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You did not read the full story of Shridi Sai. Before his death he had predicted the exact year and time of his rebirth. It has been examined, researched and authenciated that Sree Satia Sai Baba of Putta Parthi is the reincarnation of the first Baba. Please if you can read both their life story and incidents.

Dear Sree I agree with you but there are some vaishnaviat goons who do not undestand anything any of this. All they know is Krishna. The Bhagavad Gita declared thousands of years ago: When goodness grows weak, When evil increases, I make myself a body. In every age I come back To deliver the holy, To destroy the sin of the sinner, To establish righteousness. They only belief that Krishna was the ninth avathar and the last would be Kalki. But they do not undestand what Krishna had said in Gita. He did not say my last avathar is Kalki but instead h said whenever religion declines and eveil increases, I take human form. These goons are no different form fanatic Muslims who believe that Muhammed was the last prophet and there would be no more after him. You see how people misinterprete the scriptures. Well, do not worry aboout them. They are another bunch of doubtful Thomas.

Do you need futher clarification about Hinduism?

May there be peace on earth, peace in the atmosphere and in the heavens. Peaceful be the waters, the herbs and plants. May the Divine bring us peace. May the holy prayers and invocations of peace-liturgies generate ultimate Peace and Happiness everywhere. With these meditations which resolve and dissolve harm, violence, and conflicts, we render peaceful whatever on earth is terrible, sinful, cruel, and violent. Let the earth become fully auspicious, let everything be beneficial to us. Atharva-Veda, XIX-9 Everything here is verily "Brahman" (the supreme Sacred Divinity). "Atman," the (higher) Self is "Brahman." The Self has four grades (four states of consciousness). The first condition of the Self (state) is the waking life of outward cognition and consciousness (of subject-object, dualistic perception)…. The second state is the inward dream-state cognizing internal objects. The third condition is the deep sleep state, where there are no desires for objects nor any dream-objects, only silent consciousness full of peace and bliss. The fourth (highest) grade of state of consciousness is the (complete) Self (God) in Its own pure state, the fully awakened (and integrated) life of supreme Consciousness. This (fourth) highest ineffable state of the Self is Peace, Love and Bliss, in which the fragmented world-perception disappears, which is the end of evolution, which is the One without a second and non-dual, which should be known, realized and experienced (in Life). In the oneness experience with Him (the Self) lies the ultimate proof of His reality. This "Atman" (Self) is (indicated, symbolized by) the eternal Word OM. Mandukya Upanishad (most of the verses) Oh Brahman Supreme! Formless and colorless are you. But in mystery, through your power you transform your light and radiance into many forms and colors in creation. You bring forth the creation and then withdraw them to yourself. Fill us with the grace of your auspicious thoughts and vision…. You are in the woman, in the man. You are in the young boy, in the youthful maiden. You are in the old man who walks with his staff… You are in the dark butterfly, in the green parrot with red eyes… You are without beginning, infinite, beyond time and space. All the worlds had their origins in you. Svetasvatara Upanishad, IV: 1-4 God reveals in silence through women, men, all life-forms. The above verses validate all the four stages of life and also tilt toward those usually neglected and abused—children, women, and the elderly—by specific scriptural mention. God is equally present in man and woman. The wise sages shape (and symbolize) the One, with their words and expressions into many forms and manifestations. Rg-Veda X-114-5 They call and name the One, Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni and the beautiful Garutman. The Real is One, though wise sages (perceive in their minds) and name It variously. Rg-Veda I-164-46 The wise sages shape (and symbolize) the One, with their words and expressions into many forms and manifestations. Rg-Veda X-114-5 The above and similar hymns categorically declare for the Hindu that God is One, but names and symbols are many, paths and perspectives are many, all to be respected and loved. In whatever way and path, humans worship Me, in that same path do I (meet) and fulfill their aspirations and grace them. It is always My Path that humans follow in all their different paths and journeys, on all sides. Bhagavad-Gita IV:11 God's Way is the Way behind all paths and religions. O Mother! Let all my speech be your prayer; let all my crafts and technology be your worship and be the mystic gestures of my hands, adoring you. May all my movements become your devotional circumambulations. May everything I eat or drink be oblations to you. Let my lying down in rest and sleep be prostrations to you. Mother! Whatever I do, may all that become a sacramental service and worship for you. Adi Sankara, Hymn to the Divine Mother Adi Sankara of the eighth century CE here worships God as the Divine Mother, exemplIfying the experience of Hindus who relate to God, the supreme Person, equally in male and female orientations, both as Father and as Mother. This has profound implications for the vision of equality towards and between the sexes.

So, all of you please do not become fanatical in your personal God. Hinduism is a beautiful religion and please do not break it into smithereens. Although they had such divisions centuries ago but divine gurus were born to make us understand that whatever form you think of is of the Supreme Being and to say that Vishnu is superior or Shiva is the greatest is all rubbish. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are all one with different fuctions to play and we are not in par with God to understand God's work. So, I beg of you please do not start separate thread on your personal God.

That is why there are still divine gurus are being born in Hndusm till today. They are here to make the necessary changes. Hinduism is such we understand and realize the changes. Not like other religions where they believe that the laws of their prophets are eternal till doomsdsay but than they contradict themself when cornered. Not Hinduism, it is so flexcible and accomadates according to time and changes but the basic will not change. There are some fanatical goones who like other relgious fools say that the laws of manu is eternal. In rig veda it says the bramis ate beef and other animals but as time went on the became vegitarians and so are other Hindus. This shows such laws are changable to time. So, Hinduism is the only religion that can adapt to time and situation without touching on the basic principle.

