Miscellaneous posts & comments on Facebook in April 2018
7 Jun. 2024: Some sensitive content has been snipped.
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 post is about changes being made in top Sai university administration positions.]
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Vr Ganti sir: I too heard that. Let's hope the new Registrar follows Bhagavan's Sanathana Dharma teaching of Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara which is also one of the important mottos of the Sai university, in execution of his duties as Registrar. Yatha Raja Tatha Praja - As is the king so are the subjects. If the Registrar humiliates teachers and does droham (harm) to them, then all the praja of Sai university will also try to emulate him.
If the Registrar upholds Sathya & Dharma and respects teachers, especially free service teachers with designations of Honorary Staff or Honorary Faculty or Visiting Faculty (common designations given to such free service teachers) who do or did their service work as an offering to Bhagavan without expectation of monetary benefit, then that will percolate through the university system.
I was discussing this today with a gentleman. The person coming in to take up the position of Registrar has a good reputation in general of being a soft-spoken and decent person. In my personal interactions with him, I have found him to be a nice person. But then I had found the to-be-replaced OR replaced Registrar also to be a decent guy in my interactions with him PRIOR TO HIM BECOMING REGISTRAR. After he became Registrar, something weird seems to have happened to him!
The challenge is whether the position of Registrar will impact the behaviour of the new or to-be Registrar in a negative way. Abuse of power was rampant and almost an established culture in Sai university system earlier. I mean, once a guy got into position of power in the Sai university system he was expected to abuse his power!!! No jokes! People would say things like once a guy gets the power of the pen, he changes. Coming from an international software industry background, it took me a little while to understand what 'power of the pen' means. It means the signatory authority that powerful positions in the university like Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and Controller of Examinations have.
I hasten to add that 'pen being mightier than the sword', of course, was a well known saying to me. But that is about a writer's writings, when such writings are followed by many people, being mightier than physical-level power. The 'power of the pen' phrase used in the university administrator context meant something else.
A very insightful quote is attributed to Abraham Lincoln by some, which I think is very relevant to quote in this context. The quote is: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.", https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/abraham_lincoln_101343.
Hopefully now such abuse of power as a culture in Sai university is a thing of the past. And it better be, as India today has far lesser tolerance to any record tampering (criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code) and other abuse of power. We see cases of top university administrators in various parts of the country including Andhra Pradesh, being arrested by the police for wrongdoing.
Sorry if the words I have used above seem harsh. But quite unfortunately Indian academic system in general is in a terrible and pathetic state today with rampant Asathya and Adharma, and I think that seems to have impacted the Sai university too in the past. It is better to say the tough words now and hope that the new or to-be Registrar realizes that 2018 India is very different from 2008 India, and takes good care to ensure that Bhagavan's beloved university follows Bhagavan's instruction for the Sai university of Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara.
I wish the new or to-be Registrar all the best and hope that he gives top value to Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara and does not compromise on those values for matters like NAAC grading (NAAC is an Indian academic institution grading body) or high-value academic/scientific grants from govt. grant agencies. The emphasis of Bhagavan, in my considered view, was on spiritual values and NOT top NAAC grading or high-value academic/scientific grants. There are other institutions in the country like Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), funded largely by the tax payer (govt. funded) who can focus on top NAAC grading (or NBA - a grading body for engineering institutions - grading) and big scientific grants. In my considered view, Bhagavan did not found the Sai university to try to emulate IISc or IITs or IIMs.
In my considered view, Bhagavan founded the Sai university to deeply instill the values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa among students, along with equipping them with good knowledge and skills (so that they can get decent jobs and earn a decent living). I think Bhagavan wanted these students who later became/become members of society at large, to reinvigorate these values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa in society in general. And anybody who has been following current world events including the scary phenomenon of Fake News on social media and its use in interference in democratic elections of powerful countries like the USA, as well as insane acts of hatred-induced violence and killing in several countries of the world including India, knows how badly the world at large needs people who follow Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa.
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Given below are few selected comments from Terry Reis Kennedy's Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/terry.reiskennedy/posts/10216385156280302, 20th April 2018
Terry Reis Kennedy wrote: I just received this message from someone who obviously does not want to comment on the post.. Is there anyone who can verify if THETRUESAIWEEBLY.COM USED THE CORRECT PHOTO THE ORIGINAL POST HAD NO PHOTO. I CANNOT GET INTO THE SITE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE.
Just saw a FB post from you sharing this link: https://thetruesai.weebly.com/rangantha-raju.html.
I don't know the face of Ranganatha Raju. So I could be wrong. But I think the pic of the person (who may have the same name) is of an elder person than the alumnus Ranganatha Raju who seems to have been a cohort of Madhusudan Naidu.
You may want to check with some alumnus who knows Ranganatha Raju the author of the article, that you and/or truesai weebly.com have got the right person's pic.
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[Ravi: My message to Terry was from the 'Just saw a FB post ...' part.]
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...
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Thought I should mention that it was I who had sent the message to Terry Reis Kennedy which she has reproduced as a comment above. I try nowadays to stay away from posts related to SSSIHL and SSSIHL alumni who are not known personally to me (I don't know Ranganatha Raju), as I am trying to put away in the background, the very bad experiences I had with SSSIHL administrators after Mahasamadhi (where SSSIHL faculty and (non-teaching) staff colleagues did ****ZERO****/ *****NOTHING**** to counter the SSSIHL administrators who were harassing and humiliating me). At times in Facebook conversations, when I feel it is appropriate to let people know the history of SSSIHL ***Hijack*** from around Jul 2011 to Nov. 2014 by Muddenahalli group due to the traitor vice-chancellor --Name1-snipped-- and some traitor-collaborator SSSIHL administrators who backed --Name1-snipped-- and his mentor/guide, B.N. Narasimhamurthy who has proved to be the biggest traitor to Sathya Sai after Mahasamadhi, I share my knowledge about it, as I did in some recent comment exchanges on Facebook.
Other than that I try to consciously just stay away from SSSIHL related matters and matters related to SSSIHL alumni who I do not know personally. That is why I did not want to publicly comment on this post and instead chose to send a private message to Terry.
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Given below is a comment of mine from https://www.facebook.com/vr.ganti.1/posts/10212168759558869, post dated 17th April 2018:
Sai Ram Vr Ganti sir! I will presume it is a recent pic and so comment on it. If Mr. Isaac Tigrett (IT) did this some time back and has stopped doing so now, then my comment may please be ignored. I am ready to delete the comment if that is the case.
Now I actually am very busy with other things now. But still I am taking the time to comment on this. Why?
Well, to be honest, I was never a form-guy teacher in the Sai university as a free service teacher from Jan. 2003 to Mar 2012 (with designations of Honorary Staff, Honorary Faculty and Visiting Faculty) and preferred to keep some distance from physical form Sathya Sai as I was focused on my individual sadhana and did not want to get too deeply involved in either the Sai university or the Prsanthi Nilayam ashram system. So I prefer that other regular and paid teachers of the Sai university who were form-boys or form-guys with lots & lots of close physical interactions with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the revered founder-chancellor of the Sai university, ***publicly*** criticize IT's act of having what seems to be beer along with Sai students (of Muddenahalli group)!! It is Narasimhamurthy, former warden of Sai university, who should be publicly and critically commenting on this. It is Madhu Baba, two time gold-medallist alumnus of Sai university who should be doing so.
It is key administrators of Sai university now, including Sai alumni holding Sai university administrative posts, who should be publicly criticizing IT's above act. Why are they silent and staying away from all this? I don't know. Maybe it is ***fear***. Why criticize and become a target of Muddenahalli group DIRTY-TRICKS-SQUAD/Cambridge-Analytica-type Facebook Fake-ID SQUAD most of whom seem to be based in Melbourne, Australia with some of them being Sai university alumni? Let them do what they want. I think that seems to be their attitude.
Now should I also keep quiet? I do not fear the Muddenahalli DIRTY-TRICKS-SQUAD who seem to be based in Melbourne, Australia and seem to have supporters in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, Sai university and outside ashram Puttaparthi. But I have lots of other work on my plate. So shall I also take the view, let them do what they want? And say it is all Bhagavan's Leela? In course of time, everything will get resolved?
Well, I have to follow what my conscience prompts me to do. I am deeply grateful to (physical form) Bhagavan for all that he did for me, by acting as my spiritual master, and the wonderful legacy he has left behind which I continue to benefit from spiritually. It was Bhagavan personally who approved my free Seva at the Sai university when he was asked about it by then vice-chancellor S.V. Giri in Jan. 2003 in the interview room, if I recall correctly (I was not present there but was told about it). It was Bhagavan who stood by me, (with Bhagavan) upholding Sathya & Dharma in my crisis period in early 2010 after which I became much more deeply devoted to Bhagavan. Otherwise there were a few Sai university administrators and few university staff who would have been happy to throw me out of Sai university then itself. And some of them did succeed in using their Shakuni Poison tactics to harass me and humiliate me after Bhagavan Mahasamadhi when Bhagavan was not present in physical form to uphold Sathya & Dharma values in Sai university, due to which I terminated my association with Sai university in disgust in March 2012.
