Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

The deeply touching, utterly fascinating and Divine saga of an elephant daughter (Sai Geetha) of Sathya Sai Baba (Swami) and their love for each other shared by Sai Geetha's loving caretaker, http://media.radiosai.org/journals/vol_13/01JUN15/Commendable-Servitors-Of-The-Lord-3-Pedda-Reddy-caretaker-of-Sai-Geetha-part-01.htm . Some points [in square brackets prefixed with Ravi:] & extracts (usually in quotes): [Ravi: Pedda Reddy garu telling us about Swami coming to see the passed away body of Sai Geetha] “I cannot forget that day ever. It was not even seven in the morning and Swami's car was already there. As He alighted eagerly, His eyes were only searching for the body of Sai Geetha that now lay silent and still. The moment He saw her, Swami clasped my hands and broke down. He started weeping like a baby. Seeing Him in that stage, the dam within me also burst. I just could not hold myself any longer and succumbed to a sea of tears. “Swami held on to my palms just...

Last updated on 1st July 2015 What can Sai orgn. leaders do if some Sai devotees (including Sai university alumni and former teachers, warden & vice-chancellor) choose to not listen to them when the Sai orgn. leaders share Swami's words/instructions (not their own words, but SWAMI'S WORDS/INSTRUCTIONS) given in public discourses, to Sai devotees to ignore claims of mediums (and communicators)? In a recent FB post sharing Dr Narendranath Reddy, Prasanthi Council chairman (international org. chairman)'s, June 2014 message to Sai devotees sharing Swami's words/instructions to ignore mediums (and communicators), http://www.sathyasai.org/files2014/20140610FollowtheDivineMaster.pdf , I made the following comment which I felt appropriate to share as a Facebook post itself (slightly edited): I recall this from last year. Dr. N. Reddy has categorically and unequivocally condemned Muddenahalli (MDH) chosen communicator and subtle body claim using Swami's own words...

I think this photo captures the fun & frolic aspect of the young Swami. By the time I came into His fold (around 1993 when I was in Mumbai, and moving to Puttaparthi in late 2002), it was a more mature Swami who used to love humour (as could be seen by me even though I was not physically close to Him) but was not really into fun & frolic then, at least publicly. Thanks to brother Roshan S. Sai for sharing this photo on Facebook. I have presumed he would not mind me putting it up on this free blog for the benefit of interested readers, without any financial profit motive whatsoever.

In a Facebook post comment exchange I had responded: I think India needs to have more of religion and ethics in the public sphere but in such a way that all religions including ethical people who do not follow any religion feel honoured. That may be easier said than done. -------------- That resulted in a question being posted to me: Don't you think that ethics by itself is religion? -------------- I responded as follows: No brother. Religion, IMHO, necessarily involves belief in life after death (of the body) and a divine power (an "unseen" power) which in some sense judges people (e.g. Karma in Hinduism (and also, I guess, Jainism & Buddhism)). As an example of "ethical people who do not follow any religion" you may want to see the British Humanist Association (BHA) website, https://humanism.org.uk/ . I think a few top scientists in India working in institutions like Indian Institute of Science, especially those that did some higher studies in t...

In the context of a quote of Simone Weil given below, I made the comments given after the quote: "Religion in so far as it is a source of consolation is a hindrance to true faith; and in this sense atheism is a purification. I have to be an atheist with that part of myself which is not made for God. Among those in whom the supernatural part of themselves has not been awakened, the atheists are right and the believers wrong.", Simone Weil, in "Faiths of Meditation; Contemplation of the divine" as translated in The Simone Weil Reader (1957) edited by George A. Panichas, p. 417, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Christian_atheism Slightly edited comments of mine follow without the comments of others. I have tried to edit the comments to make the flow reasonable without comment responses of others. --------------- I looked at the above Simone Weil quotation twice, with a break in between, but I am not able to relate to it. The issue of doubt coming into the spiritu...

Some extracts from the article about USA South view about race just before USA civil war (around 1850s), http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/06/what-this-cruel-war-was-over/396482/ : ... in this free government all white men are and of right ought to be entitled to equal civil and political rights; that the servitude of the African race, as existing in these States, is mutually beneficial to both bond and free, and is abundantly authorized and justified by the experience of mankind, and the revealed will of the Almighty Creator, as recognized by all Christian nations; ... Free Society! we sicken at the name. What is it but a conglomeration of greasy mechanics, filthy operatives, small-fisted farmers, and moon-struck theorists? All the Northern men and especially the New England States are devoid of society fitted for well-bred gentlemen. The prevailing class one meet with is that of mechanics struggling to be genteel, and small farmers who do their own drudgery, and y...