The Soul: " It is never born, nor does it die: after coming to be, it does not cease to be; it is without birth, eternal, imperishable and timeless; it is not destroyed with the destruction of the body." - Lord Krishna from the Bhagavad Gita. God: "He is the One, the One alone. In Him all deities become one." - declares the Artha Veda. Incarnation: "Whenever there is decline of righteousness and predominance of unrighteousness, I embody Myself. For the protection of the good and for the destruction of evil-doers and for the re-establishment of dharma (righteousness) I am born from age to age." - Lord Krishna from the Bhagvad-Gita. Liberation: O Lord, liberate our souls From the shadows of birth and death, Not from our aspirations of existence i.e. immortality. — Yajurveda, 3.60 One reality: " Tat twam asi" meaning "That thou art." - from the Upanishads. Sin: "Even if thou art the worst of sinners, thou shalt cross the ocean of sin by the bark of wisdom." - Lord Krishna from Bhagvad Gita. Creation: "None knoweth whence creation has arisen, and whether He has or has not produced it. He who surveys it in the highest heavens, he only knows, or perhaps he knows not." - from the Hymn of Creation, Rig Veda. Humanity "To you, I declare this holy mystery, there is nothing nobler than humanity" Guhyam brahma tad idam vo bravini Na manusat sresthataram hi kincit. - Mahabharat XII, 300-20) Life: "Life is a bridge, enjoy while crossing but don't build a castle on it." - Upanishads. "Do good deeds with a sense of urgency, Before death's approaching rattle strangles the tongue. What wondrous greatness this world possesses that yesterday a man was, and today he is not." — From the Tirukural, 335-36 Happiness: "In the finite there is no happiness. The Infinite alone is happiness." - Upanishads "That Light which is residing in the Sun and which illumines the whole world, and that which is in the moon and in the fire - know that Light to be Mine. - Lord Krishna in Gita 12 River Ganges: " The Ganges fell from Heaven and her fall was softened by the long locks of Lord Shiva." Seeking God: Who sees me in all things, and all things in me, he is never far from me, and I am never far from him." Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita DA-DA-DA: datta, dayadhvam, damyata Be Self Controlled! Give! Be Compassionate! - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Chapter 5) Faith and Belief A man of faith, absorbed in faith, his senses controlled, attains knowledge, and, knowledge attained, quickly finds supreme peace. But the ignorant man, who is without faith, goes doubting to destruction. For the doubting self there is neither this world, nor the next, nor joy. - Bhagavad Gita 4.39-40 "If men thought of God as much as they think of the world, who would not attain liberation (moksha)." - Maitri Upanishad 6.24 Yugas: One who lies down is Kali One who awakes is Dvãpara One who stands up becomes Tretã And one who moves on realises the Satya Yuga. Therefore move on! - Aitareya Brãhmana divine: By divine, we mean the following -- Absolute (Eternal) Existence Absolute Knowledge Absolute Bliss Absolute Freedom Message from the Gita: Whenever there is a decline in Dharma, And a rise in Adharma, I incarnate Myself, For the protection of the good, For the destruction of the wicked. For the establishment of Dharma, I come into Being from age to age. - Bhagavad Gita IV, 8 Karma: It is karma that brings joy or sorrow Willing or unwilling, we live by our karma. Observe the potter shaping his pots: Some break on the wheel, Some crack after removal from the wheel, Some spoil when wet, some when dry, Some burst while being fired Some after removal from the kiln, Some shatter in use... So some of us die in the womb Some immediately after birth, Some a fortnight later, some a month, Some in youth, some in middle age, some in old. Their karma determines it all. This is the way of the world is - So what is the point of grieving? Swimmers dive, then emerge from the water; So creatures sink into and emerge from the stream of life. -The Mahabharata of Vyasa (The Eleventh book: The Women) Gayatri Mantra: OM BHOOR BHUVAHA SWAHA TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAAT "O God, Thou art the giver of life, the remover of pain and sorrow, the bestower of happiness; O Creator of the Universe, may we receive thy supreme, sin-destroying light; may Thou guide our intellect in the right direction." Gayatri Mantra is an adoration of the effulgence of the Sun Creation: "Creation is only the projection into form of that which already exists... The atoms of the universe may be counted, but not so my manifestations; for eternally I create innumerable worlds." Srimad Bhagavatam, III.2, XI.10 " There is no existence for the unreal and the real can never be non-existent. The Seers of Truth know the nature and final ends of both. Know That to be indestructible by which all this is pervaded. No one is ever able to destroy that Immutable. These bodies are perishable; but the dwellers in these bodies are eternal, indestructible and impenetrable. Therefore fight, O descendant of Bharata. He who considers this Self as a slayer or he who thinks that this Self is slain, neither of these knows the Truth. For It does not slay, nor is It slain. This Self is not born, nor does It die, nor after once having seen, does It go into non-being. This Self is unborn, eternal, changeless, ancient. It is never destroyed even when the body is destroyed. - From the Bhagavad Gita II.16-20 As milk is spontaneously changed into curd and water into ice, so Brahma modifies Itself in diverse ways, without the aid of instruments or external means of any kind whatever. Thus the spider spins its web out of its own substance, subtle beings take diverse forms, and the lotus grows from marsh to marsh without organs of locomotion. - From the Brahma Sutra II.1 The yon is fullness, this. From fullness, fullness doth proceed. Withdrawing fullness's fullness off, E'en fullness then itself remains. - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