So my gratitude to Bhagavan for guiding me spiritually and upholding Sathya & Dharma in my own case in Sai univeristy, prompts me to NOT be a silent witness to this act of IT done under the umbrella of FALSE BELIEF communicator Madhusudan Rao Naidu and his main promoter, ex warden of Sai university, Narasimhamurthy. I ***know*** from my over eight years in the Sai university, Prasanthi Nilayam campus, in the DIVINE PRESENCE of physical form Sathya Sai, that Bhagavan would be ***furious*** with any teacher/mentor who drinks alcohol in front of his beloved Sai students, thereby leading the students to view drinking alcohol not only as an okay thing to do, but perhaps as a 'cool' thing to do. If I had ever done that (though as I said before I stopped drinking alcohol 25 years ago), I would be terrified of the ***fury*** with which Bhagavan would have looked at me during Darshan. So such a thing is ***unthinkable*** to any Sai university teacher who has served in the DIVINE PRESENCE of physical form Sathya Sai.
Now I need to say that I have enjoyed not only beer but other alcohol quite a bit in my youth. I stopped drinking alcohol around 25 years ago but I have rather fond memories of my alcohol drinking days including in joints similar to this one shown in the IT pic, mostly in Europe but a little in USA too. Now IT may enjoy his alcohol now. That's fine by me. But let him NOT ***corrupt*** Muddenahalli Group Sai students by claiming to be a Sathya Sai spiritual leader and then indulging in this behaviour with Sai students.
Where is the great Tyagajeevi Narasimhamurthy, the mentor of Muddenahalli Group? Why is he keeping silent on this? Does he approve of this behaviour? If he does not condemn such behaviour ***publicly*** then Muddenahalli Group Sathya Sai devotees should boycott Narasimhamurthy. Then he is not fit to be a Sathya Sai spiritual mentor. He should then rename his group as Madhu Baba group and call himself mentor of Madhu Baba students!
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Given below are few comments form https://www.facebook.com/vr.ganti.1/posts/10212105714822790, 7th April 2018:
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Vr Ganti sir, I think you should take it easy with celebrities like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. They may not have much time to dig deep into Sathya Sai teachings and instructions related to mediums and communicators. I think they are dazzled by the free medical service initiatives of Muddenahalli group, and so may be lending the support of their name and presence to such free medical service initiatives.
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Vr Ganti wrote: Ravi S. Iyer GARU - I don’t agree at all with your views. They have enough intelligence working for them. You probably may not be aware of the influence C SRINIVAS has over these people. These celebrities think that whatever CS says is BIBLE and that is the problem Sir. If I tell you my source you will be amazed.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Vr Ganti sir, Oh! If you have "classified" information about the matter then you are far more knowledgeable than me on this. So you may be right and I may be wrong.
However, sir, bear in mind that even Prime Minister Modi, chief ministers Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh) and Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), also have participated in Muddenahalli functions.
If we become publicly and strongly critical of all such important leaders and celebrities in India who are associating with Muddenahalli group, then we may face a negative backlash.
I was told that Shiv Kumar Sharma (Santoor player) visited Prasanthi Nilayam some time back. He was permitted to sit in the verandah/VIP area but was not otherwise shown great support and encouragement (due to his having prominently associated with Muddenahalli group). I think that was the right approach PN authorities took. These are big people. They need to be treated with dignity but at the same time they need to be told politely (in an explicit or implicit way) that they are being misguided by Narasimhamurthy, Madhusudan Naidu and other leaders of Muddenahalli group.
Now that's my view. Perhaps you sir prefer to take a more aggressive approach against such celebrities and top leaders. That is your choice sir. I only conveyed my humble view of the matter. Jai Sai Ram!
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On a non-public Facebook post, Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): --Name-snipped--, I think Draupadi's case when she was being disrobed in the court of the Kauravas (after Yudishtra had foolishly gambled and lost wagers one of which was related to his and his family's freedom), is a relevant example here. Draupadi prayed to Krishna intensely - that intensity of her prayer resulted in the miracle of her sari becoming virtually endless due to which the disrobing attempt failed.
Human history is full of terrifying stuff, including Indian history. War is the big thing in history as it usually has been war that has changed established orders. And war has been utterly sickening and very scary in human history. Rape, torture sometimes only for the revenge-fun of it, .... is the common theme.
I guess that it was only after the Geneva Convention (19th and 20th century), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Conventions, that rape (and capture of defeated enemy's women as sex slaves) as a terrifying weapon of war was outlawed.
But we saw in Iraq and Syria in the past few years that every fighting group in war does not follow the Geneva Convention!
I think the promise of Avatars and deities is that if one prays intensely to them for protection from such horror, then (and perhaps only then), they will intervene to protect their devotee.
Intense prayer of the level that Draupadi did when she got saved by the miracle, cannot be easily obtained. I think that is something that is developed over years and even decades.
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From https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2127868587429707, dated 11th April 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43720875
Melbourne, Australia seems to have a lot of such scamsters! Hmm.
An extract from the article:
Hanna Dickenson, 24, accepted A$42,000 (£22,000; $31,000) after telling her parents that she needed medical treatment overseas.
Her parents had received donations from their friends, a court was told. It heard Dickenson spent much of the money on holidays and socialising.
A judge called the scam "despicable".
Dickenson had pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court to seven charges of obtaining property by deception.
--- end extract ---
Such is life! Scamsters are here, there and everywhere! Genuine people in need of help must be helped when possible/feasible, but donors should do due diligence to know that it is a genuine case and not a scam.
--- end text content of FB post ---
Given below are some comments on above post:
Terry Reis Kennedy wrote: She gets arrested. But India sleeps while Madhusudan Rao Naidu.... continues to dig deeper and deeper into the pockets of "devotees" who turned their backs on Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai and went running to see two of the biggest scammers in recent history....using the Sacred Name to collect millions. Yes, Baloney Boy and his Mentor the Gold Digger are free to fly all over the world and to steal more money and appear to be getting away with their SCAM. Well, India is no Australia. But the Poorna Avatar is still the Poorna Avatar so ultimately they will be exposed as the traitors they are. Meantime, their philosophy seems to be eat, drink, and be merry...for tomorrow we may be in HELL.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Well, Terry Reis Kennedy, my understanding of Indian and USA law is that first one needs a police complaint about donation obtained under fraud. In this Australia case the donation was obtained under clearly and easily provable fraud as the person concerned was NOT sick.
In Madhusudan Naidu case, even under USA law, I repeat, USA law, even if some donor comes forward in the USA and makes a complaint for fraud against him, I think it will not be easy to successfully prosecute him. That's my view. But I am not a legal specialist and so I could be wrong.
And I don't think even in Austalian law, prosecution of Madhusudan Naidu for fraud will be easy.
The crux for such a fraud case would be using money received as donation for causes other than what were specified at the time the donation was solicited. If somebody gives money for a school, and after operating expenses are deducted, if bulk of the money goes towards the school, then I don't think there is any case of fraud. And I think that will be the case in India, Australia and USA.
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Terry Reis Kennedy wrote: Ravi S. Iyer The crime is collecting money in the name of Sathya Sai Baba when He specifically spoke against doing so. The collection of monies by deception is very serious in USA and that is why Swami engaged Robert Baskin to make the copyright legalities in the USA years ago. Robert Baskin is the husband of the late Diana Baskin.. The Frauds can easily be stopped in the USA. Robert Baskin did serve a warning "letter" to the Frauds when they appeared at Harvard last year.......I do not know, however, what further action, if any has been taken. Robert Baskin has not responded to the many letters sent to him by Sai activists in India and in USA> A meeting was held at the VIP Residence in Prasanthi Nilayam regarding this matter last year.....At that time, Leonardo Pablo Gutter spoke to a few Sai Activists present and reported to us that Robert Baskin was going forward with some kind of action. When I wrote to Leonardo Pablo Gutter twice about "the action" he said that he, too, had not been informed. He was speaking to us at that time as a representative of Dr. Narendranath Reddy, USA citizen and head of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization. Dr. Reddy is also remaining silent on this matter.......
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Ravi S. Iyer Terry Reis Kennedy, you wrote, "The crime is collecting money in the name of Sathya Sai Baba when He specifically spoke against doing so." I think that is not an easy case to prove in USA and India courts of law (and perhaps Australian court of law as well) as Sathya Sai himself has given up the physical body (legal view would be that he is dead).
