A 'black belt' temple priest

[PN Prasad 0]

A 'black belt' temple priest

 

PTI[ MONDAY, JULY 07, 2003 02:46:24 AM ]

 

CHENNAI: Heard of a 'black belt' temple priest? Chennai has at least one in middle-aged Seshadri, who has been asked to train a group of young priests of the famous Tirupati temple in the art to protect the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Balaji.

 

"Coming to know of my karate skills from press reports, the security adviser to the Andhra Pradesh government D R Subramani got in touch with me and requested me to train young priests to protect the most holy part of the famous hill temple," Seshadri said.

 

Asked what drew him to acquire the art of 'Isshinryu' form of karate, Seshadri, who attained the Black Belt Dan I level last year, said he was inspired after seeing Bruce Lee movies in his youth.

 

He said after meeting the security adviser, he attended an interview with chief security officer Dhamodran at Tirumala Tirupati Devsom (TTD), who offered him a two-year contract to train six priests. But he turned down the offer as he was employed permanently by Asthalakshmi Temple at Besant Nagar in the city.

 

Asked why he had not accepted the offer, he said "I did not accept, as after two years, I would be rendered jobless".

 

However, on his request, the TTD approached the Tamil Nadu temple administration to depute him to the TTD for two years. The TTD was awaiting clearance, the Karate expert, who hoped to achieve the next level 'Dan II' by November next, said.

[theist 1]

Hanumat Prakash Swami has a black belt.

 

Maybe we need our version of the famous Shaolin Temple in China.Arjun Krsna Temple. Training warrior monks. Old stlye fighting arts mixed with combat handgun training.

 

I can see one graduate now when a demon harrasses a Sunday feast and offends Prabhupada.

 

"You have offended my guru and you have offended the Arjun/Krsna temple." (best Bruce Lee voice)

 

(adapted from Enter the Dragon when confronting the evil what's his name at the end)

[PN Prasad 0]

I also overheard that the Government of India has started training priests in Jagannath Puri temple and other important temples in Northern India inorder to protect the diety and themselves incase of any attacks.

 

[theist 1]

Prabhupada suggested trained and armed security officers at the temples.

 

Why not? What better assignment for the warrior class than guarding the Deities.

 

Emphasis on the trained portion. Not just handing a Glock 9 to the biggest bramachari around.

[I_love_krishna_ 0]

and if they want security then they should make them black belt karate champions who fight with out weapons but effectively.

[theist 1]

And how does a blackbelt stop a bullet? Too many kung fu movies grasshopper. Iron shirt chi kung is good for health but bullets won't bounce off.

 

We all learned that from the boxer rebellion in China

[I_love_krishna_ 0]

I feel very uncomfortable when people are carrying guns at public places.

 

And if I see a gun at a temple, the peace of my heart would be disturbed.

 

I think it is the same for most people, the possession of guns by priests would make many people (like myself) avoid the temples.

[theist 1]

Arjun was armed. I can't agree with "Guns and devotees don't mix".

 

Devotees thinking guns are toys don't mix but that's true of everyone.

 

I understand your discomfort with the idea though. Perhaps they wouldn't need to be displayed.

 

Maybe somebody here was at New Vrndaban when the bikers attacked and shot the Deities. Bhaktyavasa?

 

It is true that I lean to the fanatic side too much on this issue I guess. If it were up to me all the temple windows would be bulletproof glass and there would be disquished gun turrets on the roofs. Nicely blended in architechturaly(sp) of course. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[I_love_krishna_ 0]

We don't live in Vedic times and besides, how would you feel if a stranger devotee comes and sits next to you and he has a concealed weapon which you can see.

 

Right to bear arms may have worked for "The Revolutionary age" but not now.

 

You have police and every one else to take care of that...

 

I think that for us to attract more people to chaitanya's movement, it is better to leave the protecting to krishna than take it into our hands.

 

[theist 1]

How about the devotees taking care of Krsna? Demons may come to hurt Him, we must be ready.

 

The police? Puhleeze. We right to bear arms folks want to keep that right as a protection against the police and miscreant govt. as well as the gundas.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

 

We don't live in Vedic times and besides...

 

 

Your right, we live in a time when terrorists from Pakistan plant bombs in our temples and send suicide squads into our famous temples to kill pilgrims. Black belt karate won't do anything to stop them.

 

It was reported in the papers that the terrorists who attacked the Akshardham temple in Gujarat had also planned to attack the ISKCON temple in Bangalore. The CBI informed our temple and now there are extra unarmed security checking everyone who enters. Two months ago they stopped me for trying to carry a rechargeable battery into the temple. I'm sure they all congratulated each other on a job well done. But let's see what they do when a suicide squad from Kashmir comes at them with machine guns and grenades.

[theist 1]

No one should wait for a tragedy before acting if something is forseeable.

 

 

But let's see what they do when a suicide squad from Kashmir comes at them with machine guns and grenades.

 

 

Yes. A few large sticks will be good for chastizing pickpockets who work the crowd during Deity darshan or for chasing away some rascal monkeys', but for these suicide belt bombers more drastic measures are necessary.These characters are way beyond the Dvidvida Gorrila stage.

 

I always worry about Krsna Balarama mandhir in Vrndaban.

 

 

[I_love_krishna_ 0]

But let's see what they do when a suicide squad from Kashmir comes at them with machine guns and grenades.

-------------------------

 

It is so sad to hear that we have to carry guns at holy places because they too are in grave danger...

 

[theist 1]

but a fact that we have to deal with the reality that is before us.

 

Fanatic religionists clamored for the crucifixtion of Christ, after that I consider anything possible.

[vsdprasad 0]

 

But let's see what they do when a suicide squad from Kashmir comes at them with machine guns and grenades.

 

 

Its definitely difficult to stop these in a preemptive way, it requires complex intelligence. Even if securitymen are able to stop it, enemy have many other options like using nuclear missiles etc. Even if we use NMD shield systems to counter them, there may be many other options better known to cruel minds like Bin Ladens.

There is little use if priests know karate or kungfu. Showing a "kata" is of no use when enemy carries a gun. and when priests carry weapons or appear like brucelee or schwarzenegger, it disturbs the sanctity in the sanctum sanctorum. Even there might be some unscrupulous people acting like priests. Better to rely on kshatriyas who take care of security. Even better is to rely on powerful sadhakas who possess some of the siddhis. Its difficult to find sadhakas these days let alone finding those with important siddhis.

When things are written on head, no one can change it. Take the example of king parikshit. At any stage we have to rely on Almighty.

 

The symptom of kaliyuga is "dina dina gandam noorellayishu". ILK: usted desea traducir? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[I_love_krishna_ 0]

Si senor, me encanta traducir este oración:

 

Dina = day

 

Dina= day

 

Gandam= danger

 

Noorellayishu= 100 years of life. /images/graemlins/smile.gif !

 

 

In other words, in this short life of 100 years , we have a danger of death every single day.

 

No body knows if you are going to live tomorrow or not!.

 

 

Muchas gracias, pero yo no aprecié esta oración... porque quiero más vida y cien años no son mucho para mi!

/images/graemlins/frown.gif