The system does allow individuals to excel in what they can do well, reach new heights beyond imagination keeping in mind that they could shift in either direction and take on tasks and responsibilities that are the domain of another group if they have the interest and talents to do so. That is their birth right and no force on earth can prevent them. In fact thee system should be thrown out if it does not meet these conditions. It must stand the test of truth and practicality at once. Hindu society examined the basic question long ago and we can revisit the same again. what is a Brahmin? What does it really take to be a Brahmin? In fact that question was put to Yudhishtira by the Yaksha (See my book: Yaksha Prashna, A Hindu Primer, IND-US, 1984). Listen to the Yaksha and Yudhishtira. rajan kulena vrttena svadhyayena shrutena va brahmanyam kenabhavati prabruhyetatsu nishcitam King, how does one become a Brahmin: by birth? character? study of the Vedas? education? Tell me precisely. shrnu yaksha kulam tata nasvadhyayo nacashrutam karanam hi dvijatve ca vrttameva na samshayha Listen, Yaksha, it is neither birth nor education, nor even the study of the Vedas. Without doubt, it is character alone that marks a Brahmin. Yudhishthira's answer is crisp, clear and unambiguous when he replies, 'Na samshayaha ... there is no doubt about it: it is not birth, it is not education, it is not the study of the Vedas but it is vritta (character) alone that determines a Brahmin." What is Yudhishthira's definition of character? He has already answered the same question in a previous passage in the Mahabharata, the dialogue with King Nahusha: "He is known as a Brahmin ... in whom truthfulness, liberality, patience, deportment, mildness, self control, and compassion are found. And he may gain knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, beyond happiness and unhappiness ... on reaching which they grieve no more." The long list of attributes may be looked upon as components of character. This inquiry and answer ought to be adequate to clear the great disagreement in regard to caste. Swami Vivekananda in his lecture on "The Mission of the Vedanta" declares that "Our ideal is the Brahmin of the spiritual culture and renunciation ... I mean the Brahmin idealness in which worldliness is altogether absent and true wisdom is abundantly present. That is the ideal of the Hindu race." (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, Vol. 3, p.197). That is the reason why in ancient India, the greatest princes sought to trace their descent to some ancient sage who dressed in a bit of loin-cloth, lived in a forest, eating roots and studying the Vedas. It is there that the Indian princes went to trace their ancestry. Their satisfaction was immense if they could discover that their ancestor was "devoid of worldliness and possessed true wisdom." So if one desires to be a Brahmin, by all means become one. But it is in one's interest to see if one can satisfy the stringent requirements ("Brahmin idealness in which worldliness is altogether absent and true wisdom is abundantly present" and "in whom truthfulness, liberality, patience, deportment, mildness, self control, and compassion are found") and that has nothing to do with who one is born to and what one's occupation is today. The authority of the epic Mahabharata is there to support this thesis. It makes sense as a philosophy as well as a workable tool. _______________ Dr. Srinivasan is the Founder, Connecticut Valley Hindu Temple Society. He lives in Glastonbury, CT and serves as vice chairman on its Town Council.

Brahmin's daily religious life according to the sastras. It is indeed a harsh routine. A Brahmin must get up five nadikas, or two hours, before sunrise. "Panca -panca-usatkale", so it is said. "Panca-panca" means five*five - "panca-panca usatkale"denotes during the 25th nadika". From sunset to sunrise is 30 nadikas. So a Brahmin must rise during the 25th nadika- from this time to sunrise is "Brahma muhurta". After getting up, he cleans his teeth, bathes in cold water and performs sandhyavandana and japa. Next he goes through aupasana and agnihotra. These rites come under "devayajna", sacrifices to the gods. Next is " Brahmayajna", the daily study and chanting of the Vedas. As part of this rite there are some tarpanas or libations to be offered. (For people following certain sutras these come later). If daytime is divided into eight parts one part would have been over by now. In the second part of the daytime, the Brahmin must teach his disciples the Vedas-this is adhyapana. Afterwards, he must gather flowers himself for the puja he is to perform. Since he is not expected to earn a salary- and if he does not own any land received as gift - he must beg for his food and also for the materials for the conduct of various sacrifices. The Brahmin has the right to beg, but it is a restrictive right because it means that he can take only the minimum needed for the upkeep and what is required for the performance of the rituals. A considerable part of what he receives as gifts is to be paid as daksina to the priests officiating at the sacrifices he performs. Of the six "occupations" of the Brahmin one is " pratigraha" or accepting gifts. Another is "dana", making donations to others. It is asked why Brahmins alone have the right to receive gifts. The answer is that they are also enjoined to make gifts to others. Indeed, the Brahmin accepts gifts for the purpose of the charity he himself has to render. This apart, he has also to make gifts during the rites to be mentioned next, "atithya" and "bhutayajna". After the second part of the day and a portion of the third have been spent thus, the Brahmin must bathe again and perform madhyahnika. Next he does pitr-tarpana, that is he offers libations to the fathers; and this rite is followed by homa and puja. In the latter rite he must dedicate to the deities all those objects that he perceives with his five senses(the five jnanendriyas). It must now be midday and the fourth part of the daytime will have been over and the Brahmin must have completed the rites meant for the deites, the Vedas and the fathers. Of the five great sacrifices or panca-mahayajnas, two remain- manusyayajna or honouring and feeding the guests and "bhutayajna"which includes bali to the creatures of the earth and feeding the poor (vaisvadeva). Rice is offered in the sacrificial fire and also as bali( that is without being placed in the fire). In bali, food is placed in different parts of the house to the chanting of mantras- food meant for outcastes, beggars, dogs, birds, etc. In the manusya-yajna, guests are entertained and it is also known as atithya. The Brahmin has his mealtime only after going through these rites. Until then he must not take anything exept perhaps some milk or buttermilk, but never coffee or any snacks. If he has any other sacrifices to conduct, paka, havir or soma, his mealtime will be further delayed. If he has a sraddha to perform also he will have to eat later than usual. A sraddha ceremony must be commenced only in the "aparahna": I will tell you what it means. Daytime, we have seen, is divided into eight parts. But it can also be divided into five, each of six nadikas. If the sun rises at 6, 6 to 8. 24 is morning or "pratah-kala"; 8. 24 to 10. 48 is "sangava-kala"; and 10. 48 to 1. 12 is "madhyahnika". From 1. 12 to 3. 36 it is "aparahna"; and from 3. 36 to 6 (or sunset) is "sayam-kala". (The time close to sunset is "pradosa". "Dosa" means night, the prefix "pra" meaning "pre" or "before". The English "pre' is derived from "pra". Pradosa thus is the time before night). I said that the time for sraddha is aparahna. Rites meant for the gods may be performed only after the completion of the sraddha. After his meal, the Brahmin must read the Puranas. Next he has the duty of teaching members of other castes their hereditary vocations, arts and crafts. He does not have a moment for rest or relaxation. For soon it will be time for his evening bath, sandhyavandana, sacrifices and japa. Vaisvadeva has to be performed at night also before the Brahmin has his meal and retires to bed. On most nights he takes only light food consisting of fruits, milk, etc. On Ekadasi he has to fast the whole day. There is not a moment without work. It is clear that, if the Brahmin created the sastras, it is not because he wanted to live a life of ease and comfort. On the contrary, the sastras impose on him a life of hardship and austerity, a life of utter physical and mental discipline. Even today Brahmins who work in offices or other establishments must try to live according to the sastras. They must get up at 4 a. m. (Brahma muhurta), perform aupasana, agnihotra, Brahmayajna, etc, in the traditional manner. They may perform puja and madhyahnika during the sangava time (8. 24 a. m. to 10. 48 a. m. ). "Madhyahnika" as the name suggests is a midday rite but, making allowances for present-day life, it may be performed during the sangava kala. In the evening too the rites may be gone through in the sastric manner. as they say, if there is a will there is a way. On holidays it must be possible for a Brahmin to perform all the rites expected of him. Even those who are on the morning shift and have to rush to their places of work must perform the rites as best they can. In the evening the Gayatri-japa be extended to compensate for non-performance in the morning. If it is morning shift for a week, will it not be mid-shift or night shift in tne subsequent weeks? There could be adjustments made to suit these timings. Brahmins must feel repentant if they fail to perform the rites they are duty-bound to perform. They must devote the years of their retirement to the pursuit of their dharma instead of feeling sorry for not going out to work. There are rare cases ---perhaps one in a lakh---of people who have learned the Vedas during their retirement and lived the rest of their life according to the tenets of the sastras. The rites of our religion go back to a time when no other faith was prevalant. We must make every effort to ensure that they do not cease to be performed. They are not meant for our sake alone [as individuals] but for the welfare of all mankind.