Perhaps that's why you don't hear much about further action in USA from Sai orgn. against Muddenahalli group.
My impression is that in India such a case will be very difficult to win against any NGO doing social service like Muddenahalli group. Sathya Sai will be viewed by Indian court of law as a great saint who taught and ***practiced*** charitable/free service to the poor and needy. Any NGO that shows that it is doing such charitable/free service to the poor and needy with the bulk of the money that it has collected using the name of Sathya Sai, will probably get the support of the court of law in India.
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Given below are mainly my comments from Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/terry.reiskennedy/posts/10216306436992369, 10th April 2018
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I read some of the comments put up on this post and felt that I should make an overview comment.
Some of us have chosen to fight for Sathya and Dharma in Puttaparthi and reverse the HIJACK done of some parts of Prasanthi Nilayam by Muddenahalli group and their sympathizers. Terry Reis Kennedy has been at the forefront of this effort, and even after she moved back to Vermont, USA, continues to fight for Sathya & Dharma in Puttaparthi.
The brutal reality of communities including ashram communities is that it is lack of resistance from most people that makes it possible for a few power crazy and megalomaniacal people to dominate over the community and hijack it.
That it could happen even to parts of Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system after Sathya Sai Mahasamadhi was truly astonishing, at least to me! But it did happen. And the reversal of the HIJACK was won by fighting hard (not at physical level though physical level threats were made by Muddenahalli group supporters) for Sathya & Dharma. I will not forget the vital role Terry played in that fight and reversal of the HIJACK.
Some had chosen to fight initially but then had enough of it and decided to move on. That's their choice and must be respected.
Some have (or had) chosen to sit on the fence and enjoy benefits of both Puttaparthi and Muddenahalli! It is not a stand that I respect and I think it reflects the shallowness of their understanding and practice of the teachings and instructions of our beloved and revered Lord, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. But then we all have our weakness including me. Perhaps they have their weaknesses which leads them to do that.
But as a matter of honour and fairness, I think people who benefit (or benefited) from Puttaparthi system (through salary and/or other kind of benefits like room and medical care) but act (or acted) as recruiting-agents and missionaries for Muddenahalli group in Puttaparthi are behaving (or behaved) in a very dishonourable and unfair way - in an Asathya and Adharma way. To put it bluntly, they poach (or poached) on Puttaparthi system even while they benefit (or benefited) from it.
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Terry Reis Kennedy wrote (edited): Ravi S. Iyer Thank you for your remarkable reply. It helps readers to understand how difficult it is for those of us living in Parthi to tolerate how we are treated by the fraud herd settled there in their often illegal quarters. The come and go as they please and do not even fill up the necessary ... --snip--
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Thanks --name-snipped-- for your wonderful contribution to Sathya Sai legacy via your blog, Children of Light. I certainly appreciate what you have done to protect and preserve Sathya Sai legacy.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: As a resident of Puttaparthi for over 15 years now, and as a person who was in Sai university at the time of the ***GREAT BETRAYAL*** by some top people of Sai university like ex-vice chancellor --Name1-snipped--, ex long time warden Narasimhamurthy, two time Gold medallist alumnus, Madhusudan Rao Naidu along with traitor-collaborators who collaborated with them and ousted from the Sai university, those who dared to question the traitors & traitor-collaborators, I know what damage was done to Puttaparthi by Muddenahalli group and how.
I know how they maligned ***in private*** the top people of Prasanthi Nilayam ashram including brother Satyajit Salian who was praised by Bhagavan in public for his dedicated service to Him (Bhagavan). And in public they (Muddenhalli group) talked of "Help Ever Hurt Never" and never to criticize anybody and all that. What horrible hypocrisy!!!
Those cheap people said that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was tortured in Prasanthi Nilayam! One of the top Sai university traitors is also reported to have said that to some Karnataka senior Sai orgn. person. This is how they maligned Prasanthi Nilayam system. It was like the tactics used in political campaigns!
But all these dirty tricks they indulged in won them huge support and huge money. Like dirty tricks department of political parties sometimes win elections for their party/leader, Muddenahalli group won donors and devotees to their side with their dirty tricks! This is the truth.
Very few people had the ***guts*** to expose these fellows and face the vicious hatred and vicious 'fake news' malice that Muddenahalli group attacked any such people who became truth tellers to Sathya Sai community about what had happened.
Yes, exposing the conspiracy and malice of Muddenahalli group towards Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, is NOT a pleasant thing. If you want to experience peace and joy it is better to stay away from reading about such horrible truth.
But it is such ****truth**** that helped Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system overcome the horrible period that it suffered from a few months after Mahasamadhi till mid 2016 (an around 5 year period) when Muddenahalli group supporters freely recruited devotees and donors in Prasanthi Nilayam, and when Muddenahalli group supporters in Prasanthi Nilayam system ***mocked*** those of us who chose to be loyal to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and help in reversing the hijack of parts of Prasanthi Nilayam system.
This was not a pretty thing and not for faint hearts. It was an emotional fight (which fortunately did not, so far at least, descend into physical fight) that drained and even negatively impacted the health of those of us who chose to fight for reversal of HIJACK of parts of Prasanthi Nilayam system by Muddenahalli group.
Terry Reis Kennedy has been the great fighter in this activity. She fought for the truth even as this fight led to her losing friends and which perhaps negatively impacted her financial situation as well.
I am very grateful to Terry for her investigative journalism kind of work in this matter. I fully support Terry continuing this activity of hers if that is what her heart and her nature prompts her to do.
In the career of Avatars, there are some who choose to fight for the Avatar, even laying down their lives for the Avatar. Jatayu was the bird-king who knew he may lose his life in fighting Ravana who was kidnapping Sita but fight he did and lost his life. But as he lay mortally wounded and close to death, it was Lord Rama who came to him, heard his account and gave him water to drink (and, if I got that correctly, did his last rites)! What Rama's father, Dasaratha, could not get, was what the Avatar himself, Rama, did for Jatayu who chose to fight the evil Ravana for kidnapping mother Sita, even though he knew that he would most probably die in that unequal fight.
In my considered view, even after moving back to USA and facing some challenges, Terry is contributing to Prasanthi Nilayam mission, by fighting like Jatayu against those who want to harm Prasanthi Nilayam by poaching on the ashram and grabbing devotees and donors. Note that Terry related how the concerned lady tried to convert Terry herself!
As a Prasanthi Nilayam ashram and Puttaparthi loyalist, I am grateful to Terry for the work she has done, and continues to do. All the best, Terry and keep doing the good work if that's what your heart prompts you to do, of exposing the false and promoting the true. Sathyameva Jayate! Truth Alone Triumphs. Jai Sai Ram!
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Chiran Basnet wrote (slightly edited): I am very grateful to Terry Reis Kennedy for the great work she has done day in day out on this issue. In fact one of the reason I came to social media writing was I became ashamed of my own silence as student of Swamy whereas handful of people like Terry mam and Ravi Iyer sir were relentlessly defending the gates of Puttaparthi despite thousands of personal abuse by then very active large mudenahalli fanatics all over social media. Today those Mudenahalli supporters r limited to their own caves as people like Terry continued to show them mirrors of Swamy's Words ,Wisdom and Truth which decimated their subtle phenomenon and helped many to stay away from such fatal pitfalls.
That made them call Terry mam even degrading words like --snip-- openly in Social media. N it was a time only a few were available to stand by her not the hundreds we see on a single post here today. The amount of hard work and toil that has been put by few here day in day out had and is having significant effect to Mudenahalli unhindered growth . I shiver to think how far Mudenahalli would have spread their tentacles if not for relentless proactive efforts by few dedicated people in their own small ways.
Today we have the luxury of showing more Words of Swamy in social media without a single abuse or even a comment by Mudenahalli well oiled social media department due to such relentless efforts of people like her. I was a Mudenahalli student so I know who heads that department there too.
What is more surprising is that some people here who can easily move away from Mudenahalli issue insist on staying on this post. And insist on educating us by highlighting how they have risen above the lower nature that still premate us.Insist on uplifting us to where they have elevated themselves to. Hope they moved on as easily as they moved away from Mudenahalli issue rather than be pulled down from their already achieved elevation
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Good to see Chiran Basnet speaking up here. He is a loyal supporter of Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi and has a lot of knowledge about what happened in the months and years after Mahasamadhi (split of MDH from PN).
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Chiran Basnet wrote: Ravi S. Iyer sir thank u
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): Thanks --name-snipped-- for sharing the background to Terry's post, including that you suggested she make it as the concerned lady had approached Terry earlier trying to convert her to MDH following.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I wish --name-snipped-- and --name-snipped-- all the best in finding a happier and more peaceful group/spiritual group.
My view of reading these exchanges is that --name-snipped--'s views which were critical of people writing against MDH stirred up some reactions.
