Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

Last updated on 22-Feb-2017 My Facebook post,  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1866316183584950 , dated today (21-Feb-2017) shares Facebook post of Shri Chandrasekhar Bhat, https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=490409821347952&id=100011368159087 , also dated today, which has a pic of an email from SBI (bank) to Alike school which reverts the 'frozen' bank account (changed signatories perhaps) to what it was earlier. The post also has the text, "WITH SPL GRACE OF LORDSAI BANK ACCEPTED THE STAY ORDER OF HIGH COURT AND CLEARED OUR BANK ACCOUNTS. JAI SAIRAM". Given below is my share-comment on my Facebook post mentioned above. Wonderful news! Thanks for sharing Shubha Ramesh Kumar. Appreciate your courage and hard work in reporting this matter. Narasimhamurthy, Madhusudan Naidu & co. seem to have been trying to starve Alike school of funds via freezing its bank account (or something like that). So happy to know that that underhan...

Last updated on 20-Feb-2017 Minor update on 20th Nov. 2018 My apologies right at the outset to those who feel hurt by the title of this post. But I felt that it is better to share my views on these unpleasant aspects of ashram systems rather than shove it under the carpet. Those readers who prefer to avoid reading such stuff may please skip reading the rest of this post. The trigger for this post came from a conversation I had recently with another person about somebody who earlier was serving in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, but later quit, got married and has children, and is now seriously considering whether he should consider serving as a full time employee in PN ashram system, if he gets the right job. It has been my direct experience in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system, especially after Mahasamadhi, that my high level competence in software development became a threat to the Head of academic department (HOD) I was serving in. The HOD was incompetent in software development an...

Given below is a comment I made on Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/shubha.kumar/posts/10157972934605538 , which I felt appropriate to share as a blog post: I unequivocally condemn such a racist slur made by the MDH troll against Nepalis and Nepali origin Indians. That's an unacceptable low in this back-and-forth going on, on Facebook, between the MDH troll and others including Chiran Basnet. Nepal is a Hindu state - one of the world's few Hindu states. I am given to understand it has stayed true to Hindu traditions. No wonder many Nepali and Nepali origin Indians became staunch devotees of Kali Yuga Avatar, Shiva Shakti Swarupa Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I should also say that India and Nepal share a very close bond even if there have been some periods of strain. My first exposure to Sathya Sai organization was Sathya Sai Seva samithi, Dombivli (near Mumbai, Maharashtra). It had a Nepali/Nepali origin Indian, an ex Indian Navy person, hailing from Darjeeling...

Last updated on 17th Feb 2017 Anonymous Facebook (FB) user wrote recently on private FB chat (slightly edited): Dear Ravi, keep it up. Your journalism and reporting of the truth as you and many see it is heroic. I turn to your pages these days to hear about the Alike developments, --snip--. The vibhooti spectacle proves nothing. Even IF he can materialize it it means nothing. See this video of Swami Premananda materializing vibhooti and lingams. Sai ram --name-snipped-- Swami Premananda Mahashivarathri 1994, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTjVC4EuB7o , 8 min. 32 secs. Plus I wanted to share a way to fill the day with Sai Darshans you might not know. Go to the Sai Love youtube site access their playlist and press 'play all' then 'shuffle'. Enjoy, Sai Ram https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8JK6SDU9RI&list=PLD9aFxIvO8i8-sd5L4FK2Boq80JR4g7LB ---- I responded (slightly edited): Thanks --name-snipped--. Went through the videos. May I share your message ANONYM...

Given below is a message from a former Sai university student of mine, sent over Facebook private chat yesterday, 15-Feb-2017, afternoon, which I felt appropriate to share publicly. I have edited it slightly to make it more readable but have not altered the content. --- start Facebook chat message from my former Sai university student --- Sir, listen to discourse of swami on 22nd july 2002 in asia stream now. We are undertaking so many social welfare activities, but I have never asked anybody even for a paisa. You are all aware of this. I do not involve Myself in money matters. But people today consider money as God. How can such people be called devotees? I told you earlier about this. I [168 Sathya Sai Speaks - Volume - 35] have started a service programme to look after children who do not have parents. One lakh rupees would be deposited in their name, which will take care of their needs. I have not asked anybody for any help in this regard. But today some people are colle...

Facebook post, "HORRIBLE EVIDENCE OF HOW THIS FRAUDSTER & IMPOSTER MADHUSUDAN NAIDU IS IMITATING SWAMI BY GIVING VIBHUTHI TO INNOCENT DEVOTEES", https://www.facebook.com/saimemories/posts/1332942350085668 , dated Feb-14-2017 of Facebook user Saibliss has the pictorial evidence of Madhusudan Rao Naidu taking his impersonation/imitation act of Bhagavan to the higher level of supposedly blessing devotees by giving vibhuti powder (not Vibhuti packets) to them. Those pics are given below with the lady devotee's face blanked out: Pics courtesy: Saibliss Facebook user I don't know whether Madhusudan Naidu has the siddhi power of materializing vibhuti or procuring vibhuti using paranormal powers from some nearby place, or whether he just acts as if he has materialized vibhuti, or whether he simply takes vibhuti powder from elsewhere in the room openly in front of the devotee and gives it to the devotee, thereby not giving any impression of materialization. ...

