indulekhadasi

I have noticed that often people who post on here with personal problems they do not get an answer very much. There is this one person named brijmohan on this forum who might be able to help you out. You can find him on this Vedic Astrology forum or you can search him using the Members list. If you click on his name and private message him, then hopefully he will get back to you. I am sorry I can not help you in any other way because I have no experience in the field of Vedic Astrology, but hopefully what I suggested will help you.

Thank you.

indulekhadasi

Oh.

Thanks for the information...but I am very disappointed by this. Why would they make up something like that?

For my arangetram I am doing a dance on Lord Ayappa but I wanted to know the full history behind his birth and which scriptures state his birth and pastimes. I never thought that he was all made up.

Anyway, thanks again.

indulekhadasi

Of course it's a challenge and that is OK. I am not above being challenged.

 

You hear me accusing someone which I am not. Try reading the question and my response again and perhaps it will be more clear.

 

 

How can ghee every be 100% veg origin considering it is the fat of a cow? Milk is a transformation of cow's blood. It is not olive oil afterall.

 

Do you see now?

Theist prabhuji, I don't deny what you are saying. Milk is definitely cow's blood. But the scriptures say that the cow willingly provides this for us. Isn't this why we call the cow our mother, because she is nourishing us with her own blood?

I really don't want to challenge such great devotees as yourself. Actually this is a question that arose in my mind, as I am sincerely confused on this matter.

Hare Krishna.

indulekhadasi

PS- Did you ever get Uddhava Gita? I am reading it currently...oh so much nectar!

And if I have made an offense at the lotus feet of Lord Shiva, then I beg his forgiveness with all sincerity . I am sure he will be kind enough to forgive me because he is very easily pleased.

I was fortunate of having darshan of Ekachakresvara Bhandisvara Patala Siva Mahadeva! He is so merciful. Jai Mahadeva!

To be Krsna conscious means you undrestand you are never alone.

 

What do you mean by - you?

false ego?

No it means you- the spirit soul.

This is our actual identity, we are not the bodies. Our bodies is just a covering for who we actually are, the spirit soul. Why do we say my hand, not I hand?

Krishna is always with you, the soul. We are a finite soul but he the infinite soul. In Sanskrit the word for soul is atma and the word for the infinite soul is paramatma. Those two are inseparable. So Krishna in his form as Paramatma is always within you and he notices all of your good and bad actions.

I am writing from Abhimanyu's perspective. Meaning I am retelling the Mahabharata from his perspective. It adds a little flavor the the story. It is more heart warming and personal. Like instead of saying Maharaja Yudhisthira... I would write -my uncle Yudhisthira. This is kind of like his "diary". It starts from when he arrives in Kurukshetra. A good part of it is Abhimanyu retelling his father's and uncles' story and also expressing how he learned different war techniques from his uncle Lord Krishna, and Kritavarmaji. Some of it is actual war accounts from day 1 to day 12 of the Kurukshetra war. Of course Abhimanyu leaves his body on the 13th day of the war . At the end his father, Arjuna, leaves a note to all the readers, explaining why the diary abrubtly ended. This explains the bravery of Abhimanyu, his entering the Chakravyuha, how his uncles were stopped by Jayadratha, how the alone Abhimanyu faced 7 great atirathis and maharathis, and how he was finally killed by the son of Dushasana, Durajaya. Arjuna states that he has killed Jayadratha with the help of Lord Krishna and has therefore avenged the wrong done to his son. He finally says that Abhimanyu had a very close relationship with Lord Krishna, and therefore although everyone misses him, he has reached an auspicious destination.

That is the synopsis of the book. I haven't gotten much time to work on it because I have been working on schoolwork a lot. Hopefully I will get some more time in the future.

Jai Nitai!

Vasistha and Drona were born of brahmana parents. But I would say Drona was a kshatriya due to his actions of killing thousands of people in the Kurukshetra war.

BTW, how is your book called "Abhimanyu's story" coming up?

Well, it is still starting out.

Is Gauhari his user id? Or is his user id something else and he puts the word Gaurhari as signature in his posts?

His username is Gaurhari.

Jai Nitai!

