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From: krish (krish_at_astro.ge.com)
Date: Mon Mar 18 1996 - 07:05:57 PST
The recent discussions in Bhakti are more interesting. Some remarks: 1. Acarams and rituals: Are they the sole requirement? I thoguht the greatest contribution of Ramanuja was the opening of the path to heaven for those not well versed or permited to practice yagnas or for that matter know Sanskrit. His procalmation of "Om Namo Narayanaya" from the temple top effectively showed the way. After all one has to be twiceborn for the sandhayavandanam. 2. I cannot empathise with the view that lack of birth as a Indian bars one from scholarship in Vaishana- vism. We seem to quote Westerners if there are favoorable comments. My intake of most of the Hindu philosophy is thru English. I consider my knowledge of Tamil and Sanskrit meagre and have to use English. One could call it a curse or poorvajanma karma, but that is what I am stuck with. 3. I have reading the history of philosophy and was stuck by the Greek concepts which are similar to Hinduism, three gunas etc. The writer seems to have missed it. Is this because all the civilization was supposed to haevstarted in the Euphrates valley/ May be I am including subjcts outside the Bhakti interest. If so please disregard thes. Krishna Praba.