna first provoke...

Yesterday, Jan. 14th 2015, The Hindu carried a very controversial opinion article, "In maya, the killer and the killed", http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/in-maya-the-killer-and-the-killed/article6785735.ece , by DEVDUTT PATTANAIK. I feel the article is deeply flawed as it does not give an outright condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo violence. In fact, the lack of such a condemnation makes some readers, as shown by comments on the article web page, assume that it is trying to justify that violence! However, the article does have some good points too. A small extract given below is one that I found to be quite good: And here is the problem — measurement, that cornerstone of science and objectivity. We can manage the measurable. But what about the non-measurable? Does it matter at all? Emotions cannot be measured. The mind cannot be measured, which is why purists refer to psychology and behavioural science as pseudoscience. God cannot be measured. For the scientist, god i...

I came across this article on Google+, How To Interact With The Introverted. If Only People Would Understand This…, http://www.trueactivist.com/how-to-interact-with-the-introverted-if-only-people-would-understand-this/ . Added the following comment to it on Google+: Pretty insightful, in simple language with great cartoons. Would like to add that some introverts are reclusive, especially the inner-sadhana (spiritual effort) types, and may enjoy their solitude (as against loneliness). Many of the reclusive inner-sadhana spiritual types may not permit the loving hug, and instead may prefer to simply exchange an eyeful of pure love.

Last updated on 11th January 2015 This post refers to the following book: India: A Sacred Geography, by Harvard Prof. of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies, Diana Eck,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_L._Eck . [Citation: Eck DL. India: A Sacred Geography. New York: Harmony, Random House; 2012., http://scholar.harvard.edu/dianaeck/publications/india-sacred-geography ] The extracts given below (in italics) from Eck's above book are from near the end of chapter 9, Following Rama: The Ramayana on the landscape of India. R. K. Dasgupta, a historian from Calcutta University, writes "Researchers in ancient Indian history, in India and abroad, have established that the Rama legend is a part of Indian mythology, the character in Valmiki's great epic having no historical basis." --- end Eck book extract --- Ravi: On browsing the Internet I came across this link having the article by R.K. Dasgupta with the above quote, Ram as political tool, http://www.geoci...

Last modified on 5th Dec. 2019 The link, http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/25616/9/09_chapter%204.pdf , quotes the American follower of and writer on Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Dr. John Hislop, from one of his books on Sri Sathya Sai Baba. [For more on Hislop please see http://media.radiosai.org/journals/Vol_02/13July01/02_Cover_Story/cover_story.htm ] The relevant quote is given below: John Hislop: Sometimes Swami speaks of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as if they were historical, and sometimes as if they were to be taken as representative of every individual's inner conflicts, virtues, bad qualities etc. Are these events and people historical fact? [Sathya] Sai Baba: Yes they are a record of historical people and incidents... Rama was a real person and an Avathar. And Dasaratha was His father. Krishna was real and the events of His Avathara were real. Rama’s life, over the ages, has been altered and distorted somewhat, and Swami's story of Rama will be a ...