sha

<font color="red">gaGgA taraGga ramaNIya jaTAkalApamgaurI nirantara vibhusSita vAmabhAgam, nArAyanapriyam anaGgamadApahAram, vArANasI purpatiM bhaja viSvanAthaM </font> Worship Sri Vishwanatha, the Lord of Varanasi, whose locks look charming with the ripples of the Ganga; who is ever adorned on His left by Gauri (the Divine Mother), <big>the Beloved of Narayana,</big> and the destroyer of Cupid’s pride. <font color="blue">vAacAm agocaram aneka guNasvarUpaM vAgIza viSNu surasevita pAdapIThaM, vAmena vigrahavareNa kalatravantam vArANasI purpatiM bhaja viSvanAthaM</font> Worship Lord Shiva, Vishwanatha, the Lord of Varanasi, Who is beyond speech, the repository of limitless attributes; <big>Whose feet are worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu</big> and other gods, and Who has His wife (Gauri) on His left. (Sri Vishvanathashtakam. verses 1, 2) <small><font color="cfcfcf"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-21-2002).]

Some beautiful doha from Sri Tulasidasji's 'Sri Rama-Carita-Manas'- <font color="red">mana krama vacana chaaDi caturaayee bhajata hi kripa karata raghu raayee</font> Leaving aside the egoism of learning, craftiness and word jugglery, if the seeker sincerely worship the Lord with his heart, mind, words, and actions, Lord Raghu Rama showers His Grace upon him and he is blessed with Divine Love. <font color="red">kali yuga kevala naam adhaaraa sumiri sumiri nara utarahi paaraa</font> In the age of Kali, the Names of Lord alone are of support to mankind for devotion. By <big>remembering and remembering</big> lovingly the Name of Lord alone, men can CROSS the ocean of material existence. <font color="red">kali yuga kevala hari guNa gaahaa gaavata nara paavata bhava thaaha</font> In the age of Kali, there is ONLY one way to get release from the worldly bondage, that is to SING wholeheartedly the Glories of Lord HARI. <font color="red">nahi kali dharma na bhagati viveku raamanaama avalambana yeku</font> In the age of Kali, there is NO use of Varnasrama dharma nor ritualistic vaidhi bhakti practice, nor the subtle knowledge of formless Brahman. The only support and sustenence is the Name of Lord Raama. <font color="red">kali yuga yoga na yajna na jaanaa yek aadhaara raama guNa gaanaa</font> In the age of Kali, Patanjali's 'Astaangayoga', or the Jnana of Advaita Philosophy, or the fire sacrifices done to heavenly gods, are of NO HELP! For God realisation, there is ONLY ONE help, i.e., SINGING lovingly the Glories, Virtues and Lilas of Lord Rama. So Saint Tulasidasji prays to his Ramacandra Kripalu, <font color="blue">ab prabhu kripa karahu yehi bhaamti saba taji bhajana karaum dina raati O Lord, now grace me in such a way, that I will leave ALL other useless sadhanas, other ritual practices, and engage myself day and night in lovingly SINGING Your Names, extolling Your Grace and Your virtues, REMEMBERING Your Divine lilas and CONTEMPLATING on Your Blissful Form. Jai Sant Tulasi das ki!

http://sanskrit.gde.to/

dhanAni bhUmau pazvazca goSThe bhAryA gRha dvAre svajana zmazAne dehazcitAyAm paraloka mArge karmAnu go gacchati jIv ek Our wealth will remain on earth; our cattle will remain in the stables, our spouse will come till the entrance door, our relatives and friends will come till the cremation ground, our body will accompany us till the funeral pyre, but on the way beyond this life only our Karmas (good as well as bad) will accompany us.

More resources for the devotees: http://trchari.tripod.com/sanskrit.html http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/2627/ Another site with massive tonnes of information on Vedas, Upanishads is available to read : http://www.san.beck.org/EC7-Vedas.html http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm <small><font color="white"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-20-2002).]

Here is an excerpt from a well informed message posted on another board: Please read more at the link - Caste and Varna: http://www.beliefnet.com/boards/message_list.asp?boardID=383&discussionID=19807 <small><font color="white"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-20-2002).]

First of all, what 'Radharani' has to do with any kind of journey to other planets? She never leaves Vrindavana even for a moment!