My memory is so poor, though I might recognize his face. He must be a great devotee of the Lord to have raised such a good-hearted and spiritually-dedicated daughter.

 

Dandavat Pranamas to you and your family.

 

Nitai-Gaur!!

Wow, you are very humble! If I had one drop of your humility, I would have been raised to great heights!

_/\_o_ Dandavats to you and your family, too.

Dayal Nitai!

Well, you must not disgust the great personalities the way I do. They must be happy to associate with you, wheras they simply tolerate me (at best).

 

Perhaps you've mentioned before, but who are your parents?

Perhaps you know my dad who writes on Audarya Fellowship (rarely) as Gaurhari?

Last I heard, she was living up near Berkeley. She's a wonderful Vaishnava!!

 

I can't say I know her well, though. Her daughter went to Columbia University to study journalism, I believe.

 

Wow, didi, you certainly are well-traveled and well-connected.

Yes, she definitely is. We used to visit each other sometimes, that's how I know her.

Actually I don't travel much, I got to know such great personalities because I had been living there!

Jai Nitai!

I don't venture over to see Mahaprabhu in San Jose often enough.

 

There have been three SCSMath temples/ashrams there since the 80's. The first, on 13th Street, is where Goswami Maharaj delivered the classic books drawn from recordings of Srila Sridhar Maharaja's darshans. Then, there was another, smaller facility on 11th Street (I think). Currently Mahaprabhu is dancing on East Saint James, near San Jose State University in the ladies' Ashram under the expert care of Srimati Kum Kum didi, widow of Sripad Rsabdev Prabhu.

 

It's funny how this conversation started with Ekachakra Dhama, but has come to focus on Northern California Dham. No doubt, the places where Sriman Mahaprabhu and His Associates' engaged in their manifest pastimes in India are places of pilgrimage for all, but, in my limited vision, I see the Seva Ashramas as being as holy as any other place on this Earth planet.

 

Perhaps that's just a rationalization for spending all my disposable income on musical gear rather than air fare, though.

Do you know Devamayi mataji...Srila Sridhar Maharaja disciple?

Yes, Indulekha didi, Pusta Krishna Prabhu and his family are treasured members of our community (as well as being highly regarded in ISKCON circles, as you know). They are quite busy, so we see them most often at holidays. When Gurudev was visiting recently, Prabhu was regularly looking after Maharaja's health. I believe his daughter has been at school in San Diego and is about to enter medical school, while his son is entering college.

 

Uncle Pusta and Mother Daru Brahma bought me my first computer book (a book on programming in BASIC) back when I was 12 or so. Given my current occupation, I owe them a lot (materially as well as spiritually).

 

The Ashram itself is in the lovely hills of Soquel, near Santa Cruz--not too far from Newark (California, but far from Newark, New Jersey).

Yup, we saw Prabhu and his family in Pennsylvania because his daughter is supposed to go to medical school there. Unfortunately I haven't been to the ashram in Soquel, I went to the ashram in San Jose. Have you ever been there?

Do any of you know in which holy scripture the birth of Lord Ayappa is explained? I know he is the son of Hari and Hara (Mohini murti and Lord Shiva) but I want to know which scripture supports this. Thank you!

Is there any mention or evidence of Lord Ayappa in the Bhagavatam or any other holy scripture? Please let me know!

I do know that it is written about Lord Shiva becoming attracted to Mohini murti but I don't recall reading that they had a son.

Please let me know which holy scripture explains the birth of Lord Ayappa.

Haribol. Jai Nitai!

In the sense that ISKCON *is* Mahaprabhu's Sankirttan movement (and not some mundane institution), then aren't we *all* trying to join with and serve ISKCON?

 

When will that day be mine?

 

Jai Srila Prabhupada!! Jai Gurudev!!

Very true, prabhu.

When you go to your local ashram, do you see Pusta Krsna prabhu some times? And by the way, where is your local ashram? Reason why I am asking is because I might have gone there when I was 5 yrs old and living in California. I used to live in Newark, California.

Jai Nitai!

Thank you for not taking offense. Certainly, if folks feel moved to help out a worthy cause, let them do so.

 

I'm glad you got darshan of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandhava Govinda Sundar-jiu. To this day, I've only had that fortune in pictures. Perhaps, one day, I will share in your good fortune and sensibility and make the pilgrimage myself.

