Saturday, May 31, 2008

KARMA YOGA

The explanation given by Akila in her posting of 27th May appeals to me. The Sanyasi, despite attaining a high level of Sidhis by Yoga etc, was perhaps still full of pride, anger and love for himself.
Regarding Shruti's questions, there is no point in giving her Hindu philosophy at this stage and it may even frighten her. May be we can say that people are born with different Swabhavas, attitudes and tastes due to their genes and after that some are lazy and some hardworking etc. As a result, the group of hardworking persons are able to earn more and give better education for the children etc and over many generations the gap becomes big. Having said this, I am myself not satisfied with this.
Gayathri's comments are not very helpful. I think it puts the cart before the horse. I want a doubt cleared in order to progress towards faith and she says If I have full faith the doubts will vanish. So where do we start ?
Ramakrishnan.

-Ramakrishnan.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Wishes, & Karma!

Wow, so much has been happening while I have been away! In a nutshell - our Europe holiday was wonderful (by God's grace). I have uploaded the pics and am in the process of captioning them.
I am now with Ramya in Madison. We are well into the practise sessions- first I have to get into the groove of singing, my voice should open up. There is a lot I have to learn for the pgm.
It is still quite chilly here. I have really begun to feel how Surya Bhagavan is the life giver - without Him, I feel so lazy! This weather is really suited for a holiday resort only!
As usual, my wishes for those who celebrated their b'days / WA's this month.

Coming to Karma Yoga discussion - I guess we all go thru these questions. I honestly feel that once total faith comes and sits inside you, all the questions just vanish. For me, the turning point was Paramacharya's words in the book The Hindu Dharma.

the book is available online:
http://www.kamakoti.org/newlayout/template/hindudharma.html
Gayathri

Thursday, May 29, 2008

KARMA YOGA

After I read Jayaramanna`s comments, I was just sitting in front of the computer, thinking. Koushik asked me why I was sitting like that and I told him whether I will be able to suggest some books for PCJ. Then he said that Sri Baba himself has written many subjects like this and they can be accessed in the following :

http://www.vahini.org/contents.html

The Vahinis

Prasnotthara Vahini

Sandeha Nivarini
Chinna Katha I
Chinna Katha II
From that site, Koushik has suggested the above top two headings where some answers may be there. The bottom two titles are stories for children. I have not read the above yet.
The doubts asked by Shruthi, I am sure, will be in the minds of many many elders also!
I am stopping now for today, with doubts still on the subject!
Ramu

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Karma Yoga

I read a small story in one of Baba's books. Baba was staying in a bungalow during one of His visits to Mumbai. Right behind the bungalow, there was a dump yard and a group of people were looking for left over food. One of the devotees was watching this very sadly and asked Baba why there was so much difference in the society. Baba replied that this group of people were extremely rich in their previous birth. They had plenty of food on their dining table and wasted a lot of food. So, now in this birth they are picking up the food they threw.
Baba's advice for us is, do not waste food. If you have left over food, feed it to a cow or a dog.

Karma yoga

I share the questions and doubts raised by Ramakrishnan and Ramu. The karma theory is very difficult to understand. If you do not know what sins you committed in your previous birth, it is not easy to accept the 'rewards' given to you in this birth. Even the fear of punishment under the law in one's own lifetime does not prevent the commission of crimes. Perhaps abject surrender to the Supreme Being and total faith can bring enlightment .

Granddaughter Shruti often asks me who created God. She also asks why there should be such disparities in society, why some people should lack the essentials for life while others have a surfeit of wealth. Can anyone suggest a simple source where I can read about answers to such questions?

.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

KARMA YOGA

Dear Ramakrishnan,
When I started reading that story, the same doubt that " how a Sanyasi have His next birth as a pig? " came to my mind also, even before I read your second para.
There is another doubt in my mind for a long time now. It is said that right when the mother concieves, the destiny of the child-to-be born is decided. Then is it not that everything in the child`s life is decided at that time! Then is it not that what life we all had and will be having, are all decided!

Ramu

KarmaYoga

Perippa, this is what I feel could be an explanation. We are born as a human in this birth due to our Karma in our previous birth. How we utilize this birth would be a deciding factor for our next birth.
If we take the example of the story you cited, the sanyasi was obviously still attached to his body. He was definitely not a completely liberated soul. Probably the fact that he would be born as a pig in his next birth, was a test that was put to him. If he had not reacted so adversely to this news, then even that could have been nullified.

KARMAYOGA

Hi all,
The Religion Column in the Hindu a few days back carried a discourse by somebody as usual and the speaker talks of the law of Karma and gives a story to show how the Jeevan takes a love for the Body which it occupies temporarily for one birth. The story is: There is a sanyasi who has already reached a high level of 'realisation' and he sees that his end is near and he is going to be born as a pig in the next birth at such a time in such a place. He hates the idea of occupying a pig's body and tells his sishyas to seek that pig and kill it. Then he dies and is born as a pig. When the sishyas come to kill it, the Sanyasi' jeevan has already starting loving the pig's body and runs and escapes.

