kirstan

Sita Ram, By God's Grace, I accept your Blessings and May God Grace You and Yours. I have started to read "Perfect Questions" from your link suggestions, and the "Bhagavad Gita". It is obvious to Me that this is the information/teaching that Sri Lord Krishna has sent to Me via You. I thank Sri Lord Krisha for this Grace, and I thank You for being the Ambassador of His Grace. Om Namah Sivaya!

Sita Ram, Thanks for some of the insights. Regarding not taking responsiblity, that point was indicative of the universe, not of not taking responsibility for oneself, because ultimately Brahma is taking care of the universe -- if my scripture is recollected properly, Krishna encourages Arjuna to do what is right, and to fight evil with good. And I take that position. But for whatever reason, whether a jiva or ant, we move in Brahma and therefore nothing happens without Brahma -- these are my opinions as I am not enlighted, otherwise I would not be writing this. For me to just know that Brahma is there causes me to aspire and then to know maya is Brahma's will and therefore maya has its job then, and to do my best to worship. And right now, I have too much responsibility! I found your desciption of "sin" very insightful. Thanks. OM Namah Sivaya!

Sita Ram, (see my two previous kirstan posts in this section) In reference to where I got the above previous information on Tilak, Bindhu, Homas and Abhishekams there is also, Sri Anandi Ma of www.dyc.org. I should mentioned also that Shaktipat Initiation is offered by Sri Anandi Ma to those interested. This Lineage began when Sri Guru Vashista gave Shaktipat to Sri Lord Ram who then gave Shaktipat to Sri Mata Sita who then gave Shaktipat to Sri Lord Hanuman who then gave it to Those who became Gurus for this Lineage who made Sri Ananda Ma the present day Heir. Check out the web site for details. I should also mention that Sri Amritanandamayi offers Mantra Initiation during "Devi Bhava Programs" when She travels in the U.S. www.amritapuri.org or www.ammachi.org Sri Karunamayi this year 2004 gave initiation in the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra to those who attended Her programs in the U.S. and last year 0f 2003 she gave initiation in the Gayatri Mantra. She also teaches the Sri Chakra Abishekam. www.karunamayi.org Om Namah Sivaya By the Grace of God and In service of God, Guru, and the Lotus Children

The three white lines of Sri Lord Siva represent triune forces such as Creation-Preservation-Destruction, the Past-Present-Future, Begining-Middle-End -- like the Three Points in His and Sri Durga's Trident. The Bindu -- represents the place where The Divine mother is asked to seat Herself on Her Lotus. The Bindu represents the Beggining point of manifestation of the Sri Chakra - the Universe Vibhuti -- Sacred ashe, all things come from dust, the ashe is what is left over after fire burns an object, the building blocks of all creation are in that dust, hence primodial dust -- this dust emerge from the begining of the universe. Sri Lord Siva covers Himself in the dust of cementarys because He dissolves everything and then creates it again with this dust. Fire purifys and in Homas, Sacred Homa Fires are the Mouth Of God, so the ashe is the Prasad that God returns to us after our offerings are received by Him in Fire of Homas. Sandalwoodpaste -- is said to have properties to withdraw disease from the body and to cool it when one has been doing intense meditations, anusthans, or tapas. Kumkum - In the Lalita Sahasranama - In the Dhyana , It is the Divine Mother Herself who is the First ever to wear Kumkum- Vermillion powder on Her Ajna Chakra/ Thrid Eye. Kumkum, made from tumeric, is said to have many subtle qualites. It is in Her honor and Her Grace we are inspired to wear it. The wearing of Vibhuti and Sandalwood Paste and Kumkum, in whatever Tilak you wear, protects the Ajna/Third Eye and invites the Deity to rests there. It also stimulates the Ajna Chakra/ Third Eye for spiritual awareness and meditation. Also, you are consecrating that all of your thoughts that you think or receive from others, your mind, your intellect, and spiritual subtle bodies to the Lotus Feet of God. Divine Mother Herself, rests in Bindhu in the Kumkum and comes to protect Her Devotees immediately. Wearing the Tilak is a form of worship and a tremendous auspicious rite to do very day. There is no doubt about this. It is highly suggested to wear the complete bindhu, tilak, or either one of the vibhuti, sandalwoodpaste, or kumkum everyday. I have recollected most of this from readings I found at Amritapuri Asham in Kerala, www.amritapuri.org, Sri Amritanandamayi; and from Sri Gayatri Vol 1 & 2 from www.karunamayi.org, Sri Karunamayi -- Incarnations of the Divine Mother. In service of God, Guru, and the Lotus Children

