SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

Criticism of Sri Sri
Posted by: "a m" bluetiger007@yahoo.com bluetiger007
Thu Jan 8, 2009 4:55 pm (PST)
It is disheartening to see poorly worded criticism of Hindu Spiritual Leaders as in the case of Sri Sri Ravishankar.

It is an undeniable fact that His Holiness has been very successful with the masses and it in itself speaks of his grass root level work. Jet setting is not a crime and only helps mobility and helps increase reach.

Krishna or Rama were kings. They did not sit out with the poor alone but with Kings themselves. Nevertheless the recent appointment of Sri Sri in the Amarnath Shrine board speaks of his role in the entire conflict and of his closeness to people who matter and those who may influence solutions. This is what is needed. It is after a long long time that a Hindu spiritual leader has been able to make such positive inroads in the political establishment instead of peddling prophecies and vardaan's.

Further, it is a well known fact that unlike the openly politically ambitious Shankaracharayaji of Puri or the motivated assertions of Ramdevji, playing to the gallery of emotional hindus, Sri Sri has tried to stick to the middle path as much as possible straying off now and then to ensure his own survival. However, neither can one demean the revered Shankaracharayaji or Baba Ramdevji or any Hindu saint as the implications of this are a serious blow to the existence of our own religion, rather our own self in these perilious times.

It is a well known fact that the so called "centrist", "secular" and "leftist" political and media establishment are baying for the blood of Hindu saints and hindus themselves. In such times it pays to be extra cautious even while working for hindu cause. Public figures, in such times, can never be stain free. It is like Kurukshetra.

It is also unfortunate to consider saints as infallible creatures. Seeking perfection in them is self-defeating. Some like Sri Sri have already conceded that every karma is flawed in some way or the other.

However, the truth of hinduism is its spiritual toelrance of life and its acceptance and experiential understanding of this strange and myriad existence from its beginning to its supposed end. This is what makes it worth saving for the generations to come, this is what is the reason why we need to speak with tolerance about such men

Anand Mathur