MDH is a very, very sore point for many of us. I personally have been shouted at as if I did a crime in the vice-chancellor's office (which was a hallowed room then to people like me) by MDH supporter and traitor vice-chancellor of Sai university - --Name1-snipped-- in or around Jul 2011. At that time I did not know about Narasimhamurthy having got into (FALSE CLAIM) dream-instruction successor role of Sathya Sai with --Name1-snipped-- becoming a devoted follower of Narasimhamurthy (and going against Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust). I was humiliated that day by this traitor vice-chancellor in the vice-chancellor's office. I swallowed that humiliation out of respect for the chair of the VC (not knowing that he was or would be a traitor).
These and other experiences have left deep marks on my psyche. For --name-snipped-- and --name-snipped--, it is different. They may not have been humiliated and mentally harassed by MDH people. So naturally they are not so upset by them.
For people like me and Terry, it is different. We have been hit hard by them. So it is pretty emotional stuff. Not a detached peaceful discussion. B'cos that's the way MDH bullied and blackmailed their way to power over PN ashram system for some time. Yes, the blackmailed their way. --Name1-snipped-- was well connected to powerful political people in the country. He threatened Central Trust that he would complain about them if he was dismissed as vice-chancellor! And so this traitor VC remained in power over Sai university from Jul 2011 to Nov. 2014. For people like me who know all of this and have been through the fire of this betrayal, MDH is a super sensitive point. I think --name-snipped-- and --name-snipped-- have not had to go through any of this with MDH and so they now have a more tolerant view of them.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: And I don't think MDH people will be laughing at us at all. In fact, they desperately want people like us to stop exposing and opposing them. Perhaps MDH people will be glad with views here that they should not be criticized (which I disagree with).
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Perhaps the posts and comments we make against MDH get edgy at times. But we are human too. MDH people use Facebook fake IDs to write vicious 'fake news' attacks on us.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I don't know of one Parthi supporter in our Facebook group who uses fake Facebook IDs like MDH group, to attack MDH group people with vicious 'fake news' attacks.
MDH group is into lots of dangerous stuff and I think those of us who expose them are serving society by exposing them.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: From Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's discourse on 11-10-1986, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume19/sss19-23.pdf:
Here is an example from the Mahabharata: Considering that war should be a great universal calamity, Dharmaja (the eldest of the Pandavas) appealed to Krishna to go as an ambassador of peace to the Kauravas. Entering the audience hall of Duryodhana, Krishna described at length the disastrous consequences of war. The great Acharyas--Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Aswathama--- who were present in the court, were intently listening to Krishna's words. But Krishna's appeal was of no use to them. Because of their long association with the wicked Kauravas, they became abettors in the crimes of Duryodhana and others.
Vidura, who was a witness to the evil that was being committed, resolved to oppose it. He pleaded with the Kauravas in many ways to listen to the wise words of Krishna. His appeal fell on deaf ears. Rather than stay amongst such evil-minded persons, Vidura felt that it was better to go on a pilgrimage, and left the country immediately.
Bhishma, Drona and others, having been beneficiaries of the sustenance provided by the wicked Kauravas, chose to be loyal to them and stayed on. All of them were great preceptors. They knew well the distinction between righteousness and evil. They had enquired into the nature of the eternal and the permanent. Of what avail was all that knowledge? When it came to practising what they knew, all their knowledge was of no use. In the final outcome, all of them met with the same end in the great war as the evil-minded Kauravas.
Krishna looked upon those who, even if they were good in themselves, did not oppose unrighteousness and injustice committed in their presence when they had the capacity to do so, as actual participants in the crimes. When evil and injustice and violence are being perpetrated, if individuals look on unconcerned, they must be regarded as accomplices in the crimes. In the end they also suffer as much as the criminals. By their passive association, they provide encouragement to the evildoers.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Some, including me, in Puttaparthi choose to oppose and expose Asathya and Adharma done by Muddenahalli group at the expense of Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's words above, in my considered view, show that we are doing the correct thing.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Mind you, we are not putting any pressure on those who choose to stay silent. But if they try to lecture us, based on Sathya Sai teachings, that we should stay silent and not expose Muddenahalli group, then I have many such extracts from Sathya Sai discourses about standing up for Sathya & Dharma. In particular, Sathya Sai has been extremely harsh on those who claim to be his mediums and communicators, and ****has instructed***** office bearers and devotees to be harshly dismissive of them (drive them out or something like that is the English translation of Sathya Sai words, in this context, if I recall correctly).
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: There is no doubt in my mind that the peace and love I myself enjoyed to a great extent when Sathya Sai was in physical form, in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram and in Puttaparthi town, is lesser now.
But Puttaparthi and Prasanthi Nilayam were under HIJACK and POACHING ATTACKS from Muddenahalli group from a few months after Mahasamadhi! Now the hijack has been reversed (with removal of 5 teachers from Higher Secondary School and one senior teacher from university in mid 2016 being the watershed moment) but the poaching is still ongoing though it is being done more secretively.
Peace cannot be at the cost of surrendering Prasanthi Nilayam system and Puttaparthi town to Muddenahalli group and the cheap imitator Madhusudan Rao Naidu! Sathya & Dharma values in Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi should be protected from Asathya-Adharma crooks of Muddenahalli group attempting to poach on Prasanthi Nilayam system.
But I can understand those who seek to spend time in an ashram town that is united in peace, love and joy NOT finding it currently in Puttaparthi, as Puttaparthi is even now under poaching attack from Muddenahalli! I can understand them wanting to move on to some other place where this splinter problem is not there. I wish them all the best to find a good peaceful, joyous, loving and united ashram town/system somewhere else.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: In my own case I am so so deeply grateful to my beloved and revered Gurudev Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for all that he taught me and guided me through his discourses and his gestures & looks at me, that I will do my utmost to protect and preserve Bhagavan's legacy as well as Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system and Puttaparthi town, from the Asathya-Adharma crooks of Muddenahalli group. I don't care if I lose all my peace. I have to do my duty to my beloved Gurudev - peace or no peace. Jai Sai Ram!
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--Name-snipped-- wrote: Thank you for defending our beloved Swami's legacy!
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--Name-snipped-- wrote: beware of who you thank.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): --Name-snipped--, I try to do my bit. And I am open to fair criticism as I am aware that I could be wrong. The main guidelines for me are Swami teachings and instructions via his written works, discourses and how Swami Himself handled certain situations, especially when it came to claims of mediums and communicators of Swami. Swami was very, very harshly dismissive of them. Narasimhamurthy has chosen to ignore the ****direct**** instructions of Swami to him to never follow such claims.
If anybody feels that what I am doing is NOT protecting Swami's legacy but harming Swami's legacy, I welcome polite and fair criticism based on Swami teachings as a whole. Help Ever Hurt Never can be misunderstood to mean that one should never oppose Asathya-Adharma as it will hurt others. But when Swami's teachings as a whole are taken into account, it becomes clear that Swami taught us to oppose Asathya & Adharma to the extent we can (depending on our circumstances).
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I cannot help but share what I read about what happened after Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. It was a period of great turmoil for the followers of Jesus. They were persecuted in Jerusalem itself! Some could not handle all that persecution and chose to move to Damascus. Paul, who at that time was a persecutor of these Christians (after Jesus crucifixion), decided to go to Damascus and persecute them there and try to finish off the Christian faith! It was then, on the road to Damascus, that he had a miraculous experience and got converted to becoming a follower of Jesus.
Jesus was said to have been crucified around 30-33 AD. Jerusalem was razed to the ground by the Romans around 40 years later - in 70 AD (if I recall correctly).
What was the fate of the great apostles of Jesus? Peter was martyred in Rome!
So what the history of religion, in this case, Christian religion, teaches us is that the period following the physical passing away of the spiritual master/religion founder, is a period of turmoil. Such is life!
As compared to what happened to followers of Jesus, the Puttaparthi- Muddenahalli fight is a storm in a teacup! It would be great if there was no split. But then we cannot control all of that. We have to react to threats to dilute and distort and hijack the memories and legacy of our beloved spiritual master.
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--Name-snipped-- wrote: Truth is god and god is truth. Truth has prevailed. Wonderful writings Ravi Sir. Know that I have learned immensely from your writings. SAI Ram
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): --Name-snipped-- Glad to know that some of my writings helped you. Jai Sai Ram!
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): For the purpose of having a fair discussion, I have to say that my initial comment on this post was NOT on the above comment of --name-snipped--. I think there were follow on comments perhaps under --name-snipped--'s comment (which now seems to have been deleted and so the follow on comments are also not available for viewing), where Eve was critical of Terry for Terry's posts which were critical of MDH. As I support Terry's work in exposing MDH, I wrote in support of Terry.
