November 19 (continuing discussion from November 1st)
Why mantra cannot be performed by a machine
I am involved in a private debate with some Sanskrit scholars who
dispute my position that mantra requires a jiva - i.e.
prana/consciousness. Implication of my...
Latest comment: "Isn't the whole concept of Mantra Puja based on the concept of 'Bandhu' as written in BD by Rajiv Ji.
The Mantra in a written form and/or verbal form is 'Apara' while when performed by a Pandit achieves the 'Para'? ..."
November 19
hiding Indian source
Carpentier posts: An example of purposely hiding the Indian source: Some weeks ago a
Swiss woman with whom I shared a room 25 years ago in Satya Sai’s
ashram traced me. She .....
... Her Answer.... Vedanta is an experience level, it neither belongs to
India nor to any part of the world. Vedanta is an experience level IN
you, call it the THAT level. We called it the It level.
This book wanted to show that it does not matter in which religion you are born, the true religion you find in yourself.
I don't think that India, Indian philosophy needs to be defended; it
is eternal and speaks to the innermost truth in every human being.
Therefore, dear Maria, cheer up, relax, it is everything as it is meant
to be (end)
A similar line of argument used a German psychology professor whom I
asked why so many of his colleagues (not he) take from India and don't
acknowledge though the Indian knowledge is beneficial for everyone.
He answered, 'well, if it is beneficial for everyone, it means it
belongs to humanity as a whole and not to a particular country.'
Rajiv Malhotra's comment: "we are asking them to acknowledge Vedanta, not
India. Since the[y] acknowledge Vedanta privately, they should do so
publicly in their writings, just as they would acknowledge a wstern
thinker of school of thought. They diverted the issue by responding
about India."
Carpentier followup:
"I think one sees an old reflex born out of the West's instinctive far of
polytheism, created through centuries of inquisition and ideological
control. Too many people are afraid to quote Hinduism for fear of being
labelled polytheists and idol worshipers, which is why they often prefer
to seek affiliation with Sufism or Buddhism... "
Rajiv Malhotra's followup:
"There are many factors for this stage-2 of uturn, i.e. removing the
dharmic context. Fear of idolatry etc is just one of them. More broadly,
the Hinduphobia that has been put in place in the past 25 years is
designed to cause people to dis-associate from Hinduism. For more on
Hinduphobia, see my earlier writings on Sulekha that later culminated in
the book INVADING THE SACRED".
November 20
Chandramouli posted a couple of links.
Carpentier responds:
I learnt today coincidentally that the person in charge of all
publications for Radhasoami Satsang Beas is a Jewish gentleman who
embraces the creed that all religions are equal expression of God's
message.
Rajiv Malhotra follows up: Purva paksha requires one to investigate what is meant
by the above reference to "God's message" in each religion. God's
message cannot be reduced to a few simple sentences pulled out out
thousands of statements from their texts. God's message must be
understood in entirety for a given faith in order to understand it. Only
then can one assess whether all these messages in various religions are
saying the same thing. or whether there are serious contradictions. In
BD I explain in detail that Nicene Creed as Christian normative
statement of God's message is in mutual contradiction with dharma ideas
of the nature of reality, karma, reincarnation...
November 21
This tragedy caught the attention of people from all around the world.
cnn link sent by Srinath.
November 22
There were many who were wondering where Angana went after being arrested in the US. Kaajal Ahuja finds that she is back in business with a couple of friends well-known in 'Breaking India'. If you wonder what Indologist Sanskrit academics in the US do, here is an example.
"In Breaking India, Rajiv & Aravindan write about some US academics who produce literature with questionable funding that could aid in the disintegration of India or at the very least US intervention. Angana Chatterji was fired by the California Institute of Integral Studies recently but is now working at Berkeley University. Whats more, she will speak at a panel hosted by Michael Witzel of Harvard.
Monday, Nov. 26: South Asia Without Borders Seminar Series.
Angana Chatterji, Berkeley University will discuss "Naxalism and Orissa:
Divergent Conflicts, Political Economy, and Minoritization."
Sanjeev Uprety, Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu will present "Neat and Laundered Middle Classes and Third Gender Nepal Communist party-United Marxist Leninist:
Masculinity and Politics in Contemporary Nepal."
Michael Witzel, Wales Professor of Sanskrit, Department of South Asian Studies will chair the event.
Tattvaanveshanam provides a useful link about Angana's current project.
November 22
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