Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in Nov. 2019
When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer).
To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.
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I had missed this 26th Nov. Gujarat High Court order to the young sannyasini ladies to depose before it by 10th Dec. or, after seeking its permission, to depose before Indian authorities in a foreign country.
The two young sannyasini ladies are Nanditha (Ma Nithyananditha - 18 year old) and Lopamudra (Ma Nithyatattvapriya Ananda - 21 year old).
Depose by 10 Dec: HC to Girls ‘Missing’ from Nithyananda Ashram, https://www.thequint.com/news/india/gujarat-hc-orders-daughters-missing-from-ashram-to-depose-by-10-dec, 26th Nov. 2019
According to the article, the Hon'ble Gujarat High Court (HC) said on 26th Nov.:
"Today, we are requesting the police to give the girls assurance of their safety. Their travel can be arranged to a country where our embassy is located and depose before Indian authorities but only after the relevant applications are filed in this court. As per the petition, they must be brought to court."
The HC also said that "Facebook videos would not hold" implying that Facebook (and other social media) videos from the young sannyasinis where they claim that they are safe will not be accepted as valid statements by the court. This seems to be in response to Swami Nithayananda ashram's lawyer referring to these videos from the young sannyasinis claiming that they are safe.
The report says that a police officer said, "We told the court that Nanditha had escaped by road to Nepal we don’t know which country she is in right now. On 1 Nov, the parents and police had gone together to meet her but at that time, the girl had refused to meet her parents. We are in touch with them through Skype and video-conferencing and we are trying to make the girls understand that they have been summoned by court and they need to abide by this order".
The report states that the police believe these two young sannyasini ladies are in Trinidad & Tobago, but they are not sure.
This order from the HC was in response to the habeas corpus petition moved by the father, Janardhan Sharma, on 18th Nov. 2019 where he claimed that his daughters were "abducted and kept in illegal confinement and deprived of sleep” by Swami Nithyananda and his followers.
My views are that it is good that the Gujarat police are communicating with the young sannyasinis via Skype and video-conferencing. The Hon'ble HC order will now have to be obeyed by these young sannyasinis. Perhaps they can seek permission of the HC and appear before an Indian embassy in the country they now are in or in a nearby country. That may go a long way, I think, in the HC coming to know whether the young ladies are speaking of their own free will or are under pressure to say what they said in their recent Facebook and other social media videos.
All in all, I think this is good progress in moving towards a resolution of this issue where we have, on one hand, the father's anguish and worry about his young adult daughters' safety and well-being, and, on the other hand, freedom of religion for the young adult sannyasinis to pursue their spiritual quest with their guru, Swami Nithyananda.
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Saw a video put up by Ma Nithyatattvapriya Ananda on 27th Nov. 2019 where she (21 year old) and her sister (Ma Nithyananditha - 18 year old) rebut allegations made in Arnab Goswami's programs on Republic TV (I shared one of those videos in this post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2667009236848970).
I don't want to share the video link (of Ma Nithyatattvapriya Ananda) as they have not disclosed their location and so cannot be easily held accountable for their statements in the video.
But I felt it appropriate to share some important statements they made.
The background is that their father Shri Janardhan Sharma has raised serious concerns about the safety and well being of these two adult daughters of his. That is the key issue in all this.
The videos they put up could be statements made by them under duress!
But the impression I get is that they do not seem to be under duress. They might have had help in preparation for this 27th Nov. video they put up. But it does not seem that they are being forced to do it under threats of some kind.
I do get the impression that these young ladies have chosen out of their own free will to stay away from their father. However, it is difficult to be sure about that.
They say that they are not in danger/facing problems or some words to that effect.
They make statements showing that they are very devoted to Swami Nithyananda. They also strongly rebut statements made by Arnab Goswami against Swami Nithyananda.
As I have said earlier, Swami Nithyananda must be viewed as innocent of allegations made against him until he is judged guilty by a court of law.
And I think that these young lady sannyasins should have complete freedom of religion to follow the Hindu monkhood path they have chosen and have Swami Nithyananda as their guru.
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In response to a comment, I wrote (slightly edited):
The reason why I posted about this matter is that the minor girls of Janardhan Sharma told the police that they wanted to be with their parents, and so the police handed over custody of the minor girls to their parents. Further, one of these minor girls spoke (with her face covered) about her problems in the Gurukul there, to a Tamil news channel.
So the minor girls did not like it there (in later years) and wanted to get out but were not able to get out. That seems to be an issue here.
But there are other minor girls who like it there and want to be there.
So this may be an issue with just these two minor girls. Children not being happy in some hostel educational system is not an uncommon thing in India. It happens. At such times, parents should be free to pick them up and take them home. The allegation of Janardhan Sharma is that the administrators of the Gurukul did not give him and his wife free access to his minor daughters. I think that allegation must be looked into seriously (and that's what the Gujarat police seem to be doing) with the investigation report being shared with the public.
Unfortunately, the Republic TV program anchored by Arnab Goswami which I shared in my above post, also went into many other aspects related to Swami Nithyananda which are in the domain of Indian courts.
The rape/sexual abuse allegation is a particularly sensitive one. How does one know what the truth is? That can be proved in court of law only with evidence. I think the Ohio, US defamation case was mainly on the rape/sexual abuse allegation though the sex tape also seems to have been mentioned, and that was won by Swami Nithyananda.
Regarding the sex tape: Even if the sex tape is genuine, there is no crime. The issue is more a social and spiritual community issue about whether he indulged in sex and whether that is OK or not. I don't want to get into those aspects in public posts & comments, as they are sensitive issues. The main thing is that nobody has been harmed like in a rape/sexual abuse case where a victim is (alleged to have been) sexually assaulted/abused which is grievous/serious harm.
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After some thought I have decided to share this Tamil video interview along with English news report of the interview, of Shri Janaradhan Sharma and his minor (15 year old) daughter where they make some disturbing allegations (not proven so far in any Indian court of law and so one does not know whether they are true or false) against Swami Nithyananda and his ashram management.
I should add that Swami Nithyananda ashram and/or his followers have made serious counter-allegations against Janardhan Sharma. But the big issue with the counter-allegations is that Swami Nithyananda's location is unknown and is presumed to be some foreign country.