I don't think I crossed the line of polite conversation in my comments. If somebody feels that I did so, I would be glad to review those comment(s) and make corrections and even apologize if I crossed the line of polite conversation.
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Given below is a comment I made on Mr. V.R. Ganti's post, https://www.facebook.com/vr.ganti.1/posts/10212217856386259, dated 25th April 2018 :
[The post is about changes being made in top Sai university administration positions.]
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Vr Ganti sir: I too heard that. Let's hope the new Registrar follows Bhagavan's Sanathana Dharma teaching of Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara which is also one of the important mottos of the Sai university, in execution of his duties as Registrar. Yatha Raja Tatha Praja - As is the king so are the subjects. If the Registrar humiliates teachers and does droham (harm) to them, then all the praja of Sai university will also try to emulate him.
If the Registrar upholds Sathya & Dharma and respects teachers, especially free service teachers with designations of Honorary Staff or Honorary Faculty or Visiting Faculty (common designations given to such free service teachers) who do or did their service work as an offering to Bhagavan without expectation of monetary benefit, then that will percolate through the university system.
I was discussing this today with a gentleman. The person coming in to take up the position of Registrar has a good reputation in general of being a soft-spoken and decent person. In my personal interactions with him, I have found him to be a nice person. But then I had found the to-be-replaced OR replaced Registrar also to be a decent guy in my interactions with him PRIOR TO HIM BECOMING REGISTRAR. After he became Registrar, something weird seems to have happened to him!
The challenge is whether the position of Registrar will impact the behaviour of the new or to-be Registrar in a negative way. Abuse of power was rampant and almost an established culture in Sai university system earlier. I mean, once a guy got into position of power in the Sai university system he was expected to abuse his power!!! No jokes! People would say things like once a guy gets the power of the pen, he changes. Coming from an international software industry background, it took me a little while to understand what 'power of the pen' means. It means the signatory authority that powerful positions in the university like Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and Controller of Examinations have.
I hasten to add that 'pen being mightier than the sword', of course, was a well known saying to me. But that is about a writer's writings, when such writings are followed by many people, being mightier than physical-level power. The 'power of the pen' phrase used in the university administrator context meant something else.
Hopefully now such abuse of power as a culture in Sai university is a thing of the past. And it better be, as India today has far lesser tolerance to any record tampering (criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code) and other abuse of power. We see cases of top university administrators in various parts of the country including Andhra Pradesh, being arrested by the police for wrongdoing.
Sorry if the words I have used above seem harsh. But quite unfortunately Indian academic system in general is in a terrible and pathetic state today with rampant Asathya and Adharma, and I think that seems to have impacted the Sai university too in the past. It is better to say the tough words now and hope that the new or to-be Registrar realizes that 2018 India is very different from 2008 India, and takes good care to ensure that Bhagavan's beloved university follows Bhagavan's instruction for the Sai university of Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara.
I wish the new or to-be Registrar all the best and hope that he gives top value to Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara and does not compromise on those values for matters like NAAC grading (NAAC is an Indian academic institution grading body) or high-value academic/scientific grants from govt. grant agencies. The emphasis of Bhagavan, in my considered view, was on spiritual values and NOT top NAAC grading or high-value academic/scientific grants. There are other institutions in the country like Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), funded largely by the tax payer (govt. funded) who can focus on top NAAC grading (or NBA - a grading body for engineering institutions - grading) and big scientific grants. In my considered view, Bhagavan did not found the Sai university to try to emulate IISc or IITs or IIMs.
In my considered view, Bhagavan founded the Sai university to deeply instill the values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa among students, along with equipping them with good knowledge and skills (so that they can get decent jobs and earn a decent living). I think Bhagavan wanted these students who later became/become members of society at large, to reinvigorate these values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa in society in general. And anybody who has been following current world events including the scary phenomenon of Fake News on social media and its use in interference in democratic elections of powerful countries like the USA, as well as insane acts of hatred-induced violence and killing in several countries of the world including India, knows how badly the world at large needs people who follow Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa.
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--snip--
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Given below are few selected comments from Terry Reis Kennedy's Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/terry.reiskennedy/posts/10216385156280302, 20th April 2018
Terry Reis Kennedy wrote: I just received this message from someone who obviously does not want to comment on the post.. Is there anyone who can verify if THETRUESAIWEEBLY.COM USED THE CORRECT PHOTO THE ORIGINAL POST HAD NO PHOTO. I CANNOT GET INTO THE SITE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE.
Just saw a FB post from you sharing this link: https://thetruesai.weebly.com/rangantha-raju.html.
I don't know the face of Ranganatha Raju. So I could be wrong. But I think the pic of the person (who may have the same name) is of an elder person than the alumnus Ranganatha Raju who seems to have been a cohort of Madhusudan Naidu.
You may want to check with some alumnus who knows Ranganatha Raju the author of the article, that you and/or truesai weebly.com have got the right person's pic.
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[Ravi: My message to Terry was from the 'Just saw a FB post ...' part.]
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...
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Thought I should mention that it was I who had sent the message to Terry Reis Kennedy which she has reproduced as a comment above. I try nowadays to stay away from posts related to SSSIHL and SSSIHL alumni who are not known personally to me (I don't know Ranganatha Raju), as I am trying to put away in the background, the very bad experiences I had with SSSIHL administrators after Mahasamadhi (where SSSIHL faculty and (non-teaching) staff colleagues did ****ZERO****/ *****NOTHING**** to counter the SSSIHL administrators who were harassing and humiliating me). At times in Facebook conversations, when I feel it is appropriate to let people know the history of SSSIHL ***Hijack*** from around Jul 2011 to Nov. 2014 by Muddenahalli group due to the traitor vice-chancellor --Name1-snipped-- and some traitor-collaborator SSSIHL administrators who backed --Name1-snipped-- and his mentor/guide, B.N. Narasimhamurthy who has proved to be the biggest traitor to Sathya Sai after Mahasamadhi, I share my knowledge about it, as I did in some recent comment exchanges on Facebook.
Other than that I try to consciously just stay away from SSSIHL related matters and matters related to SSSIHL alumni who I do not know personally. That is why I did not want to publicly comment on this post and instead chose to send a private message to Terry.
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Given below is a comment of mine from https://www.facebook.com/vr.ganti.1/posts/10212168759558869, post dated 17th April 2018:
Sai Ram Vr Ganti sir! I will presume it is a recent pic and so comment on it. If Mr. Isaac Tigrett (IT) did this some time back and has stopped doing so now, then my comment may please be ignored. I am ready to delete the comment if that is the case.
Now I actually am very busy with other things now. But still I am taking the time to comment on this. Why?
Well, to be honest, I was never a form-guy teacher in the Sai university as a free service teacher from Jan. 2003 to Mar 2012 (with designations of Honorary Staff, Honorary Faculty and Visiting Faculty) and preferred to keep some distance from physical form Sathya Sai as I was focused on my individual sadhana and did not want to get too deeply involved in either the Sai university or the Prsanthi Nilayam ashram system. So I prefer that other regular and paid teachers of the Sai university who were form-boys or form-guys with lots & lots of close physical interactions with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the revered founder-chancellor of the Sai university, ***publicly*** criticize IT's act of having what seems to be beer along with Sai students (of Muddenahalli group)!! It is Narasimhamurthy, former warden of Sai university, who should be publicly and critically commenting on this. It is Madhu Baba, two time gold-medallist alumnus of Sai university who should be doing so.
It is key administrators of Sai university now, including Sai alumni holding Sai university administrative posts, who should be publicly criticizing IT's above act. Why are they silent and staying away from all this? I don't know. Maybe it is ***fear***. Why criticize and become a target of Muddenahalli group DIRTY-TRICKS-SQUAD/Cambridge-Analytica-type Facebook Fake-ID SQUAD most of whom seem to be based in Melbourne, Australia with some of them being Sai university alumni? Let them do what they want. I think that seems to be their attitude.
Now should I also keep quiet? I do not fear the Muddenahalli DIRTY-TRICKS-SQUAD who seem to be based in Melbourne, Australia and seem to have supporters in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, Sai university and outside ashram Puttaparthi. But I have lots of other work on my plate. So shall I also take the view, let them do what they want? And say it is all Bhagavan's Leela? In course of time, everything will get resolved?
Well, I have to follow what my conscience prompts me to do. I am deeply grateful to (physical form) Bhagavan for all that he did for me, by acting as my spiritual master, and the wonderful legacy he has left behind which I continue to benefit from spiritually. It was Bhagavan personally who approved my free Seva at the Sai university when he was asked about it by then vice-chancellor S.V. Giri in Jan. 2003 in the interview room, if I recall correctly (I was not present there but was told about it). It was Bhagavan who stood by me, (with Bhagavan) upholding Sathya & Dharma in my crisis period in early 2010 after which I became much more deeply devoted to Bhagavan. Otherwise there were a few Sai university administrators and few university staff who would have been happy to throw me out of Sai university then itself. And some of them did succeed in using their Shakuni Poison tactics to harass me and humiliate me after Bhagavan Mahasamadhi when Bhagavan was not present in physical form to uphold Sathya & Dharma values in Sai university, due to which I terminated my association with Sai university in disgust in March 2012.