Christianity's Similarities with Hinduism You may find it surprising that much of Christianity originated from India. Indeed, over the centuries, numerous historians and sages have pointed out that not only has Hinduism had a predominant influence on Christianity, but that many of the Christian rites could be directly borrowed from Hindu (Vedic) India. French historian Alain Danielou had noticed as early as 1950 that "a great number of events which surround the birth of Christ-as it is related in the Gospels-strangely reminded us of Buddha's and Krishna's legends." Danielou quotes as examples the structure of the Christian Church, which resembles that of the Buddhist Chaitya; the rigorous asceticism of certain early Christian sects, which reminds one of the asceticism of Jain and Buddhist saints; the veneration of relics, the usage of holy water, which is an Indian practice, and the word "Amen," which comes from the Hindu (Sanskrit) "OM." Another historian, Belgium's Konraad Elst, also remarks "that many early Christian saints, such as Hippolytus of Rome, possessed an intimate knowledge of Brahmanism." Elst even quotes the famous Saint Augustine who wrote: "We never cease to look towards India, where many things are proposed to our admiration." Unfortunately, remarks American Indianist David Frawley, "from the second century onwards, Christian leaders decided to break away from the Hindu influence and show that Christianity only started with the birth of Christ." Hence, many later saints began branding Brahmins as "heretics," and Saint Gregory set a future trend by publicly destroying the "pagan" idols of the Hindus. Great Indian sages, such as Sri Aurobindu and Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living, have often remarked that the stories recounting how Jesus came to India to be initiated are probably true. Sri Ravi Shankar notes, for instance, that Jesus sometimes wore an orange robe, the Hindu symbol of renunciation of the world, which was not a usual practice in Judaism. "In the same way," he continues, "the worshiping of Virgin Mary in Catholicism is probably borrowed from the Hindu cult of Devi." Bells too, which cannot be found today in Synagogues, the surviving form of Judaism, are used in church-and we all know their importance in Buddhism and Hinduism for thousands of years, even up to the present day. There are many other similarities between Hinduism and Christianity, including the use of incense, sacred bread (prasadam), the different altars around churches (which recall the manifold deities in their niches inside Hindu temples), reciting prayers on the rosary (Vedic japamala), the Christian Trinity (the ancient Vedic trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as the creator, maintainer and destroyer respectively, as well as Lord Krishna as the Supreme Lord, the all-pervading Brahman as the holy ghost, and Paramatma as the expansion or son of the Lord), Christian processions, and the use of the sign of the cross (anganyasa), and so many others. In fact, Hinduism's pervading influence seems to go much earlier than Christianity. American mathematician, A. Seindenberg, has, for example, shown that the Shulbasutras, the ancient Vedic science of mathematics, constitute the source of mathematics in the antique world of Babylon to Greece: "The arithmetic equations of the Shulbasutras were used in the observation of the triangle by the Babylonians as well as in the edification of Egyptian pyramids, in particular the funeral altar in the form of pyramid known in the Vedic world as smasana-cit." In astronomy too, the "Indus" (from the valley of the Indus) have left a universal legacy, determining for instance the dates of solstices, as noted by 18th century French astronomer Jean Sylvain Bailly: "The movement of stars which was calculated by Hindus 4,500 years ago, does not differ even by a minute from the tables which we are using today." And he concludes: "The Hindu systems of astronomy are much more ancient than those of the Egyptians-even the Jews derive from the Hindus their knowledge." There is also no doubt that the Greeks heavily borrowed from the "Indus." Danielou notes that the Greek cult of Dionysus, which later became Bacchus with the Romans, is a branch of Shaivism: "Greeks spoke of India as the sacred territory of Dionysus, and even historians of Alexander the Great identified the Indian Shiva with Dionysus and mention the dates and legends of the Puranas." French philosopher and Le Monde journalist Jean-Paul Droit recently wrote in his book, The Forgetfulness of India, that "the Greeks loved so much Indian philosophy that Demetrios Galianos had even translated the Bhagavad-gita." Many Western and Christian historians have tried to nullify this India influence on Christians and ancient Greece by saying that it is the West through the Aryan invasion, and later the onslaught of Alexander the Great of India, which influenced Indian astronomy, mathematics, architecture, philosophy-and not vice versa. But new archeological and linguistic discoveries have proved that there never was an Aryan invasion and that there is a continuity from the ancient Vedic civilization to the Saraswati culture. The Vedas, for instance, which constitute the soul of present day Hinduism, have not been composed in 1500 B.C., as Max Muller arbitrarily decided, but may go back to 7000 years before Christ, giving Hinduism plenty of time to influence Christianity and older civilizations which preceded Christianity. Thus, we should be aware of and point out the close links which exist between Christianity and Hinduism (ancient Vedic culture), which bind them into a sacred brotherhood. Conscientious Christian and Western scholars can realize how the world humanity's basic culture is Vedic through proper research. [This article was carried on the editorial page of the Indian Express newspaper on October 25, 1999.] Much more information on the similarities of Christianity and other religions and countries of the world with Hinduism (ancient Vedic culture) is provided in "Proof of Vedic Culture's Global Existence," by Stephen Knapp. Details of which you can find on this website. (This article is from: http://www.stephen-knapp.com)