As a Hindu who has great respect for genuine Hindu spiritual masters and their ashram institutions, and a citizen and resident of India, I would like to do my small bit towards reducing/preventing any mistreatment and abuse of innocent children and also adult devotees in Hindu ashrams in India.
I decided to share this video (along with English news report of it) as these allegations made in an Indian news channel by both father and minor daughter about parents not being given access to their own children who were enrolled in the educational institution run by Swami Nithyananda, and about mistreatment of some children there and involvement of children in fund collection for the ashram, are very disturbing to me. I repeat that these are not proven and so we don't know whether it is true or false.
But they warrant proper investigation by the authorities (which Gujarat police is already doing) and then sharing of the findings with the public of India (and abroad).
Initial part of interview is with the father Janardhan Sharma. Later, from around 8.15, his minor daughter is interviewed. I should also say that it is more monologue than interview. But the views of the father and minor daughter are clearly conveyed as both are fluent in Tamil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w4qfP0-foE, 20 mins, published by News 18 Tamil Nadu on 21st Nov. 2019
For readers who don't follow Tamil here is a recent English news report covering the interview: ‘Told to Get Money & Land for Nithyananda,' Says Rescued Minor, https://www.thequint.com/news/india/nithyananda-ashram-ahmedabad-confined-15-year-old-girl-minor-illegally-abused.
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Indian national TV channel debate video of 21st Nov. having father of the two young lady sannyasinis of Swami Nithyananda, making his allegations against Nithyananda and expressing concern about dangers to his two daughters
I decided to share the following video while I decided not to share the video of the two young lady sannyasinis (21 year old Ma Nithya Tattvapriyananda and 18 year old Ma Nithyananditha) but only referred to it (see my post https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2666280646921829), as this video (link given below) has speakers, including father of the two sannyasinis (Shri Janardhan Sharma), whose locations are known and can be held accountable in Indian court of law for their statements in this TV debate. In contrast, the two young lady sannyasinis cannot be held accountable for their views in Indian court of law as of today as they seem to be outside India and in an unknown location.
Janardhan refers to his above mentioned daughters by their earlier names. It was a little confusing to know whose earlier name is what, as he also mentions the names of other daughters of his (minors).
The debate style is very loud with the anchor Arnab Goswami asking strongly worded questions of Janardhan about why he was associated with Swami Nithyananda organization for some years and allowed his daughters to join the Gurukul (educational system) there. There is also a lot of crosstalk. But one does get to hear the views of the father Janardhan who is naturally emotionally distraught and so his statements are not well worded and clear at times.
Arnab Goswami is also very judgemental in this debate making strongly worded statements against Swami Nithyananda. One point of his which I agree with fully is that the big issue in all this is that the government and the public at large does not know where Swami Nithyananda is, while he continues to have livestream events on social media (the debate video shows a livestream window of Nithyananda at one point).
Swami Nithyananda should disclose his location and interact with Indian authorities, and either he or his following should address concerns expressed by Janardhan on this national TV debate about the current and future safety of his children, the adult sannyasinis mentioned above.
Scandal Baba Abducted Children? | The Debate With Arnab Goswami (you may skip to 4 min. 25 secs. into the video to skip the Advertisement-kind of parts and get to the main part of the video debate), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uePXnVhlY44, around 46 min, published on 21st Nov. 2019.
As a Hindu who is very respectful towards ***genuine*** Hindu spiritual traditions and practises including adapted traditions and practises for our early 21st century times, and a citizen and resident of India, I think the biggest immediate issue here is the current and near-future safety and wellbeing of these two young Indian sannyasinis. They should disclose their location and speak to media from their disclosed location (thereby becoming more easily accountable to the law of the country they now are in), addressing these concerns. Note that speaking to media will involve answering some or most of the questions of the media, and one presumes that the media will ask the important and relevant questions.
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I saw the whole of an around 40 min video of the two adult (above 18) sister-sannyasinis - Ma Nithya Tattvapriyananda (21 years old) and Ma Nithyananditha (18 years old) put up on youtube on 22nd Nov. 2019, where they speak directly to viewers. They continue to be devoted to Swami Nithyananda, and have made counter allegations against their father (a Mr. Janardhan Sharma) who has complained to the police about Swami Nithyananda and alleged that his 4 daughters have been kidnapped by Swami Nithyananda ashram. The 2 minor daughters have been given to the father's custody (see my earlier post dated 21st Nov. 2019: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2661731800710047) but these 2 major/adult daughters' (who are appearing in the video) location is not known (presumed to be outside India).
In the video, they speak in fluent English and come across as adults who can speak their mind. Quite impressive speakers for their age, I must say.
I don't want to share the video link as all sorts of counter allegations against their father and also Indian authorities are made by these two sister-sannyasinis. They also claim that they (and other followers of Swami Nithyananda) are being persecuted as Hindu monks and want justice (for Hindu monk sisters)!
I think if they want these allegations to be viewed seriously then they should disclose their location and interact with appropriate Indian authorities. I mean, they are not going to be arrested I guess as there does not seem to be any police complaint against them.
Saying things from an unknown location where authorities cannot interact with them, makes their allegations open to suspicion.
But I think that these two young adult sannyasinis should be free to practise their spiritual path as sannyasinis associated with Swami Nithyananda. They should not be forced by Indian authorities to go to their (biological) parents. Note that they say in the video that they have separated temporarily from the Swami Nithyananda organization.
Any complaints made against Swami Nithyananda and any ashram/educational institution associated with him, should be kept separate from individual followers of Swami Nithyananda like these two young lady monks who have separated (temporarily) from Nithyananda organization (unless they are part of some complaint against the ashram/institution).
And I think Swami Nithyananda deserves a fair trial. He should not be judged guilty (of some serious charges levelled against him) on the basis of allegations alone. Innocent until proven guilty principle should be applied to Swami Nithyananda in the context of some serious charges levelled against him.
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How can somebody make such claims? Within a year he will have bulls and cows speaking (legitimately) in Sanskrit and Tamil!!! I mean, this just completely baffles me!
He talks of having checked the software (associated with the work of producing human organs in animals - including vocal chords) and finding it to work perfectly!
What planet is this gentleman on???
I have seen many quite freaky claims from spiritual chaps/speakers/leaders. But this is just a wild, wild level. And all to be done in a year's time!
