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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00233 Nov 2005

 
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Dear Sri Ranjan,

Brilliantly written! Enjoyed reading that very much.

We are advised to assume the attitude of a brahmara
(Honey Bee) as opposed to a maksika (fly). The Honey
bee goes in search of honey while the fly goes in
search of the rotten things. What this means is that
rather than criticize everything for what it is, we
must take out of it whatever is conducive for our
spiritual growth while avoiding what is non-conducive.
Needless to say, all of this under the guidance of the
Vaisnavas.

- Bharath

--- ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <ranjan@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Dear members,
> 
>      I have been following this thread with
interest.  I would like to
> put forward the following information.  It is a
slightly long post.
> 
>      During the sixties, at the height of the hippy
movement with all
> it's paraphernalia, there was a rock band called
"the Beatles" 
> 
> (they're only the most well known group in history
> probably!).  
> 
> 
> Anyway, in this group was a guitarist by the name of
George Harrison.
> 
>      As you may be aware of, during the hippy period
there was a lot
> of interest in things with an Indian flavour. 
Transcendental
> Meditation, Yoga and that kind of thing were
becoming popular in the
> west.  Initially inspired by Indian music, and then
coming to
> philosophy (via Transcendental Meditation and
reading Yogananda),
> George Harrison finally came to know about the Hare
Krishna movement.
>  For the rest of his life (he died in 2001) he had a
strong
> association with them and identified with many
aspects of their
> philosophy.
> 
>      Now interestingly, he also produced lots of
music on his albums
> (mainly 'rock'/'pop' - not sure how many of you will
like that sort of
> music) which was heavily influenced by Krishna
Bhakti.  Imagine that,
> rock music with bhakti!  His most famous song was
called "My Sweet
> Lord", lyrics as follows:
> 
> My sweet Lord,
> Oh my lord,
> Oh my sweet lord,
> I really want to see you
> I really want to be with you
> I really want to see you lord but it takes so long
my Lord,
> Oh my lord,
> My sweet Lord,
> I really want to know you
> I really want to go with you
> I really want to show you lord that it won't take
long my Lord.
> 
> He also chants the "Hare Krishna mahamantra" in the
background through
> out the song.
> 
>     Anyone can appreciate the bhakti in this song -
it is pure longing
> for a relationship of service with PerumAL. 
However, at the end he
> includes the verse
> 
> "Guru brahma gurur vishnu gurur devo maheshwara guru
saakshaat param
> brahma tasmai shree gurave namah"
> 
>     Which, I guess a lot of members will say is not
in line with
> Vaishnavam.
> 
>     However - it is probably this song alone - that
influenced HUGE
> numbers of westerners to TAKE NOTICE of the Krishna
movement and then
> become associated with Vaishnavism.  I think I have
even heard some
> quotes from full ISCKON pujaris saying that without
George Harrison's
> song, they would never have known Krishna or come
into contact with
> the Gaudiya movement.
> 
>     This is much the same for me.  Born and raised
in a vaguely
> 'Hindu' household, much more important to my parents
was the music
> they played (which I love even today).  And without
George Harrison's
> music I would not have come back to my own roots -
Sri Vaishnavam. 
> 
> Listening to him for me was definitely not
"time-pass" - it was a
> rediscovering of my traditional and spiritual
origins.
> 
>     My *main point is this*: George Harrison was no
prapanna in our
> sense of the word.  He didn't know the details of
Vishishtaadvaitam. 
> 
> He probably didn't live a very 'regulated' life
according to our
> traditional customs (although he did adopt many of
them).  But he was
> instrumental in bring many to (and back to)
Vaishnavam.  So when we go
> and say whether a piece of music is "sampradaayic"
or not, I would
> humbly ask that we do not rush to judge it on a
slightly esoteric
> philosophical point as to "are they in conformity
with
> Vishishtaadvaitam".  Instead let us try and
appreciate all the
=== Message Truncated === 



        
                
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