Dear Maadhav, I feel sorry for those who have been mislead by their mullas. The Muslim children all over the world are being brainshed under fanatical Muslim Mullas or Ustaz. They do not teach them the Holy Quran but what is said in the Hadith the so called interpretations of the Quran which in facts is an utter rubbish. The hadith they say are words and actions of the prophet and wll muslims must follow. The truth is that Mulsim followers do not know the real truth behind the Hadith. The hadith was created by the Caliphs after the death of the prophet and words added by them in order to have full control and power over the illetrate followers of their religion. The Arabs caliphs wanted superiority over non Arabs but the ignorant followers did not know the motive behind this. But of late there are some new Muslim anti Hadith organisation who are against the followers of the Hadith and I hope the future will see more of such org. so that the world can be a paadise again.

Which section of the Veas do you want to quote? My dear freind simply by quotin the section on Vishu alone cannot convience me or the others. If you believe Vishnu or Krishna or Rama, or Narashima and any other avathars of Maha Vishnu it does not matter because that is your belief and strong faith in him but do not say to others that because he others too have faith on other forms besides Vishnu's avathar. You are doing what the Muslims call dakwa. Do not try the same method on Hindus who have faith in all forms of God. If you need to do dakwa do it to the Muslims or Christians because they need more conviencing than we Hindus.

Dear Guest, They do not seem to understand the real issue here. They are the cause for the break in Hinduism. In my country there is no such things as sect. All Hindus attend all festivals in all temples. If it is Krishna Janyanti you will see Shiva baktas, Sakthi Bakatas, Murugan Bakatas and Ganapathy baktas and vice versa. But here I see Vaisnavas claiming that Vishnu is the ultimate truth and threst are demigods. This not what Hindus need. The Vaisnavas are going into the path of the Muslim and Christian fanatics. They seem to be offended by my postings but if you see my postings I have not in anyway offended any one but merely posting writings great scholars and gurus of all dieties. In what way have I offended them?

Divine Wealth - Daivi Sampat From the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, I.3.1. "Verily there are two classes of the Creator's creatures - gods and demons." From The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16, Verse 6: "There are two types of beings in this world, the divine and the demoniacal" Explanations drawn from the writings of Swami Shivananda, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh The Divine Wealth consists of 26 attributes These are described inThe Bhagavad Gita, Chapter16, Verses1, 2 and 3 Gita, Ch. 16, Verse 1: The Blessed Lord said : Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in Knowledge and Yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness Gita, Ch. 16, Verse 2 : Harmlessness (Ahimsa), truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion towards beings, freedom from covetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness Gita, Ch. 16, Verse 3 : Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of overweening pride - these belong to the one who is born with Divine treasures. Commentary by Swami Shivananda, Rishikesh: The 16th chapter of The Bhagavad Gita is called 'The division between the Divine and the demoniacal'. Daivi prakrti (Divine treasure or Daivi sampat) or the nature of the gods leads to moksha (liberation) or release from the rounds of birth and death The nature of the demoniacals leads to bondage. The Divine nature must be accepted and cultivated. The demoniacal nature should be abandoned. All these qualities are found in human beings. There are Sattwic people who possess the Divine attributes. There are among human beings those that are endowed with demoniacal qualities, who are filled with excessive Tamas. In an ordinary man there is a mixture of the three gunas (Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas). Tamas and Rajas pull a man downwards; Sattwa lifts a man upwards. Tamas and Rajas lead to bondage; Sattwa helps to attain salvation.Discipline yourself and develop Sattwa. When the mind is Sattwic, there is calmness in it. Divine light can descend only when the mind is serene and cheerful. The Sattwic man controls the senses, does selfless service, and practises japa, pranayama, concentration, meditation, self-analysis, and enquiry of "Who am I?" He has no attraction for sensual objects. He has a burning desire to attain moksha (salvation). He is humble, generous, merciful, forbearing, tolerant and pious. He destroys his little personality. The rajasic man is proud, intolerant, egoistic, self-sufficient, lustful, hot-tempered, greedy and jealous. he works for his own glory and fame and self-aggrandisement. He develops his own little personality. There is an intimate connection between the gunas and karmas (actions performed by men).The nature of the karmas depends upon the nature of the gunas. A Sattwic man will do virtuous actions. A Rajasic and Tamasic man will perform non-virtuous actions. It is the guna that goads a man to do actions. The Self or Brahman is actionless. He is the silent witness. Daivi sampat enables the aspirant to attain the highest state of superconsciousness (Nirvikalpa Samadhi), wherein the seer and the seen are united in one; the meditator and the meditated become identical.

I'm not form India but I can see what politics is doing to religin in India. People are divided by caste which has been misinterpreted by politicians for their political gain. The British motto was divide and rule in India but after indepandance the Indian politician are using the same method to gain power. So, tell me if religion is not politicize.

There is much to it but did not see teh point in elobration. A yogi is the seeker of truth but when he asked about compassion and feelings I said no coz if he does than he cannot acheive what he seek and I explained the reason in simple terms. Of course a Yogi must have love in his heart which means when he sees another human being he will also see God in that human amd feelings surely he will have feelings for the sick and meek but can only give spritual blessing and beyond that he knows it is their karma to go through life as such. A Swami is different from a Yogi. He has been destined to help the sick and whatever way he can. But remember this not all yogis or swamies are true to their nature. Many are bogus and misdirect the devotess for their selfisf gain.