The around 2 min. video clip is in this tweet:
https://twitter.com/dineshakula/status/1041924830763700224
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In response to a comment, I wrote:
I don't view these comments of his seriously but he has a significant following. And so I note some of his comments as that influences many people (his followers). ... And it is in this context that I am absolutely baffled that he made such outlandish predictions where he is surely going to fail. I don't know the date on which he made this comment. But a year from now at least, and his claim will be shown as false to even a child.
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Really weird for our early 21st century times ... but then I have never lived in or visited a country which has such prohibitions on open practice of some mainstream religions. So maybe my views are coloured by what I have experienced & seen in life.
[Shared link: Brunei bans Christmas: Sultan warns those celebrating could face up to five years in jail, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/brunei-cancels-christmas-sultan-warns-those-celebrating-could-face-up-to-five-years-in-jail-a6782561.html]
In response to a comment that (it is also the case) in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I wrote:
I see. I thought that might be the case. Thanks for confirming.
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I commented on the shared post: "Thank you. Your message and support are much appreciated."
Shri Nara Lokesh is the former IT minister of Andhra Pradesh.
As the auto translate to English by Google seems to be messing it up, here's my non-expert in Telugu translation of the text of his post:
Learn to give, not take... Learn to serve, not to boss around - these are the teachings of our Bhagavan Sri Puttaparthi Sai Baba.
His social work is so inspiring.
Good/best wishes to Sai devotees on occasion of Sai Baba Jayanti (birthday).
[Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/naralokesh/photos/a.344344082331115/2426257950806374/?type=3&theater]
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https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/1198193623948382208
Very nice tweet today from former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu (in Telugu).
Telugu text of tweet: "ఆధ్యాత్మిక బోధనలతో ప్రజలకు ఉత్తమ మార్గనిర్దేశం చేయడమే కాకుండా, అనితర సాధ్యమైన ఎన్నో సామాజిక సేవాకార్యక్రమాలను నిర్వహించిన మానవతామూర్తి భగవాన్ శ్రీ సత్యసాయిబాబాగారి జయంతి సందర్భంగా ఆ మహిమాన్వితుని చరిత్రను, సందేశాలను స్మరించుకుందాం."
He refers to Bhagavan first as a spiritual teacher who gave excellent guidance to his followers. And then says that besides that, he was a 'Manavthamurthi' who accomplished umpteen works of service to humanity. 'Manavthamurthi, I think, can be translated as embodiment of humaneness or humanitarian idol.
He then says that we should follow his (Bhagavan's) teachings.
I think that is a reflection of how top political leaders of India think of Bhagavan's work and his legacy. Whether they believe in Bhagavan's divinity or not, they admire him for his humanitarian work for the poor and suffering, and are inspired by that.
'Manavthamurthi' - Interesting term for Bhagavan!
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I think the truth about the matter (in Ahmedabad, Gujarat state, India) should be disclosed to the public. It seems that two children below age of 18 (and so minors) were asked by the police whether they wanted to leave the institution and they said yes, leading to the police moving them out of the institution and uniting them with their father.
Two women disciples were arrested on charge of wrongful confinement of children and other charges - I think these women should be given a fair trial.
The other two children of the same family who are above 18 and seem to be outside India in some foreign ashram of the Swami, seem to want to stay with the Swami, and not go back to their father. It should be ascertained whether they are saying this under duress or whether they genuinely want to be with the Swami. In case of the latter, I think they should be allowed to stay with the Swami, even if their father is very upset with that.
The allegations of children being subjected to harassment and physical abuse (beatings, sleep deprivation etc.) as a way to force them to do spiritual stuff, are horrific. If the allegations are true then the authorities need to ensure that this does not happen again.
Godman Swami Nithyananda Booked, Two Women Disciples Arrested for 'Kidnapping' Children, https://www.news18.com/news/india/godman-swami-nithyananda-booked-two-women-disciples-arrested-for-kidnapping-children-2394083.html
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I don't know the details of the matter and so I am not in a position to comment on this specific issue.
But, in general, as a Hindu and a resident and citizen of India, I welcome Muslims (and other non-Hindus) who study Sanskrit and satisfy requirements (UGC) for Sanskrit faculty (teacher), getting appointed as Sanskrit faculty in any higher education institution in India, including BHU (Banaras Hindu University), provided he/she does not intend to use (or later, uses) his/her position to denigrate Hindu religious literature written in Sanskrit.
I expect Muslim educational institutions like Aligarh Muslim University to have a similar stand when it comes to non-Muslims (Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees, atheist etc.) who want to become Urdu or Arabic faculty in their higher education institutions.
And similarly for Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsee etc. higher education institutions in India.
[Shared article: BHU professor: I am a Muslim, why can't I teach Sanskrit, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/bhu-professor-i-am-a-muslim-why-cant-i-teach-sanskrit/articleshow/72092216.cms]
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Kashi Vishwanath Darshan and Mangala Aarti by Dr. Vijay Rana, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6po_0AhXcA, 13 min. 38 secs, published on 12th Jan. 2019.
This is darshan of the famous Kashi Vishwanth temple in Varanasi [Varanasi is also referred to as Kashi and Banaras]. 'Kashi yatra' is a famous term among Hindus, meaning pilgrimage to Kashi.
Given below are extracts from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashi_Vishwanath_Temple :
Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva Temples. The main deity is known by the name Shri Vishwanath and also by the ancient name of deity Vishweshwara (IAST: Vishveshvara literally means Ruler of the Universe. Varanasi city is also called Kashi in ancient time, and hence the Temple is popularly called as Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Etymology of the name Vishveshvara is Vishva: Universe, Isha: Lord; Vara: Excellent means Supreme Lord of the Universe the Parabrahman or Parameshwara as its synonyms.
The Temple has been referred to in Hindu scriptures for a very long time as a central part of worship in the Shaiva Philosophy. It has been destroyed and re-constructed a number of times in history. The last structure was demolished by Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site.[1] The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler, Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780.[2]
[Wiki Refs:]
1. Akhil Bakshi (2004). Between heaven and hell: travels through Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and India: an account of the expedition hands across the borders. Odyssey Books.
2. "Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple - A Brief history", https://varanasi.nic.in/temple/KASHI.html (broken link).
--- end wiki extracts ---
My late elder brother was named Vishwanath as he was born (in or around 1954) after my parents had visited Varanasi and had darshan of Kashi Vishwanath temple and, I presume, the Jyotirling (Jyotirlingam) there.