"Where's the problem?" The question dealt with whether wearing a tilak was impersonation and an offense, it is not nor ever can be -- even if one puts on a tilak in hating God or as fraud, God accepts this as worship. Because no matter what one thinks when they put on the tilak, they know the tilak is a rite of God. And they think of God when they apply it. It's a prayer. There was a demon who hated God with every breath, but when this demon died he was liberated immediately, why? Because he spent his whole life thinking of God -- even though it was hateful, he was still concentrating on God. Futhermore, it is only By God's Grace, namely Sri Durga Devi, that one is supplied with the inspiration to worship or not to worship God. Not to worship God and to "commit" sins are supplied as well. Nothing happens without God's will. In the Ramayana, It is A Lady Maid Servant of one of the wives of Sri Lord Rama's Father, that puts the idea in Sri Rama's mother to ask that another son be placed on the throne instead Sri Rama and to exile Him. This maid servant and the mother were commanded by Sri Lord Siva to take up form and to commit these "sins". Had theses sins not been done, Sri Lord Rama's lila could not come to pass. All the trees, cows birds, people received darshan while Sri Lord Rama's was in exile because of these "sins"and Sri Lord Hanuman would never have been able to display His Great Devotion without the conflict with Ravana. God finds nothing offensive because God is unoffendable. These are all his lilas. It is God alone who eventually determines when were are ready to worship Him. Not worshipping God means we keep His Interactive Grace out of our lives in a direct way, but the fact that one breathes means that God has graced that one. The point of "Even criminals" in your reply missed the point I was making, the coversation dealt with "Tilak wearing being offensive or fake" The point I was making was that God accepts all acts of worship and that God looks at the intent, not the trappings or gossipping of what humans think or think they are seeing another worshipper is doing and as to whether it is true worship or fake. I refered to criminals because they are like the person who seems to be impersonating by wearing a tilak who must start somewhere in their worship, and that God accepts that start immediately! "If you take one step towards God, God takes nine to you" AS far as not worshipping Sri Lord Krishna, "being a sin", I leave all that to Sri Lord Krishna to figure out. The fact that one has Life and that Everything is made and comes from Brahman -- is enough for me to know that God is behind everything, even the "sinner". And if God is behind it, it may be a "sin" to our eyes or maybe even to God's eyes -- is it still a sin caused by God? regardless the Lila must happen and all lilas and creation come from and are sustained by God Om Shanti The above is my opiniion only. In service of God, Guru, and the Lotus Children

Sita Ram, Sri Lord Krishna in Chapter 9 of the Bhagavad Gita says, (paraphrased), "Any act/offering done for me in worship, I accept...a leaf , a cup of water, a stone. " A person places a tilak on themselves as a form worship, it it never an offense to God, Sri Lord Krishna even states, "Even criminals who worship me will soon find their way to me and I will accept them" It's best not to get caught in the trappings of deciding who and what God finds offensive, only God knows. Take care of your own worship, if one spemds their time thinking of God, there is less time to worry how everyone is worshipping and less competition. I am not advocating not to follow rituals, God created the Vedas and Homas and Puja and Abishekams so that we could have a disciplined structured wasy of coming together, or by overselves knowing we are truly communicating. Temples are important, pundits are important, your own personally shine is important. But what is supreme is your own personally worship to God. Let them person wear a tilak, its better than him/her lost drinking at a bar.

Sita Ram, What is the significance of coconuts splitting during or after puja/homa/abishekam ceremonies -- after they have been offered? Are they still prasad after they split? What is the significance of the coconut in these ceremonies? What is the significance of the plate of Lotus/Roses, and the kumkum coconut in . Puja of the Guru? Om Namah Sivaya.