RadheRade1657

I got my copy from Border's... It was translated by Swami Ambikananda Saraswati... very beautiful

Thanks to everyone for their input

Namaste Pujari and Radhe

 

This website seems to identify Kateri with one of the navdurgas (I'm guessing Siddhidatri as she is the only one without a picture of herself below the icon of Kateri at the top). Would any of you be able to verify if this were true or not? If so is the icon of her with lions, also of another goddess then Kateri?

It seems logical that they'd be saying that She's Siddhidatri, since they equate Her being the "last" with Her being the youngest... since Siddhidatri is the last of the Nava-Durga rupa, I'd say there's a good chance you're right. I don't know this though... it's just speculation... but it makes since. I think that the Goddess with the lions is Khodiyar Mata... usually She wears a colorful sari (but w/ the same blessing mudra and trident), but I just found a picture where She's dressed all in black with a lion ( http://family.webshots.com/photo/1070193406025453939OZsZQT ).

Aum Namah Shivaya! Jai Mata Ji!

the pic below is a picture taken of a web site about kateri mata. some persons have tried hard to convince the unaware that this devi seen sitting on a fowl cock has a place in shakti worship as Kateri Mata, Dee Mata or Parmeshwari, however the story goes:

BAHUCHARA OF GUJARAT.

 

Bahuchara was given in marriage to a prince who never spent time with her. Instead he would go to the jungle every night on a white horse. One night Bahuchara decided to follow her husband and find out why he never came to her. As she had no horse, she rode a jungle fowl. she discovered that her husband spent the night in the jungle behaving as a woman.

"If you are not interested in women why did you marry me?" asked Bahuchara. The prince begged her forgiveness and said his parents had forced him into marriage so that he could father children.

Bahuchara declared that she would forgive him if he and other men like him worshipped her as a goddess, dressed as a woman.

Today Bahuchara, whose temple is located in Gujarat, is worshipped by impotent men, enuchs, homosexuals and hermaphrodites seeking redemption from a life that has cast them out of mainstream society.

Bahuchara is depicted in iconography as sittiing on a male rooster or fowl-- thus symbolising her power over the male gender.

 

please post if your knowledge base is different.

now if you notice i did not say she is not an aspect of the devi i am saying that she is not Kateri Mata, Parmeshwari or Dee mata and as how the pujaries might other wise tell us she is not. for you have read her function.Hope this brings a level of questions as to how she arrived in Kali worship.

 

Bahuchara of Gjarat.

Yes, you are correct... that is Bahuchara Mata. I heard a different story as to why She is worshipped by transexuals, homosexuals, etc... though. I read somewhere that She was almost raped (!), and that She only forgave Her almost-rapist after he castrated himself and donned the garb of a woman for the rest of his life. As for the website you were on... I'm pretty sure that I also got on the same website today (http://devimaamandir.com/Katerimata.html ???) while reading up on Kateri Mata... LMAO... sure is a small virtual world, isn't it!

Deepest condolences, pujarie. I'm so sorry you lost your friend. I hope Kali Mata holds her close to Her heart, as any mother does for her new-found child. B, I hope you are enveloped in Kali Mata's love.

Jai Mata Ji

Nobody knows anything about Her?

I fully understand that Catholicism is "not working" for many of us, particularly in the industrialized nations. However, it is thriving in Africa, India and in non industrialized nations.

 

 

I am an eastern Rite catholic and I have association with Catholic monks who are also Sannyasi. One such sannyasi is a Vaisnava in the line of Srila Prabhupada AND a Catholic hermit, and has also taken the Boddhisattva vow.

 

We consider it acceptable to read and study BG, SB and other Vaisnava literatures.

 

Regarding Mary and her appearances all over the world, I say that this is self explanatory. If Divine Mother chooses to reveal herself Ma Durga, who am I to have any objection.

 

But since you have affection for Mary, you can contact her ecstatic Joy in rememberence of the mysteries of Jesus lila. For example, please remember Mary's mood as she conceived the Christ child within her. She is rapt in ecstatic loving exchange.

 

By her relation with Jesus we can understand Him. And by Him, we can obtain the Mercy of Krsna.

 

I've said time and time again, in order to really experience Madhurya rasa (Mary's bridal chamber), one must fall into the kind of transcendental ecstacy displayed by Sri Chaitanya upon entering Jaganath Puri. In other words, the pastime of conjugal love is beyond the spiritual sky. This is almost impossible for anyone on the planet, and certainly far above me.

 

This also why Mary's mystery of Coronation or Queenship, is the final Glorious Mystery of the rosary. This lila takes place in Heaven, .. we can't be witness very easily while living with "one foot" in this material world. Only the most pure saint will be given her grace to enter there.