Maharashtra, which was my home state for the first four decades of my life, has a strong worship tradition of Shiva and his consort Paravati referred to as Amba Bhavani (or Tulaja Bhavani). An extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavani :
Bhavani (also known as Tulaja, Turaja, Tvarita, Ambā and Jagadambā) is an avatar of the Hindu goddess Parvati . She is a form of Durga who is worshiped in Maharashtra, and also by Gurjars of North Gujarat, Northern Karnataka, Western Rajasthan and Punjab.[1 - Indian studies: past & present, Volume 11. Today & Tomorrow's Printers & Publishers. 1970. p. 385. The Gujars of Punjab, North Gujarat and Western Rajasthan worship Sitala and Bhavani"] Bhavani translates to "giver of life", meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing Asuras. Lord Shiva as Bhava, Goddess Parvati as Bhavani.
Bhavani was the protective patron deity of the Maratha King Shivaji, in whose veneration he dedicated his sword, Bhavani Talwar. Many Marathi folk stories celebrate her. Shivaji's mother was said to be a great devotee of Bhavani. The town of Tuljapur in Maharashtra is the location of the annual Tulja Bhavani fair during Navaratri (September to October), and home to the Tulja Bhavani Temple which dates to the 12th century. The temple contains a granite icon of the goddess, one metre (approximately 3 feet) in height, with eight arms holding weapons and the head of the slain demon Mahishasura.
--- end wiki extract ---
My late mother's name was LakshmeParvathi, a concatenation of names of Goddess Lakshmi (consort of Lord Vishnu) and Goddess Parvathi (consort of Lord Shiva).
Aum Namaha Shivaya! [Aum I bow down to Lord Shiva!]
[I thank wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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Shri Chandrababu Naidu garu, former CM of Andhra Pradesh, has consistently been, and continues to be, supportive of Hindu spiritual leaders and movements in Andhra Pradesh. As a resident of Andhra Pradesh and a Hindu, I very much appreciate this support provided by former CM Chandrababu Naidu to Hindu spiritual groups.
Here's a recent news clip (in Telugu) of former CM Naidu participating in a devout way in Chinna Jeeyar Swami Sahasra Kalasabhishekam function: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGe9ia4Vsyk, around 7 mins. published on 1st Nov. 2019.
Please note that I have a PUBLICLY POLITICALLY NEUTRAL role in these social media posts about Andhra Pradesh politics. I am not a supporter of any particular political party in Andhra Pradesh. Please note that I have been living in Andhra Pradesh since Oct. 2002, and so am a voter in Andhra Pradesh. I should also say that I am a beneficiary, a lover and an open supporter of democracy in Andhra Pradesh and in India.
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Interesting views. Sabarimala & Kerala Rituals (3 of 6), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOiszWp0fZE, 19 mins by Rajiv Malhotra Official
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Sabka Maalik Ek! The Lord of all is one! - This is the teaching of Shirdi Sai Baba, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_Baba_of_Shirdi, which I hold very dear.
Allah Maalik! Eashwar Maalik! - Allah is the Lord! Eashwar is the Lord!
My prayers to God that all Indians accept this verdict of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in a peaceful and harmonious way.
May Muslims help in building Hindu place of worship, and may Hindus help in building Muslim place of worship. May Muslims and Hindus worship God in harmony and peace!
Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/posts/10162613778645165 (PM Modi on Ayodhya SC verdict).
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Quite impressive given that the organization seems to be a noted one with its own wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_for_Microbiology.
Great to see SarvaDharma logo and message about it on their Facebook post.
Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/asmfan/photos/a.10159027867805200/10159027870345200/?type=3&theater (about Sathya Sai SarvaDharma symbol)
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President Jimmy Carter 'said a prayer' and is 'at ease' with death during church service, https://abcnews.go.com/US/president-jimmy-carter-prayed-peace-death-church-service/story?id=66724139
Ravi: I think that shows how spiritually centered with the divine, former US President Jimmy Carter is. Overcoming the fear of death and what may lie beyond, is one of the greatest challenges of life. Religious faith, no matter what one's particular religion (established religions), can be a very powerful aid to overcome fear of death. Established religions know how to handle death!
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In a post somewhere on FB this link was shared: Two nuns went to Africa and came back pregnant. The Catholic church is investigating, https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-catholic-church-nuns-pregnant-africa-missionary-trips-20191105-xni6ikfignbcnlskhrsvcbgxem-story.html ,
In that post, I commented on 7th Nov. (slightly edited):
Thanks for sharing. I think one of the realities of religious institutions is that unmarried people become cheap labour for running their institutions. If the people get married then they need lot more money to raise their families.
And I get the impression that this is the case more with unmarried women (nuns). And there it can be a rather tragic situation. I mean, the religious institution may become a sort-of trap for them as they do not have the means to live life outside the institution. ... I think at least in some Catholic church organizations in India, that's the case.
And then there is sexual abuse of nuns by male unmarried clergy!
It is in this aspect that Protestant churches are much safer, I guess.
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To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.
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I had missed this 26th Nov. Gujarat High Court order to the young sannyasini ladies to depose before it by 10th Dec. or, after seeking its permission, to depose before Indian authorities in a foreign country.
The two young sannyasini ladies are Nanditha (Ma Nithyananditha - 18 year old) and Lopamudra (Ma Nithyatattvapriya Ananda - 21 year old).
Depose by 10 Dec: HC to Girls ‘Missing’ from Nithyananda Ashram, https://www.thequint.com/news/india/gujarat-hc-orders-daughters-missing-from-ashram-to-depose-by-10-dec, 26th Nov. 2019
According to the article, the Hon'ble Gujarat High Court (HC) said on 26th Nov.:
"Today, we are requesting the police to give the girls assurance of their safety. Their travel can be arranged to a country where our embassy is located and depose before Indian authorities but only after the relevant applications are filed in this court. As per the petition, they must be brought to court."
The HC also said that "Facebook videos would not hold" implying that Facebook (and other social media) videos from the young sannyasinis where they claim that they are safe will not be accepted as valid statements by the court. This seems to be in response to Swami Nithayananda ashram's lawyer referring to these videos from the young sannyasinis claiming that they are safe.
