Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

Given below are USA President Obama's Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/potus/photos/a.428389484017564.1073741830.424207551102424/555043898018788/?type=1&theater , pic and text contents. To all who are celebrating the festival of lights across America and around the world, happy Diwali. As Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists light the diya, share in prayers, decorate their homes, and open their doors to host and feast with loved ones, we recognize that this holiday rejoices in the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It also speaks to a broader truth about our shared American experience. It's a reminder of what's possible when we see beyond the differences that too often divide us. It's a reflection of the hopes and dreams that bind us together. And it's a time to renew our collective obligation to deepen those bonds, to stand in each other's shoes and see the world through each other's eyes, and to embrace each other as ...

Last updated on 1st Nov. 2016 Given below are the contents of a shared Facebook post of mine, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1811431195740116 , and my comments on it. [The shared FB link is https://www.facebook.com/terry.reiskennedy/posts/10211151939893163 . The most important part of this post is this youtube video link in it, S.S. Naganand speaks with Terry Reis Kennedy about Muddenahalli, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5iO1cG-oMc , 46 min 44 secs.] Great work Terry Reis Kennedy! Thanks a ton! I think this is a superb and very informative interview of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Trustee Shri S.S. Naganand by you. Your questions were very pertinent as viewed from the concerns of the Sathya Sai fraternity on social media at large, and elicited clear answers from Shri Naganand. I think your investigative reporter background would have played a role in the superb way in which you conducted the interview. I thank Shri Naganand for agreeing to have this intervi...

Last updated on 21st April 2020 21st April 2020 Update: I had an inner urge to name-snip the names of some person(s) in this post and so have done so. Given below is a comment exchange from Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/terry.reiskennedy/posts/10211000882116813 : [IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: The attached pic shows an invitation card to an event in Muddenhalli on Oct. 11th 2016 (5 days ago). The chief guest mentioned, Hon'ble Health and Family Welfare minister of Karnataka, Shri Ramesh Kumar, DID NOT ATTEND the function. So readers should NOT MISUNDERSTAND the pic of the invitation card shown in this post as an indication of Shri Ramesh Kumar having attended the event. In fact, we are told by his daughter, Smt. Shubha Ramesh Kumar, (see comments on my associated Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1804579643091938 ) that Shri Ramesh Kumar DID NOT ATTEND the event but was in Prasanthi Nilayam/Puttaparthi that whole day! END-IMPORTANT-CLARIFICATI...

Last updated on 5th Dec. 2018 I have given below a comment (slightly edited) I made in response to a reference to me somewhere on Facebook Well, bro --name-snipped--, I go by the Sanathana Dharma teachings which Swami re-emphasised. In this case I think the appropriate teaching is: "Yad Bhaavam Tad Bhavathi". Here is an extract from Swami's 2008 New Year discourse, http://sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/NewYear2008Discourse.html , The Bhagavad Gita declares, “Mamaivamso Jivaloke Jivabhuta Sanathana” (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My Being). I am in you, with you, around you, above you, below you. There is no place in this Universe where God is not present. Similarly, there is no name or object that does not belong to Him. The Upanishads proclaim the same truth in the declarations, “Easwara Sarva Bhutanam” (God is the Indweller of all beings) and “Isavasyam Idam Sarvam” (the entire universe is permeated by God). Unable to realise this truth, a huma...

Last updated on 5th Dec. 2018 In a facebook post somewhere, I made the following comment (slightly edited): Well said, bro. --name-snipped--. My view is that, barring information that could hurt other individuals or some things which some may not want to share as it is very personal, Sai devotees sharing their experiences with Bhagavan in a truthful and loving towards Bhagavan way, is vital, vital service to the Sathya Sai mission and current and future Sathya Sai devotees. We have very limited experience accounts related to Shirdi Sai Baba physical form. I am now reading a book on Shirdi Sai Baba by Antonio Rigopoulus, The Life and Teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi (first Indian edition, 1993). Rigopoulus quotes words of Shirdi Sai Baba extensively from the book, Sri Sai Baba's Charters and Sayings by B.V. Narasimhaswami (first edition 1939). It is mentioned that Shirdi Sai Baba said such words to well known devotees like Nanasaheb Chandorkar. An example of it from page 34...

A part of a comment of brother Venky Pulipati on another Facebook post, is given below (slightly edited): "SAMADHI IS THE SANCTUM SANCTORUM of the WORLD SAI MISSION. Millions of people pray from wherever they are to Swami. I am repeatedly requesting and I am requesting again and again, let us not be even for a second, less reverential with our silly baseless allegations on SAMADHI AND FLOWER DECORATION. Though I don’t have mandate, with courage, on behalf of all my brothers, I reiterate that SAMADHI and any activity related to SAMADHI should be out of our discussion." Ravi: I endorse the above view of brother Venky Pulipati with a small qualification given below. Venky Pulipati is an alumnus of Swami's school in Ooty and Prasanthi Nilayam. The marble Samadhi was unveiled in July 2011, http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/sai-babas-mahasamadhi-unveiled/article2229848.ece [Additional reference with many pics: http://www.ndtv.com/photos/news/mah...