World Travelling Swamigals

[Dinesh Venkatachar]

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Born in 1980, the images I grew up with of swamigals were the images portrayed of Vasishta, Vishwamitra, Agastyar, etc. in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. I visualized a thatch roof hut gurukulam with the swamigal/muni sitting cross legged under a tree lecturing to students (similar to most images of Buddha). Now you have HH Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar swamigal travelling the world and even lecturing at a convention in his honor at Disney World. Now I know Chinna Jeeyar did not request to lecture at Disney World, but he did not speak out against it either (even when he speaks against something it is usually in a very non-intimidating way). But in light of the fairly recent film "OMG," these acts seem to be what is spoken against. And as alluded to at the end of the film by Mithun Chakraborty's character, even if you discredit a swamigal in any way, they will continue to be followed because people have fear. Disclaimer: In no way am I trying to discredit HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamigal, I find him to be a very likeable person, and I think the message of peace he is trying to spread is wonderful. But I simply cannot avoid drawing a parallel between modern swamigals like HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamigal and Dr. Deepak Chopra with his eyes glued on his Blackberry phone WHILE he is being ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand set aside the fact that he is wearing designer eyeglass frames. State your comments as follows.

 

[Vanaja Mani]

Born in 1980, the images I grew up with of swamigals were the images portrayed of Vasishta, Vishwamitra, Agastyar, etc. in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. I visualized a thatch roof hut gurukulam with the swamigal/muni sitting cross legged under a tree lecturing to students (similar to most images of Buddha). Now you have HH Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar swamigal travelling the world and even lecturing at a convention in his honor at Disney World. Now I know Chinna Jeeyar did not request to lecture at Disney World, but he did not speak out against it either (even when he speaks against something it is usually in a very non-intimidating way). But in light of the fairly recent film "OMG," these acts seem to be what is spoken against. And as alluded to at the end of the film by Mithun Chakraborty's character, even if you discredit a swamigal in any way, they will continue to be followed because people have fear. Disclaimer: In no way am I trying to discredit HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamigal, I find him to be a very likeable person, and I think the message of peace he is trying to spread is wonderful. But I simply cannot avoid drawing a parallel between modern swamigals like HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamigal and Dr. Deepak Chopra with his eyes glued on his Blackberry phone WHILE he is being ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand set aside the fact that he is wearing designer eyeglass frames. State your comments as follows.

The world has changed a lot since the information revolution. Deepak Chopra was not a spiritual guru until very late in his life. He was a successful doctor in the USA. Some remnants of a different lifestyle cannot be avoided. These are all external things anyway. There is nothing wrong in indulging in these worldly pleasures as long as the spiritual persons do not become too identified with them. Our scriptures do not preach total abstience from worldly objects . As long as you are aware of the impermanent nature of the worldly objects there is nothing wrong in indulging in them in a limited manner. As for Jeer swamigal, he has just responded to wishes of his followers and given a lecture. In this day and age when sanatana dharma is being threatened in India itself by outside religions is it not a good thing that hinduism and a hindu guru is being honoured in America?

 

[krish44]

lot of interesting people are going to US and western countries . they are developing a world wide following

filmstars, cricketers ,politicians ,preachers are the most common

one of my relatives a reiki practioner [ he took to it late in life after he was unsuccessful in various professions like electronics servicing, selling spices, dal powder .

chutneys,pickles etc] found an american who paid him his airfare besides stay and fat fee to cure her of some disease

he had a jolly good time trying to heal an old american lady by practising reiki and cure her of some unknown disease.


I thought only indians were fools . It extends to white races also..lol