Comments I made on the Facebook post of Shubha Ramesh Kumar, 'Shirdi Baba said "My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees" It is therefore only natural that we worship and throng the Samadhi of our beloved Sai Ma in Prashanti Nilayam', https://www.facebook.com/shubha.kumar/posts/10157957648230538 dated 15-Feb-2017, are given below: This comment of mine presumes that sister Shubha's English translation of the audio she refers to is correct. I think it is very rich for Sri Narasimhmamurthy (BNNM) who has DISOBEYED the instructions of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba with respect to mediums and communicators, and who is promoting the FALSE BELIEF in so called communicator Madhusudan Rao Naidu, to criticize people who worship the samadhi of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at Prasanthi Nilayam. I don't think such devotees who worship the samadhi at Prasanthi Nilayam say that Bhagavan is not there in Muddenahalli. So BNNM is plain wrong there. What ...

Last updated on 16-Feb-2017 HC stays board resolution removing trustee, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/596482/hc-stays-board-resolution-removing.html , dated Feb. 15th 2017 A couple of sentences from the above article are reproduced below: Justice V Veerappa [of Karnataka High Court] passed an interim order, staying for 15 days the resolution of the board of trustees [of Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust] at a meeting held at Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapur district on January 21, 22 and 23, and ordered an emergent notice to the respondents. In the petition, Nagananda said he was removed for questioning the illegal acts of the trust secretary B N Narasimha Murthy and other trustees ... --- end short extract from deccanherald news article --- Ravi: I would like to inform readers that I have read the main part of the Writ Petition filed by Sri S.S. Naganand in Karnataka High Court which has been referred to in the Deccan Herald article above. As it is a legal matter, I will need...

Last updated on  22nd April 2020 22nd 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. The period of around a year from around June 2011, a little while after Bhagavan's Mahasamadhi (April end 2011), till June 2012 was one of the worst periods of my life from an emotional trauma point of view (which also affected my health). Bhagavan's Mahasamadhi function itself was, very thankfully, a very emotional and moving tribute to Bhagavan from lakhs (tens of thousands) of his devotees. I felt privileged to personally witness this extraordinary exhibition of love, gratitude, emotional attachment, devotion and/or just plain respect to/for physical form of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba from people across a wide spectrum of society, including the poor and the rich, the unknown and the famous, the ordinary Indian citizen and the powerful Indian political office holders including prime minister, national political party...

[Copy-pasted on 12-Feb-2017 from post on my miscellaneous blog,  http://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.in/2017/02/two-oldie-english-easy-listening-pop.html .] Sittin' on the dock of the bay + lyrics,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISxskvJ9FwI , around 3 minutes. I used to love to listen to this song when I was driving in the USA some decades back (on some 'easy listening' FM radio station). I guess I wanted to do what the singer claimed he was doing :-). And then being born & bred in Mumbai, I have a great attraction to just watching the sea. It can be so soothing and so powerful. I could be on Juhu beach, in Mumbai, for hours, at peace with everything :-). To make things really great, there is an awesome ISKCON temple near Juhu beach where the bhajans are great as well. ----- Bob Marley & The Wailers - Buffalo Soldier,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMUQMSXLlHM , around 3 minutes. Another oldie I loved listening to typically on car FM radio in the USA. Here ...

[Copy-pasted on 12th Feb. 2017 from post of my miscellaneous blog,  http://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.in/2017/02/has-childlessness-peaked-in-europe-jan.html .] The abstract of the paper mentions that number of childless European women born in 1900 to 1910 was high (around 25%). But the childlessness among European women born in 1940s came down to around 10%. In later year cohorts in European women, childlessness increased to 15% and 18% in northern and western Europe respectively. But in recent times, childless women born in the 1970s in southern Europe is touching 25%! The paper tries to analyze why these changes in number of childless European women has happened over the 20th century and now (early 21st century). I think it is worth reading for those interested in demographic changes/stability and associated probable causes. I certainly found it to be very interesting. Though I must also say that I am saddened by the number touching 25% in Southern Europe now as it seems to be a...

I have updated the main older Facebook posts of mine having content about Nigerian police and Muddenahalli group matter with the following update. [Update on 11th Feb. 2017: My Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1861017827448119 , has my congratulations to Muddenahalli group leaders for 10 Jan 2017 Nigerian police report clearing them of any criminal or other offence charges. However this Nigerian police report DOES NOT WITHDRAW or REFUTE point 4 of Nigerian police report dated 23rd Nov. 2016 which states "During interrogation, the 4th suspect (D. Madhusudan Rao Naidu) said he is not "light body" and does not receive any message from the late founder, Sri Sathya Sai Baba". end-update] Here are the Facebook posts I have updated: 1) Nigerian Police Report on Muddenahalli group states that Madhusudan Rao Naidu said that he DOES NOT receive messages from Sathya Sai Baba, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1829165983966637 , Dec....

Brother Sai Keshav who believes in Madhusudan Rao Naidu's so called communicator claim put up a Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/saikeshav.personal/posts/1467032750006763 , on Feb. 9th 2017. This post has pics of a Nigerian police report dated 10th Jan. 2017 on investigation of charges against Muddenahalli group leaders in a visit they made to Nigeria last year. I have given those pics (two) below. I think this shows the Nigerian police investigation's current view that they have not found any evidence of criminality against Muddenahalli group leaders mentioned (including Madhusudan Rao Naidu, Sri Narasimha Murthy, Mr. Isaac Tigrett and Sri C. Srinivas). So I take this to be a clearing up of their names from the criminal allegations. I congratulate Madhusudan Rao Naidu, Sri B.N. Narasimha Murthy, Mr. Isaac Tigrett and Sri C. Srinivas, and others named above, on being absolved of these criminal charges by Nigerian police investigation. I am also sorry that they...