The story has brought up a question I have had for many years. How can a soul which has already reached a high level be born as a pig in the next birth. If so, what is the use of all our good deeds in this birth. If I am already born as a man in the evolution of the jeevan by my good deeds and I live a good life now, should it not ensure that in the next birth I will be only be born as a better man, one step forward to reach Moksha ?
Any comments ?
-Ramakrishnan.

Friday, May 23, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

hAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAYANTH AND UMA. As usual I am late .

To make up for it, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SUNDAR. I see that your birthday is on 29th.

-Ramakrishnan.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Monday, May 19, 2008

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Uma on her birthday, May 20. Many happy returns.
Vimala and Jayaraman

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Happy Birthday

My Dear Ram,
I see that you had your birthday yesterday 14th May. Wish you a Happy Birthday and many happy returns. Wish you very good health and success in completing your assignment this year.
-Ramakrishnan.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Mythili's Birthday

My dear Mythili,

In my Birthday Greetings to you, I have mentioned 'it must be nice to be with Ramesh and Ujwala on your Birthday". Of course, it is true that it will be nice to be with them but that is not what I meant to say; age is playing tricks and everybody knows that I keep calling or mentioning the wrong names all the time.
-Ramakrishnan.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Happy Birthday RAM

Mythili periamma and I send you our asirvadams and best wishes on your birthday. We wish you many many more Happy Returns of the day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Mythili periamma and chandru periappa

Happy Birthday RAM

Mythili periamma and I send you our asirvadams and best wishes on your birthday. We wish you many many more Happy Returns of the day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Mythili periamma and chandru periappa

Happy Wedding Anniversary Jayashankar Priya

Mythili athai and I send you our best wishes on your wedding anniversary day. We wish you many many more Happy Returns of the Day. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.
Mythili athai and chandru

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mythili's Birthday

Mythili,

I am late but wishyou many happy returns. It must have been nice to be with Ramesh and Ujwala for the Birthday. How did you spend it ? Lot of Ice Creams, cakes ?

-Ramakrishnan.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Birthday Greetings to Prasad

Happy Birthday to you Prasad. Mythili athai and I send you our best wishes on your birthday. We wish you Many Many More Happy Returns of the Day. With asirvadams
chandru mama and Mythili athai

Wedding Anniversary Greetings for Jayaram & Vimala

Mythili and I send Vimala and Jayaraman our best wishes on their wedding anniversary which fell on 5th May. Though belated, we wish them all the very best and wish many many more Happy Returns of the Day.
mythili and chandru

Birthdays

Yesterday, April 8, was Mythili's birthday. Here's wishing her many happy returns. Tomorrow, April 10, willbe Prasad's birthday. All the best to him and many happy returns.
No chance of posting any photos, sitting here in Dhaka. We are having a totally relaxed holiday, with practicallynothing to do. A week - one-third - of the vacation is over today.
Jayaraman

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Thank you!

Thank you all in the PSC Family for your good wishes. Gayathri, I shall see the link you sent and then respond. This computer was hooked up only a couple of hours ago, hence the delay.

Ramakrishna, hope your tummy is better. I too had a spot of bother after coming here, perhaps due to something I ate outside but I am almost normal now. I have sent you (and Chandru) a mail today and am lookinmg forward to your reply.
Jayaraman

Monday, May 5, 2008

Happy Anniversary

Wishing Chitti & Chittappa a Very Happy Wedding Anniversary!
Chittappa, you should add this date too on the blog sideboard.
I thought of you yesterday while reading an article in The Hindu Sunday Literary Review supplement. WORDSPEAK by Anand had this about Mondegreen- I think you will be able to access this on the paper's website. I have emailed the article to your id, please let me know if you got it, then I'll know if I did it right!
I think your version of Sri Matrubhootam and Sri Dharma Sastaram are the best 'Mondegreens' I have ever heard!!!!
Gayathri

J & V WA

Jayaram,

Saradam and I wishyou a very happy wedding anniversary at Dhaka and many happy returns.
It must be nice to be with the children (I mean Ramesh and Ujwala) for the occasion. Hope Vimala's pains are under control.
I am having a very upset tummy last nine days and today is the last day of antibiotics etc. Hope the pain will go tonight. I think the problem started with the Chukku Coffee I took on the last day of a yoga class week followed later by a Rishi's dinner made of entirely uncooked items like beetroot, cabbage, Aval and fruits. God knows what infection was there. The items had been brought by all the participants, each one item. I had taken sweet Aval.
I contacted one of the participants yesterday but nobody else seems to have had this tummy problem. But they all were much younger.
Bye. - Ramakeishnan.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Wishes

A belated happy birthday to cheenu athimbare.

Perippa/Perimma advance wishes for a very happy anniversary. Hope you have a great day in Dhaka. Do convey all our best wishes to Ramesh anna and Ujjwala manni.