[Advaita-l] Re: Reforms etc: Moksha Iccha

[jagannathan mahadevan]

Although I have been a member for some time I had not contributed much,
but have been reading the discussions.

I wish to re-post Kartik's original post in this response to Shri Ram
Garib's mail.

http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2006-February/016681.html

There are avenues that provide the interested people to learn the vedas.
In fact the Kovilur mutt is at least 200 years old and has been providing
tutelage for every community unconditionally. I have personally interacted
with the last head of the Adheenam Sri La Kasi Viswanatha Gnana Desika
Swamigal and have been there and witnessed first hand the reception to
all. Although the above Mutt was an example from south India, there are
numerous such places in north India one of them being the Markandeya
Sanyasa Ashram on the banks of Narmada in Omkareshwar and so on.

It is very intriguing to me that whenever issues such as this come up, it
is always about a community or a group of people (teaching of vedas to
women and so on) as a whole that is considered as a party and eventually
the system of vedic teaching is being faulted. Or someone that adheres to
the system is faulted. Very little attention is paid to the fact that
the teaching itself is for an *individual* that seeks Moksha or
liberation. Hence the system caters to individuals that are
*interested* in the higher learning because they want to attain Moksha.
Exceptional people with Moksha Iccha have always been there and the
system always allows for such occurences (Satyakama..) to go forward
irrespective of what group they originally belong.

In order for any higher learning to take place one has to have
interest-in this case Moksha Iccha. How such an interest is generated, I
will leave it open for answers from more competent people on this list.
In reference to Shri Ram Garib's post, I do not know what exactly *more
focus* from the Kanchi sage on any community will result in, in terms of
attaining Moksha. I think the best effect of such focus can only be the
result of attainment of Moksha. But I strongly feel that attainment of
Moksha also requires individual effort. Please feel free to correct me
and I welcome other list members comments also in order to improve my
understanding.
Sincerely,

Jagan,
Senior Reservoir Engineer,
Petrotel,
Dallas.