 

I am a catholic, but a vaisnava kind, expressing my bhakti in the eastern tradition (st. thomas) of Jesus Parampara / Sampradaya.

 

Sending warmest wishes and blissful love.

 

HerServant and yours.

That is amazing. In Western Catholicism, it's very different. Esp. in the United States. It's very dogmatic, not at all like the Catholicism you describe. It's not at all like the Catholicism you describe. If I were to tell a priest in America that I thought Mary truly was Durga, Radha, Saraswati and Kali, he'd probably excommunicate me (if I hadn't already excommunicated myself). Your Catholicim sounds very much like how Hinduism is treated in the Sri Ramakrishna Math... Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Mary, Radha, Guan Yin, etc... are all shown equal love and affection. I once read that in Goa, India, it's very common to find pictures of Shanti Durga Mata in Catholic homes and even churches.... I didn't know how true it was until I started talking to you. I'm absolutely amazed by your immense wisdom regarding both spiritual traditions. Is the Catholic monk/sanyassi/bodhisattva something of a guru to you? He sounds like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, who was a priest of Kali Mata, but converted to Islam (and had a vision of Mohammed entering the name of Allah, which then entered the name Brahman along with the names of thousands of other gods), then he converted to Christianity (while still fulfilling his role as priest in the Kali temple) and had a vision, while praying the rosary, of Jesus Christ entering the temple, turning into pure light, and then entering his heart. You are very lucky to have such holy men and women in your life. I hope Mother Radhe-Maria shows you all of the love and affection She shows all of Her faithful children!

Jai Sri Radhe-Maria! Jai Sri Yeshu-Krishna ki jai!

Krishna says in the Gita that no matter what form you worship Him (God... who can also be a Her, but in the case of the Gita is a Him) then it is that form that He will appear to you in in your dying moments. The Rig-Veda says, "God is one, but is called by many names." I think we can all take a lesson from these two statements.

I hope she was too, Induleka Devi Dasi.

I'm curious! Can i build or invent some ritual, whit which i will worship or remember Goddess Kali every day? I will include fire, my kali mantra, etc. Like pooja for example just a little diferent (my stile)! What is your opinion on that?

I try to offer a regular puja to Kali once a week. The other days of the week, I just light a candle in front of Her statue, chant Her mantra on a mala, and offer my heart at Her Lotus Feet. I think it all depends on your heart. If you're offering your heart to Her in your puja, how can She refuse?

Aum Eim Hrim Klim Chamundayei Viche Namaha!

i want to know if its is important to be vegetarian when praying maha kali or to become a devotee of maha kali

I (personally) think it's important to be a vegetarian no matter what. Look at how the animals are slaughtered in the slaughter houses! It's so cruel and viscious the way they treat the most innocent of Maa's creatures. If you aren't going to be a vegetarian, then I'd suggest you not to offer meat to Mother Kali... I'm sure She wants no part in the mass slaughter of innocent creatures in the slaughter house. At least at Kalighat the goat is killed by a quick slice across the throat, but in the slaughter house, it's long, drawn-out torture.

Aum Eim Hrim Klim Chamundayei Viche Namaha! Jai Mata Ji!

Denada, mi amigo!

Thanks for posting the other pics! Could She possibly be Shitala Mata??? She holds a fan of grains and rides on a white donkey. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shitala_Devi Hope that helps!

Jai Kali Maa! Jai Shitala Maa!

Hopefully her soul is liberated by her devotion to Allah.

can anyone say me the mantra which we should chant before taking food?

 

[Chant and be happy]

I'll adapt a Catholic prayer that I used to say growing up... just for you! :

Thank you for blessing us, O Radhe-Krishna, with these, your gifts, which we are about to recieve, through the grace of Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani. In the name of Krishna, and of Balarama, and of Srimati Radharani. Aum Shanti Aum.

I personally just say the Maha Mantra and a prayer to Parvati Mata (She is Annapoorna Maa, you know!).

So, I say:

Hare Krsna/Hare Krsna/Krsna Krsna/Hare Hare/Hare Ram/Hare Ram/Rama Rama/Hare Hare.

Aum. Mother Parvati, Bride of Lord Shiva, Gauri! Mother of Ganesh, you make all things possible. You are the Refuge of All. You have the third-eye of Knowledge. Oh Mother of the Universe, I bow down to you!

Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti Aum.

OR, you can just come up with your own prayer before food Break from tradition... be a rebel!

She's beautiful! I see She's holding a club... could She possibly be Bagalamukhi?

Aum Namoh Tara*Aum Namoh Buddha*Aum Namoh Sangha*Aum Namoh Dharma! I take refuge in the Three Jewels and Mother Tara!

