--- devi_bhakta <devi_bhakta@...> wrote:

> Regarding esoteric details, Yvonne writes:
>
> *** some of them [are] described with sanskrit
terminology
> that I have a
> hard time keeping straight. ***
>
> As it happens, Sanskrit is the primary liturgical
> language of
> Hinduism. In the Group, we offer many translations
> and abundant
> explanations, but ultimately -- it is what it is. At
> a certain
> point, if one is interested enough to meet the
> system on its own
> terms (rather than as a mediated experience), a
> certain amount of
> effort is needed to make this additional vocabulary
> your own.

Western Neo-Pagans often cannot grasp the fact that
Sanskrit mantra cannot be "translated" -- it is the
very SOUND of the Sanskrit that has the effect, not
the dictionary meaning.

A Noo Yawk-based High Priestess wrote a review of
Swami Satyananda Saraswati's "Kali Puja" book for
Amazon.Com... She complained that the book spent too
much time giving the Sanskrit! As if chanting in
English would have the same effect in performing a
Puja! (As others on this list have pointed out, the
Devi Mandir's Swami has his own eccentrically unique
versions of translation into English, but his phonetic
transcriptions are pretty reliable.)

>
>
> *** After all, the Goddess lives within your soul
> and she is the one
> you are trying to communicate with. She knows you
> and knows what you
> want. You don't need to communicate anything TO her.
> Goal is for you
> to hear what she's telling you, not the other way
> around. So pick
> whatever mantra you want. ***
>
> Mantra is not a means of "communication" with the
> deity in the sense
> you describe. Mantra is the deity herself (himself,
> itself, etc) in
> her (his, its) vibrational essence. Mantra is a
> means of profoundly
> changing -- or at least fine-tuning -- the sadhak's
> own subtle
> vibrational frequency, for a staggering variety of
> spiritual
> purposes.

I've always been told that PRAYER is the art of
speaking to the Godhead; and MEDITATION (with or
without mantra) is the art of listening to the
Godhead.

-- Len/ Kalipadma




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