CHILD OF DEVI- SPIRITUAL POVERTY VERSUS MATERIAL POVERTY!

10-20-2002, 09:39 AM

Greetings my own child of devi!

thank you! but, really i do not deserve all that praise! i am
as 'human' or as 'inhuman' as many people on this planet but i
certainly try 'hard' every day to become a better human being - not
necessarily a 'god-fearing' person but a 'god loving person.'

also, i am not knowledgeble- the only real knowledge is when you
realize the 'truth' i am far from "that" ... but, i am trying,
though!

but, research is what i do for an occupation and i am good at surfing
on the web and present facts as i come across them! nothing that i
write is original and is already known to most people...

The stotra you are referring to is "MANISHA PANCHAKAM' WRITTEN BY ADI
SHANKARA !

YES, "Shri Shankara has been criticized by modern western scholars for
propounding sectarian beliefs in his commentary (bhashya) of
Brahma sutra where he restricts the recitation of Vedas to the upper
castes only. However, one should note that one is handicapped when
writing a commentary on a text. Thus in independent compositions like
the upadesasahasri and this short text, maniishhaa panchakam he
expounds his Advaita philosophy in all its glory. Advaita, the non-
dualistic philosophy expounded in detail by Shri Shankara, does not
recognize differences between people based on caste, creed, religion,
gender etc since we are all the manifestations of the same Brahman."

CHILD OF DEVI, IF YOU LIKE I WILL EMAIL YOU THE FIVE BEAUTIFUL VERSES
WITH THEIR ENGLISH TRANSLATION- -

child of devi, YOU MENTION HOW CAN ONE REALIZE GOD ON AN EMPTY
STOMACH? true! very true! even gautama buddha realized that ! he
undertook huge penances and practiced severe austerities but was
still miles and miles away from 'nirvana' UNTIL ONE DAY HE REALIZED
that 'nirvana' cannot be attianed on an empty stomach AND A BUDDHA
BIKSHINI BROUGHT HIIM SOME FOOD... AND HE REALIZED THAT YOU NEED SOME
FOOD AT LEAST TO KEEP THE BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER...

IT IS INTERESTING YOU SHOULD MENTION' POVERTY' -n sufism , there is a
word called 'faqr'

what does the word "faqr" mean?

In the language of the sufis, faqr means being rich with god or nOn-
dependent on anything otheR than god.

but unlike hiduisn, in islam renunciation is purely spiritual or
mental, not physical!

a hindu santyasi or an ascetic may renounce his wife, kids, home and
other worldly possessions. rather, this is considered total
renunciation or tyagha - and a sadhu has only two possessions
- a loin cloth and an alms bowl!

but in Islam an ascetic need not renounce the world and sit in
seclusion for good. What the Muslim ascetics do is that they live in
the world, attend to its affairs, earn a livelihood, having full
trust in God and believing that it is not their efforts which bring
them bread, but it is through God's grace and kindness that they get
what they get. so they do not run away from their duties ,pains
and sorrows unlike the ascetics of other religions who do not face
the world and take to seclusion for good.

So in Sufism faqr does not means poverty. It means wealth and
abundance, because a faqir in the real sense, is an extremely rich
person who lives on spiritual and not physical wealth. That is why
the Prophet (s.a.w.) said," Faqr is my Fakhr (pride)".

i live in usa which is supposedly one of the richest countries in the
world... the per capita income is high; every household has two cars;
people own houses etc,,,, but still there is so much discontent and
unhappiness! what is the use of owning the aerth and losing the soul?

But you do make an interesting point- this was one reason why mother
teresa nad her missionary sisters were able to convert so many hungry
and homeless people on the streets of calcutta! she gave them dignity
and self esteem when their own hindu brethern treated them like S***
(pardon my french) why do you think 3000 dalits embraced buddhism
recently? please read dr. ambedkar's views on the caste system... if
the indian government does not straighten up the act , india might
become a 'christian' state! smiles!

btw, veda vyasa mother was 'satyavati' the fisherwoman... also, did
you know that sage narada's mother was a woman of ill repute?

why do you think gandhiji went to london round table conference in
a 'loin cloth' when he was ridiculed by the british presss for this
immodest attire, he retorted " how can i wear a three piece suit when
half of india is naked, hungry and homeless'?

but seriously, child of devi! which is worse spiritual poverty or
material poverty?

love and love only