Fashions and mall shopping are left to the City girls of Mathura and the Queens of Dwaraka. Simple village girls, the Cowherdesses are not interested to attracting their Beloved in sophisticated ways!<small><font color="white"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-19-2002).]

quote: -- Shiva is only understood by someone who is free from all material conceptions -- And so is Lord Krishna, so is Radharani and Her Gopis, so are Lord Caitanya and His Associates.<small><font color="cfcfcf"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-18-2002).]

No, I did't mean my words to be harsh. There has been no reason for strong words against any one but simply exepecting a good reconciliation of the worship of Gopishvara and Gopivallabha for the benefit of all devotees. <small><font color="white"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-18-2002).]

Before resorting to the blasphemy or convenient interpretations suitable for the mission, Tripurari maharaj has to renounce his own name "Tripurari" meaning the socalled demigod Lord Shiva, another epithet of Lord Shiva depicting His pastime. How can one who is named after the Divine personality ridicule or look down upon the same!

The answers can be found in the Scripures if only the sincere devotees choose to understand and accept them. Lord Vishnu= Lord Shiva= Gopishvara Shambhu= Sri Advaitacarya

quote: -- Originally posted by raga: This is a pastime with Vishnu. -- Originally posted by sha: Here is another ancient verse describing the loving pastimes of These Two Divine Lovers- <font color="red">bANAtvaM vRSamatvam-ardha-vapuSA bhAryA tvam AryApate ghoNatvaM sakhitA mRdanga-vahatA c'etyAdi rUpaM dadhau, tvatpade nayanArpanAM ca kRtavAn tvad-deha-bhAgo hariH pUjyAt pUjyataraH sa eva hi na cet ko vA tadanyo 'dhikaH</font> (Sivananda Lahari. 82 - Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada) <font color="blue"><big>Lord Vishnu, Hari, Who took many forms - </big> as Thy arrow, as Thy mount, as Thy Consort occupying half Thy body, as a Boar, as Thy Friend, as Thy Drummer etc.,- has offered His Own eyes at Thy feet in place of Lotus Flowers, forming Part of Thy very Own Being! O Lord Shiva! You indeed are the most worshipful among the Worshipful! If not He (Gopishvara), Who is there to excel Him? </font>

But He is Gopishvara also, Who Himself is eternally in Love with Gopi-vallabha Krishna, and He enters Maha Raasa as the Gopi Who is but another expansion of Radharani, Lord Krishna's Swaroopa shakti. So Gaudiyas worshipping the Divine couple, together with Gopishvara is accepted by Rasik saints. We can worship Advaitacarya alone as a guru but worshipping together with Mahaprabhu is Panca tattva upasana. We can worship Hanumanji alone but he will in turn offer the devotees' worship to Lord Rama. <small><font color="cfcfcf"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-17-2002).]

I received it as a message sent to me being a member of Hindu Religious group, the source being- Digest no.36 http://www.geocities.com/ozhindu/OzHindu.html Moreover this verse from 'bilvashtakam' also confirms: <small><font color="white"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-18-2002).]

Has any body here been supplied with a list of Gopis (including or excluding Gopiswara) who entered Maha Rasa from their teachers? Please do your homework and Padma Purana may give you 'some' important information. Proper guidance from Vraja Prema Rasika acaryas and learning from the Rasika literature of realized saints is not only beneficial but also essential to understand Vraja Madhurya Lila of Radha Krishna. As I have mentioned before, devotees have their choice to blaspheme with ignorance or not to with proper understanding of elevated topics. Lord Krishna advised Lord Gopiswara Shiva, <font color="red">idaM rahasyaM paramaM mayAte parikIrtitam tvayApyetan mahAdeva gopanIyaM prayatnataH</font><small><font color="cfcfcf"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-17-2002).]

quote: -- Lord Siva even he takes a form as a gopi does not enter into the ras leela he protects it. -- Your source of information is incorrect. It is as laughable as saying Sri Advaitacarya did not dance in the intimate circle of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. How can any one believe such misinformation given without realization? [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-17-2002).]

You can share this Puranic episode from another board with your 'Sri Vaishnavas': It is a well known fact that Lord Shiva is worshipped by 'Bliva' leaves and fruits which are very dear to Him. This is also chanted as prayer to Lord Shiva in "Bilva ashtakam". The name "bilva nilayA" is chanted among the 108 names of Lakshmi devi, in Sri Lakshmi Ashtottarasata namavali stotra.<small><font color="white"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-17-2002).]

