Sephiroth

How do I go beyond this Circle?

Hmph ... the answer is in your Avatar (of Sri Ganesha) and you asking me for answers.

How did Sri Ganesha go around such a big World?

There were many Hindus who were overjoyed when DC Books published a translation of ‘Da Vinci Code’ immediately after its release in India. One Gopikrishnan was also roped in the translation effort to give credence to the exercise. Again it missed the innocent vision of Kerala Hindus that the immediate release by DC Books was only a part of the larger game plan of deflecting attention from the much more devastating Gospel of Judas.

 

Offence is indeed the best form of defence and it is time that Hindus started practising it.

Sigh ... why do you need a fictional book like "Da Vinci Code" to fight in your defense (or offense if you like)? It only shows how riddiculos Hindus have become and how weak Hindusm is.

You put an offensive like "Da Vinci Code" to fight Christianity (without properly understand where they get the idea from) and what you will get in return is just a riddiculed laughter in your face.

If you want to teach Hindus properly on what Christianity is - start from Middle East history from 1st Century AD to 3rd Century AD. Learn from History and Historical data on how Roman Empire created Christianity which exists today.

Go online and search for Emperor Tiberius, Simon Magus, Cult of Isis, Dead Sea Scrolls and even reasons on why Jews have rejected Jesus as your offensive against Christianity. THEN it could work to push Christianity back.

Just like God is one - the representative of God, guru or spiritual master is also one, there's no such thing as your guru and my guru, guru is an universal principle, when you get that straight? When Srila Prabhupada dealt with what you call terrorists, they didnt were terrorist. Just like your kids, if you have, let's say they later on become entangled in criminal activity you wont blame their school teacher, right? Does the court convict a school teacher when a grown up person later gets involved in breaking the law? That's pretty unheard, please enlighten me further!

Sorry ... my God didn't teach me to follow other gurus or any representative. My relationship with my God in one-to-One. I don't need any gurus to be my prophet to guide me. Thank you.

And you have not answered my question - WHAT did Srila Prabhupada said on how to deal with Terrorists?

And equalizing Terrorists with kids in school who misbehave IS IDIOTIC EXAMPLE. What sort of fool do you take me for?

Even in Schools, IF a child misbehaves, the first task of the teacher is consult the student. If the same thing happens, call and consult the parents of the student so they could help control and educate their children. IF still failed, the student will be punished by giving a few weeks of probabation. And when all this disciplinary actions fails, then the student will be rejected out as failure so s/he will not disturb other students from studying.

In the recent past we have seen many ISKCON gurus get sick often and have passed away with fatal diseases like cancer. When they have reasonably been good enough and healthy why should they get such diseases?

 

Usually pure devotees don't get afflicted with such deadly diseases. Which pure devotee in our sampradaya has passed away with fatal diseases or in car crashes?

 

Is it because the present ISKCON gurus are not able to deal with the karma they take from their disciples during initiation? A siddha bhakta, pure devotee can easily deal with karma and get away from them. Or is it because the gurus just are not qualified to be gurus?

 

Won't it be better for them to just remain as senior devotee preachers and be an inspiration for other devotees. That way they can remain longer alive and contribute more to ISKCON than become incompetent gurus and get lost with the karma of their disciples.

Hmm ... Is it practise of Hindusm for a guru to take Karma of others onto themselves?

I don't remember any practise like that in the Vedas or the Gita. But I do know that Christian Priests follow the same methods though.

I don't remember reading anything about Soul cannot feel. I do remember reading that Souls cannot be created or destroyed though.

Maybe the reason for Shraad is to help the newly departed and Souls trapped in Hell?

In Chinese Calendar, they also have belief in Reincarnation but does have something called Ghost Month (somewhere around June) where they donate food and hell money to the souls trapped in Hell.

Also, if I remember correctly, the souls doesn't reincarnate straightaway, but have to go through a process of cleansing for several years under Hindusm belief, right? I think it was 12 years. I have a Hindu friend who told me that Hindus perform prayers on the 30th day, 1st year of the death and once on the 12th year of the departure as the last prayer or something.

Sorry if I misunderstood you Sephiroth. I'm a bit over anxious to challenge the kind of 'its your karma' argument that left me subject to bullying in iskcon for so long. I'm also a bit worried that Guest isn't looking at this discussion anymore because the 'just accept that you were a bad person and deserve it' camp have been a bit over anxious to get their point across. wish you all the best.

It's OK. I thought you could.

