[Advaita-l] Thoughts of A Novice to Learned People

[Girish Ramadurgam]

I have never contributed to this forum in a any way, but when I saw Great
Learned people, I realise that I know nothing in this world about philosophy
and read all your postings.

You all seem to be experts and most of you know what you are talking.
I am writing the below but in essence am asking you all for answers.
(I might not be correct grammatically, please excuse me for that.)

When it came down to looking at society I think you all have failed me.
Let me start with what you say and what I feel.

I feel the true meaning of Advaita tries to convey is 'Every one is
Brahman'. I mean see if I am Brahman then isn't everyone Brahman.

We should never look down at anyone and doing so shows how shallow we are!

Looks like most of us here are learned and try to follow what has been told
but not try to understand what has been told. Also looks like most of us use
Upanishads and Vedas to justify or make a cogent argument. But I feel unless
you feel the same there is no point in stating something.

Differentiating people -

Aren't we wrong if we look at Brahmins as a higher mortal and a sudhra as a
lower mortal?  By doing this are we true to our knowledge and studies. What
gives anyone of us the rights to do so?

We should look at everyone the same be it he is reads Vedas or not. What if
a person reads Vedas not knowing the real meaning but what if another person
who does not read Vedas but is knows what it means or has learnt the essence
of it? 

Why shouldn't some one read Vedas without having Upanayanam? Just because
it's written somewhere. 
I believe that the intention and intensity of devotion, quest for true
realisation or awareness is what takes us closer to what most of us try to
achieve.
As for Upanayanam - I feel it's very good to have Upanayanam as it's a
transition from normal lifestyle to a strict code. The purpose of it is a
step to change our lives from normal beings to follow the strict and be
disciplined.

Let me ask you all something -

1) What is it that you do during Sandhyavandanam?
2) Why is it that you do Sandhyavandanam?

Can't we do the same without Sandhyavandanam?

Why should one person be different to another? Everyone is equal and has
access to god. 

Veda Vyasa, wasn't his mother from a fisherman's house?
Its so easy for someone to go and inscribe saying 'At least one of the
parents should be Brahmin to be Brahmin'(I think I read this in this forum).


Siddharth Ji, 
You have dedicated your life to a great purpose but you said 

"A Dvija, who doesn't study the Veda and works hard in anything else, 
 in this very life he instantly becomes Shudra together with his entire 
 family (sons, grandsons etc.)."

Looks like you think Shudra's are lower mortals. Can you please tell me if
you really feel so? Or correct me if I am wrong in understanding what you
are trying to convey.
Could be I am not looking deep into what you have written.


Coming back to the point of Reading Vedas/Sandhyavandanam -

I was reading the book on Hinduism by Anvil Ramaswamy (not sure if I got the
name right).
There is a story where 

Quote - (not the exact text)
Vishnu and Narada are walking in the sky and suddenly Vishnu stopped for few
minutes to look at a Man in the woods who was praying to god. This Man had a
lot of trouble in his live and did not spend hours/days worshiping or
thinking of God. But spent a few minutes chanting your name.
Narada asked Vishnu, 'Lord there are many people on earth who think about
you, pray everyday for longer hours and how come you stop to bless this
Man'.
Vishnu then gives an oil lamp to Narada and says 'Take this lamp, chant my
name and also go around me 3 times. Remember the lamp should not switch
off'.
Narada took all the care so that the lamp does not switch off and chanted
Lords name. But all his concentration was on lamp not on the lord.
Vishnu then told ' Look this man has so many troubles and has a very tough
life. In spite of all the miseries, he dedicated those five minutes truly
thinking about me'.
Un Quote

What I am saying it the intention and how true you are to what you are doing
is more important than doing something without knowing the essence.


What I love about Bhagavad-Gita is, the slokas are about philosophy and way
of life more than Praising Indra/Agni etc just so that they take care of us.

If we cannot respect a neighbouring person, how would you even perceive of
achieving Moksha?
People read Vedas/Upanishads to achieve Moksha, isn't that Desire which is
what we are suppose to overcome. Do we need to be lured to do things?

As for me, the reason I do things -

1) To realise the truth, Brahman
2) Don't know if I will have moksha, but then hey at least this Earth will
be a much better place if we all follow the teaching in Hinduism(or for that
matter any religion).

Let's make this Earth a Heaven and live life thinking of the Lord.

A devotion without Desire is what I think is the Key!!! This is how we can
get ourselves on the path of Self Realisation.

Reason for me writing -

I want answers to clear what I think, which will in turn help me learn more.
I am sure all the learned people can help me here and answer my questions in
the above contents.

Best Wishes,

Girish