Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in April & May 2021

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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4 min. 36 secs video. Good message from Gaur Gopal Das.

3 Things We Must All Do To Fight Covid 19 | Gaur Gopal Das, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Netr3UjDpE

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Very interesting!

My FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3136541753229047 shares Ramana Maharshi's post on distinction between sleep, kevala nirvikalpa samadhi and sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi.

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Interesting views of Sadhguru Vasudev on China and India. I think the video is provocatively and inaccurately titled. Sadhguru does not say anything about Chinese people turning against their own government, as far as I can make out. He only says that as the Chinese people get more affluent it will be harder to use forceful ways on them - they will bite back if stick is used whereas when they were poor the stick could be used without (much) resistance.

I think the interview seems to have been done before COVID pandemic. But this clip has been published in Mar 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiKHliHP8tc, 7 min. 10 secs.

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Sadhguru's Message About Covid : Don't Get Angry,Don't Blame Anyone,Don't Panic, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhBA90Gfr5Y, 6 min. 19 secs, published on 18th May 2021

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Around 38 mins. Lovely sharing of memories of Bhagavan Ramana by daughter of Arthur Osborne, Kitty. The telling comes across as straight talk (truthful) without exaggeration. I mean, it comes across as very authentic.

My FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3129755223907700 shares Ramana Maharshi video "Kitty Osborne remembers Bhagavan Part II"

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Very sad news! I have had the privilege of a few interactions with Sri Ruchir Desai where he was very gentlemanly and kind. I always held him in high regard for his character. I believe he was held in great esteem among students and had earned a reputation of being a great teacher.

This horrible COVID pandemic has snatched a very dedicated teacher of Bhagavan's university.

May Bhagavan shower His Grace on Sri Ruchir Desai's soul and give strength and courage to his family and friends to bear this huge loss.

My FB post https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3128932417323314 shared a post which is no longer available.

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On FB post https://www.facebook.com/saimemories/posts/4038498946196648, I wrote: 

Organizational issues and politics may be inescapable in large organizations like Sathya Sai related organizations.

But violence and death threats to any person and family by a Sathya Sai organization leader have to be condemned. Disagreements may be there, but never should it come to this horrible level.

I unequivocally condemn this threat of violence against brother Satish Naik and his family by this Sathya Sai International organization leader.

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In response to a comment, I wrote (slightly edited): Satish shared some info. with me due to which I believe it to be true.

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In response to a comment, I wrote (slightly edited): I am not getting into what is right and what is wrong in the organizational matter. Different persons may have different views on it and strongly disagree - no issues from me on that count as I am out of organizational stuff anyway.

But while the conversation seems to have initially dealt with some of the matters you mentioned, it unfortunately got into some bad territory later on. Perhaps the SSIO leader got emotionally upset and in rage said things he did not really mean. But unfortunately, he did say some things about violence.

Perhaps the particular leader should put out a public statement that he eschews violence as a way to handle organization disputes/splits, and that the words that he said while in rage, were words that he did not really mean. Perhaps that might smoothen things.

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And --name-snipped-- - please don't think that only you know the truth and I know only the falsehoods! You seem to have been given only one side of the story.

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"I ask you to spread what I tell you is the truth" - That seems like some very big dictatorial statement.

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I repeat that you should please be aware that there are multiple sides to such matters.

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As far as I am concerned, I just want to do my bit to ensure that threats of violence and violence are completely kept away in any organizational disputes that may happen. Beyond that, I am not interested in these organizational disputes.

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I think we should stop this conversation here as it is not helping. But, of course, I completely disagree with you when you say I am "completely wrong". But let's just leave that at disagreement. You are entitled to your view. I plan to avoid commenting on this thread any further.

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--Name-snipped-- - I see that you have unfriended me. I think that is best since you seem to want to impose your opinion on me which I intensely dislike. Let us not have any further interactions.

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Congratulations & best wishes to Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, Justice N.V. Ramana. Jai Hind! [5 min. 44 secs. video]

My FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3112691612280728 shared President of India's video.

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[In Hindi] Staying with a Sadhu in Himalayan mountaintop, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-8DTPlihaM, 5 min. 22 secs. published in Sept. 2020.

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So well said! Jai Sai Ram!

My FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3112591952290694 shares a lovely post on how taking refuge in Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba' is like getting shade of a tree for a body burning in sun's heat.

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Was happy to see a recent short 'Thank you very much' comment on my 2016 blog post giving video link, urdu lyrics with English translation of legendary Pakistani Qawwali singer Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Allah Hoo (God Is) song. [Besides video's own English translation shown as subtitles, in some places, I have provided my own translation.] The comment is made by a person whose name seems to indicate that the person is a Muslim. Towards the end of this song, the lyrics promote belief in God that is common to Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. As a Hindu, I am very glad that this post has been liked by a Muslim. The world needs more of faith in God that is one, but which is worshipped in different ways through various religions, with respect from one religion's followers for followers of other religions (so long as the religions do not promote violence on others, with the exception of self-defense).

Here's the blog post: https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2016/06/nusrat-fateh-ali-khan-live-allah-hoo.html and here's the song-video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7roem9NRc .

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Lovely Easter song! An Easter Hallelujah - Cassandra Star & her sister Callahan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3NZEdHQaI, 5 min. 6 secs, published on 21st March 2021

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Close to half an hour video in Hindi of Lord Jesus Christ's great sacrifice of being tortured and humiliated and then crucified on the cross.

I would like to add that as a Hindu I have great reverence for Lord Jesus Christ but I view him as one of the ways to God and not the only way to God.

My FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3097419533807936 shares a youtube video: क्रुस रास्ता | Way of the Cross in Hindi | A journey with Jesus to Calvary | Atmadarshan TV, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI0UOmp_LBc, 28 mins. 57 secs.

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Interview of Swami Swaroopananda - Part I #Chinmayamission, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quXnYb_B8Sc, 21 mins. 28 secs. published in 2016.

I found the interview to be interesting as Swami Swaroopananda talks engagingly about how he, as a youngster in Hong Kong in first half of 1980s, got attracted to Swami Chinmayananda and his teachings, which started him on his spiritual journey. Swami Swaroopananda now heads the Chinmaya mission.

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