Couple of days back, I did a posting in a rush and was asking for android developers. I got over-whelming responses from many! In fact some thought that I am “hiring” and sent their resume to me! I wish I could hire and pay them etc. Unfortunately, we are just doing service.
Here is the background about my posting:
As always, this blog is about following Periyava’s upadesams as much as possible. Out of that nithya karma and basic anushtanams are the most important fundamental things. There are lots of folks globally who are doing sahasra gayathri japam on Sundays. In order to bring them all under one umbrella, I am in the process of building mobile application that would help them to join and start doing sahasra gayathri japam on Sundays with the rest of the folks and keep a global count of that would motivate all of us. By doing this, we are encouraging more people to get motivated and start doing this. Keeping the count is only to show how we are progressing. Once this becomes a habit, then the count does not even matter…Still, in today’s digital world, it is all about numbers. So let us capture it and decide later on what to display/share and what not to.
As of now, we have enough people to contribute to this app build. I do have other initiatives in mind and will reach out again if I need additional help. Once this application is ready, I will announce so that all who are interested in joining this virtual satsang can do so.
Sincere thanks to those who rapidly responded to my query.
Hara Hara Sankara Jaya Jaya Sankara!
Categories: Devotee Experiences
It is interesting exchange of ideas. The app can help in the following ways:
a) Geographic location wise sankalpam – prerecorded by some one
b) Database of the dates/ number of sadhaks / counts chanted per week/place etc
c) Database of the sadhaks (should not reveal individual names) / their gothram etc.
In general, a sadhak should not reveal in public how much count he has chanted. It should be purely a secret affair. However, just for the database, he can post the counts anonymously using a user id, for example. If there are some x number of people in one location, then on a monthly basis, they can think about HOMAM etc with the help of a priest in a common place.
It is important to note that it is separate from Daily Sandhyavandanam. This is not in lieu of Sandhyavandanam, but in addition to it. One should first learn to chant all the Sandhyavananda Mantras flawlessly first. Effort should be invested on this first. Such beautiful mantras should not be missed out.
@ Dharma
Namsakarams
1. I am getting your message only using PC and internet. I do not deny the importance of technology.
2. Certainly my thoughts on our Acharyas has been retained/increased through many blogs and web journals. There have been some downsides also, which I will not list here.
3.I have not tried doing 1000 gayatris on sunday.
4. This is where one of my concern comes. For everything(both school and home) technology is used as tool. For this anushtanam (reciting Gayatri mantra) to be followed by children, it can be just between and the father and son. One another place where technology “could be kept out”. On this context, I like to quote what Bala Periyava had told. (Source Facebook page of Sri.Sarma Sastrigal)
ஸ்ரீ ஸ்ரீ பால பெரியவா
” …………..இன்று நம்மிடையே நிறைய நவீன சாதனங்கள் உள்ளன. வெகு சீக்கிரமாக ஒரு கார்யத்தை செய்வதற்கும், செய்திகளை அனுப்புவதற்கும், விஷயங்களை பகிர்ந்துகொள்ளுவதற்கும் என இம்மாதிரி வித விதமான ‘டிவைசெஸ்’ வந்தவண்னம் உள்ளது. வித விதமாக கேள்விப் படுகிறோம். இவற்றில் செளகர்யம் இருக்கு என்றாலும் நாம் கவனமாக இல்லாவிட்டால் அசெளகர்யங்களும் ஏற்படும். கவணம் சிதற வாய்ப்புள்ளது. ஜாக்கிரதையாக இருக்க வேண்டும்…..”
——’சமஷ்டி பஞ்சாயதன பூஜை வைபவத்திற்காக’ விசேஷமாக நேற்று ஸ்ரீ பால பெரியவா அவர்கள் அருளிய அனுக்ரஹ பாஷணத்திலிருந்து (anugraha bashanam) ஒரு கருத்து.
First let me speak only for myself. I very well know the importance of Gayatri mantra and that knowledge itself has not motivated (unfortunately)me yet to recite more then the usual required for the trikala sandyavandana. For me, I do not foresee that the app will not help me overcome that activation energy or inertia.
