Keeping Shikha [was Re: Sannyasins & cutting of the hair?]

[Ashish Chandra]

On Fri, 9 Aug 2002 12:57:24 -0400, Subrahmanian, Sundararaman V [IT]
<sundararaman.v.subrahmanian at CITIGROUP.COM> wrote:

>That's quite brave of you to have a shikha in US.  Even in India I would
>have felt embarassed.
>
>Good for you!
>
>Regards,
>SVS
>

Actually, once you realize that you are right and everyone else (who scoffs
at keeping a Shikha) is wrong, then its no problem :-)

What really inspired me was reading Hindu Dharma. Also, the reason we feel
embarassed (IMO) is that it's either considered backward or no one keeps it
anymore or there may be fear of being teased about it. However, when one
knows the reasons for keeping a Shikha and the goal towards which one
wishes to travel, then the external fear factor drops away. Sticking to
one's dharma, at least as much as possible, is always good. But one must
also be careful that the banana peal is not mistaken for the banana fruit
itself: the effort to be different (by being less or more dharmic) always
has some pride associated with it. One can wear angavastra with Ram Ram on
it and have the filthiest of hearts. I think these things one should watch
out for and I continue to learn from experience.

namaste
ashish