The report says that a police officer said, "We told the court that Nanditha had escaped by road to Nepal we don’t know which country she is in right now. On 1 Nov, the parents and police had gone together to meet her but at that time, the girl had refused to meet her parents. We are in touch with them through Skype and video-conferencing and we are trying to make the girls understand that they have been summoned by court and they need to abide by this order".
The report states that the police believe these two young sannyasini ladies are in Trinidad & Tobago, but they are not sure.
This order from the HC was in response to the habeas corpus petition moved by the father, Janardhan Sharma, on 18th Nov. 2019 where he claimed that his daughters were "abducted and kept in illegal confinement and deprived of sleep” by Swami Nithyananda and his followers.
My views are that it is good that the Gujarat police are communicating with the young sannyasinis via Skype and video-conferencing. The Hon'ble HC order will now have to be obeyed by these young sannyasinis. Perhaps they can seek permission of the HC and appear before an Indian embassy in the country they now are in or in a nearby country. That may go a long way, I think, in the HC coming to know whether the young ladies are speaking of their own free will or are under pressure to say what they said in their recent Facebook and other social media videos.
All in all, I think this is good progress in moving towards a resolution of this issue where we have, on one hand, the father's anguish and worry about his young adult daughters' safety and well-being, and, on the other hand, freedom of religion for the young adult sannyasinis to pursue their spiritual quest with their guru, Swami Nithyananda.
===============
Saw a video put up by Ma Nithyatattvapriya Ananda on 27th Nov. 2019 where she (21 year old) and her sister (Ma Nithyananditha - 18 year old) rebut allegations made in Arnab Goswami's programs on Republic TV (I shared one of those videos in this post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2667009236848970).
I don't want to share the video link (of Ma Nithyatattvapriya Ananda) as they have not disclosed their location and so cannot be easily held accountable for their statements in the video.
But I felt it appropriate to share some important statements they made.
The background is that their father Shri Janardhan Sharma has raised serious concerns about the safety and well being of these two adult daughters of his. That is the key issue in all this.
The videos they put up could be statements made by them under duress!
But the impression I get is that they do not seem to be under duress. They might have had help in preparation for this 27th Nov. video they put up. But it does not seem that they are being forced to do it under threats of some kind.
I do get the impression that these young ladies have chosen out of their own free will to stay away from their father. However, it is difficult to be sure about that.
They say that they are not in danger/facing problems or some words to that effect.
They make statements showing that they are very devoted to Swami Nithyananda. They also strongly rebut statements made by Arnab Goswami against Swami Nithyananda.
As I have said earlier, Swami Nithyananda must be viewed as innocent of allegations made against him until he is judged guilty by a court of law.
And I think that these young lady sannyasins should have complete freedom of religion to follow the Hindu monkhood path they have chosen and have Swami Nithyananda as their guru.
----
In response to a comment, I wrote (slightly edited):
The reason why I posted about this matter is that the minor girls of Janardhan Sharma told the police that they wanted to be with their parents, and so the police handed over custody of the minor girls to their parents. Further, one of these minor girls spoke (with her face covered) about her problems in the Gurukul there, to a Tamil news channel.
So the minor girls did not like it there (in later years) and wanted to get out but were not able to get out. That seems to be an issue here.
But there are other minor girls who like it there and want to be there.
So this may be an issue with just these two minor girls. Children not being happy in some hostel educational system is not an uncommon thing in India. It happens. At such times, parents should be free to pick them up and take them home. The allegation of Janardhan Sharma is that the administrators of the Gurukul did not give him and his wife free access to his minor daughters. I think that allegation must be looked into seriously (and that's what the Gujarat police seem to be doing) with the investigation report being shared with the public.
Unfortunately, the Republic TV program anchored by Arnab Goswami which I shared in my above post, also went into many other aspects related to Swami Nithyananda which are in the domain of Indian courts.
The rape/sexual abuse allegation is a particularly sensitive one. How does one know what the truth is? That can be proved in court of law only with evidence. I think the Ohio, US defamation case was mainly on the rape/sexual abuse allegation though the sex tape also seems to have been mentioned, and that was won by Swami Nithyananda.
Regarding the sex tape: Even if the sex tape is genuine, there is no crime. The issue is more a social and spiritual community issue about whether he indulged in sex and whether that is OK or not. I don't want to get into those aspects in public posts & comments, as they are sensitive issues. The main thing is that nobody has been harmed like in a rape/sexual abuse case where a victim is (alleged to have been) sexually assaulted/abused which is grievous/serious harm.
====================
After some thought I have decided to share this Tamil video interview along with English news report of the interview, of Shri Janaradhan Sharma and his minor (15 year old) daughter where they make some disturbing allegations (not proven so far in any Indian court of law and so one does not know whether they are true or false) against Swami Nithyananda and his ashram management.
I should add that Swami Nithyananda ashram and/or his followers have made serious counter-allegations against Janardhan Sharma. But the big issue with the counter-allegations is that Swami Nithyananda's location is unknown and is presumed to be some foreign country.
As a Hindu who has great respect for genuine Hindu spiritual masters and their ashram institutions, and a citizen and resident of India, I would like to do my small bit towards reducing/preventing any mistreatment and abuse of innocent children and also adult devotees in Hindu ashrams in India.
I decided to share this video (along with English news report of it) as these allegations made in an Indian news channel by both father and minor daughter about parents not being given access to their own children who were enrolled in the educational institution run by Swami Nithyananda, and about mistreatment of some children there and involvement of children in fund collection for the ashram, are very disturbing to me. I repeat that these are not proven and so we don't know whether it is true or false.
But they warrant proper investigation by the authorities (which Gujarat police is already doing) and then sharing of the findings with the public of India (and abroad).
Initial part of interview is with the father Janardhan Sharma. Later, from around 8.15, his minor daughter is interviewed. I should also say that it is more monologue than interview. But the views of the father and minor daughter are clearly conveyed as both are fluent in Tamil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w4qfP0-foE, 20 mins, published by News 18 Tamil Nadu on 21st Nov. 2019
For readers who don't follow Tamil here is a recent English news report covering the interview: ‘Told to Get Money & Land for Nithyananda,' Says Rescued Minor, https://www.thequint.com/news/india/nithyananda-ashram-ahmedabad-confined-15-year-old-girl-minor-illegally-abused.