Not only Shaiva literature but also in many sastras and authentic Puranas, Panca Devopasana , (in which Lord Vishnu is one of the five 'demigods) described. Panca deva Upasana= worship of 5 Devas-namely: Dinesh- Surya bhagavan-sun god Ramesh- Lord Vishnu Umesh- Lord Shiva Ganesh- Lord Ganesh Durga- Devi Durga The worship of these five gods is prescribed and mostly for material purposes. In Gita Lord Krishna said those actions are to be considered as " su kRti". Lord Krishna said in Gita. 7.16 'Four types of virtuous men (women) worship Me, O Arjuna: the man in distress, the man seeking knowledge,, the man seeking wealth, and the man imbued with Divine wisdom and Love, O the best of the Bharatas.' So demigod worship of Vishnu or Shiva has been practiced by many, not to be alarmed.

quote: -- Originally posted by raga: This is a pastime with Vishnu. -- Yes, Lord Shiva (Gopishvara) and Lord Krishna (Gopivallabha) are eternal Lovers, no matter how the conditioned souls percieve Them according to their own sanskaras. Their pastimes of mutual eternal Love for each other are always enjoyed by the devotees of both Divinities. The prayers to Lord Shiva addressing him such as- mukunda priya= very dear to Mukunda, Lord Krishna mAdhavAhlAda= giver of enjoyment to Madhava, Krishna garuDadhvajApta= very intimate relation of Vishnu Whose banner is adorned by Garuda, the King of birds and so on.. prove Their Divine Love. Lord Caitanya had also stressed this point by His pastimes with Advaitacarya Who was the incarnation of Lord Shiva. The traditional Gaudiya acaryas know Their Divine relationship very well except for a few recent followers. Devotees of Lord Ramacandra should keep their faith in the words of Lord Rama Himself: <center> Lord Ramacandra said: <big><font color="red">"aurau eka guputa mata sabahi kahaum kara jori, shankara bhajana binaa nara bhagati na paavai mori" </font><font color="blue">With folded hands I now lay before you one MORE SECRET doctrine: WITHOUT ADORING Lord Shankara NO MAN can ATTAIN loving DEVOTION to ME.</font></big> </center><small><font color="cfcfcf"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-16-2002).]

<center><big> Thanks, Raga ji!</big> <font color="red"> "vande zambhuM umApathiM sura guruM vande jagat kAraNaM vande pannaga bhUshaNaM mRgadharaM vande pazUnAM patiM vande sUrya zazAMka vahni nayanaM vande 'mukunda priyaM' vande bhakta janAzrayaM ca varadaM vande zivaM zaGkaraM"</font> I salute to Lord Sambhu, the Beloved Husband of Devi Uma and the preceptor of heavenly gods. I bow down down to the Lord Who is the root cause of the entire world. I salute to the Lord Who has the serpents as His ornament, and Who carries the deer. I bow down to the Lord of all beings. My salutations to the Lord Who has the sun, the moon, and the fire as His three eyes. <font color="red"><big>I bow down to the Lord, Who is VERY DEAR TO LORD MUKUNDA, KRISHNA.</font></big> My salutations to Him, Who is the refuge of all devotees and Who showers His Grace on all surrendered souls. And I bow down again to the Lord, Who is the embodiment of all auspiciousness, Lord Sankara. <font color="red">"giri rAja sutAnvita vAma tanuM tanu nindita rAGjita koti vidhum vidhi viSNu ziro dhRta pAda yugaM praNamAmi zivaM ziva kalpa tarum"</font> I salute to Lord Siva, the embodiment of auspiciousness, Who is the <big>desire fulfilling Kalpa-Tree for devotees.</big> He is embraced on His left-side, by the daughter of Himalayas, Parvati Devi and His bodily luster excells the beauty of million moons.<big> Lord Vishnu and Brahma receive His lotus feet, on Their Heads with love.</big> <font color="red">"zazalAGchita raGjita sanmukuTaM kaTi laMbita sundara kRtti paTam sura zaivalinI kRta puta jaTaM praNamAmi zivaM ziva kalpatarum"</font> (Sivashtakam 2, 3, by Sri Sankaracarya) I salute again to Lord Siva, the embodiment of auspiciousness, Who is the desire fulfilling Kalpa-Tree, devotees. His elegant crown is adorned with the moon, His waist is wrapped in beautiful hide of the elephant demon (devotee), Gajasura, His matted locks of hair are drenched with the Sacred waters of Ganges, Ganga, the Celestial River. <font color="red">"tvatpAdAMbuja marcayAmi paramaM tvAM cintayAsyan vahaM tvamIsaM zaraNaM vrajAmi vacasA tvameva yAce vibho vIkSAM me diza cAkSuSIM sakaruNAM divyaizciraM prArthitAM zambho! lokaguro! madIya mAnasaH saukhyopadezaM kuru"</font> <big>O Benevolent Preceptor of the universe!</big> I offer worship unto Thy lotus feet and contemplate daily on Thy Supreme Self. I surrender myself unto Thee and with my words supplicate Thee. I pray, vouchsafe unto me a gracious glance, longsought after even by the heavenly gods. And do Thou instruct my mind in the methods of attaining tranquility and Divine bliss. (Sivananda lahari- 29, by Sri Sankaracarya) <font color="red">"namaste namaste vibho vizva mUrte namaste namaste cidAnanda mUrte namaste namaste tapoyoga gamya namaste namaste zRtijnAna gamya"</font> Salutations to Thee, O All pervading Being, Who appears in the form of the universe. Salutations to Thee, Who are of the form of Knowledge and Bliss, Itself. Salutations to Thee, Who are attained through the spiritual desciplines and meditation. Salutation to Thee, Who are realised by the highest knowledge revealed in the Scriptures. (Vedasara Siva stava. 8, by Sri Sankaracarya)<small><font color="cfcfcf"> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-16-2002).]

