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Re: Shri H. K. Susarla's Recent Postings
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To: alt-hindu@cis.ohio-state.edu
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Subject: Re: Shri H. K. Susarla's Recent Postings
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From: susarla@rice.edu (H. Krishna Susarla)
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Date: 20 Jan 1995 00:52:27 GMT
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Distribution: world
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From news@larry.rice.edu Thu Jan 19 19: 40:05 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: Rice University, Houston, Texas
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References: <3fk29h$mc1@ucunix.san.uc.edu>
V.S. Nair (cheaw260@emoryu1.cc.emory.edu) wrote:
: It was with amusement that I read Shri. H.K. Susarla's criticism's of all
: other gurus other than Swami Prabhupada and all other forms of worship other
: than that of Sri Krishna. I hope that he was not being serious. India
I did not criticize "all other gurus other than Swami Prabhupada"
and "all other forms of worship other than that of Sri Krishna." You have
misunderstood my posting. What I *did* do was criticize chinmayananda,
rajneesh, and vivekananda. I think I also criticized other philosophers,
who, like them, do not preach Vedic morality. I have no problem with other
spiritual masters outside of ISKCON who are also part of authentic
sampradayas. However, the above three are certainly part of no sampradaya
that goes back to the Lord.
I concluded that the reason many people are not favorable to ISKCON (and,
by extension, to other movements which actually do preach proper Vedic
dharma) is because they would rather associate with 'gurus' who will not
discourage their illicit sense gratification. A spiritual master is not
supposed to tell people what they want to hear. He is supposed to help
them to reject Maya and learn to love God.
As for other forms of worship, I also acknowledge that worshipping other
forms of Krsna like Rama, Vishnu, Narayana, is fine, just as our
spiritual master does. Actually, i have more patience for the devotee
of a demigod, who worships that demigod believing him to be real, than
I do for the impersonalist who thinks ultimately that Krsna and
all the demigods are ultimately "symbols" or forms of the impersonal.
: has not given birth to any philosophies that are intrinsically fanatic
: in nature. Hinduism has roots that go way beyond the ISCKON movement
: and Swami Prabhupada.
ON what basis do you label me a fanatic? I will admit one thing, and that
is that I did get angry. I have a hard time concealing my disgust with
people calling themselves spiritual masters who cannot find it in themselves the
conviction to speak out against the slaughter of billions of innocent creatures.
I have tried in the past (and I continue to do so) to provide scriptural
quotations to support our view. But all I see in response from certain people
is a lot of pointless speculation and hypocrisy. If these persons were part of
another religion, then that would be fine. But the problem is, they claim to
follow the same scriptures we do, and they come up with a completely perverted
interpretation for what they mean. This might be okay, except who knows how many
others they preach these things to?
I regard the Vedic culture has one of the most civilized in the world. So, when
I see people who also claim to follow the Vedas preaching that meat-eating is
okay, and that God is ultimately not personal, I cannot help but feel that the
culture I follow is being denigrated, even though unintentionally.
: I would like to suggest that in this age of Kali it is better for Shri.
: H. K. Susarla to spend his time chanting HARE KRISHNA rather than
: wasting his time criticising what he does not have the capacity to
: understand. I am sure the Lord will not look kindly at people trying to
: create differences among his followers.
Agreed, but I don't count followers of vivekananda, chinmayananda, and rajneesh
to be followers of the Lord. Do you know anything about them? I was actually
involved with the first two before I wandered into ISKCON, so it's not as if
I am fanatically criticizing something I do not understand. I don't feel like
repeating the same muck about them which I posted earlier, but if you really
want to know why i was criticizing them, then please write to me.
: Lastly, I would like to mention that both myself and my wife have expended
: a significant amount of our resources in helping the local ISKCON temple
: in a variety of their programs. We have also helped in fund
: raising activities when needed. We have also introduced a
: significant number of people to ISKCON. We are quite pained by this
: kind of a belligerent attitude towards other Hindus by a member of ISCKON.
I am deeply hurt that you have labeled me as a 'fanatic' and 'belligerent.'
Have you been reading this advaita vs. dvaita thread since fall 1994? There
have been many baseless attacks against ISKCON on this group (which surprised
me because i thought it was moderated). I think I have been very patient
with it until very recently. It's only natural to get angry, and I'm sure
if you reread a lot of earlier postings, you would see that there were many
postings from other Hindus which also took to pointless flaming. I don't
think your accusation of fanatacism is very fair because I have seen worse
things being said about ISKCON which were unprovoked and which no one
(other than other devotees) even bothered to address.
: I must hasten to add that my experience with followers of
: Swami Prabhupada have been very pleasant and entirely devoid of any
: rancour so far. I count quite a few to be very good friends. Knowing
: them I
: feel that ISKCON can probably not take too much pride in the words of
: Shree H. K. Susarla.
I do agree that, being part of ISKCON, I should hold myself to a higher
standard than what the speculators are accustomed to. So I already decided
(even before I read this post) that i was going to try to avoid anymore
outright flaming. Bickering with speculators only brings out the false
ego in us all.
However, I will continue to deliver Lord Krsna's message to the internet,
using always the words of our spiritual master rather than my own opinions.
This is a type of service and I think all devotees should preach. I will
not apologize for saying that some things are right and some are wrong. As long
as I am repeating our spiritual master's words, I don't see why I should. This
will naturally mean that I have to put up with more speculation and flaming from
other "Hindus." Well, so be it.
Lastly, I hope you will understand that nothing I have posted was done in
a vacuum. A lot has been said and transpired here before I blew my fuse, and
I am only human. Please understand that before you label me the way you
just did; I know that if you got to know me better you would find that those
labels are unjustified.
Haribol!
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- Hari Krishna Susarla - "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, -
- susarla@owlnet.rice.edu - become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me -
- Rice University - and worship Me. Being completely absorbed -
- Class of 1995 - in Me, surely you will come to Me." -
- Biochemistry - -- Bhagavad-Gita 9.34 -
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HARER NAMA HARER NAMA
HARER NAMAIVA KEVALAM
KALAU NASTY EVA NASTY EVA
NASTY EVA GATIR ANYATHA
"IN THIS AGE OF QUARREL AND HYPOCRISY THE ONLY MEANS OF DELIVERANCE IS
CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF LORD KRSNA. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY. THERE IS
NO OTHER WAY. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY."
-- Brhan-naradiya purana 38.126
