RigVeda and the Indian Systems of Approach to the One

Ravisankar Mayavaram miinalochanii at YAHOO.COM
Tue Jul 18 08:35:16 CDT 2000


namaste

Thanks a lot for this beautiful series.


> (i)   Are the ideas generally expressed clearly enough?

Yes. You have presented your understanding of the text in a very easy
to read/understand fashion. Thank you.

> (ii)  Is there anything about which you have serious objection?

Some of your understanding seems to stem from your current
understanding of the human physiology. Which may not be true. Often
different parts of brain (information processors) are related to
devata-s. But this ignores the participation of other parts of human
body in thinking. For instance, new studies seem to indicate that it is
the heart (what we think as a pumping device) does a major control of
thinking. I also read that majority of the heart cells are neural cells
and how it controls/understands the brain.

I was told this site http://www.heartmath.com/ has many research papers
in this context (I have not read them).

http://www.heartmath.com/product/media/HMS032799.html

Science changes a lot. New understanding often dismantles the old. To
base religion on science, however tempting it may be, it futile.

I read in kAnchi paramaacharya's work that every devata has three forms
of representation (gross, subtle and causal). It is OK to think them as
internal. But this does not rule out the external manifestation.

Also, always the subtle or reading the inner meaning is not necessary.
Like, bhagavad giita is thought a allegory to what happens inside. But
one does not require this interpretation to make sense of bhagavad
giita. Similarly, vedic verses may have a valid external explicit
meaning.

Always my feeling is we tend to look at things based on our current
knowledge. Which may not be always correct. IMO, religion proceeds in
the direction faith, practice, and experience. The understanding we
seek is intuitive and not the logical one.

This my opinion. Please correct me if I am in error.



> (iii) Is the style of presentation, which is tutorial style,
> conductive for
>       the topics?

I like your presentation.

> (iv)  Do you feel that some more back-ground information should have
> been
>       provided?

I feel what is provided is adequate.

> (v)   Does the series of postings help you in some way? Should it be
>       continued?
>

Very much. I read that with great interest and I will re-read it. Your
examples are superb. Your "endless-loop" example is a Zen koan. You
should continue your postings. I am very grateful for this series.


With respects,
Ravi


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