You do not know me well, yet you jump to conclusion. It is so in you faith is God. You do not have the slightest iota of what belief is all about but claim only Maha Vishnu is superior. I only belief that God is one by has many names and many menifestation. "SANTAKARAM BUJAKASHAINAM PATHANABAM SURESHAM VISHVTHARAM GAGANASATRUSHAM MEHAVARNAM SUBANGAM LEKCHUMI KANTHAM KAMALANYAANAM YOGIHIRTHIANAKAMYAM VANTHEVISNUM BAVABAYA HARAM SARVA LOKAIKA KANTHAM"

Variety is the beauty of Hinduism and no one is compeled to follow a particular form of worship. Hinduism is such that it makes it a personal attachment to your ishta deva be it Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, Rudhra, Sakthi, Durga, Amman, Ganapathy or Murugan. They are all the forms of one Supreme Power we call God. So, why create segregation among devotees. I have seen during Thaipusam for Lord Murugan followers of HK, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Ramalingam, Sri Ragavebdra and many other denomination are there to spread their faith in their Guru and they are not forbidden by Muraga devotees or the organising commitee. Hinduism is such we accomodate every sect that believe in the Supreme Being as all forms are HIS and HIS alone. We only despice those who say only through their God one can attain moksha or Paradise. This one track mind and only leads to fanatism.

Compassion and feelings comes only to those who live in maya. Whereas a Yogi has passed that stage and one with the supreme. Those who live in compassin and feelings live through the karmic stage while a Yogi has passed that stage. This is the law of karma. Every action there is a reaction. You hurt some one because of compassion and feelings and that will create a bad karma. You love your family and because of that you may do certain thing against the order in order to satisfy your loved ones and that will create a bad karma and it will go on and on and so will you rebirth into this world. But a Yogi is above all this and he cannot have any compassion or feelings. All his thoughts and actions are forcused towards the Supreme Being and he will be united with God after this life while we will only come to that stage when we finally realize this truth after a couple of rebirths.

Notes: The previous Rik (1.8) described Rudra as the deity in the sun. Here He is being identified with indra and parjanya. The idea is that the same deity assumes different forms. Those who are wise do not see different deities or a hierarchy of deities wherein some deities are superior to others. Acknowledging such a hierarchy is tantamount to accepting divisions in the indivisible (akhaNDa) Brahman. This is a trick of mAyA, as the mAyApanchaka of Shankara states: vidhihariharavibhedamapyakhaNDe bata virachayya budhAnapi prakAmam.h | bhramayati hariharabhedabhAvA- naghaTitaghaTanApaTIyasI mAyA || Alas! Even in the indivisible Brahman, it (mAyA) creates differences called BrahmA, ViShNu, and Shiva and deludes or tricks exceedingly even the intelligent into feeling differences of Hari and Hara. mAyA is an expert in making incompatible things compatible! So the proper position is to view all deities as equivalent and thus avoid the pitfall created by mAyA. There cannot be a multiplicity of Ishvara's. Ishvara is unique: This is clearly expressed in the shvetAshvatara upaniShad eko hi rudro na dvitIyAya tasthu- rya imAn lokAnIshata IshanIbhiH | Rudra (Ishvara) is indeed one (unique), who rules these worlds by His divine powers. (Knowing this) they (the knowers of Brahman) did not wait for a second (deity). || AUM namo bhagavate rudrAya ||

Krishna Krishna Govinda Krishna Gopala Bala Krishna Nanda Nandana Bhaktha Chandana Bala Lola Krishna Sundara Vadhana Saroja Nayana Radha Priya Krishna Yadhava Krishna Yashodha Krishna Sathya Sai Krishna

