September 1997

Digital Dharma

MEDIA
NEWS YOU CAN USE
I magine oodles of publications flowing to you virtually free of cost, pre-selected and sorted by subject. Welcome to the age of "push" technology exemplified by PointCast Network (download free at pioneer.pointcast.com/), which "pushes" news to you, rather than your laboriously searching and "pulling" it off the Web. To use it, just log onto the internet and run the PointCast program. PointCast automatically scans and selects material from its list of news, web and database sites (such as the Wall Street Journal, CNN and stock reports), downloads it to your computer and sorts it into topics you select, such as health, lifestyle and industries. Religion is not a topic yet, but is being considered at the request of many users.

PRECEPTOR
Follow Her Lead
Here's a cd that sets new standards for Hindu organizations: a supremely professional combination of photos, spiritual songs, Sanskrit chants, video clips, computer-generated art and discourses that takes at least three hours to explore and leaves you with a broad overview of Mata Amritanandamayi's spiritual mission. The CD flashes first through pictures of Ma while the guru mantra is chanted in the background. From the CD's main directory you view her arduous early years and subsequent enlightenment--accompanied by narration and Krishna bhajanas. You can navigate the Amritapuri ashram's several floors and see daily life (a cute scene is a video of Amma waking a snoozing meditator). Your kids will love the "Amma Comics" animated cartoons. This Windows CD (Mac soon) produced by her Kerala devotees is a delight (US$39.00; 510-537-9417 or e-mail: macenter@ammachi.org). Visit Amma on the Web (www.ammachi.org/) to hear bhajana while ordering a puja, shopping in the bookstore or following Amma's world tours, and occasionally even viewing a live image of her giving darshan.

DIGNITY
Unleash Your Hinduness
Namaskaram....say with pride that you are a Hindu!" opens a website founded by Jagan Mohan, a seriously enthused Moscow medical student from India. Exploration of this site (www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1432/new.htm) will leave you sharing Jagan's obvious pride in his heritage. Rather than complaining about other religions, conversion, etc., he focuses on Hindu empowerment with pages like "What Every Hindu Ought to Do!," and advice for Hindus to acquire a more solid identity of themselves. The site's special treasure is 200-plus links (grouped by topics) to quality pages. Those given five stars are "must see" sites. Links are to scriptural texts, temples, institutes, student organizations and more. Enjoy!

WOMEN
South Asia Bonding
Have your child take a long nap while perusing the South Asia Women's Network. It takes time to tour articles such as "Living Identities vs. Acquired Ones" by Madhu Kishwar or view the "Who's Who" of popular female achievers. The site is aimed at South Asia women of all faiths living outside the subcontinent. We found especially useful the lists of domestic abuse agencies (USA hotline: 1-800-799-7233), children's books, current news and directory of organizations. Bond with your "sisters" at umiacs.umd. edu:80/users/sawweb/sawnet/index.html

One should meditate on the atman, which consists of spirit, whose embodiment is life, whose form is light, whose essence is space, which changes its form at will, swift as thought.