Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

Last updated on Jan. 30th 2014 A correspondent passed on this article on Indian culture and modernity by a Prof. Jain, http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/philosophy/indian-culture-and-modernity?track=cntshgp I have given below a slightly edited version of my responses to him. Interesting article. My take is somewhat different on some of the topics touched. However, my views have been formed by experience and my general reading, and not systematic and intensive research. Specifically I do not have data to back up my views whereas Prof. Jain has given some data to support his views. [I must also say that the data provided by Prof. Jain does not mean that he has to be right. Ideally these views must be critically examined by researchers in the field who can state whether the data references are accurate, appropriate and substantial enough to make the case and whether there are other important pieces of data not considered by Prof. Jain which argue otherwi...

Shri B.V. Narasimha Swami has provided the experiences of a lady devotee under a penname. In the preface to his book, Devotees' Experiences of Sri (Shirdi) Sai Baba, available (in part) as a pdf here , he writes, "The only other pseudonym in this volume (Part I) is "Mrs. Manager." Indian readers would naturally expect and respect this feeling of delicacy in a lady at appearing before the public with her statement. The pseudonym given correctly indicates her status and that of her husband. These are regarded by all who know them as eminent devotees worthy of credit." Later on her identity got revealed. https://bonjanrao.blogspot.com/2012/12/mrstarabai-sadasiv-tarkhad.html states "Mrs. Tarabai Sadasiv Tarkhad was the wife of Sadasiva Tarkhad, brother of Ramachandra Atmaram Tarkhad (R.A.Tarkhad). R.A.Tarkhad was the Secretary of the famous Khatau Mills, Bombay." And later, "When she was interviewed by B.V.Narasimhaswamiji in 1936, she was also ca...

Last updated on 19th January 2014 I found some of the statements of a lawyer (pleader) devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba said in the year 1936 to be very appropriate for many devotees of Sathya Sai Baba today! From Devotees' Experiences of Sri (Shirdi) Sai Baba by Narasimha Swami pdf file here  - pages 28 and 29: 16th October, 1936, Nasik & 28th October, 1936, Shirdi RAO BAHADUR S.B.DHUMAL, B.A., LL.B, Pleader, Brahmin, aged 63, Nasik, says: I have one great difficulty in answering the question "What are your experiences of Sai Baba?" All hours of day and night, I am having experiences of Baba. There is no incident or event in my life which I do not connect with him - however trivial it may appear to be. I firmly believe that everything in my life is swayed by Baba. What then is to be mentioned as my experience? Of course, the outside world will not be ready to accept my belief as correct or well-founded. But that matters nothing to me. In fact, that very disbeli...

In Amruta Vahini, August 2013 issue, Sri B.N. Narasimha Murthy writes that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Varu said (sang in Telugu) the following which explains what an Avatar is, "What do you mean by 'God Incarnates'? Out of love and affinity for humanity, God comes down to their level on earth with 'Divine Consciousness' ( Daivaprajna ) juxtaposed with 'Individual Consciousness' ( Jeevaprajna )". Bhagavan further made a clarification to Sri Narasimha Murthy about God having Jeevaprajna ('Individual Consciousness') like other human beings, "When I feel 'I am Sathya Sai Baba', it is Jeevaprajna ; when I am 'I' that is Daivaprajna ! I can move from one to the other at My Will!" Bhagavan also said, "Either Daivaprajna or Jeevaprajna are put on by me at My will. In fact, both of them are in Me, but I am not in them; I am beyond both!" Sri Narasimha Murthy writes that Bhagavan also said, "In My phys...

Recently I saw, what seems to me to be, a very balanced video about Islam in America from a Christian perspective (published on youtube in 2012). I consider this to be a true Christian perspective which is based on the teachings given in the Gospel. It covers the impact on Muslims in USA of the horrific and despicable 9/11 attack. I was very happy to see the efforts made by Christian and Jewish leaders and others to provide solidarity to good peace-loving Muslims in America, as well as efforts made by Muslims of America to reach out to Christians (and Jews) of the USA. Towards the end of the video a Christian leader talks about how he played a role in convincing Pastor Terry Jones to give up his plan of burning the Holy Koran in 2010. [Unfortunately Pastor Terry Jones continued with such efforts in future.] Here's the youtube link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-50TZf10do , 53 min 18 secs. I have copy-pasted an extract of the youtube page description below: Published on Sep...

I read the initial parts of Pope Francis' newly released document, The Joy of the Gospel. Here's a news article on it, "Francis: This is how the joy of the Gospel can reform the Church", http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/francesco-francis-francisco-30114/ Though Pope Francis' words are directed to Catholics/Christians, I think many of his views apply to other faiths too with a replacement of the deity Christ, when mentioned, with that of another faith (or a formless God). I have put down some references to the document and some small extracts which I think may be of interest to non-Catholic/non-Christian readers too. The long document is available here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium_en.html# I must also say that many of us may not agree with some approaches of the Roman Catholic Church - I am not so comfortable with the idea of ev...

I saw an interesting though perhaps over-dramatized video on the Tibetan Book of the Dead, "Secret Tibetan Book of the Dead | History Channel Documentary", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ermcc6iDqQA , 44 min 01 sec, with the transcript available [Transcript allows you to browse through the text of the video and choose to view only the parts you are interested in.] The video has input from some Western experts on the book including some professor(s). The experts comments are quite interesting and thought-provoking. There is a wikipedia page associated with it, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo_Thodol . A few extracts: The Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State differentiates the intermediate state between lives into three bardos: The chikhai bardo or "bardo of the moment of death", which features the experience of the "clear light of reality", or at least the nearest approximation of which one is spiritually capable. The chonyi...