[Advaita-l] Importance of Ashram

[sriram]

Dear Members
I think it is not fair to take pot shots at Sri Parthasarathy`s way of 
teaching vedanta .He has given the course content and utilises the 
Upanashidic teachings to improve the thinking process and develop 
concentration on the subject on hand.Yes it appears to cater to 
materialistic aspirations of the disciples but it is up to the disciple to 
apply the teachings to further his spiritual advance.I think Sri 
Parthasarathy uses Karmakanda sayings  to ultimately lure to 
Jnanakanda.Krishnamoorthy.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mahesh Ursekar" <mahesh.ursekar at gmail.com>
To: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" 
<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 1:00 AM
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Importance of Ashram


> Pranams!
>
> I would only encourage those who think Swamiji is not teaching Vedanta in
> the true spirit to pick up some of his CDs/VCDs, etc (or better still,
> attend one of his lectures - he travels all over India) and get familiar
> with his teachings before casting aspersions. I am sure many of u r very
> learned in this field and the criticisms are genuine & not mere
> vilification. However, basing this on a web-stie post is probably too
> simplistic.
>
> On a lighter note - if at 81, I could work 12-14 hrs a day, travel the 
> world
> without fatigue, play a mean game of cricket (he recently took a hat-trick
> in a game in South Africa) and have a happy disposition all day, even if I
> didn't care for Vedanta, I would follow his teachings for such a wonderful
> benefit! :-)
>
> Best wishes in ur quest for the truth!
>
> Pranams, Mahesh
>
> On 1/1/08, S Jayanarayanan <sjayana at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> --- Ramesh Krishnamurthy <rkmurthy at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > On 31/12/2007, Mahesh Ursekar <mahesh.ursekar at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > > b. Swamiji himself has studied in the UK and so is comfortable &
>> > conversant
>> > > with ideas of the West. In this respect, his teaching is a
>> > wonderful blend
>> > > of the East & the West
>> > > c. His teaching is 100% rational with no element of superstition
>> > or
>> > > ritualistic leanings or blind beliefs.
>> >
>> > This talk of "blending east & west" always makes me squirm in my
>> > seat.
>> > Most people who make such claims are actually 99% west and 1% east.
>> > Our problem is not the need to assimilate western paradigms but the
>> > need to first understand our own.
>> >
>>
>> Exactly.
>>
>> But there is hardly any doubt that Swami Parthasarathy is first and
>> foremost a businessman who happens to be incidentally interested in
>> Vedanta. For instance, here is the advertisement on his website:
>>
>> http://www.vedantaworld.org/cultural%20foundation%20bro_sc.pdf
>>
>> "... you will learn in a personalized setting with
>> Swami Parthasarathy, the world authority on ancient wisdom
>> in modern business."
>>
>>
>> As to his credentials of being a great Vedanta teacher:
>>
>> http://www.vedantaworld.org/founder_person.htm
>> http://www.vedantaworld.org/cultural%20foundation%20bro_sc.pdf
>>
>> "Above all, at 6 feet he has maintained a 32 inch waistline,
>> 148 pound weight and ideal blood pressure and sugar levels
>> for the past 60 years! Born to a premier business family,..."
>>
>> Swami Parthasarathy's waistline and weight are important selling
>> points for his being a great teacher of Vedanta! Note the emphasis in
>> "Above all, ..." - implying that his maintenance of waistline and
>> weight is a clincher establishing him as a great Vedanta teacher.
>> Does anyone care if Sankara or Sureshvara maintained a certain
>> waistline or "ideal" blood sugar levels?! Bodily characteristics are
>> inconsequential details to a Vedantin.
>>
>>
>> The above link also says:
>>
>> http://www.vedantaworld.org/cultural%20foundation%20bro_sc.pdf
>>
>> "If you cannot find happiness in your work,
>>   you will never find it."
>>
>>
>> Advaita Vedanta teaches us that it is the RENUNCIATION of work
>> (Sannyasa) that is the ideal to true and steady happiness. Isn't it
>> strange that Swami Parthasarathy teaches us that it is IN work that
>> happiness is found - a doctrine that is never found in the teachings
>> of great Vedantins, all of whom unanimously teach us to either remain
>> detached from the results of work (Nishkamya Karma) or renounce work
>> altogether (Sannyasa)?
>>
>>
>> Swami Parthasarathy respects Vedanta enough to incorporate it into
>> his "version" of Vedanta and "Corporate Management", so he may have
>> good intentions, but this still feels "cultish".
>>
>> The "Self-management" that is being taught here is what Vedantins
>> would call "EGO-management".
>>
>> Gita 3.27 is very relevant in this context:
>>
>> ahaMkAra vimUDhAtmA kartAham iti manyate .
>> "The soul deluded by the ego (ahaMkAra) thinks 'I am a worker'."
>>
>> > I am not sure what you mean by "superstition" and "blind beliefs"
>> > but
>> > rituals are quite central to Indian ways of learning. All our
>> > philosophies are children of the ritualistic tradition, and not
>> > rebellions against ritual as some modern historians would like us
>> > to
>> > believe.
>> >
>> > Ramesh
>>
>> Just a small note: Dharma encompasses all righteous action, not
>> merely rituals.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Kartik
>>
>>
>>
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