tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post298640520005340738..comments2024-03-19T10:52:32.528+05:30Comments on Arunachala and Ramana Maharshi: Father's DayDavid Godmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10354181925332694222noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-54666107118519919142011-09-09T01:36:57.560+05:302011-09-09T01:36:57.560+05:30The Buddha once said that if you were to carry you...The Buddha once said that if you were to carry your parents around with you for their whole lives—your father on one shoulder and your mother on the other—even to the point where they are losing<br />their faculties and their excrement is running down your back, this would not repay<br />your debt of gratitude to them. But<br />you could repay the debt if your parents were not virtuous and you established them in virtue; if they weren’t wise and you established them in wisdom; if they<br />were stingy and you established them in generosity; if they had no faith in the spiritual path and you led them to it.<br />(Anguttara Nikaya 2.32)Zeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15529540057558347821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-13210435397796074322010-11-17T09:06:09.852+05:302010-11-17T09:06:09.852+05:30David,Somehow, I was touched by this article and r...David,<br><br>Somehow, I was touched by this article and read it again. I especially liked when you said that you prostrated before Arunachala and said that henceforth you are handing over the responsibility of your father to Arunachala. That moved me.<br><br>Regards MuraliMuralihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04720150736535781474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-68536764704536607102010-06-29T12:27:48.274+05:302010-06-29T12:27:48.274+05:30Namaste David and all
Just finished reading this m...Namaste David and all<br />Just finished reading this moving tribute. These days, I am trying to read about the lives of spiritual people and saints and this very much felt like reading one.<br />Many pranams and thanks for the sharing<br />SridharSridhar Mudhanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17514201267217557129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-76863550102993982192010-02-13T08:43:03.997+05:302010-02-13T08:43:03.997+05:30My parents have actually done quite a bit to under...My parents have actually done quite a bit to understand. My mom, who is pretty religious, though liberal, sometimes seems pretty interested in the teachings I'm into, or my spiritual teacher's letters. My dad (who is a physics professor), has shown some interest, but he is more invested in his mind, and so less interested in understanding Self-inquiry, I've had some arguments with him about it. Not heated arguments, but where I'm trying to convince him that this absolute eternal reality is real. It's more difficult with him, and less with my mom. Though both my parents strongly appreciate Papaji. Who couldn't?Losing M. Mindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08593870441560584967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-61060706164286123142010-02-13T05:20:55.013+05:302010-02-13T05:20:55.013+05:30Thank you David for this post. I deeply loved read...Thank you David for this post. I deeply loved reading it. It is so nice to hear about your father, and you speak so well of him.Yudhisthiranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-42754343758778830212008-06-28T15:20:00.000+05:302008-06-28T15:20:00.000+05:30Dear David, I read your post on'Father's Day'. I ...Dear David, I read your post on<BR/>'Father's Day'. I am reminded of<BR/>'The child is father of the man and <BR/>I wish the day to be bound each to each with natural piety."Subramanian. Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07503810836611357841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-36655762183503702202008-06-22T11:37:00.000+05:302008-06-22T11:37:00.000+05:30Hi David,Thanks for that, and I totally appreciate...Hi David,<BR/>Thanks for that, and I totally appreciate it. I can relate to all of it, especially where you said to Arunachala, "Okay, you take him." What else could you do?<BR/>Relationship is as surely a part of spiritual life as any practice. And family is the closest relationship.<BR/>Matthew Brown, TorontoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-52820128757142488302008-06-20T13:08:00.000+05:302008-06-20T13:08:00.000+05:30David,Somehow, I was touched by this article and r...David,<BR/><BR/>Somehow, I was touched by this article and read it again. I especially liked when you said that you prostrated before Arunachala and said that henceforth you are handing over the responsibility of your father to Arunachala. That moved me.<BR/><BR/>Regards MuraliMuralihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720150736535781474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-51407784445712058742008-06-19T20:24:00.000+05:302008-06-19T20:24:00.000+05:30This comment has been removed by the author.summahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08709272472448702350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-55673665229850103792008-06-18T01:49:00.000+05:302008-06-18T01:49:00.000+05:30It is said that up-righteous-ness is a step before...It is said that up-righteous-ness is a step before spirituality. I think your father's life long dharmic life and the final pradakshina around Arunachala will ensure that his next birth would be on the Spiritual Path. The Pradakshina will have its own effect.<BR/><BR/>Regards MuraliMuralihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720150736535781474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-26448875210682216702008-06-17T15:44:00.000+05:302008-06-17T15:44:00.000+05:30KrishnaWhen I first came here visitors to the ashr...Krishna<BR/><BR/>When I first came here visitors to the ashram would ask me about my family. When they found out I was an only son, twenty-three years old, and unmarried, they would sometimes pause and ask, 'Did your father give you permission to come here?'<BR/><BR/>When I told them that I didn't ask for his permission, I just told him and left, they interpreted this to be a great act of rebellion. The fact is, in the West, fathers don't tell their twenty-three year old sons what they can and can't do. And if they try, the sons generally ignore them.<BR/><BR/>To be fair, though, he never raised any objection before or after my departure. I never was on the receiving end of the standard 'Get a proper job, settle down and raise a family' lecture from either of my parents.David Godmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10354181925332694222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-80567871293747619172008-06-17T13:14:00.000+05:302008-06-17T13:14:00.000+05:30Hi DavidThanks for sharing your fathers lifestory ...Hi David<BR/>Thanks for sharing your fathers lifestory with us, it was facinating to read!<BR/>KarthikAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-47820502147742201962008-06-17T09:57:00.000+05:302008-06-17T09:57:00.000+05:30Dear DavidThat was a very fantastic account of you...Dear David<BR/><BR/>That was a very fantastic account of your father and your family .The greatest blessing I feel he gave you was the freedom to be yourself .Even though he did not take the trouble of understanding what you did the very fact that he did not prevent you from doing the same is great .That decision not only allowed you to be want you wanted but also indrectly helped many seekers like us who benefited a lot by reading your books and messages .<BR/><BR/>Krishnanand<BR/>Chennai ,IndiaKrishnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11897276223601330565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-72016113407664026742008-06-17T05:55:00.000+05:302008-06-17T05:55:00.000+05:30hmm..a very warm tribute to your Dad! Thanks for s...hmm..a very warm tribute to your Dad! Thanks for sharing your memories with us! He was 'a man of Dharma' indeed! Joining the army when you are old enough to volunteer indicates a man of great courage and a sense of duty. He certainly had a lot of tough experiences(to put it mildly) while on the frontlines. The stories of your Granddad's missing body parts and the drunken bank robbery your Dad was involved in were quite amusing! "In retrospect, I have come to regard this as a key encounter in my relationship with my father." Absolutely! "It was a little bit sad and depressing. All children want their parents to make some effort to understand what they are doing, even if they don’t necessarily approve, but my father, on his first and only visit to my world, didn’t even want to try." yeah, that's certainly a tough thing to digest, especially when you have been doing it for many years. One possible explanation could be that he was like any other parent who encouraged his/her children to be spiritual but of course too much of it would always be met with disapproval(I think Lakshmana Swamy said something similar in 'No mind I am the Self' and I totally agree with him). Whatever the rationale behind his decision not to allow himself to investigate what you were doing, he certainly wanted to make sure you were doing ok in India.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com