Jai Ambe Gauri, my sister! All glories be unto Ambe Kali! Kali Mata is the one that brought be to the Sanatan Dharma (through Her avataras Sarada Devi and Anandamoyi Mata).

JayaMahaDevi:There's a reason why the universe through God's Shakti is manifested in a multitude of forms, because clearly God enjoys the Lila of being manifested in various forms, including forms of life, and forms of divinity...

I whole-heartedly agree. What is called "Krishna Consciousness" can just as easily be Kali Consciousness, Mary Consciousness, Guan Yin Consciousness, Buddha Consciousness, or Jesus Consciousness.... it's all God, just in different forms. The Rig Veda says, "God is one, but is called by many names." Some days I'm more Mary Conscious, others, more Kali Conscious, and still others more Buddha or Krishna Conscious. Good for you for choosing an Ishta Devata you can feel so close to

Aum Jai Jagadambe! Aum Eim Hrim Klim Chamundayei Viche Namaha! All praise and glory be unto Kali Mata, the Bride of Shiva Ji and Mother of Ganesha!

Very interesting.

 

We have to understand that every institutionalized religion has failings. This has to do with the influence of maya and our human tendencies/attractions to the tamasic, rajastic, and sattvic.

 

In fact, your "priest" did not even fully understand Catholic teaching of "Lumen Gentium". That is the catholic church does not reject Truth in any other religion. But that is a whole different topic.

 

The power of Srila Prabhupada's message and the sankirtan is that it is NON SECTARIAN!

 

Problems arise when religious organizations try to make God fit into a particular, sectarian form of worship.

 

For example, the Catholic church, at is essence, is the Credo (belief in Triune God and Christ the Savior), the sacraments (Holy Communion as maha prasadam), and the saints, the highest being Mary as she IS the church! The power of the saints flows in thread of disciplic succession and comprises GSS (Guru Sadhu Sashtra).

 

Now everyone was supposed to be allowed to worship within their own cultural expression, hence the word "Catholic" ie. "universal".

 

But religionists mixed in the three modes of material nature have perturbed the pure message. There were tremendous battles between religious orders (e.g. Dominicans vs. Jesuits ) regarding "forms of worship". In one period the Dominicans drove Latinization (all worship in latin) against the Jesuit philosophy of Inculturation (adopt cultural expression and song most familiar with the people).

 

I see pure, non sectarian "vaisnavism" as a "catholicuniversal" teaching.

 

I need only the most basic elements. Devotion to Mary as she is bhakti love of God personified. Hence, in the making of bhoga I ask her to help her prepare a meal for the child Jesus!

 

I can recite hare nama in her rosary. Or I can contemplate her love for God when reciting maha mantra.

 

All of these practices are completely acceptable for a catholic and actually are permitted in the catholic church!

 

In the catholic church there is such a thing as "private revelation". It means that God can speak "privately" to any person and these things God reveals directly to His devotee. What is not permitted is me to broadcast this message as "universal" without first having the permission of the church.

 

So I have met many vaisnavas who consider me friend and a vaisnava. My shelter is the Blessed Mother, and in her house I can be whomever I wish (servant, friend, child, or silent witness to her activities).

 

Remember, we are dealing with people and the phenomenon of "pure association". I have always been blessed to associate with very holy priests.

 

Finally WE (the devotees) are the social body of God (aka "the church") on this earth.

 

It's not complicated though we keep trying to make it complicated.

 

The teachings of Jesus are to prepare meals and break bread together in rememberence of God (Jesus lila for Jesus bhaktas).

We can distribute prasadam. . We can chant the holy name (rosary in my case).

 

I take the shelter of in the tender love of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She's the most catholic (universal) and I don't need anything else.

 

Sending love,

 

Her Servant and yours.

I think your great devotion to the Church and to the Blessed Mother is beautiful. I still believe all the dogmas about the Holy Virgin, I just have lost faith in Catholicism (possibly b/c of the priest that I expressed myself to). I still like to go to mass on Christmas, though. Do you also think that Jesus and Mary have lived multiple lives on earth (e.g., as Sita-Ram, Radha-Krishna, Maya-Buddha, etc...)? I absolutely love Mary. I pray the rosary almost every night. You should see my house! The Holy Family of Jesus next to the Holy Family of Shiva, Kali stands next to Mary, both reigning in their glory. Guan Yin (a Bodhisattva and great follower of the Buddha) sits in meditation next to the Mother of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Grace and the Sacred Heart have a place right next to Sri Radha-Krishna. Ganesh and Lakshmi are framed right next to a picture of Mary and St. Anne. My Rudraksha mala lays in the same bead bag as my Jerusalem rosary.

Jai Radhe-Maria! Jai Sri Yeshu-Krishna!