 

Thank you for allowing me to have darshan of Their Lordships again! They are SO beautiful.

Even if I am in ISKCON I don't like that "my institution is better than yours" idea. The Lord is everywhere, right?

Next to the main temple is a samadhi of Srila Sridhara Maharaja. It was very beautiful and clean. We circumambulated 3 times and then we went to have darshan of Govinda Kunda (across from the temple).

Jai Sri Navadvipa dhama! Doyal Nitai!

please re-read what I said in proper context.

 

The Kurukshetra war was not a war between two competing religions, like the Crusades for example. People who defend barbaric religions that force themselves upon others with fire and sword use a bogus argument that Kurukshetra was one of such wars and that Krsna made Arjuna into some holy jihadist. Nothing is further from the truth.

 

From the social point of view, the Kurukshetra war was there because Krsna wanted to destroy the constantly bickering and fighting Aryan kshatriyas, thus ushering in the age of Kali, not because He wanted to impose a particular brand of religion on the conquered people.

 

Bhisma wanted peace but when his efforts failed he welcomed the battle and he participated in it willingly. He was glad to tell Pandavas how he can be killed because he was sick and tired of his life.

Sorry, as Tackleberry said, I read "holy war" in the wrong context, and that kind of threw me off. And tackleberry, I didn't mean to react, but I was just really confused. I think it is because I was watching BR Chopra's Mahabharata serial where the Mahabharata war song's refrain is, "This is a maha yudha (war), this is a dharma yudha."

Such are the mistakes of people with less experience. I have conceded defeat to Kulapavana prabhu before. Better not try to challenge great devotees anymore.

Jai Nitai!

Veg origin? It comes from the blood of the cow.

Why do we offer ghee into the fire? And Agnideva eats it up! Should we now accuse him, just because he isn't a vegan?

I am not trying to challenge you as it seems. I am asking a genuine question out of my curiosity.

I have a confession to make. Since I saw this, I've been debating whether to respond or not.

 

In the interest of "cleaning house" and adhering to my pre-New Year's resolution to only say complimentary and potentially informative things here on Audarya, I must tell you that I was mocking you when I asked "Where can we send our indulgences?" (or something to that effect).

 

Indulgences were sold by the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages, and provided a way for folks to buy their way into heaven. The tone of the page you linked to reminded me of that practice.

 

While I do almost no practical service, I *do* try to give some small donations to the local Ashram here, and, rarely, to the Math in Navadwip.

 

My apologies, Indulekha didi, for being so insincere.

 

Dayal Nitai!!

No, you are not insincere. I misunderstood you, I am sorry. I am in no way pushing people to give donations. But after going to Ekachakra I feel a lot for both the dham vasis and the work they are doing for Lord Nityananda. I hope I do not seem too pushy.

Oh, by the way I went to the Math in Navadwip for the first time. It was amazing! Unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the Maharajas they are all on preaching tours. The deities are beautiful though, and even though there were too many mosquitoes it was worth it going there!

Dayal Nitai!

Kurukshetra was not a religious war and Bhishma was not in the category of innocent bystanders, civilians, or unwilling participants.

 

The tens of thousands people butchered by the Holy Inquisition are not paralelled by anything Vedic either.

 

Defending a barbaric practice of forcing your religion upon others is not my cup of tea.

I am a little confused after reading your post. If the battle of Kurukshetra wasn't a holy war, then why did Krishna want Arjuna to fight in it? Any war that must take place to bring dharma into good standing IS a holy war. And to make Yudhisthira (who is the son of dharma) king, that war was needed. All methods of peace had failed.

Bhishma WAS an unwilling participant. I agree he wasn't an innocent bystander or civilian like Lord Balarama. But he was not eager for battle and throughout his long life had tried to make Dhritarastra see the light. Yes, the one fault he had was he did not try to save Draupadi when she asked him for help. But you can accuse the Pandavas of the same fault. Bhishma was forced to participate because of a vow he had made to his father a long time before any conflict started- that he would always protect the throne of Hastinapura. If he was eager for battle, then why did he reveal the way he could die to the Pandavas?