Highest Object of Knowledge From The Mahabharata Aswamedha Parva, Section XXXV Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli Arjuna said: It behoveth thee to expound Brahman to me, - that which is the highest object of knowledge. Through thy favour, my mind is delighted with these subtle disquisitions. Vasudeva (Krishna) said: In this connection is recited the old story of the discourse between the preceptor and his disciple on the subject of Brahman. Once on a time, O scorcher of foes, an intelligent disciple questioned a certain Brahmana (Brahmin) of rigid vows who was his preceptor, as he was seated (at his ease), saying: What indeed, is the highest good? Desirous of attaining to that which constitutes the highest good, I throw myself at thy feet, O holy one. O learned Brahmana, I solicit thee, bending my head, to explain to me what I ask. Unto that disciple, O son of Pritha (Arjuna), who said so, the preceptor said: O regenerate one, I shall explain to thee everything about which you may have any doubts. Thus addressed, O foremost one of Kuru’s race, by his preceptor, that disciple who was exceedingly devoted to his preceptor, spoke as follows, with joined hands. Do thou hear what he said, O thou of great intelligence. The disciple said: Whence am I? Whence art thou? Explain that which is the highest truth. From what source have sprung all creatures mobile and immobile? By what do creatures live? What is the limit of their life? What is truth? What is penance, O learned Brahmana? What are called attributes by the good? What paths are to be called auspicious? What is happiness? What is sin? O holy one, O thou of excellent vows, it behoves thee to answer these questions of mine, O learned Rishi, correctly, truly, and accurately. Who else is there in this world than thee that is capable of answering these questions? Do thou answer them, O foremost of all persons conversant with duties. My curiosity is great. Thou art celebrated in all the worlds as one well skilled in the duties relating to Emancipation. There is none else than thou that is competent to remove all kinds of doubts. Afraid of worldly life, we have become desirous of achieving Emancipation. Vasudeva said: Unto that disciple who had humbly sought his instruction and put the questions duly, who was devoted to his preceptor and possessed of tranquillity, and who always behaved in a manner that was agreeable (to his instructor), who lived so constantly by the side of his instructor as to have almost become his shadow, who was self-restrained, and who had the life of a Yati and Brahmachari, O son of Pritha, that preceptor possessed of intelligence and observant of vows, explained all the questions, O foremost one of Kuru’s race, O chastiser of all foes. The preceptor said: All this was declared (in days of old) by Brahma himself (the Grandsire of all the worlds). Applauded and practised by the foremost of Rishis, and depending on a knowledge of the Vedas, it involves a consideration of what constitutes the real entity. We regard knowledge to be the highest object, and renunciation as the best penance. He who, with certainty, knows the true object of knowledge which is incapable of being modified by circumstances, viz., the soul abiding in all creatures, succeed in going wherever he wishes and comes to be regarded as the highest. That learned man who beholds the residence of all things in one place and their reverence as well, and who sees unity in diversity, succeeds in freeing himself from misery. He, who does not covet anything and does not cherish the idea of mineness with regard to anything, comes to be regarded, although residing in this world, as identifiable with Brahman. He who is conversant with the truth about the qualities of Pradhana (or Nature), acquainted with the creation of all existent objects, divested of the idea of mineness, and without pride, succeeds, without doubt, in emancipating himself. Understanding properly that great tree which has the unmanifest for its seed sprout, and the understanding for its trunk, and high consciousness of self for its branches, and the senses for the cells whence its twigs issue, and the five great elements for its flower-buds, and the gross elements for its smaller boughs, which is always endued with leaves, which always puts forth flowers, and upon which all existent objects depend, whose seed is Brahman, and which is eternal, - and cutting all topics with the sharp sword of knowledge, one attains to immortality and casts off birth and death. The conclusions with regard to the past, present, and future, etc., and religion, pleasure and wealth, which are all well known to conclaves of Siddhas, which appertain to remote cycles, and which are, indeed, eternal, I shall declare to thee, O thou of great wisdom. These constitute what is called Good. Men of wisdom, understanding them in this world, attain to success. In days of old, the Rishis Vrihaspati and Bharadwaja, and Gautama and Bhargava, and Vasishtha, and Kasyapa, and Viswamitra and Atri, assembled together for the purpose of asking one another. They thus assembled together after having travelled over all paths and after they had got tired with the acts each of them had done. Those regenerate persons, placing the sage son of Angiras at their head, proceeded to the region of the Grandsire. There they beheld Brahma perfectly cleansed of all sins. Bowing their heads unto that high-souled one who was seated at his ease, the great Rishis, endued with humility, asked him this grave question regarding the highest good. How should a good man act? How would one be released from sin? What paths are auspicious for us? What is truth, and what is sin? By what action are the two paths, northern and southern, obtained? What is destruction? What is Emancipation? What is birth and what is death of all existent objects? I shall tell thee, O disciple, what the Grandsire, thus addressed, said unto them, confirmably to the scriptures. Do thou listen. Brahma said: It is from Truth that all creatures, mobile and immobile, have been born. They live by penance (of action). Understand this, O ye of excellent vows. In consequence of their own actions they live, transcending their own origin. [Note: Their origin is Brahman or Truth. They live, dissociated from their origin in consequence of their acts. When their acts cease, they return to and become merged in Brahman.] For Truth, when united with qualities, becomes always possessed of five indications. Brahman is Truth. Penance is Truth. Prajapati is Truth. It is from Truth that all creatures have sprung. Truth is the universe of being. It is for this that Brahmanas (Brahmins) who are always devoted to Yoga, who have transcended wrath and sorrow, and who always regard Religion as the causeway(along which every one must pass for avoiding the morass below), take refuge in Truth. I shall now speak of those Brahmanas who are restrained by one another and possessed of knowledge, of the orders, and of those who belong to the four modes of life. The wise say that Religion or duty is one, (though) having four quarters. Ye regenerate ones, I shall speak to ye now of that path which is auspicious and productive of good. That path has constantly been trod over by men possessed of wisdom in order to achieve an identity with Brahman. I shall speak now of that path which is the highest and which is exceedingly difficult of being understood. Do you understand, in all its details, ye highly blessed ones, what is the highest seat. The first step has been said to be the mode of life that appertains to Brahmacharis (celibate students). The second step is domesticity. After this is the residence in the woods. After that it should be known, is the highest step, viz., that relating to Adhyatma. [Note: Adhyatma: That course of life, which has for its object the acquisition of knowledge relating to the soul. This, of course, includes the knowledge that is needed for achieving identification with the Supreme Soul or Brahman.] Light, space, sun, wind, Indra, and Prajapati, - one sees these as long as one does not attain to Adhyatma. I shall declare the means (by which that Adhyatma may be attained). Do ye first understand them. The forest mode of life that is followed by ascetics residing in the woods and subsisting upon fruits and roots and air is laid down for the three regenerate classes. The domestic mode of life is ordained for all the orders. They that are possessed of wisdom say that Religion or duty has Faith for its (chief) indication. Thus have I declared to you the paths leading to the deities. They are adopted by those that are good and wise by their acts. Those paths are the causeways of piety. That person of rigid vows, who adopts any one of these modes separately, always succeeds in time to understand the production and destruction of all creatures. I shall now declare accurately and with reasons, the elements that reside in parts in all objects. The great soul, the unmanifest, egoism (consciousness of identity), the ten and one organs (of knowledge and action), the five great elements, the specific characteristics of the five elements, - these constitute the eternal creation. The number of elements has been said to be four and twenty, and one (more). That person of wisdom who understands the production and destruction of all these elements, that man among all creatures, never meets with delusion. He who understands the elements accurately, all the qualities, all the deities, succeeds in cleansing himself of all sin. Freed from all bonds, such a man succeeds in enjoying all regions of spotless purity.

Followers of Krishna and Vishnu do not. Thy have become a fanatical group insititing that we must drink bottoled mineral water instead of spring water without knowing both comes from the same source. Silly fellows....

We Hinduism has been accepted as a religion of the followers of the Vedas and Puranas. Nothing can change that although we Hindus know verty well that ourrs is a Saiva Sithandtha Sanathana Dharma but to make a non Hindu say that four worded religion would be like asking them to learn Sanskrit before they can pronounce that. Be realistic, when the whole world has been since the arrival of the Parsis to Inia who decided that our way of life is a religion called Hinuism because of the river Sindhu and to make the story short it was branded as Hinduism for centuries. To change it now is like creating a new religin for the Hindus. So, do not be paranoid and accept it a try to be a good Hindu and show the Muslims and Christians what our religion really means. Do not try to break it into several parts as it is India has been broken into several parts because the so called Vaisnaviats surrended to the Muslims and today the north had been broken away because of Mulims majority. Do you still want to break it further"?

