Practical Vedanta

[mmsudan]

Namaste,

    Last month when I became member of the list I was not aware about the
nature and level of discussion and exchanges taking place. While most of the
contents are interesting and illuminating but I feel the contents to be more
scholarly than practical. I have deep interest in spiritualism and ADVAITA
VEDANTA but then I am more concerned with  present days ills of the society.
Which direction our
society and country is heading? Which directions our young generation is
heading?  In this age when the whole of our society is leaning more and more
towards materialism and consumerism,  How do we make teaching of SankarAcArya
more relevant to the common man on the street? Last month I posted on the
list one of my letter addressed to all young friends. I am keen to share
experiences and learn more from the respected members of the list as to how
do we make India once again, in real and practical sense, world leader in
spiritualism? How do we make teachings of SankarAcArya relevant and
attractive  to the common man and particularly to the young
generation?  Nehru in his book Discovery of India has written " In the eighth
century SankarAcArya, one of the greatest of India's philosophers, started
religious orders or maths for Hindu sanyasins or monks, this was an adoption
of the old Buddhist practice or the sangha. Previously there had been no such
organisation of sanyasins in Brahaminism, although small group of them
existed. Some degraded forms of Buddhism, continued in East Bengal and Sind
in the north-west. Otherwise Buddhism gradually vanished form India as a
widespread religion."

Today the danger is influence of foreign culture, young children's are not
interested in study of scholarly Sanskrit texts. Scholars may continue
discussing and exchanging notes amongst themselves, (it is desirable and I
donot under estimate its importance, I hope I am not misunderstood )  but new
generations here in India will drift away from our own culture in the
meanwhile. Like SankarAcArya, who took on the challenge of his time, are we
ready to face the realties of today  and discuss the same to find solution to
this problem? I am keen to be enlightened on Practical Vedanta.


M.M.SUDAN