"The act of forgiveness takes place in your own mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person." - Louise Hay, http://www.louisehay.com/forgiveness/ I think the message above is the truth, howsoever hard it may be for us to accept it. Forgiving somebody who caused hurt to us, and does not show remorse, IMHO, does not mean that we need to trust him/her again. We can simply avoid such persons (who do not show any remorse for their hurtful actions against us in the past), and also take adequate precautions & actions to prevent being hurt by them again. But we should give up, or rather try to give up, any desire for revenge, any desire to see them get their comeuppance. Let the Lord take care of that.

Transcript of a snippet from around 14:42 to 21:12, in "President Obama Delivers Eulogy at Charleston Shooting Funeral of Clementa Pinckney [FULL SPEECH]", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK7tYOVd0Hs , 37 min. 36 secs, published on Jun. 26th 2015: We do not know whether the killer of Rev. Pinckney and eight others knew all of this history (Ravi: of this Charleston church), but he surely sensed the meaning of his violent act. It was an act that drew on a long history of bombs and arson and shots fired at churches, not random, but as a means of control; a way to terrorize and oppress [applause]. And acts that he imagined would incite fear and recrimination, violence and suspicion. And acts that he presumed would deepen divisions that would trace back to our nation's original sin. Ohhh! But God works in mysterious ways! [Applause] God has different ideas. He didn't know he was being used by God. Blinded by hatred the alleged killer could not see the Grace surroundin...

In a Facebook post the following quote (and an accompanying photo) of Siddarameshwar Maharaj, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddharameshwar , (I do not know of him) was provided: "Consider yourself lucky if your mind becomes fed up with worldly objects. The 'Goddess of Sensuality' is very fond of human sacrifice, and she likes it fried alive!" I made the following comments (slightly edited) on the post: Terrific! Vairaagya or Vairaagyam (detachment) does not come easy, the wise say. Some knowledgeable people even say that, many times, Vairaagyam in a person is due to previous birth activities/efforts. BTW, did you know of the term, 'sannyaasa yogam', used by Indian astrologers? Roughly translated it means the 'good fortune to be a renunciant'. I know of one case where a loving female relative took the traditional Hindu, South Indian style, horoscope of a male relative of hers, who was not yet married, to a South Indian astrologer asking about his ...

Last updated on 24th June 2015 Taking Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's (Swami's) statement of "Why fear when I am here" to mean that we should aggressively counter each and every injustice that plagues the world, is NOT the right interpretation of Swami's statement, IMHO. I think it applies more to situations where one is following the principles of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti & Prema (which implies the vital principle of tolerance), but one is still faced with terrible threats. At that time, one should pray to Swami and be assured that He will protect us. One should not forget that Swami has also asked us to avoid bad company. Swami did not tell us to aggressively mix with bad company and force them to change their bad ways. [This seems to be in line with the famous saying: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. So, IMHO, spiritual people including Sai devotees following principles of tolerance (sahanamu) should not get provoked into doing something foolish...

Extracts from Indian PM Modi's remarks at International Conference on Yoga for Holistic Health, held on 1st International Yoga Day, 21st June 2015, http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=122667 [Release ID :122667] Today we are celebrating the first International Day of Yoga. When I spoke at the United Nations General Assembly on 27 September, 2014, urging the world community to adopt an international day of yoga, little did I know the kind of unprecedented response our proposal would receive. The community of nations responded as one. On December 11, 2014 the 193-member United Nations General Assembly approved the proposal by consensus with a record 177 co-sponsoring countries. ... As I stand here today the International Day of Yoga is being celebrated across the world. ... I am grateful to the international community for the support. I acknowledge with all humility that this support is not just for India. This support is for the great tradition of yoga, the tradi...