Carlyle Group Behind Pakistan/India War http://www.propagandamatrix.com/pakistan_india.html "...The bin Laden-Bush monster defense contractor The Carlyle Group, which just happens to be making a mint from the war on terrorism, stands to reap enormous profit from any India-Pakistan conflict, because it has direct ties to the companies (BAE) and intelligence agencies (CIA) that supply both war machines! The imminent nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India has been funded and fomented by the same nefarious influences that brought you the 'war on terrorism.' It's common knowledge in intelligence circles that the Inter Services Intelligence Agency (Pakistan's secret service) runs the entire country in the shadow of dictator General Pervez Musharraf. In turn, the CIA co-ordinates the activities of the ISI. This alliance gave birth to Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaeda and the current war on terrorism. Osama bin Laden left Saudi Arabia in 1979 to fight the invading Soviets in Afghanistan. By 1984 he was running the front organization known as MAK, (Maktab al-Khidamar) which eventually mutated into Al-Qaeda, consisting of the more extreme members of the former group. During the war MAK was nurtured by Pakistan's Inter-services Intelligence Agency, ISI. The ISI was the CIA's covert ally and conduit against Moscow's occupation. Via the ISI the kindergarten Al-Qaeda were trained, armed, funded and empowered by the CIA. The new covert U.S. assistance began with a dramatic increase in arms supplies -- a steady rise to 65,000 tons annually by 1987, as well as a "ceaseless stream" of CIA and Pentagon specialists who travelled to the secret headquarters of Pakistan's ISI on the main road near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. There the CIA specialists met with Pakistani intelligence officers to help plan operations for the Afghan rebels, bin Laden included. The Central Intelligence Agency, using Pakistan's ISI, played a key role in training the Mujahideen. It was reported by the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1734000/1734113.stm that the ISI aided bin Laden's escape from Afghanistan at the end of 2001. Since the CIA are basically the administrative masters of the ISI, they mandated and approved bin Laden's escape. Furthermore, by direct order of President Bush, 5,000 members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban were rescued via cargo planes as Kunduz fell to the Northern Alliance in November 2001. http://www.newyorker.com/FACT/?020128fa_FACT Bush had ordered the United States Central Command to set up a special air corridor to help insure the safety of the Pakistani rescue flights from Kunduz to the northwest corner of Pakistan, about two hundred miles away. To emphasise, these rescued individuals were high level Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives fighting against the United States. These secret airlifts gave these terrorists refuge primarily in Kashmir, the disputed border. The first incident that could have led to a nuclear war between India and Pakistan occured when, on December 13th 2001, a suicide squad of five heavily armed Muslim terrorists drove past a barrier at the Indian Parliament, in New Delhi, and rushed the main building. Nine people were killed in the shoot-out. Would this have happened if the Bush administration hadn't rescued 5,000 of these terrorists just three weeks previously? OK, the Bush administration are fomenting tension amongst the Pakistani militants - what about India - who's stoking their fire? Answer, the Carlyle Group, of whom the Bush dynasty are stakeholders! In January of this year, the Moscow Times reported that British Prime Minister Tony Blair made a visit to India and Pakistan in an attempt to calm ethnic tensions between the two. http://matrixmirror.topcities.com/moscow_times_global_eye_pretzel_logic.html In reality he was pushing the sale of a lucrative deal with arms merchant BAE Systems for 60 new jet fighters. The Russian newspaper stated 'Blair's minions are putting the squeeze on India to accept a $1.4 billion deal with arms merchant BAE Systems for 60 new jet fighters. This will no doubt have a very "calming influence" on the balance of power as the subcontinent teeters on the brink of nuclear war -- the same kind of calming influence gasoline has on fire. Of course, if Blair can get those billion warbucks into BAE's coffers, Master Georgie will be very pleased. For one of BAE's business partners is -- God, this is almost too easy! -- our old friends the Carlyle Group. Faithful readers know that Daddy Bush -- the former peddler of poison gas to Iraq -- has long been feeding at the Carlyle trough, working his contacts with Saudi royalty, the bin Laden family, Asian dictators, South American junta honchos and other respectable characters to cement sweetheart deals for the Reagan-Bush retreads who skim the cream off Carlyle's $13 billion nest egg.' The BBC reported these BAE-India negotiations back in August 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1481000/1481777.stm Here's the BAE-Carlyle Group partnership announced on BAE's own website. http://www.baesystems.com/virtualnewsroom/archive/240401news2.htm?opener=archivemain.h tm The bin Laden-Bush monster defense contractor The Carlyle Group, which just happens to be making a mint from the war on terrorism, stands to reap enormous profit from any India-Pakistan conflict, because it has direct ties to the companies (BAE) and intelligence agencies (CIA) that supply the both war machines! Just like World War 2 - the hidden hand behind the scenes is at work to establish global order from nuclear chaos by manipulating the actions of both sides in the potential conflict...." <font color="cfcfcf"><small> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-16-2002).]