=================
Indian national TV channel debate video of 21st Nov. having father of the two young lady sannyasinis of Swami Nithyananda, making his allegations against Nithyananda and expressing concern about dangers to his two daughters
I decided to share the following video while I decided not to share the video of the two young lady sannyasinis (21 year old Ma Nithya Tattvapriyananda and 18 year old Ma Nithyananditha) but only referred to it (see my post https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2666280646921829), as this video (link given below) has speakers, including father of the two sannyasinis (Shri Janardhan Sharma), whose locations are known and can be held accountable in Indian court of law for their statements in this TV debate. In contrast, the two young lady sannyasinis cannot be held accountable for their views in Indian court of law as of today as they seem to be outside India and in an unknown location.
Janardhan refers to his above mentioned daughters by their earlier names. It was a little confusing to know whose earlier name is what, as he also mentions the names of other daughters of his (minors).
The debate style is very loud with the anchor Arnab Goswami asking strongly worded questions of Janardhan about why he was associated with Swami Nithyananda organization for some years and allowed his daughters to join the Gurukul (educational system) there. There is also a lot of crosstalk. But one does get to hear the views of the father Janardhan who is naturally emotionally distraught and so his statements are not well worded and clear at times.
Arnab Goswami is also very judgemental in this debate making strongly worded statements against Swami Nithyananda. One point of his which I agree with fully is that the big issue in all this is that the government and the public at large does not know where Swami Nithyananda is, while he continues to have livestream events on social media (the debate video shows a livestream window of Nithyananda at one point).
Swami Nithyananda should disclose his location and interact with Indian authorities, and either he or his following should address concerns expressed by Janardhan on this national TV debate about the current and future safety of his children, the adult sannyasinis mentioned above.
Scandal Baba Abducted Children? | The Debate With Arnab Goswami (you may skip to 4 min. 25 secs. into the video to skip the Advertisement-kind of parts and get to the main part of the video debate), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uePXnVhlY44, around 46 min, published on 21st Nov. 2019.
As a Hindu who is very respectful towards ***genuine*** Hindu spiritual traditions and practises including adapted traditions and practises for our early 21st century times, and a citizen and resident of India, I think the biggest immediate issue here is the current and near-future safety and wellbeing of these two young Indian sannyasinis. They should disclose their location and speak to media from their disclosed location (thereby becoming more easily accountable to the law of the country they now are in), addressing these concerns. Note that speaking to media will involve answering some or most of the questions of the media, and one presumes that the media will ask the important and relevant questions.
===================
I saw the whole of an around 40 min video of the two adult (above 18) sister-sannyasinis - Ma Nithya Tattvapriyananda (21 years old) and Ma Nithyananditha (18 years old) put up on youtube on 22nd Nov. 2019, where they speak directly to viewers. They continue to be devoted to Swami Nithyananda, and have made counter allegations against their father (a Mr. Janardhan Sharma) who has complained to the police about Swami Nithyananda and alleged that his 4 daughters have been kidnapped by Swami Nithyananda ashram. The 2 minor daughters have been given to the father's custody (see my earlier post dated 21st Nov. 2019: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2661731800710047) but these 2 major/adult daughters' (who are appearing in the video) location is not known (presumed to be outside India).
In the video, they speak in fluent English and come across as adults who can speak their mind. Quite impressive speakers for their age, I must say.
I don't want to share the video link as all sorts of counter allegations against their father and also Indian authorities are made by these two sister-sannyasinis. They also claim that they (and other followers of Swami Nithyananda) are being persecuted as Hindu monks and want justice (for Hindu monk sisters)!
I think if they want these allegations to be viewed seriously then they should disclose their location and interact with appropriate Indian authorities. I mean, they are not going to be arrested I guess as there does not seem to be any police complaint against them.
Saying things from an unknown location where authorities cannot interact with them, makes their allegations open to suspicion.
But I think that these two young adult sannyasinis should be free to practise their spiritual path as sannyasinis associated with Swami Nithyananda. They should not be forced by Indian authorities to go to their (biological) parents. Note that they say in the video that they have separated temporarily from the Swami Nithyananda organization.
Any complaints made against Swami Nithyananda and any ashram/educational institution associated with him, should be kept separate from individual followers of Swami Nithyananda like these two young lady monks who have separated (temporarily) from Nithyananda organization (unless they are part of some complaint against the ashram/institution).
And I think Swami Nithyananda deserves a fair trial. He should not be judged guilty (of some serious charges levelled against him) on the basis of allegations alone. Innocent until proven guilty principle should be applied to Swami Nithyananda in the context of some serious charges levelled against him.
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How can somebody make such claims? Within a year he will have bulls and cows speaking (legitimately) in Sanskrit and Tamil!!! I mean, this just completely baffles me!
He talks of having checked the software (associated with the work of producing human organs in animals - including vocal chords) and finding it to work perfectly!
What planet is this gentleman on???
I have seen many quite freaky claims from spiritual chaps/speakers/leaders. But this is just a wild, wild level. And all to be done in a year's time!
The around 2 min. video clip is in this tweet:
https://twitter.com/dineshakula/status/1041924830763700224
----------
In response to a comment, I wrote:
I don't view these comments of his seriously but he has a significant following. And so I note some of his comments as that influences many people (his followers). ... And it is in this context that I am absolutely baffled that he made such outlandish predictions where he is surely going to fail. I don't know the date on which he made this comment. But a year from now at least, and his claim will be shown as false to even a child.
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Really weird for our early 21st century times ... but then I have never lived in or visited a country which has such prohibitions on open practice of some mainstream religions. So maybe my views are coloured by what I have experienced & seen in life.
[Shared link: Brunei bans Christmas: Sultan warns those celebrating could face up to five years in jail, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/brunei-cancels-christmas-sultan-warns-those-celebrating-could-face-up-to-five-years-in-jail-a6782561.html]
In response to a comment that (it is also the case) in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I wrote:
I see. I thought that might be the case. Thanks for confirming.
=================================
I commented on the shared post: "Thank you. Your message and support are much appreciated."
Shri Nara Lokesh is the former IT minister of Andhra Pradesh.
As the auto translate to English by Google seems to be messing it up, here's my non-expert in Telugu translation of the text of his post:
Learn to give, not take... Learn to serve, not to boss around - these are the teachings of our Bhagavan Sri Puttaparthi Sai Baba.