Last updated on 19th Sep. 2021 Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on Adi Shankara lecturing on Advaita, as a young man to a conference of scholars in Kasi (Varanasi, India) (Please note that the English translation of Jnaanam below uses the words wisdom and knowledge interchangeably): Many scholars started asking him (Adi Shankara) questions, "What is the principle of Advaita"? "It is nothing but the vision of oneness. Advaita Darshanam Jnanam (experience of non-dualism is wisdom)". What is this knowledge? Is it physical knowledge, worldly knowledge or secular knowledge? None of these. It is the knowledge of the Self. That is the fundamental knowledge. But no scholar is making efforts today to recognise this fundamental principle. Understand this truth clearly. Jewels are many, but gold is one. Likewise, the fundamental principle of the entire creation is only one although it manifests in various names and forms. ------------- The above extract is from Bhagavan's...

Transcript of this CNN video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIRcGwBrdbE , 1 min. 46 secs., where the victims' families are saying their forgiveness in court, via video, to the shooter: "I forgive you. You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you, and have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. If God forgives you, I forgive you.” “I forgive you and my family forgive(s) you. But we would like you to take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the one who matters the most: Christ. So that He can change you and change your ways, no matter what happens to you, you’ll be okay. Do that. ...” “We welcomed you Wednesday night in our Bible study with open arms. You have killed some of the most prettifullest (beautiful)  people that I know. Every fiber in my body hurts and I’ll never be the same. Tywanza Sanders was my son. But Tywanza was...

Last updated on June 20th 2015 These paragraphs are from Pope Francis encyclical (circular letter), sub-titled, "ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME", http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html , shared with the public around June 18th 2015 (the official date of the document given towards the end of it, is 24th May 2015). I read the initial parts of the long document and then quickly browsed through the rest. [As this post is free for interested readers with no financial profit motive whatsoever, I have presumed that the Vatican authorities would not mind me putting down a few extracts from it, below.] Saint Francis of Assisi 10. I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integ...

I have given below mainly my comments (slightly edited) in a conversation related to Vedanta and Sufism. The conversation starts on something related to Brihadaranyaka upanishad. While the absence of relevant comments from others may make the flow a little odd, I think it still may be of some interest to some readers and so decided to put it up as a post. If you find the flow too odd just stop reading the post. Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I believe it is well accepted among Hinduism scholars (both academic and religious) as well as enlightened Hindu masters, that the God (Atman/Self) of the Upanishads is without fear and without desire. Here are a couple of extracts from the wiki page associated with one of the Upanishad Mahavakyas (Great pithy statements), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tat_Tvam_Asi (Tat Tvam Asi - You/Thou are That): The meaning of this saying is that the Self - in its original, pure, primordial state - is wholly or partially identifiable or identical with the Ultimate ...

A relevant and very interesting article from The Hindu, a mainstream South Indian newspaper, today, by M. Ashraf Haidari, deputy chief of mission of the Afghan Embassy in India, "For peace and harmony in South Asia, some lessons from Sikhism and Sufism", http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/for-peace-and-harmony-in-south-asia-some-lessons-from-sikhism-and-sufism/article7319033.ece . [I have presumed that the author of the article would not mind me sharing a few extracts of his article on this free post for interested readers, without any financial profit motive whatsoever.] A few extracts from it: The relationship between Sufism and Sikhism dates back to the time of Guru Nanak, who led a modest life of profound, spiritual devotion, focussed on building bridges of love, tolerance, co-existence, and harmony among peoples of diverse faiths and socio-economic status. He was so immersed in piety and teaching his disciples to live spiritually, honestly, and harmoniously ...

I was updating my Table of Contents page in this blog, when I came across a post I had made a year ago giving stats. of a Dr. Hislop video on Swami's Advaita teachings which I had picked up from saicast.org, uploaded to youtube, titled it differently, manually added subtitles (so people can choose to view English subtitle text as they see the video) and provided some bubble boxes giving some info. I felt it appropriate to share with readers the current stats. of this video, "Sathya Sai Baba's Advaita Teachings By John Hislop Ph.D.", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl9izOvsUJg, 1 hr. 26 min., published on Nov. 7, 2013. Given below are copy-pasted date from youtube analytics for the above video: Lifetime (Nov 3, 2013 – Jun 10, 2015) VIEWS 5,160 ESTIMATED MINUTES WATCHED 65,812 Geography Views Estimated minutes watched Average view duration United States 1,095  (21%) 17,712  (27%) 16:10 ...