So my gratitude to Bhagavan for guiding me spiritually and upholding Sathya & Dharma in my own case in Sai univeristy, prompts me to NOT be a silent witness to this act of IT done under the umbrella of FALSE BELIEF communicator Madhusudan Rao Naidu and his main promoter, ex warden of Sai university, Narasimhamurthy. I ***know*** from my over eight years in the Sai university, Prasanthi Nilayam campus, in the DIVINE PRESENCE of physical form Sathya Sai, that Bhagavan would be ***furious*** with any teacher/mentor who drinks alcohol in front of his beloved Sai students, thereby leading the students to view drinking alcohol not only as an okay thing to do, but perhaps as a 'cool' thing to do. If I had ever done that (though as I said before I stopped drinking alcohol 25 years ago), I would be terrified of the ***fury*** with which Bhagavan would have looked at me during Darshan. So such a thing is ***unthinkable*** to any Sai university teacher who has served in the DIVINE PRESENCE of physical form Sathya Sai.
Now I need to say that I have enjoyed not only beer but other alcohol quite a bit in my youth. I stopped drinking alcohol around 25 years ago but I have rather fond memories of my alcohol drinking days including in joints similar to this one shown in the IT pic, mostly in Europe but a little in USA too. Now IT may enjoy his alcohol now. That's fine by me. But let him NOT ***corrupt*** Muddenahalli Group Sai students by claiming to be a Sathya Sai spiritual leader and then indulging in this behaviour with Sai students.
Where is the great Tyagajeevi Narasimhamurthy, the mentor of Muddenahalli Group? Why is he keeping silent on this? Does he approve of this behaviour? If he does not condemn such behaviour ***publicly*** then Muddenahalli Group Sathya Sai devotees should boycott Narasimhamurthy. Then he is not fit to be a Sathya Sai spiritual mentor. He should then rename his group as Madhu Baba group and call himself mentor of Madhu Baba students!
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Vr Ganti sir, I think you should take it easy with celebrities like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. They may not have much time to dig deep into Sathya Sai teachings and instructions related to mediums and communicators. I think they are dazzled by the free medical service initiatives of Muddenahalli group, and so may be lending the support of their name and presence to such free medical service initiatives.
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Vr Ganti wrote: Ravi S. Iyer GARU - I don’t agree at all with your views. They have enough intelligence working for them. You probably may not be aware of the influence C SRINIVAS has over these people. These celebrities think that whatever CS says is BIBLE and that is the problem Sir. If I tell you my source you will be amazed.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Vr Ganti sir, Oh! If you have "classified" information about the matter then you are far more knowledgeable than me on this. So you may be right and I may be wrong.
However, sir, bear in mind that even Prime Minister Modi, chief ministers Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh) and Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), also have participated in Muddenahalli functions.
If we become publicly and strongly critical of all such important leaders and celebrities in India who are associating with Muddenahalli group, then we may face a negative backlash.
I was told that Shiv Kumar Sharma (Santoor player) visited Prasanthi Nilayam some time back. He was permitted to sit in the verandah/VIP area but was not otherwise shown great support and encouragement (due to his having prominently associated with Muddenahalli group). I think that was the right approach PN authorities took. These are big people. They need to be treated with dignity but at the same time they need to be told politely (in an explicit or implicit way) that they are being misguided by Narasimhamurthy, Madhusudan Naidu and other leaders of Muddenahalli group.
Now that's my view. Perhaps you sir prefer to take a more aggressive approach against such celebrities and top leaders. That is your choice sir. I only conveyed my humble view of the matter. Jai Sai Ram!
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On a non-public Facebook post, Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): --Name-snipped--, I think Draupadi's case when she was being disrobed in the court of the Kauravas (after Yudishtra had foolishly gambled and lost wagers one of which was related to his and his family's freedom), is a relevant example here. Draupadi prayed to Krishna intensely - that intensity of her prayer resulted in the miracle of her sari becoming virtually endless due to which the disrobing attempt failed.
Human history is full of terrifying stuff, including Indian history. War is the big thing in history as it usually has been war that has changed established orders. And war has been utterly sickening and very scary in human history. Rape, torture sometimes only for the revenge-fun of it, .... is the common theme.
I guess that it was only after the Geneva Convention (19th and 20th century), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Conventions, that rape (and capture of defeated enemy's women as sex slaves) as a terrifying weapon of war was outlawed.
But we saw in Iraq and Syria in the past few years that every fighting group in war does not follow the Geneva Convention!
I think the promise of Avatars and deities is that if one prays intensely to them for protection from such horror, then (and perhaps only then), they will intervene to protect their devotee.
Intense prayer of the level that Draupadi did when she got saved by the miracle, cannot be easily obtained. I think that is something that is developed over years and even decades.
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From https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2127868587429707, dated 11th April 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43720875
Melbourne, Australia seems to have a lot of such scamsters! Hmm.
An extract from the article:
Hanna Dickenson, 24, accepted A$42,000 (£22,000; $31,000) after telling her parents that she needed medical treatment overseas.
Her parents had received donations from their friends, a court was told. It heard Dickenson spent much of the money on holidays and socialising.
A judge called the scam "despicable".
Dickenson had pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court to seven charges of obtaining property by deception.
--- end extract ---
Such is life! Scamsters are here, there and everywhere! Genuine people in need of help must be helped when possible/feasible, but donors should do due diligence to know that it is a genuine case and not a scam.
--- end text content of FB post ---
Given below are some comments on above post:
Terry Reis Kennedy wrote: She gets arrested. But India sleeps while Madhusudan Rao Naidu.... continues to dig deeper and deeper into the pockets of "devotees" who turned their backs on Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai and went running to see two of the biggest scammers in recent history....using the Sacred Name to collect millions. Yes, Baloney Boy and his Mentor the Gold Digger are free to fly all over the world and to steal more money and appear to be getting away with their SCAM. Well, India is no Australia. But the Poorna Avatar is still the Poorna Avatar so ultimately they will be exposed as the traitors they are. Meantime, their philosophy seems to be eat, drink, and be merry...for tomorrow we may be in HELL.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Well, Terry Reis Kennedy, my understanding of Indian and USA law is that first one needs a police complaint about donation obtained under fraud. In this Australia case the donation was obtained under clearly and easily provable fraud as the person concerned was NOT sick.
In Madhusudan Naidu case, even under USA law, I repeat, USA law, even if some donor comes forward in the USA and makes a complaint for fraud against him, I think it will not be easy to successfully prosecute him. That's my view. But I am not a legal specialist and so I could be wrong.
And I don't think even in Austalian law, prosecution of Madhusudan Naidu for fraud will be easy.
The crux for such a fraud case would be using money received as donation for causes other than what were specified at the time the donation was solicited. If somebody gives money for a school, and after operating expenses are deducted, if bulk of the money goes towards the school, then I don't think there is any case of fraud. And I think that will be the case in India, Australia and USA.
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Terry Reis Kennedy wrote: Ravi S. Iyer The crime is collecting money in the name of Sathya Sai Baba when He specifically spoke against doing so. The collection of monies by deception is very serious in USA and that is why Swami engaged Robert Baskin to make the copyright legalities in the USA years ago. Robert Baskin is the husband of the late Diana Baskin.. The Frauds can easily be stopped in the USA. Robert Baskin did serve a warning "letter" to the Frauds when they appeared at Harvard last year.......I do not know, however, what further action, if any has been taken. Robert Baskin has not responded to the many letters sent to him by Sai activists in India and in USA> A meeting was held at the VIP Residence in Prasanthi Nilayam regarding this matter last year.....At that time, Leonardo Pablo Gutter spoke to a few Sai Activists present and reported to us that Robert Baskin was going forward with some kind of action. When I wrote to Leonardo Pablo Gutter twice about "the action" he said that he, too, had not been informed. He was speaking to us at that time as a representative of Dr. Narendranath Reddy, USA citizen and head of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization. Dr. Reddy is also remaining silent on this matter.......
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Ravi S. Iyer Terry Reis Kennedy, you wrote, "The crime is collecting money in the name of Sathya Sai Baba when He specifically spoke against doing so." I think that is not an easy case to prove in USA and India courts of law (and perhaps Australian court of law as well) as Sathya Sai himself has given up the physical body (legal view would be that he is dead).
Perhaps that's why you don't hear much about further action in USA from Sai orgn. against Muddenahalli group.