The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers From time to time, a great law-giver would take his birth. He would codify the existing laws and remove those which had become obsolete. He would make some alterations, adaptations, readjustments, additions and subtractions, to suit the needs of the time and see that the way of living of the people would be in accordance with the teachings of the Veda. Of such law-givers, Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara are the most celebrated persons. Hindu society is founded on, and governed by, the laws made by these three great sages. The Smritis are named after them. We have Manu Smriti or Manava Dharma-Sastra (the Laws of Manu or the Institutes of Manu), Yajnavalkya Smriti and Parasara Smriti. Manu is the greatest law-giver of the race. He is the oldest law-giver as well. The Yajnavalkya Smriti is next in importance to it. Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti are universally accepted at the present time as authoritative works all over India. Yajnavalkya Smriti is chiefly consulted in all matters of Hindu Law. Even the Government of India is applying some of these laws. There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important are those of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita, Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama, Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and Saunaka. The laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga; those of Yajnavalkya are for the Treta Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali Yuga. The laws and rules which are based entirely upon our social positions, time and clime, must change with the changes in society and changing conditions of time and clime. Then only the progress of the Hindu society can be ensured. The eight gunas or qualities are : daya, ksanti, anasuya, sauca, anayasa, mangala, akarpanya, asprha. " Daya " implies love for all creatures, such love being the very fulfilment of life. There is indeed no greater happiness than that derived by loving others. Daya is the backbone of all qualities. " Ksanti " is patience. One kind of ksanti is patiently suffering disease, poverty, misfortune and so on. The second is forgiveness and it implies loving a a person even if he causes us pain and trouble. " Anasuya " you know is the name of the sage Atri's wife. She was utterly free from jealousy : that is how she got the name which means non-jealousy. Heart-burning caused by another man's prosperity or status is jealousy. We ought to have love and compassion for all and ought to be patient and forgiving even towards those who do us wrong. We must not envy people their higher status even if they be less deserving of it than we are and, at the same time, must be mature enough to regard their better position as the reward they earned by doing good in their previous life. "Sauca" is derived from "suci", meaning cleanliness. Purity is to be maintained in all matters such as bathing, dress, food. There is a saying often quoted even by the unlettered: "Cleanliness makes you happy and it even appeases your hunger". To see a clean person is to feel ourselves clean. In Manu's listing of dharmas that are applicable to all, ahimsa or non-violence comes first, followed by satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-convetousness; non-stealing is the direct meaning), sauca (cleanliness) and indriya-nigraha (subduing the senses or even obliterating them). The fifth Atmaguna is "anayasa". It is the opposite of "ayasa" which denotes effort, exertion, etc. Anayasa means to have a feeling of lightness, to take things easy. One must not keep a long face, wear a scowl or keep lamenting one's hardships. If you lose your cool you will be a burden to yourself as well as to others. Anayasa is a great virtue. In many of our rituals there is much bodily exertion. When we perform a sraddha we have to remain without food until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. There is no end to the physical effort we have to put in to conduct a sacrifice. Here anayasa means not to feel any mental strain. Obstacles, inevitable to any work or enterprise, must not cause you any mental strain. You must not feel any duty to be a burden and must develop the attitude that everything happens according to the will of the Lord. What do we mean when we remark that the musician we listened to yesterday touched the "tara-sthayi" so effortlessly? Does it mean that he performed a difficult musical exercise with ease? Similarly, we must learn to make light of all the hardships that we encounter in life. What is "mangala", the sixth guna? Well, "mangala" is mangala. There is mangala or an auspicious air about happiness that is characterised by dignity and purity. One must be cheerful all the time and not keep growling at people on the slightest pretext. This itself is extremely helpful, to radiate happiness wherever we go and exude auspiciousness. It is better than making lavish gifts and throwing money about. To do a job with a feeling of lightness is anayasa. To be light ourselves, creating joy wherever we go, is mangala. We must be like a lamp spreading light and should never give cause for people to say, "Oh! he has come to find fault with everything". Wherever we go we must create a sense of happiness. We must live auspiciously and make sure that there is happiness brimming over everywhere. "Akarpanya" is the next guna. Miserliness is the quality of krpana or miser. "Akarpanya" is the opposite of miserliness. We must give generously and whole-heartedly. At Kuruksetra Arjuna felt dejected and refused to wage war with his own kin. In doing so, according to the Gita, he was the guilty of "karpanya dosa". It means, contextually, that he abased himself to a woeful state, he became "miserly" about himself. Akarpanya is the quality of a courageous and zestful person who can face problems determinedly. "Asprha" is the last of the eight qualities. "Sprha" means desire; a grasping nature. "Asprha" is the opposite, being without desire. Desire is at the root of all trouble, all evil and, all through the ages, it has been the cause if misfortunes. But to eradicate it from the mind of men seems an almost impossible task. By performing rites again and again and by constantly endeavouring to acquire the Atmic qualities one will evenyually become desireless. Says Valluvar: Parruga parrarran parrinai apparrai parruga parru vidarku Tirumular goes a step further. "It is not enough, " he says, "to be attached to Isvara who is without attachment and be free from other attachments. You must be able to sever yourself from the attachment to Isvara himself". Asai arumingal, asai arumingal Isanodayinum asai arumingal The Buddha calls desire thirst. Intense desire for an object is "trsna". ( The Buddha calls it "tanha" in Prakrt). His chief teaching is the conquest of desire. Desirelessness is the last of the eight qualities. The first one, daya, is the life-breath of Christianity. Each religion lays emphasis on a particular quality, though all qualities are included in the teachings of Buddha, Jesus Christ, the Prophet Mohammed, Guru Nanak, Zoroaster, Confucius and the founders of all other religions. Even if these qualities may not have been pointedly mentioned in their teachings, it is certain that none of them would regard people lacking them with approval.