With due respect, Sri thebigthinkg's response appears to me as further classic evasion of the real issues I raised.
His point no.1 - answer a-TB's posts:
Why does he evade recognising and answering the very clear meaning behind a-TB's explicit words
"I think I would better appreciate reading discussions that speak to the wisdom of the teachings" ?
"I have nothing to offer in return" is not an answer.
His point no. 2 - "brain development".
I wrote, "We do not need his verbal obfuscations and references to "brain development".
His "I will write another OP where we can discuss that issue" is, again, not an answer. Not only is it kicking the can down the alley, we do not want his noisy empty can at all. His earlier confession, "I have nothing to offer in return," might be more appropriate.
His points Nos. 3 & 4 - Which Kaashi Yaathra he meant, and "passion".
Another attempt at evasion. A punya-sthala yaathra is a punya-sthala yaatha, whether attempted by a brahmachaarin, or by a grahastha, or by a vaanaprastha or by a sanyaasi. Having "passion" or lacking it is totally irrelevant, if the piety and intention is clear.
If Sri thebigthinkg's point is to condemn the particular marriage ritual as meaningless and not sanctioned by our Vedas (unlike the saptha-padi), then would he also similarly condemn the tying of the nuptial turmeric-dipped cotton thread, the exchanging of garlands, the session on the swing, the bride's wearing of madisaru, and so on and so forth?
His point no.5 - Losing respect.
He has held himself out as a guru on Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad (and other Scriptures?), and expounded high-sounding upadesham to everyone who cares to listen. His expositions I found faulty in major respects, and so lost respect for his assumed lofty aachaarya role.
For example, when I pointed out expressly his basically flawed conceptions regarding brahmacharya, grahastha, vaanaprastha and sanyaasa aashramas, he had no answers, but chose to hide behind "a future separate OP".
No, I do not want any more obfuscating and irrelevant "future OPs". If he cannot answer, so be it. There are plenty of other sources of information and enlightenment.
S Narayanaswamy Iyer