Abuse is a dangerous cycle. When a person is small, he or she may abused by adults.Because of the size, that person have no choice but to swallow it. When that person grows up, he or she never actually free from the abuse, because the effect of the abuse will always remain in his/her mind - tormenting him/her with reminder on how weak and pathetic s/he was in one point in time.

And this, in many case will lead such person to be abusive to others, particularly their own children in similar manner. Thus, the Cycle is complete and become a new Cycle.

When I said accept it as Karma, what I meant is, a person who was abused should not allow the feeling of helplessness and weak to remain in his/her mind. S/he should break free from this "torment of the mind" so s/he will not follow the same footsteps as his/her tormenter is following now, thus breaking the Cycle.

And best punishment a person could give to his/her abuser is by NOT FORGIVING such person.

Do not forgive such person for what they have done to you, choose to IGNORE them. Let them suffer in their own Sins and allow them to face their own Karma in whatever "grave" they have dug for themselves. That is Retribution which you can give them without soiling yourself with bad Karma.

Well, I agree with both the posts above, unless Hindus do something to "educate" people, it would be way too late.

Proper education can only be done by people/person who lives properly in Hindusm ways - and that doesn't means you have to wear dhoti all the time either.

Hari Om,

 

The symptoms described by you are not necessarily due to celibacy.

 

Of course, all ailments begin in the mind. However to make sure, please go to a doctor and a undergo a Medical check-up. Try Neem tablets.

 

I'm sorry, but I disagree. All the symptoms of heating increase and such, while similar to other factors, IS related to being celibacy. I have been one long (and studied) long enough to know how energy is converted.

If you do not believe, then make a simple experiment. Fast for 30 days - eat only minimun (bread, water or milk) which is essential to the body. You will notice that your sexual apetite had been reduce a bit.

Sexual energy is developed by the body which has adequate energy for other process. A healthy body will produce a healthy amount of energy and some of this energy will change to sexual energy which will influence the mind (by giving sexual related dreams and such).

By taking up sports, martial arts and such, what you are doing is forcing the body to reconvert the energy used by the sexual energy back to the energy which will be beneficial to the body doing this exercise.

The fact that most people (especially youngsters) are taking sexual activities uncontrolled is because they have no proper release mechanism for their energy other than through sex.

Was it Arjuna's karma to be bullied by the Kaurava's? Should we let them continue or should we shed light on the world and establish a culture that defies the necessity for bullying? If its our karma to accept bullying why don't we just lie back and accept the bullying from our senses?

 

Please stop telling this poor soul they should tolerate bullying. Guest, as a devotee I insist that you must protect yourself from bullies and do not fall for these seductive arguments about accepting bullying as your lot. It may have come about for some karmic reason. I don't know and I really don't think the source of the bullying is the imporant issue here. The important thing is that you have the power and a duty to challenge it and thereby bring the cycle to a close, not just for yourself but for the people who are bullying you.

There is no Hindusm in this World - only Secular Hindus who follow halfheartily while still living a life of sin.

Among Buddhist societies, they have forgotten the teaching of Gautama Buddha and taken up some new sect called Pure land Buddhism which teachs them to work to be reborn in some Pureland.

Jews are in danger of being bombed and Muslims literally rule the World by default using their "We are the victims" crying techniques, Christians more interested in promoting Atheism and people simply doesn't care about God and Spiritualism anymore.

Frankly speaking, I will welcome the End of this World and usher the New Age.

I always believe that :

Knowledge --leads--> Wisdom --leads--> Mysticsm --leads--> Knowledge again. In a circle.

by suchandra

Srila Prabhupada's once stated that the definition of GBC is, responsible for the spiritual and material well-being of the Vaishnavas entrusted in their care.

As Gaurav Mittal states below, there has to be a clear understanding of what is useless criticism and what it useful criticism and not be unqualified to discriminate between the two.

Your Srila Prabhupada dealt with terrorists before? What's his saying about them?

The Mumbai bomb managed to scrap Mumbai but no permanent damage like Sept 11. So don't expect things to get better. Next WILL be "Dirty bombs" which will effect the victims for generations to come.

Then we will see whether Secular Hindus in India are Sheeps waiting to be slaughtered or not.

I mean all my life

even as an aspiring devotee I have been bullied by friends,family and institutional authorities.

How can I put an end to all of this hellish pattern of abusive behaviour perpetuating itself again and again ?

It's your Karma. Some time in the past, you did something which hurt a lot of people, and now, they are doing the same.