His social work is so inspiring.
Good/best wishes to Sai devotees on occasion of Sai Baba Jayanti (birthday).
[Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/naralokesh/photos/a.344344082331115/2426257950806374/?type=3&theater]
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https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/1198193623948382208
Very nice tweet today from former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu (in Telugu).
Telugu text of tweet: "ఆధ్యాత్మిక బోధనలతో ప్రజలకు ఉత్తమ మార్గనిర్దేశం చేయడమే కాకుండా, అనితర సాధ్యమైన ఎన్నో సామాజిక సేవాకార్యక్రమాలను నిర్వహించిన మానవతామూర్తి భగవాన్ శ్రీ సత్యసాయిబాబాగారి జయంతి సందర్భంగా ఆ మహిమాన్వితుని చరిత్రను, సందేశాలను స్మరించుకుందాం."
He refers to Bhagavan first as a spiritual teacher who gave excellent guidance to his followers. And then says that besides that, he was a 'Manavthamurthi' who accomplished umpteen works of service to humanity. 'Manavthamurthi, I think, can be translated as embodiment of humaneness or humanitarian idol.
He then says that we should follow his (Bhagavan's) teachings.
I think that is a reflection of how top political leaders of India think of Bhagavan's work and his legacy. Whether they believe in Bhagavan's divinity or not, they admire him for his humanitarian work for the poor and suffering, and are inspired by that.
'Manavthamurthi' - Interesting term for Bhagavan!
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I think the truth about the matter (in Ahmedabad, Gujarat state, India) should be disclosed to the public. It seems that two children below age of 18 (and so minors) were asked by the police whether they wanted to leave the institution and they said yes, leading to the police moving them out of the institution and uniting them with their father.
Two women disciples were arrested on charge of wrongful confinement of children and other charges - I think these women should be given a fair trial.
The other two children of the same family who are above 18 and seem to be outside India in some foreign ashram of the Swami, seem to want to stay with the Swami, and not go back to their father. It should be ascertained whether they are saying this under duress or whether they genuinely want to be with the Swami. In case of the latter, I think they should be allowed to stay with the Swami, even if their father is very upset with that.
The allegations of children being subjected to harassment and physical abuse (beatings, sleep deprivation etc.) as a way to force them to do spiritual stuff, are horrific. If the allegations are true then the authorities need to ensure that this does not happen again.
Godman Swami Nithyananda Booked, Two Women Disciples Arrested for 'Kidnapping' Children, https://www.news18.com/news/india/godman-swami-nithyananda-booked-two-women-disciples-arrested-for-kidnapping-children-2394083.html
=====================
I don't know the details of the matter and so I am not in a position to comment on this specific issue.
But, in general, as a Hindu and a resident and citizen of India, I welcome Muslims (and other non-Hindus) who study Sanskrit and satisfy requirements (UGC) for Sanskrit faculty (teacher), getting appointed as Sanskrit faculty in any higher education institution in India, including BHU (Banaras Hindu University), provided he/she does not intend to use (or later, uses) his/her position to denigrate Hindu religious literature written in Sanskrit.
I expect Muslim educational institutions like Aligarh Muslim University to have a similar stand when it comes to non-Muslims (Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees, atheist etc.) who want to become Urdu or Arabic faculty in their higher education institutions.
And similarly for Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsee etc. higher education institutions in India.
[Shared article: BHU professor: I am a Muslim, why can't I teach Sanskrit, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/bhu-professor-i-am-a-muslim-why-cant-i-teach-sanskrit/articleshow/72092216.cms]
======================
Kashi Vishwanath Darshan and Mangala Aarti by Dr. Vijay Rana, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6po_0AhXcA, 13 min. 38 secs, published on 12th Jan. 2019.
This is darshan of the famous Kashi Vishwanth temple in Varanasi [Varanasi is also referred to as Kashi and Banaras]. 'Kashi yatra' is a famous term among Hindus, meaning pilgrimage to Kashi.
Given below are extracts from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashi_Vishwanath_Temple :
Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva Temples. The main deity is known by the name Shri Vishwanath and also by the ancient name of deity Vishweshwara (IAST: Vishveshvara literally means Ruler of the Universe. Varanasi city is also called Kashi in ancient time, and hence the Temple is popularly called as Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Etymology of the name Vishveshvara is Vishva: Universe, Isha: Lord; Vara: Excellent means Supreme Lord of the Universe the Parabrahman or Parameshwara as its synonyms.
The Temple has been referred to in Hindu scriptures for a very long time as a central part of worship in the Shaiva Philosophy. It has been destroyed and re-constructed a number of times in history. The last structure was demolished by Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site.[1] The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler, Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780.[2]
[Wiki Refs:]
1. Akhil Bakshi (2004). Between heaven and hell: travels through Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and India: an account of the expedition hands across the borders. Odyssey Books.
2. "Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple - A Brief history", https://varanasi.nic.in/temple/KASHI.html (broken link).
--- end wiki extracts ---
My late elder brother was named Vishwanath as he was born (in or around 1954) after my parents had visited Varanasi and had darshan of Kashi Vishwanath temple and, I presume, the Jyotirling (Jyotirlingam) there.
Maharashtra, which was my home state for the first four decades of my life, has a strong worship tradition of Shiva and his consort Paravati referred to as Amba Bhavani (or Tulaja Bhavani). An extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavani :
Bhavani (also known as Tulaja, Turaja, Tvarita, Ambā and Jagadambā) is an avatar of the Hindu goddess Parvati . She is a form of Durga who is worshiped in Maharashtra, and also by Gurjars of North Gujarat, Northern Karnataka, Western Rajasthan and Punjab.[1 - Indian studies: past & present, Volume 11. Today & Tomorrow's Printers & Publishers. 1970. p. 385. The Gujars of Punjab, North Gujarat and Western Rajasthan worship Sitala and Bhavani"] Bhavani translates to "giver of life", meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing Asuras. Lord Shiva as Bhava, Goddess Parvati as Bhavani.
Bhavani was the protective patron deity of the Maratha King Shivaji, in whose veneration he dedicated his sword, Bhavani Talwar. Many Marathi folk stories celebrate her. Shivaji's mother was said to be a great devotee of Bhavani. The town of Tuljapur in Maharashtra is the location of the annual Tulja Bhavani fair during Navaratri (September to October), and home to the Tulja Bhavani Temple which dates to the 12th century. The temple contains a granite icon of the goddess, one metre (approximately 3 feet) in height, with eight arms holding weapons and the head of the slain demon Mahishasura.
