website
P.G. van Oyen
vanoyen at kosmopolis.nl
Thu Jul 19 03:25:40 CDT 2001
>From the E mail address I suppose and understand that this E mail is
addressed directly to His Holiness Svarupananda Sarasvati, Shankaracarya.
First of all I should wish to pay my respects to the Holy Pitha of Dvaraka
and to the ancient tradition which is being manifested in this Seat.
Secondly I should wish to express my great disappointment when I note that
the Dvaraka Pitha has apparently decided to support the Kanci claims of
Shankara's birthdate around 500 BC.I am, of course, aware that this issue is
a western problem and that in the Indian view time is irrelevant in
spiritual matters. However, we are living in an increasingly more
westernized world and we have to take into account what current thinking
patterns are.
No doubt the learned men of Dvaraka pitha are aware of the book published by
BHISHMA, Bombay under the editorship of S.D. Kulkarni. This book proclaims
the pre-eminence of Kanci Pitha and the birth date of Adi Shankara around
500 BC.
This book has been officially denounced by the Indian Government when it
joined officially the 12th Centenary celebrations of Adi Shankara's
birth-day in 1988. For reference purposes I also refer to the book by V.Raj
Gopal Sharma Ächarya Sri Shankara's Advent"
It is a great pity that even on such simple and not very important matters
as Shankara's birth-date the four Pitha's cannot come to unanimity. This is
very bad for the credibility of the Ancient Wisdom which is protected and
promulgated by the four pitha's.
May I urgently request Your Holiness to look into this matter and make a
real effort to come to unanimity amongst the three living acarya's of the
four pitha's.
Thirdly I find it a matter of great pity that until today the most damaging
dissent in Jyotir Matha and the succession is still not solved. I am much
aware that the root problem lies with self-styled Mahesh Yogi who is now
living in exile in Holland with is TM movement. Still the inability by the
very guardians of the ancient tradition to solve this serious problem in a
wise and yet practical manner is beyond an ordinary person's comprehension.
I understand that the previous acarya of Shringeri HH Shri Abhinava
Vidyathirta has made a valuable attempt to come to a kind of solution
involving - amongst others - the succession at Dvaraka Pitha.
Again it would appear to me that urgent consultations are needed to come to
a succession at Jyotir Matha as soon as possible with the agreement of the
three functioning acarya's.
I sincerely hope that Your Holiness allows me to bring these comments and
remarks to your attention by placing them at the lotus feet of the Holiness.
Respectfully yours,
Dr Paul G. van Oyen
<address>
The Netherlands
Forwarded by:
Rob van Dijk
email: robvandijk at inter-esse.nl
http:// www.advaita.nl
www.chbnederland.nl
www.fitcentrum.nl
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> >> The Dwaraka =
Shankaracharya Matha now=20
has an official website. Check</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> >> =
http://www.shardapeeth.org=20
.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> >Jaldhar H. Vyas =
wrote:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> >Not to dredge up an old =
argument but did=20
you notice they uses the 2509 BC</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> >date for =
Shankaracharya?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> Yes, I know, the 509 BC date is =
given on the=20
website. Can't help</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> but leave aside the issue of =
Shankara's date=20
with a shrug now! For</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> some reason, a BC date holds a lot =
of=20
fascination for many people.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>> Vidyasankar</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Concerning this issue, my friend =
dr.Paul van Oyen=20
wrote the following personal letter to His Holiness, hereby published =
with=20
permission. While some "leave the issue aside with a shrug", which I can =
understand, Paul van Oyen places this matter in a broader perspective.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Please take good notice of his letter =
and remember=20
that the subject is NOT really Shankara's birthdate. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It is all about a-dvaita and about =
nivritti THROUGH=20
pravritti. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Rob van Dijk. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D860070917-25072001>----------------------------------------------=
---</SPAN>-----------------------------------------=20
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 10:25:40 =
+0200</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To: =
aanandswaroop at shardapeeth.org</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>From: "P.G. van Oyen"=20
<vanoyen at kosmopolis.nl></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Subject: website</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>From the E mail address I suppose and =
understand=20
that this E mail is addressed directly to His Holiness Svarupananda =
Sarasvati,=20
Shankaracarya. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>First of all I should wish to pay my =
respects to=20
the Holy Pitha of Dvaraka and to the ancient tradition which is being =
manifested=20
in this Seat. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Secondly I should wish to express my =
great=20
disappointment when I note that the Dvaraka Pitha has apparently decided =
to=20
support the Kanci claims of Shankara's birthdate around 500 BC.I am, of =
course,=20
aware that this issue is a western problem and that in the Indian view =
time is=20
irrelevant in spiritual matters. However, we are living in an =
increasingly more=20
westernized world and we have to take into account what current thinking =
patterns are. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>No doubt the learned men of Dvaraka =
pitha are aware=20
of the book published by BHISHMA, Bombay under the editorship of S.D. =
Kulkarni.=20
This book proclaims the pre-eminence of Kanci Pitha and the birth date =
of Adi=20
Shankara around 500 BC. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This book has been officially denounced =
by the=20
Indian Government when it joined officially the 12th Centenary =
celebrations of=20
Adi Shankara's birth-day in 1988. For reference purposes I also refer to =
the=20
book by V.Raj Gopal Sharma =C4charya Sri Shankara's Advent"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It is a great pity that even on such =
simple and not=20
very important matters as Shankara's birth-date the four Pitha's cannot =
come to=20
unanimity. This is very bad for the credibility of the Ancient Wisdom =
which is=20
protected and promulgated by the four pitha's. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>May I urgently request Your Holiness to =
look into=20
this matter and make a real effort to come to unanimity amongst the =
three living=20
acarya's of the four pitha's. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thirdly I find it a matter of great =
pity that until=20
today the most damaging dissent in Jyotir Matha and the succession is =
still not=20
solved. I am much aware that the root problem lies with self-styled =
Mahesh Yogi=20
who is now living in exile in Holland with is TM movement. Still the =
inability=20
by the very guardians of the ancient tradition to solve this serious =
problem in=20
a wise and yet practical manner is beyond an ordinary person's =
comprehension. I=20
understand that the previous acarya of Shringeri HH Shri Abhinava =
Vidyathirta=20
has made a valuable attempt to come to a kind of solution involving - =
amongst=20
others - the succession at Dvaraka Pitha. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Again it would appear to me that urgent =
consultations are needed to come to a succession at Jyotir Matha as soon =
as=20
possible with the agreement of the three functioning acarya's. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I sincerely hope that Your Holiness =
allows me to=20
bring these comments and remarks to your attention by placing them at =
the lotus=20
feet of the Holiness. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Respectfully yours, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dr Paul G. van Oyen </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><address></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The Netherlands</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D860070917-25072001><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>Forwarded by:=20
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCoronet size=3D5><FONT color=3D#0000ff><FONT =
face=3DArial size=3D2>Rob=20
van Dijk</FONT> </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>email: =20
</FONT><A href=3D"mailto:robvandijk at inter-esse.nl"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>robvandijk at inter-esse.nl</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>http:// =20
</FONT><A href=3D"http://www.advaita.nl/"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>www.advaita.nl</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2> &nbs=
p; =20
</FONT><A href=3D"http://www.chbnederland.nl/"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>www.chbnederland.nl</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2> &nbs=
p; =20
</FONT><A href=3D"http://www.fitcentrum.nl/"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>www.fitcentrum.nl</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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