Accept it with a smile, don't be sad or angry about it - to avoid generating new Karma. If you feeling sad, then just pour your heart to God and get on living.

"You, your Self is your own best friend or your own worse foe" - I think it is from Gita.

Hmph ... Is that the excuse Hindus in India kept telling themselves after Mumbai bomb incident? That criticising "evil" will make them evil as well?

I guess if goats waits to be slaughtered, they do nothing but to eat and be merry, waiting for their butcher to come and slitther their throats.

Which of this three is important in Life?

Knowledge?

Wisdom?

Mysticm?

Which of this aspects which the forumers here think is the most important aspect to live a proper life?

PS : if you wondering what is the use of this thread and why it is here in Hindusm column, you will know later.

After years of failing to gain substantial converts by degrading

Hinduism and labeled it as "devil worship" and "heathen idolatry,

Christian evangelists have invented a new tactic: hijacking Hinduism.

 

Evangelists use existing elements of Hinduism to misguide followers

into converting to Christianity. Recently Christian zealots have

begun claiming that various Vedic Sanskrit slogans were in praise of

Jesus and not Hindu Gods. Christian propaganda pamphlets and

booklets in circulation especially in and around Madurai district in

Tamil Nadu also make the ludicrous suggestion that the revered Swami

Vivekananda had asked the people to worship Jesus. The pamphlets,

which have been put in circulation by the Madurai-based Infant Jesus

Hospital (headed by Rev Fr. Caleb), also fraudulently invoke verses

from the holiest Hindu scripture, the Bhagawad Gita, saying that

they preach against idol worship. In fact, the pamphlets go as far

as to decree that 'people should not follow any other faith other

than Christianity'. The highly inflammatory pamphlets, delivered by

Christian converts (primarily women), have been appearing at nearly

in Southern districts of Tamil Nadu in the hopes of misleading a few

gullible souls.

Ain't you are slow one.

There had been "hijacking" done for years but only know you have noticed it?

For years, Indian movies fashioned to insult Hindusm and promote Christianity and you people have been watching it and loving it for years. In films like Anbe Shivam (one example only) - you can see how the movie riddicules the religion while potraying Christianity with its nuns, priests and such as great saviors and loving humans.

Why don't you sit down and watch more movies to see just how many example exists in such manner?

As for hijacking the Slokas and such, it is not new news. When Gita first came to the West, it was believed that it was written AFTER the Bible was written in the West and many Westerners thought that the Hindus have hijacked the Bible into their own scriptures (same way Al Quran was fashioned)

In late 1990s, Muslims done it first by claiming that Muhammad was kalki. Nowadays, they (Muslims and Christians) simply claim that Hindusm is part of their belief but somewhat corrupted, which is the reason why Hindus should leave it and join them.

If Hindusm have so many praises for being Modern, Civilised, Intellectual and such, THEN WHY IS INDIA A SECULAR NATION?

The other day, I read the Star Newspaper (popular one in Malaysia) which have a news about some groups in India doesn't want to sing a song (Matarem or something) and some members of Congress stated that it is against principle of India as secular nation to ask anyone to sing any songs which could promote Hindusm.

I always thought India was a Hindu nation. If it is not, then it is say to say that Hindusm exists ONLY in name sake.

The official position of People's republic of China (PRC) since its formation in 1949 is atheism. Although, traditionally china did have some form of religion being practised through it's history, chinese maintain most people in their country are atheists and have been so since the time of confucius (~500 BC).

 

Cheers

If that is true, then Communists there shouldn't have no problem bring them back to roots, do they? Since 1950s, China has been waging war against Buddhism and Taoism there, even to the point of corrupting their beliefs worldwide.

Then again, what proof did Communists offered to state that Chinese had been atheists since Confucious times? I don't remember any?

And, assuming this is true (that Chinese were atheists), what is the reason that Communists are allowing Christianity to continue in China now? Isn't that is against their own propaganda that Chinese were atheists since Confucious times?

Let's face it : when it comes to living a comfortable material life, I'm just a loser. Why has Krsna set me up like this? Does it make it easier for developing pure bhakti unto His lotus feet?

Pure Bhakti?

If you want to develop pure bhakti, then why are you so stressed of not living a comfortable material life?

I think you better get your priorities straightened here. You better sit down and rethink whether you want Krishna or you want materialistic life.

One of my beliefs is that God is one. For example...

 

Krishna is the same energy as Christ with a different wrapper (body) and at a different time. In my understanding God is One and all the faces and names we give God are for us, to help us understand, to relate.

