In the spirit of Vedantha

Cheeniya · Jan 11, 2012

Dear Shyamala
Thank you for the nice words.
I find it a lot easier to look around me than to look into me. Looking around me is a very interesting pastime that I enjoy to the hilt. I have tried introspecting in the past and have come to the conclusion that watching a boring old man is a dull exercise! What is going on in others' minds is of greater interest to me than the ones that occupy my mind at any given point of time.
Sri

PriyaKathiravan · Apr 13, 2014

Sir,
I have been peeping into the forum now and then for sometime now in the hope of catching your latest production.( Its no secret that I visit this website, on my meagre spare time, solely to read your ramblings. ) but of late, there have been no new postings by you, so I have had to rummage through your entire inventory to see if there's any treat left that I have not enjoyed yet. ( having arrived with expectation of a treat, I am loathe to return disappointed) . only this was left.
But the very title scared me. I am one of "those who do not venture into that part of the world !" Vedantham to me would be as integral calculus to my second standard pupils . Nevertheless, biting the bullet, I dived in, with the sole hope of finding your unique brand of humour threaded through the essay . Even if I dint understand the vedantam, I would enjoy the nayyandi !
What do I say, except that I am glad that I dint run away . Your observations about the ladies are brilliant. Amusing as well as thoughtprovoking. Especially that lady searching for a handbag she is emotionally attached to ! I too get it now, why The Gita was sung to Arjuna and not to his blockheaded cousin. "Paattiram arindu picchai idu ! "

Lectures and retreats of this type have become dime a dozen. And a fashion among the young professionals and wealthy retirees. In those circles if you cannot drop some impressive sounding sanskrit words and verses , you may be looked down upon. But how much they imbibe and really put to use in their own lives is a big question mark. But then, if everyone became a vedanti after attending a lecture once, all our swamis will face unemployment.

I have tried listening to lectures of certain celebrated satgurus on TV. Ofcourse, I am nobody to dare pass reviews about them. Still it is my private opinion that what they end up saying is only a summary of the very practical , down to earth, common sense advices that elders in our families dish out. Except that my family elders could not speak fluent english.

Cheeniya · Apr 14, 2014

My dear Priya
What can be more motivating for a listless rambler than being told by someone of your caliber that you visit IL solely to read my ramblings? That should restore my exuberance to the level at which I started rambling in IL. A big thank you for your munificence! I assure you that when you log in next time, you will not have to rummage through my aging inventory. And I am touched by the nice words you have for this Vedanta thingy. This is something I wrote after watching the ardent admirers of an erudite Gita exponent in action. In other words, this is real.

You have hit the nail on its head talking about the range of the Guruji’s clientele, young professionals to wealthy retirees. While the young professionals come there to equip themselves with points that they can throw around in management committee meetings to impress their bosses and cause heartburn to their peers, the wealthy retirees are the ones that cause Lord Krishna to hang down His head in shame! They do everything that go against the spirit of Vedantha. But these wealthy retirees gladden the hearts of the lecturing exponents because as long as these wealthy retirees remain vain, they will continue to flock these meetings.

Even the English speaking elders will switch over to the mother tongue when delivering ‘down to earth, common sense advices’ for sheer effect. Advices hardly have any effect if not delivered in the vernacular! My Satguru had always been my dear Mother. Scriptures only serve to enhance my academic knowledge.
Sri

jayasala42 · Apr 15, 2014

Dear Shri Cheeniya Sir,
I joined the group six months back and lakhs of mails have been poured in for 9 years or so. With all the ageing & family problems I don't have much time sit near the box.I am so overwhelmed by your posts ( senile ramblings) that I took extra care to go thro a series of responses to your humorous ramblings on Vedantha followed by wonderful discussions.
For people like us, there is no special vedantha other than the family responsibilities and karma yoga seems to suit us more than the Gnana marga or Bhakthi marga.
Last year I happened to go through a book, Vedanta' or Voice of Freedom by Swami Vivekananda and it had a deep impact on me at least academically.
You have packed the essence of Vedantha in a sweet capsule combined with Hasya rasam.

There have been lot of discussions amongst my friends about Real Vedantist and his attributes. A vedantist is a person who takes life in its stride, swims through hurdles without having much thought to it.
Now a days there are too many preachers and Swamijis, both fake and real that we are unable to draw a line of demarcation.
When I was travelling by train to office in my younger days, I used to see a man in his 30s with vibhoothi and kunkumam reciting Soundarya Lahari in beautiful carnatic style and he attracted the attention of almost everone in Kodambakkam Rly station. after a few days we found out some abnormal behaviousr & he was walking only near Ladies' compartment singing in a loud voice.After keen observation we found out that he was misbehaving with office going women. Soon attention was drawn to Railway police and after due warning he was let off .
We have heard so much of rumours and false information even about the great Swamijis who have disciples all over the world.
Better to be a normal person, be good to the best of our ability, serve the society as far as you can or at least bring up your children inculcating good values.
That is worthier than seeking Atma Saakshatkaram.
Jayasala 42

Cheeniya · Apr 16, 2014

My dear Jayasala
Thank you for your wonderful response to my rambling on Vedantha which I wrote two months after I joined IL in 2007! I feel nice that it continues to draw responses. I must say that you are an amazing observer of life around you. Whether you talk of 'iruttukkadai halwa' or a joint venture in Diwali Bakshanam making, you are able to share your experience in a very vivid fashion.

The Soundarya Lahiri reciting young man who used to be your co-traveller in train is a very typical example of 'ullondru vaithu puramondru pesuvar'. There are any number of such people straddling the face of the earth. In fact, what I had written in this snippet is aimed at bringing such people into sharp focus.

You have summed up nicely what should be the basic goal of all of us in these words:
"Better to be a normal person, be good to the best of our ability, serve the society as far as you can or at least bring up [COLOR=#009900 !important]your children[/COLOR] inculcating good values.
That is worthier than seeking Atma Saakshatkaram."
I'll say amen to that!
Sri