I agree that satsang or or external motivation does wonders. But just the term ‘external motivation and numbers” seem to contradict with the true purpose of reciting Gayathri mantra (காயத்ரீ மந்திரம் சித்த சாந்திக்குக் காரணம்…..(Deivathin Kural, second volume).
Finally I still feel that we could stay away from app for this purpose. Instead, all the fathers (assuming that they have understood why Gayatri mantra is important) could sit with their sons on sunday mornings and together do the ஸஹஸ்ராவிருத்தி காயத்ரி ஜபம்.
regards
Karthik
Correction: For me, I do not foresee that the app will help me overcome that activation energy or inertia.
Addition: I do not state that the app will not motivate others. I only state that there are other conventional ways to spark that motivations. As I suggested father and son doing japam together on sunday is one.
Another Suggestion: Books are best friends. There is no distraction while seeking knowledge from a paper book in contrast to seeking the same knowledge using technology. Also it is our responsibility to inculcate book reading habit in the future generation. We can bring out a small book in English targeting the younger generation highlighting the importance of Gayatri Mantra in a concise manner written by a scholar.
Why complicate a simple anushtana (Gayathri Japam) with all these APP, global count and number for motivation etc.
Motivation should come just from from conviction and devotion and not for the sake of numbers and who else is doing.
Technology is helping in many ways but let us not get carried away and introduce technology in everything we do.
What makes you say that it is complicated??? How do. you know that these tools aren’t motivating??? I am speaking from experience…Tech tools have motivated 70 people in the recent times to do Nithya Mark as and anushtanams…there is proof…this blog is a place not for story telling….this is also to follow…also if everyone is so motivated on their own, our religion wouldn’t be facing cultural degradation issues like what we have today..
I am a technologist….implementing these aren’t difficult for me….
Sent from my iPhone
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@Mr. Karthik,
Sorry, I would suggest you to think through these simple questions.
1) How are right now getting my message?
2) Has your thought on mahaperiyava been retained/increased because of blogs like these?
3) Have you tried doing 1000 gayatris every Sunday?
4) Todays children are called Digital Natives. Technology is a language/medium to connect to them.
Everything in life is not as easy as we think. Most need some satsang or external motivation to make things a habit. After a point it becomes our second nature.
You are bringing some important points that need to be kept in mind. Instead of completely suggesting to drop the idea, why don’t you spend some time and share some ideas on how should this app be designed to promote devotion/remind people on their conviction?
@Mahesh,
Queries are important to be clarified. Ignorance and inquries are the starting point towards truth.
This gentleman might have a geniune intent behind saying so while he need not conclude on whether to use it or not. We should try to analyze the pros and cons of using technology for dharmic activities and try to prevent the cons.
The essence of indian culture lies in quality of debate and the key take aways from such debates. We should not get offended by other’s queries – be it good or bad. The Prashnothara Rathna Malika wouldn’t be there had someone not thought of alternate point of views.
We should try not to react rather use wisdom to respond. Of all you should aspire to be a stithapragyan. Otherwise, there is no use in being periyava’s bhakthal and even reciting 1 gayatri.
Narayana!
What would be features of the APP apart from keeping count ? Example, to be able to find people in the locality, in the same office or building etc ?
The purpose of the app is not to do social networking like FB..it will tell you that there are some satsangs started by x,y & z. you can contact them or start your own satsang. >
1008 gayathri japam outside of sandhya or part of sandhya? What is the sangkalpa fot doing 1008 gayathri japa separately? Please help.
Venkataramani garu Namaste! It’s additional 1000 apart from regular Trikaal Sandhyavandhanam daily, only to enhance your devotional approach and empower your will power. Hope this would serve the purpose.
Mahesh
You can use Eventbrite. It’s free for organizers to use Eventbrite as long as you’re not charging for tickets! There are no monthly charges, enrollment costs, or setup fees—and Eventbrite gives you access to powerful reporting and promotional tools, mobile sales and box office features, and 24/7 customer support.
App available for iPhone, iPad, PC users
You can create @Home event, sahasra gayathri japam on Sundays.
Anantha
thanks for the pointer. Everbrite won’t work for my use-case. >