Even if he had flatly refused to fight, Krishna would still make him fight. The actual deep reason that Krishna had placed Bhishmadeva on the opposing side, was that so that He would be able to be wounded by his arrows. These showers of arrows on his body were even more pleasing to Krishna then a non-devotee's showering of soft flower petals on His body.

Remember Bhishmadeva was a great devotee who was one of the 12 mahajanas.

This is a great offense to the Lotus Feet of Lord Shiva. Don't you know that Lord Vishnu incarnates as Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva? Since they are His incarnation (and Vishnu Himself is an incarnation of Sriman-Narayana), then the Trimurti are all equal and all deserve respect and worship. The proof for this (that from Vishnu incarnated Brahma and shiva) is in the Vishnu Purana's creation story and also from:

 

Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe

Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam

Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaat

Mrityor Muksheeya Ma-Amritaat

(Taittiriya Upanishad 2.7)

 

Let us worship Shiva (the three-eyed One), who is sacred (fragrant) and who nourishes all beings. Just as the ripe cucumber is automatically released from its attachment to the creeper, may we be liberated from death (our mortal body and personality) and be granted immortality. (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.7)

 

and

 

"To those unaware of Your position understanding it the material way do You, by Yourself expanding Your maya, appear for the matters of creation as Me (Brahma), as Yourself for the purpose of maintenance and as Lord Trinetra (Shiva) in the end." (Bhagavata Purana 10.14.19)

 

Such greats as Sri Bhagavan Swaminarayan and Sri Ramaunjacharya have accepted this fact. In fact, this is the very reason why Ramanujacharya preferred the Name "Sriman-Narayana" or "Lord Narayana" to address the Divine in order to not confuse people into thinking that Vishnu the Preserver was better than the rest of the Trimurti.

 

Why can't the rest of Vaishnavas? Why must we twist the teachings of our Acharyas in order to fit our own "My-God-is-better-than-your's" beliefs?

You are right that Lord Siva is an incarnation of Lord Visnu. This is another proof of his greatness. But Vaishnavas like to call him the greatest Vaishnava, because we accept Bhagavat purana as the greates authority in which it is said- vaishnavanam yatha sambuh. I cannot accept the trimurti as equal. When Narada muni came to Brahma to glorify him as the greatest Vaishnava, he at once covered his ears and said to go to Lord Siva and sing those praises. Both as the post and the person, Lord Siva is greater than Lord Brahma. Any jiva can assume the post of Lord Brahma, but no jiva can assume the post of Lord Siva.

When you yourself have quoted the Bhagavat puran, why are you refuting another quote from Bhagavata puran, vaishnavanam yatha sambuh? I am accepting the fact that Lord Siva and Brahma are incarnations of Lord Narayana, but why must you be so stubborn in your beliefs?

People who chant the maha mrityunjaya mantra (purely) eventually go to Mahesh dhama which is beyond the material world. They will not come back to the material world, so they are granted with liberation, as the prayer asks for.

Even in the spiritual world there are divisions. Above Vaikuntha is Ayodhya. But on the topmost level is Goloka Vrindavana. So you can say both Narayana and Rama are incarnations of Krishna. But then why is Ayodhya above Vaikuntha? Why is Goloka above Ayodhya? Because Krishna can incarnate as Narayana or Rama, but Narayana and Rama can't incarnate into Krishna. The same thing with Lord Siva. He is just as important an incarnation as Narayana and Rama but he cannot become Lord Krishna. Why can you not see the importance of the Lord's dear devotees? They are sometimes even higher then the Lord.

Jai Nitai!

indulekhadasi

The point is that if you go outside you will find, learned scholars, warriors, businessmen, and ordinary workers. You will also find bachelors, family men, retired people, and renunciates. So according to their material occupation or status, they are different. The learned man sees these people with equal vision because his vision transcends their material occupation/status and just sees that they are all spirit souls. In this way, they are all equal.

Jai Nitai!

he wrote a letter to our business -- I would like to give him a call -or write to him. I am not familiar with the language, and would like to know how to pronounce his name as well as who he follows. Also I am unable to locate his village on the internet. any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Did you read my above post? I gave a little info on the pronounciation and a little on his village. Sorry, that was all I knew.