--- end wiki extract ---
My late mother's name was LakshmeParvathi, a concatenation of names of Goddess Lakshmi (consort of Lord Vishnu) and Goddess Parvathi (consort of Lord Shiva).
Aum Namaha Shivaya! [Aum I bow down to Lord Shiva!]
[I thank wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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Shri Chandrababu Naidu garu, former CM of Andhra Pradesh, has consistently been, and continues to be, supportive of Hindu spiritual leaders and movements in Andhra Pradesh. As a resident of Andhra Pradesh and a Hindu, I very much appreciate this support provided by former CM Chandrababu Naidu to Hindu spiritual groups.
Here's a recent news clip (in Telugu) of former CM Naidu participating in a devout way in Chinna Jeeyar Swami Sahasra Kalasabhishekam function: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGe9ia4Vsyk, around 7 mins. published on 1st Nov. 2019.
Please note that I have a PUBLICLY POLITICALLY NEUTRAL role in these social media posts about Andhra Pradesh politics. I am not a supporter of any particular political party in Andhra Pradesh. Please note that I have been living in Andhra Pradesh since Oct. 2002, and so am a voter in Andhra Pradesh. I should also say that I am a beneficiary, a lover and an open supporter of democracy in Andhra Pradesh and in India.
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Interesting views. Sabarimala & Kerala Rituals (3 of 6), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOiszWp0fZE, 19 mins by Rajiv Malhotra Official
==========================
Good to see pic of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar meeting Pope Francis in the Vatican.
Wonderful to see Namaste greeting of Pope Francis!
We need more of such friendly meetings and interactions between leaders of Christian and Hindu faiths.
https://twitter.com/SriSri/status/1195012679368208385
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Shirdi Sai Baba was/is beyond Hindu & Muslim
A saying attributed by some to Shirdi Sai Baba (but I could not get a reference to authoritative Shirdi Sai literature so I don't know for sure):
"I live in a mosque, but I am not a Muslim. I light the holy fire, but I am not a Hindu. I wish to break your concepts about Me."
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Wonderful! I found it to be a fascinating interview. It is in Hindi (seemingly with subtitles in Sanskrit).
Shri K.K. Muhammed explains how Sanskrit (Hindu) scripture gave hints to Indian archaeologists about understanding what they have excavated and also about where to excavate. He refers to Mahabharata, Vayu Purana, King Bhoja etc.
He speaks the Sanskrit verses fluently! At some point in the interview, he jokes that he may have been a Brahmin in a previous birth (as in earlier periods in India, study of Hindu scripture most of which is in Sanskrit, was largely the domain of Brahmins)! I had a good laugh at that.
I thoroughly enjoyed this interview. The young interviewer lady has also done a superb job.
Around 11 minutes.
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/MPPratapSimha/videos/709499136225746/]
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Very good to see this positive report about Hindu and Muslim religious leaders committing to peace and harmony after Ayodhya Supreme Court verdict. I think all Indians as well as foreigners living in India should be very thankful to such Hindu and Muslim religious leaders for their efforts to maintain peace & harmony between the two most populous religious communities in India.
[Shared article: NSA Doval meets Hindu, Muslim religious leaders post Ayodhya, verdict, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/hindu-muslim-religious-leaders-meet-at-nsa-dovals-residence-commit-to-peace-and-harmony/articleshow/71993486.cms]
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Very good to see this positive report about Hindu and Muslim religious leaders committing to peace and harmony after Ayodhya Supreme Court verdict. I think all Indians as well as foreigners living in India should be very thankful to such Hindu and Muslim religious leaders for their efforts to maintain peace & harmony between the two most populous religious communities in India.
[Shared article: NSA Doval meets Hindu, Muslim religious leaders post Ayodhya, verdict, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/hindu-muslim-religious-leaders-meet-at-nsa-dovals-residence-commit-to-peace-and-harmony/articleshow/71993486.cms]
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Sabka Maalik Ek! The Lord of all is one! - This is the teaching of Shirdi Sai Baba, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_Baba_of_Shirdi, which I hold very dear.
Allah Maalik! Eashwar Maalik! - Allah is the Lord! Eashwar is the Lord!
My prayers to God that all Indians accept this verdict of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in a peaceful and harmonious way.
May Muslims help in building Hindu place of worship, and may Hindus help in building Muslim place of worship. May Muslims and Hindus worship God in harmony and peace!
Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/posts/10162613778645165 (PM Modi on Ayodhya SC verdict).
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Quite impressive given that the organization seems to be a noted one with its own wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_for_Microbiology.
Great to see SarvaDharma logo and message about it on their Facebook post.
Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/asmfan/photos/a.10159027867805200/10159027870345200/?type=3&theater (about Sathya Sai SarvaDharma symbol)
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President Jimmy Carter 'said a prayer' and is 'at ease' with death during church service, https://abcnews.go.com/US/president-jimmy-carter-prayed-peace-death-church-service/story?id=66724139
Ravi: I think that shows how spiritually centered with the divine, former US President Jimmy Carter is. Overcoming the fear of death and what may lie beyond, is one of the greatest challenges of life. Religious faith, no matter what one's particular religion (established religions), can be a very powerful aid to overcome fear of death. Established religions know how to handle death!
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In a post somewhere on FB this link was shared: Two nuns went to Africa and came back pregnant. The Catholic church is investigating, https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-catholic-church-nuns-pregnant-africa-missionary-trips-20191105-xni6ikfignbcnlskhrsvcbgxem-story.html ,
In that post, I commented on 7th Nov. (slightly edited):
Thanks for sharing. I think one of the realities of religious institutions is that unmarried people become cheap labour for running their institutions. If the people get married then they need lot more money to raise their families.
And I get the impression that this is the case more with unmarried women (nuns). And there it can be a rather tragic situation. I mean, the religious institution may become a sort-of trap for them as they do not have the means to live life outside the institution. ... I think at least in some Catholic church organizations in India, that's the case.
And then there is sexual abuse of nuns by male unmarried clergy!
It is in this aspect that Protestant churches are much safer, I guess.
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