melvin

The shaivas and vaishnavas each possess their own special books, The Puranas and the Tantras, which form part of the body of the traditional writings known collectively as smrti and which correspond particularly to their respective tendencies. These tendencies nowhere appear more clearly than the way in which they respectively interpret the Doctrine of Ivatiras or Divine manifestation. This doctrine which closely bound up with the conception of cosmic cycles deserves to be studied separately.( Rene Geunon)

On the question of which is the best, shivaism or vaishnavism. It simply adds that whatever the way each man may choose as being most in conformity with his own nature, the final end to which it leads, provided it be strictly orthodox, is always the same, the end in every case is effective realization of a metaphysical order, which will be more or less direct or more or less complete, according to the circumstances in which it is undertaken and the extent of the intellectual possibilities of each human being.( Rene Geunon)

By the time Ramayana was written, the name Rudra is taken as a synonym for Shiva and the two names are used interchangeably.

Goddess Shakti ( Durga, Kali, etc) is seen as Saguna Brahman in Shaktism. Shiva is the Saguna Brahman in Shivaism.

According to shaivs and shakts saguna brahman is paramartika, eternal and undecaying and non-different from nirguna brahman. But to a vaishnav, saguna brahman is Brahman, with infinite attributes including form. And thus is the basis of the impersonal nirguna brahman, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

In Padma Purana Lord Siva states: The Mayavada philosophy is veiled Buddhism(absolute monism). Actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead has His transcendental body. But I describe the Supreme as impersonal. I also explain the Vedanta sutra according to the principles of Mayavada philosophy."

In the Vaisnava tantra(Hari-bhakti-vilasa 1.73) it says:" A person who compares the Supreme Lord even with the greatest of demigods like Brahma and Siva must be considered a number one atheist."

Advaita philosophy is absolute monism whereas dvaita philosophy is dualist monism. So, might as well embrace the philosophy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu known as acintya(inconceivable,simultaneous)-bheda( oneness)-abheda(difference) or integral monism because it`s positioned between two polar opposites, absolute and dualist monism.

In Srimad Bhagavatam(10.87.30), one of the four Kumaras, known as Sanandana, gave the following speech upon performing a great sacrifice: " O Supreme Truth! If the living entities were not infinitesimal sparks of the supreme spirit, each spark would be all-pervading and would not be controlled by superior power. But if the living entity is accepted as a minute part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he automatically becomes controlled by a supreme energy or power. The latter is his actual constitutional position and if he remains in this position he can attain full freedom." Thus if one mistakenly considers his position to be equal to that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead(Krsnah), he becomes contaminated by the doctrine of non-duality and his efforts in transcendental life are rendered ineffective

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nataraja

Ohh. me gosh! here comes empy!

If we were wearing a surgical mask, the air we breath which passes through is the soul and the dust that gets stuck in the fabric is the false ego.

If we get a parcel from God does it mean He is now incomplete? Similarly, if we get a piece from God does it mean He, too, becomes incomplete?

When I was lost in cyberspace in 1999, I had no where to go. This website (www.iskcondc.com) helped me a lot. God bless, Apollymi!

When that time comes I hope to sit down and talk with you, Sephiroth, my friend.

Our real destination is going home, Back to Godhead, Krsnah. So, prior to death one should chant Hare Krsnah Hare Krsnah Krsnah Krsnah Hare Hare ( Narada-pancaratra).

A bit is a binary unit and piece is an item. A little bit of soap or I`m a piece of God`s work. That`s what I meant about bits and pieces. Why stick to part and parcel when there are bits and pieces to speak of?

It won`t matter if the world ends tomorrow. What matters is what were you thinking prior to death. This is very crucial. I guess you know what I mean.

You`re absolutely correct, Chandu_69, my friend. It`s so simple, indeed.

Oh, I`m sorry. When I viewed the website www.vedabase.net I clicked on BBT. The page that came out was www.krishna.com. That`s why I said that.

Sant, I have to call it a day. It`s almost ten o` clock in the evening. I been here since this morning. ( Trying to rectify the broken bits and pieces).

Haha. You`re fishing for answers. It`s a secret I can`t tell.

Sant, my friend, you don`t have to apologize. Why I had 2 accounts ( melvin & Melvin1) which appeared alternately at the same time on same day is a long story. It`s better left untold.