My impression is that in India such a case will be very difficult to win against any NGO doing social service like Muddenahalli group. Sathya Sai will be viewed by Indian court of law as a great saint who taught and ***practiced*** charitable/free service to the poor and needy. Any NGO that shows that it is doing such charitable/free service to the poor and needy with the bulk of the money that it has collected using the name of Sathya Sai, will probably get the support of the court of law in India.
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Given below are mainly my comments from Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/terry.reiskennedy/posts/10216306436992369, 10th April 2018
Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I read some of the comments put up on this post and felt that I should make an overview comment.
Some of us have chosen to fight for Sathya and Dharma in Puttaparthi and reverse the HIJACK done of some parts of Prasanthi Nilayam by Muddenahalli group and their sympathizers. Terry Reis Kennedy has been at the forefront of this effort, and even after she moved back to Vermont, USA, continues to fight for Sathya & Dharma in Puttaparthi.
The brutal reality of communities including ashram communities is that it is lack of resistance from most people that makes it possible for a few power crazy and megalomaniacal people to dominate over the community and hijack it.
That it could happen even to parts of Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system after Sathya Sai Mahasamadhi was truly astonishing, at least to me! But it did happen. And the reversal of the HIJACK was won by fighting hard (not at physical level though physical level threats were made by Muddenahalli group supporters) for Sathya & Dharma. I will not forget the vital role Terry played in that fight and reversal of the HIJACK.
Some had chosen to fight initially but then had enough of it and decided to move on. That's their choice and must be respected.
Some have (or had) chosen to sit on the fence and enjoy benefits of both Puttaparthi and Muddenahalli! It is not a stand that I respect and I think it reflects the shallowness of their understanding and practice of the teachings and instructions of our beloved and revered Lord, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. But then we all have our weakness including me. Perhaps they have their weaknesses which leads them to do that.
But as a matter of honour and fairness, I think people who benefit (or benefited) from Puttaparthi system (through salary and/or other kind of benefits like room and medical care) but act (or acted) as recruiting-agents and missionaries for Muddenahalli group in Puttaparthi are behaving (or behaved) in a very dishonourable and unfair way - in an Asathya and Adharma way. To put it bluntly, they poach (or poached) on Puttaparthi system even while they benefit (or benefited) from it.
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Terry Reis Kennedy wrote (edited): Ravi S. Iyer Thank you for your remarkable reply. It helps readers to understand how difficult it is for those of us living in Parthi to tolerate how we are treated by the fraud herd settled there in their often illegal quarters. The come and go as they please and do not even fill up the necessary ... --snip--
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Thanks --name-snipped-- for your wonderful contribution to Sathya Sai legacy via your blog, Children of Light. I certainly appreciate what you have done to protect and preserve Sathya Sai legacy.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: As a resident of Puttaparthi for over 15 years now, and as a person who was in Sai university at the time of the ***GREAT BETRAYAL*** by some top people of Sai university like ex-vice chancellor --Name1-snipped--, ex long time warden Narasimhamurthy, two time Gold medallist alumnus, Madhusudan Rao Naidu along with traitor-collaborators who collaborated with them and ousted from the Sai university, those who dared to question the traitors & traitor-collaborators, I know what damage was done to Puttaparthi by Muddenahalli group and how.
I know how they maligned ***in private*** the top people of Prasanthi Nilayam ashram including brother Satyajit Salian who was praised by Bhagavan in public for his dedicated service to Him (Bhagavan). And in public they (Muddenhalli group) talked of "Help Ever Hurt Never" and never to criticize anybody and all that. What horrible hypocrisy!!!
Those cheap people said that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was tortured in Prasanthi Nilayam! One of the top Sai university traitors is also reported to have said that to some Karnataka senior Sai orgn. person. This is how they maligned Prasanthi Nilayam system. It was like the tactics used in political campaigns!
But all these dirty tricks they indulged in won them huge support and huge money. Like dirty tricks department of political parties sometimes win elections for their party/leader, Muddenahalli group won donors and devotees to their side with their dirty tricks! This is the truth.
Very few people had the ***guts*** to expose these fellows and face the vicious hatred and vicious 'fake news' malice that Muddenahalli group attacked any such people who became truth tellers to Sathya Sai community about what had happened.
Yes, exposing the conspiracy and malice of Muddenahalli group towards Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, is NOT a pleasant thing. If you want to experience peace and joy it is better to stay away from reading about such horrible truth.
But it is such ****truth**** that helped Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system overcome the horrible period that it suffered from a few months after Mahasamadhi till mid 2016 (an around 5 year period) when Muddenahalli group supporters freely recruited devotees and donors in Prasanthi Nilayam, and when Muddenahalli group supporters in Prasanthi Nilayam system ***mocked*** those of us who chose to be loyal to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and help in reversing the hijack of parts of Prasanthi Nilayam system.
This was not a pretty thing and not for faint hearts. It was an emotional fight (which fortunately did not, so far at least, descend into physical fight) that drained and even negatively impacted the health of those of us who chose to fight for reversal of HIJACK of parts of Prasanthi Nilayam system by Muddenahalli group.
Terry Reis Kennedy has been the great fighter in this activity. She fought for the truth even as this fight led to her losing friends and which perhaps negatively impacted her financial situation as well.
I am very grateful to Terry for her investigative journalism kind of work in this matter. I fully support Terry continuing this activity of hers if that is what her heart and her nature prompts her to do.
In the career of Avatars, there are some who choose to fight for the Avatar, even laying down their lives for the Avatar. Jatayu was the bird-king who knew he may lose his life in fighting Ravana who was kidnapping Sita but fight he did and lost his life. But as he lay mortally wounded and close to death, it was Lord Rama who came to him, heard his account and gave him water to drink (and, if I got that correctly, did his last rites)! What Rama's father, Dasaratha, could not get, was what the Avatar himself, Rama, did for Jatayu who chose to fight the evil Ravana for kidnapping mother Sita, even though he knew that he would most probably die in that unequal fight.
In my considered view, even after moving back to USA and facing some challenges, Terry is contributing to Prasanthi Nilayam mission, by fighting like Jatayu against those who want to harm Prasanthi Nilayam by poaching on the ashram and grabbing devotees and donors. Note that Terry related how the concerned lady tried to convert Terry herself!
As a Prasanthi Nilayam ashram and Puttaparthi loyalist, I am grateful to Terry for the work she has done, and continues to do. All the best, Terry and keep doing the good work if that's what your heart prompts you to do, of exposing the false and promoting the true. Sathyameva Jayate! Truth Alone Triumphs. Jai Sai Ram!
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Chiran Basnet wrote (slightly edited): I am very grateful to Terry Reis Kennedy for the great work she has done day in day out on this issue. In fact one of the reason I came to social media writing was I became ashamed of my own silence as student of Swamy whereas handful of people like Terry mam and Ravi Iyer sir were relentlessly defending the gates of Puttaparthi despite thousands of personal abuse by then very active large mudenahalli fanatics all over social media. Today those Mudenahalli supporters r limited to their own caves as people like Terry continued to show them mirrors of Swamy's Words ,Wisdom and Truth which decimated their subtle phenomenon and helped many to stay away from such fatal pitfalls.
That made them call Terry mam even degrading words like --snip-- openly in Social media. N it was a time only a few were available to stand by her not the hundreds we see on a single post here today. The amount of hard work and toil that has been put by few here day in day out had and is having significant effect to Mudenahalli unhindered growth . I shiver to think how far Mudenahalli would have spread their tentacles if not for relentless proactive efforts by few dedicated people in their own small ways.
Today we have the luxury of showing more Words of Swamy in social media without a single abuse or even a comment by Mudenahalli well oiled social media department due to such relentless efforts of people like her. I was a Mudenahalli student so I know who heads that department there too.
What is more surprising is that some people here who can easily move away from Mudenahalli issue insist on staying on this post. And insist on educating us by highlighting how they have risen above the lower nature that still premate us.Insist on uplifting us to where they have elevated themselves to. Hope they moved on as easily as they moved away from Mudenahalli issue rather than be pulled down from their already achieved elevation
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Good to see Chiran Basnet speaking up here. He is a loyal supporter of Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi and has a lot of knowledge about what happened in the months and years after Mahasamadhi (split of MDH from PN).
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Chiran Basnet wrote: Ravi S. Iyer sir thank u
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): Thanks --name-snipped-- for sharing the background to Terry's post, including that you suggested she make it as the concerned lady had approached Terry earlier trying to convert her to MDH following.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I wish --name-snipped-- and --name-snipped-- all the best in finding a happier and more peaceful group/spiritual group.
My view of reading these exchanges is that --name-snipped--'s views which were critical of people writing against MDH stirred up some reactions.