 

Even though I hold this to be true it seems that Srila Prabupadha's writings indicate the supremacy of Krishna over other incarnations of God. Can someone please explain this?

 

If all are one then can we replace the name Krishna with Christ when reciting the Maha Mantra?

 

Thank you. Haribol!

Christ have nothing to do with Hindusm, Buddhism or Judaism. He is not god not a son of a god or anything.

Also, in Hindusm, it IS the biggest (unforgiveable) SIN to change Sanskrit Mantras according to your likings. SO, NO ... it is not OK to change Krishna's name with Christ.

by jndas

You are speaking nonsensical things. No where in our scriptures does it say such a thing. Prahlada was an asura, but he was a devotee of Narayana.

Hmm .... For someone in an administrative posts, you have poor understanding on how things works.

Prahlada was a devotee to Narayana NOT because he is an asura or deva or anything. It is because he already taught good things since even before birth by Narada.

So morale here is ... it doesn't matter where you born in or as what (asura, demons, Dewas etc), what important is the education you receive from good people and how you use them.

Working according to one's nature does not justify killing babies simply because they believe in a religion different from your own. That is not God's plan, and that's why it's a man made religion.

And what is God's plan?

Since you speak of God's plan, perhaps you can explain why Christianity and Islam comes to being? Is that God's plan also OR did they just sprung up and become independent of God all the sudden?

aren't all 5 books which make up the Torah considered the full Mosaic writings? and one book.

 

I don't know how that is possible since Moses died BEFORE they reach the Promised Land.

And also, the most fundamental of all Judaism belief is the 10 commandments, so whatever Laws which doesn't compile with the 10 Commandments is automatically put aside and not followed.

Also, the Old Testament you see now is hand-written by Christians and many of them potray the Prophets after Moses and before Jesus as corrupted and full of sins so it will be easier for Christians to accept that Jesus came and died for their sin, thus making them sinless.

IF you want actual Hebrew Laws, you must find the Torah in Traditional Jewish homes, kept in special cabinets and considered so Holy that even Jews do not touch it by hand but use special tool to turn the pages.

Most Jews I know do not believe in eternal damnation. And Jewish mystics and those who study the tree of life depicted in your avatar, believe in reincarnation and are actually close to Hindus in some beliefs.

 

as a former christian, I can remember sitting thru many hell-fire and brimstone sermons in church, where the Old Testament was quoted. And I know they believe the wrathful god of the Old Testament, is proof of their eternal torment beliefs.

 

Their beliefs make me sick now. Glad I am now a follower of Sanatan Dharma.

For information of Non-Jewish, the Scriptures in Jewish Beliefs are the 10 Commandments which one CANNOT break if he is to become Jewish. All the other 4 books are added later. So, if you want to know whether Jews are barbaric or not, check the 10 Commandments first.

And yes, Reincarnation IS part of Jewish tradition, whether one believes in the Tree of Life or not.

Just saw on the news that China has appointed their own bishops to the Catholic Church and just left the Pope out of the loop. They did similar in Tibet. ******* demons.

During 1950s to 1970s, China tried to eradicate ALL religions from the Nation and tried to make ALL its 1 Billion people into Atheists. Fortunately, there were still some strong-willed people who continued to fight and hold onto their own beliefs.

Then around 1980s, China tried to add Atheist beliefs into Buddhism and Toaism and spread it across the World. In 1990s, there was a remarkable increase in Atheism beliefs in the Societies of the World.

Also, they had send "spies" in form of youngsters who were hired to spread rumors, cloud truth regarding China's activities and also improve Atheism in the Internet during 1990s (to now).

Now, failing to do above two (the third one is still going on) ... China seems to going for their fourth approach - controlling Religion.

They made sure no other religion comes into the country and control Christianity to the max to the point that they will appoint puppet Bishops and Religious leaders whose task will be to place role as stated by Chinese Government.

Why Christianity is allowed? Because Christianity IS the birthplace of Communism and World Wide Atheism.

sounds more like demonism to me, like pride.

 

''Sages look with an equal eye on a Brahmin endowed with learning and humility, on a cow, ... The same in honour and dishonour, the same to friend and foe,

''

this is how one should act

Are you a Sage? I don't think so.

I think Devotees should avoid, or at least reduce contacts with non-devotees or at least avoid discussion with other people on religious matters.

Sharing opinions is find, deep discussion is not because it may cloud your understanding. And if you want to have friend, then consider God as your friend.