All those who are averse to Lord Shiva, the Gopiswara will never enter the Divine Vrajadhama. They will be (rerouted) sent to Vishnu's abode, Vaikuntha or Dwaraka. So devotees who want to associate Radha-Krishna must worship Lord Shiva as Gopiswara. Only ignorant, unrealized fool claims that Gopi is a demigod. How can demigods have even access into Goloka Vrindavana, the Divine abode? Gopis are direct expansions of Radharani and it is explained by Ramanandaraya's talks with Mahaprabhu. Another point, Vishnu couldnot become Gopiswara nor he could enter Vrindavana nor participated in Maharasa lila. His consort Mahalakshmi too was not granted entrance into Maha Rasa lila of the Gopis and Radha-Krishna. Even though she did penance for thousands of years, she could only receive the status of queen Rukmini of Dwaraka. Of course devotees have a choice to go to Vrindavana or Vaikuntha. Just as no one can enter the door of Lord Rama without the permission of Hanumanji, no one can enter the Divine Vrindavan without the permission of the<big> Divine Dhama's door-keeper, Gopiswara Bhagavan Shankar.</big> So the devotees should think twice about creating their sanskaras of blasphemy and its consequent effects on their devotion.

I have to add more to the list of the great Divine personalities (and vaishnavas) who worshipped Lord Shiva. <font color="red">11. Arjuna was advised by Lord Krishna Himself to do penance and worship to Lord Shiva to obtain 'Paashupatyaastram' which alone was able to win his powerful rival in Mahabharata war.</font> 12. The Rasik Saint Bilva Mangala thakur, whose Sri Krishna Karmritam was enjoyed by Gauranga Mahaprabhu stated that after all he was a Shaivaite from birth but Lord Krishna had stolen his heart! <font color="red">zaivAvayam na khalu tatra vicAraNIyam paGcAkSarI japa parAn itarAM tadhApi ceto madIya matasI kusumAvabhAsaM smerAnanam smarati gopa vadhU kizoraM</font> (SKK 2. 24) Meaning - <font color="blue">I have always belonged to the 'Shaiva Sect' and I have been sincerely CHANTING the "Shiva Pancaakshari Mantra" - "Om Namah Shivaaya" all along. But I have NO IDEA WHY this Young Sweetheart of Gopis is following me and my heart is also enjoying the REMEMBERENCE of His Smiling, Beautiful Blue face!!! " 13. Sri Kedaara naath Bhakti Vinoda parents were worshippers of (so called demigod) Lord Shiva and the 'name', i.e. 'Kedaara Naath' given to this swami was a well known epithet of Lord Shiva. <font color="white"><small> [This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-15-2002).]