MDH is a very, very sore point for many of us. I personally have been shouted at as if I did a crime in the vice-chancellor's office (which was a hallowed room then to people like me) by MDH supporter and traitor vice-chancellor of Sai university - --Name1-snipped-- in or around Jul 2011. At that time I did not know about Narasimhamurthy having got into (FALSE CLAIM) dream-instruction successor role of Sathya Sai with --Name1-snipped-- becoming a devoted follower of Narasimhamurthy (and going against Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust). I was humiliated that day by this traitor vice-chancellor in the vice-chancellor's office. I swallowed that humiliation out of respect for the chair of the VC (not knowing that he was or would be a traitor).
These and other experiences have left deep marks on my psyche. For --name-snipped-- and --name-snipped--, it is different. They may not have been humiliated and mentally harassed by MDH people. So naturally they are not so upset by them.
For people like me and Terry, it is different. We have been hit hard by them. So it is pretty emotional stuff. Not a detached peaceful discussion. B'cos that's the way MDH bullied and blackmailed their way to power over PN ashram system for some time. Yes, the blackmailed their way. --Name1-snipped-- was well connected to powerful political people in the country. He threatened Central Trust that he would complain about them if he was dismissed as vice-chancellor! And so this traitor VC remained in power over Sai university from Jul 2011 to Nov. 2014. For people like me who know all of this and have been through the fire of this betrayal, MDH is a super sensitive point. I think --name-snipped-- and --name-snipped-- have not had to go through any of this with MDH and so they now have a more tolerant view of them.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: And I don't think MDH people will be laughing at us at all. In fact, they desperately want people like us to stop exposing and opposing them. Perhaps MDH people will be glad with views here that they should not be criticized (which I disagree with).
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Perhaps the posts and comments we make against MDH get edgy at times. But we are human too. MDH people use Facebook fake IDs to write vicious 'fake news' attacks on us.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I don't know of one Parthi supporter in our Facebook group who uses fake Facebook IDs like MDH group, to attack MDH group people with vicious 'fake news' attacks.
MDH group is into lots of dangerous stuff and I think those of us who expose them are serving society by exposing them.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: From Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's discourse on 11-10-1986, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume19/sss19-23.pdf:
Here is an example from the Mahabharata: Considering that war should be a great universal calamity, Dharmaja (the eldest of the Pandavas) appealed to Krishna to go as an ambassador of peace to the Kauravas. Entering the audience hall of Duryodhana, Krishna described at length the disastrous consequences of war. The great Acharyas--Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Aswathama--- who were present in the court, were intently listening to Krishna's words. But Krishna's appeal was of no use to them. Because of their long association with the wicked Kauravas, they became abettors in the crimes of Duryodhana and others.
Vidura, who was a witness to the evil that was being committed, resolved to oppose it. He pleaded with the Kauravas in many ways to listen to the wise words of Krishna. His appeal fell on deaf ears. Rather than stay amongst such evil-minded persons, Vidura felt that it was better to go on a pilgrimage, and left the country immediately.
Bhishma, Drona and others, having been beneficiaries of the sustenance provided by the wicked Kauravas, chose to be loyal to them and stayed on. All of them were great preceptors. They knew well the distinction between righteousness and evil. They had enquired into the nature of the eternal and the permanent. Of what avail was all that knowledge? When it came to practising what they knew, all their knowledge was of no use. In the final outcome, all of them met with the same end in the great war as the evil-minded Kauravas.
Krishna looked upon those who, even if they were good in themselves, did not oppose unrighteousness and injustice committed in their presence when they had the capacity to do so, as actual participants in the crimes. When evil and injustice and violence are being perpetrated, if individuals look on unconcerned, they must be regarded as accomplices in the crimes. In the end they also suffer as much as the criminals. By their passive association, they provide encouragement to the evildoers.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Some, including me, in Puttaparthi choose to oppose and expose Asathya and Adharma done by Muddenahalli group at the expense of Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's words above, in my considered view, show that we are doing the correct thing.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Mind you, we are not putting any pressure on those who choose to stay silent. But if they try to lecture us, based on Sathya Sai teachings, that we should stay silent and not expose Muddenahalli group, then I have many such extracts from Sathya Sai discourses about standing up for Sathya & Dharma. In particular, Sathya Sai has been extremely harsh on those who claim to be his mediums and communicators, and ****has instructed***** office bearers and devotees to be harshly dismissive of them (drive them out or something like that is the English translation of Sathya Sai words, in this context, if I recall correctly).
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: There is no doubt in my mind that the peace and love I myself enjoyed to a great extent when Sathya Sai was in physical form, in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram and in Puttaparthi town, is lesser now.
But Puttaparthi and Prasanthi Nilayam were under HIJACK and POACHING ATTACKS from Muddenahalli group from a few months after Mahasamadhi! Now the hijack has been reversed (with removal of 5 teachers from Higher Secondary School and one senior teacher from university in mid 2016 being the watershed moment) but the poaching is still ongoing though it is being done more secretively.
Peace cannot be at the cost of surrendering Prasanthi Nilayam system and Puttaparthi town to Muddenahalli group and the cheap imitator Madhusudan Rao Naidu! Sathya & Dharma values in Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi should be protected from Asathya-Adharma crooks of Muddenahalli group attempting to poach on Prasanthi Nilayam system.
But I can understand those who seek to spend time in an ashram town that is united in peace, love and joy NOT finding it currently in Puttaparthi, as Puttaparthi is even now under poaching attack from Muddenahalli! I can understand them wanting to move on to some other place where this splinter problem is not there. I wish them all the best to find a good peaceful, joyous, loving and united ashram town/system somewhere else.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: In my own case I am so so deeply grateful to my beloved and revered Gurudev Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for all that he taught me and guided me through his discourses and his gestures & looks at me, that I will do my utmost to protect and preserve Bhagavan's legacy as well as Prasanthi Nilayam ashram system and Puttaparthi town, from the Asathya-Adharma crooks of Muddenahalli group. I don't care if I lose all my peace. I have to do my duty to my beloved Gurudev - peace or no peace. Jai Sai Ram!
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--Name-snipped-- wrote: Thank you for defending our beloved Swami's legacy!
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--Name-snipped-- wrote: beware of who you thank.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): --Name-snipped--, I try to do my bit. And I am open to fair criticism as I am aware that I could be wrong. The main guidelines for me are Swami teachings and instructions via his written works, discourses and how Swami Himself handled certain situations, especially when it came to claims of mediums and communicators of Swami. Swami was very, very harshly dismissive of them. Narasimhamurthy has chosen to ignore the ****direct**** instructions of Swami to him to never follow such claims.
If anybody feels that what I am doing is NOT protecting Swami's legacy but harming Swami's legacy, I welcome polite and fair criticism based on Swami teachings as a whole. Help Ever Hurt Never can be misunderstood to mean that one should never oppose Asathya-Adharma as it will hurt others. But when Swami's teachings as a whole are taken into account, it becomes clear that Swami taught us to oppose Asathya & Adharma to the extent we can (depending on our circumstances).
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: I cannot help but share what I read about what happened after Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. It was a period of great turmoil for the followers of Jesus. They were persecuted in Jerusalem itself! Some could not handle all that persecution and chose to move to Damascus. Paul, who at that time was a persecutor of these Christians (after Jesus crucifixion), decided to go to Damascus and persecute them there and try to finish off the Christian faith! It was then, on the road to Damascus, that he had a miraculous experience and got converted to becoming a follower of Jesus.
Jesus was said to have been crucified around 30-33 AD. Jerusalem was razed to the ground by the Romans around 40 years later - in 70 AD (if I recall correctly).
What was the fate of the great apostles of Jesus? Peter was martyred in Rome!
So what the history of religion, in this case, Christian religion, teaches us is that the period following the physical passing away of the spiritual master/religion founder, is a period of turmoil. Such is life!
As compared to what happened to followers of Jesus, the Puttaparthi- Muddenahalli fight is a storm in a teacup! It would be great if there was no split. But then we cannot control all of that. We have to react to threats to dilute and distort and hijack the memories and legacy of our beloved spiritual master.
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--Name-snipped-- wrote: Truth is god and god is truth. Truth has prevailed. Wonderful writings Ravi Sir. Know that I have learned immensely from your writings. SAI Ram
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): --Name-snipped-- Glad to know that some of my writings helped you. Jai Sai Ram!
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): For the purpose of having a fair discussion, I have to say that my initial comment on this post was NOT on the above comment of --name-snipped--. I think there were follow on comments perhaps under --name-snipped--'s comment (which now seems to have been deleted and so the follow on comments are also not available for viewing), where Eve was critical of Terry for Terry's posts which were critical of MDH. As I support Terry's work in exposing MDH, I wrote in support of Terry.
I don't think I crossed the line of polite conversation in my comments. If somebody feels that I did so, I would be glad to review those comment(s) and make corrections and even apologize if I crossed the line of polite conversation.
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