I read the Speakingtree Spiritual Articles that comes in the Times of India newspaper daily.
I wanted to know if they are good to read and are not biased or influenced in any way?
I do read other books like Bhagvad Gita As It Is and other literatures, but just wanted to get a feedback on the Speakingtree articles.
Replies
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Speaking Tree articles are by various people following different faiths. If we want to progress on the path of spirituality, then we have to choose any one path which appeals to us and start walking down that path. For example, if I were to ask you how to reach your house, you would immediately start giving me directions asking from where I will come. Meaning, there are more than one way in which to reach your house. Just think, if there is more than one way in which to reach our house, when we are insignificant souls living in a temporary world, then how many ways would there be to reach the house of God. If i keep inquiring whihc way to come and speculating this way or that way, I will never reach your house, i will only be spending my time doing research. That is waht The Speaking Tree will lead you to.
You will get to know bits of all paths followed by different people, some in sampradaya and some without any backing of sampradaya. Therefore, we follow the teaching Bhagavad Gita - vyavasayatmika buddhih - meaning how any business does all activities of a business with profit motive in mind - with single minded focus on profit, that same way an aspiring devotee or sadhaka does all activities keeping in mind the ultimate goal of attaining loving devotional service.
Since we all have limited time as per arrangement of modern day life, its better to spend our reading time on Srila Prabhupada books and related gaudiya vaishnava philosophy, instead of exploring the depth of the water from the shores.
If however, you have not yet chosen your path and still exploring, then its your choice.
Just giving you my views prabhuji.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi
Speaking Tree carries articles written by believers of various faiths. Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Atheists, Agnostics - all write views about their own faith. In past, even articles of controversial Gurus like Osho and Swami Nithyanand have been published in Speaking Tree.
Although I have firm faith in philosophy of my Sampraday and respect different ideologies, I rarely read such articles as my belief is like "Jis gaon jaana hi nahi hai to uska naam kyu poonchna ?" (Meaning : If we do not want to go to a particular village so why should we care to ask it's name ?)
Life is short, we have lot to know about our Sampraday, so why to channelize our limited energies on reading about other viewpoints ?
Sometimes, articles written by adherents of Vaishnav sects appear in Speaking tree. I do read those articles as I am more tuned to this kind of philosophy.
(This is my personal view)