Swami Agnivesh and friends..

Link to my new blog on Times of India http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tiger-trail/entry/swami-agnivesh-and-friends

Reader’s Digest…( Contributed by Reader )

Selected reading from Narada’s Bhakti Sutra – The ecclesiastical code of devotion
by Reader

Athato Bhaktim Vyakhyasyamah ||
… … … I shall now elucidate the meaning of devotion ||

Satvasmin param prema rupa ||

… … … This is the eternal form of love ||

Snowballing the skullcap issue…

Link to my new blog on Times of India http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tiger-trail/entry/snowballing-the-skullcap-issue

Tirumala, heaven on earth…

Tirumala, the temple town on the pinnacle of the seventh hill of Venkatadiri is “Vaikuntam” or heaven on earth. The abode of the Lord Venkateshwara has inspired me over the years and I have visited his abode many times and shall continue to do so for as long as I am around. When I intuitively know it is time to be rejuvenated it is not a spa or a beach resort that I yearn for but his abode. I was in Tirumala last week, traveling from Bangalore by road. It takes around five hours to reach the city of Tirupati with a few short breaks in between. Tirupati is the pilgrimage town in Chitoor district of Andhra Pradesh. From Tirupati ( at the base of Tirumala ) I prefer walking up to Tirumala. The path winding through two of the seven hills is approximately twelve kilometers long and it takes another four hours to reach Tirumala with not too many stops in between. The foot trail commences at Allipri.

The Upanishad (Post – II; Ch1:6 to Ch2:3)…by Reader

Chapter 1

Article 6

The imperishable nature of Life is eclipsed by the triad of Identity, Form and Karma. Identity is created by expressions, as in speech. Vision is the source of Form and the body is the source of Karma.

Here, I feel, Karma is used to mean activity or action as in effort or conduct, not Karma as in duty.

This chapter ends with:

Praano vaa amritam, naama ruupe satyam; taabhyaam ayam praanaas channah |

… … … Life (Self) is Imperishable; Identity and Form are True (Real); the twain veil the Self |

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Introducing Reader’s Digest and the Upanishads…

I would like to welcome Reader, a regular commentator on this blog who is now shouldering an added responsibility of contributing articles to the blog as well. Reader, as most of you would know is well versed with the philosophies of life and possesses fine knowledge of the philosophical texts of various religions. His contributions would begin with reviews of works of philosophical and semi philosophical merit under the “Reader’s Digest” category.His first contribution is towards the Brihad-Aaranyak Upanishad and I am sure it will be most illuminating for all of us.Thank you Reader for sharing your thoughts.

Sharmila

Dear Readers,

I am grateful to Sharmila for allowing me to place my learning at your disposal on her blog.

This is the beginning of a new exercise for me. I am not sure it serves any purpose. I hope it does.

All my love,

Reader.