P.S.: Have you ever heard of the visions in Medjugorje? Our Lady teaches what I think Catholicism should be when she says: "In God, there are no 'divisions' or 'religions'. It is you on the earth who have created divisions where they didn't exist before."

Sarva Gattah, how did you come to Krishna Conciousness? I'm glad I was able to inspire you

Jai Sri Radhe-Krishna!

Sarva Ghatta: << <LIKE p Consciousness Krishna to came they how of story their has everyone Christian, dedicated real a happens what is this threads, these on devotees interesting the all <>RadheRade1657, theist, HerServant, Beggar, gHari and anyone else, for the history books, how did you guys see Krishna Consciousness as a further understanding of the teachings of Jesus or Jehovah?>>

Well... I used to be Catholic. But, I'd always had several ideas regarding religion:

1. All religions are equal paths to God; no one path is better than another.

2. All deities are different forms of God. Allah is a name of God, Jesus Christ is God's son and one with God, Rama is an incarnation of God, so is Lord Buddha.

3. Reincarnation. I mean, it only makes sense!

4. There is a feminine form of God.

5. God has incarnated more than once (I was always interested in other religions, so I knew of the many famous God-men of religious traditions ancient and modern). I mean, why would God just appear once in Israel 2000 years ago? Why not appear before that and also in modern times?

Well, I read the whole Bible, and tacked on there:

6. The Old Testament is cruel and unjust. It can't be the actual word of God. Yahweh is not the God of Jesus. Jesus spoke of love and forgiveness. Yahweh spoke of injustice and hatred. This cannot be the God that Jesus spoke of.

So, I told the priest at my church of my views one day, and he treated me like a heretic (which, in Catholicism, I guess I am one). So, I went religion shopping, since Catholicism clearly wasn't the religion for me.

I discovered the Sanatan Dharma (I read about Jesus visiting India, and wanted to learn more about the religion He had followed), and it taught everything that I already believed (excluding the Yahweh-Jesus connection... that's obviously personal choice)! I was thrilled to say the least! I absolutely fell in love with Sri Radha-Krishna. When I learned of a sect devoted to Them, I was even more excited by my new religion. So, that's my spiritual journey summed up.

Jai Sri Radhe-Maria! Jai Sri Yeshu-Krishna ki jai!

Thank you for your sweet devotion! Hail Mary comes from the words Ave Maria. Ave means "all offer obeisances" or "all bow down" and the "ave" was uttered by an angel. Hence in saying Ave Marie, "Hail Mary" we unite to all of the devas offering obeisance to Mary!

 

In fact, more than one of Srila Prabupada's devotees agree that Jesus can only be understood by (through) Mary.

 

Peace and love,

 

Her Servant and yours.

 

Below are some of her names known in east and west.

----

 

RADHA is ... RHODA is...

 

1 RADHA RHODA, ROSE

2 HARE KORE

3 SHAKTI SHEKINAH, SEKHET

4 NARI, NARAYANI MARY, MARIAM, JUNO MARINA

5 ISHVARI ISHISH (Hebrew), ISIS

6 YAUVANI JUVENTAS

7 VASUDEVI BASILEA

8 DEVI THEA, DIA

9 RAJANI, RANI REGINA

10 TARA, ASTRAYA STELLA, ASTERIA

11 'Lunar' ROHINI LUCHINA

12 PADME (LOTUS) NYMPHIA (LOTUS)

13 JIVA SHAKTI HEVE SHEKINAH (EVE), ZOE, BIA, BA (Egypt), HEBE

14 LAKSMI FORTUNA-MONETA (TYCHE as LADY LUCK)

15 SARASVATI SARA-CHOKMAH-SHEKINAH

16 HARINI CORONIS

17 TULASI BASILEA as MOTHER MOST TOLERANT(TULA)

 

Regarding the Christian's Trinity, I believe it is called God, the Holy Ghost, and the son. Person in Krishna Consciousness accepts this by the name Visnu, Paramatma, and Jiva. God is a Person, the holy spirit or the supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also, Mary is the representation of the energy of God. Either as internal energy Radharani or as external energy Durga, the energy of Godhead can be considered the mother of the living entities. But there is no clash between the Bible and the Vedas, simply some people formulate their personal ideas and cause quarrelings. - Letter to: Sivananda

--

New York

19 April, 1968

68-04-19

I know it in Italian and English. In Italian, the first words are: Ave O Maria! It's one of my favorite prayers. I absolutely love of thinking of Hindu Devas like Indra and Varuna bowing down in front of the humble maiden of Nazareth! How cute! Wow... the only similarities I've ever noticed were "Regina" and "Rani" and "Devi" and "Dia".... I'd never noticed the other ones! How amazing! Wow! Srila Prabhupada thought of Mary as either Radharani or Sri Parvati Devi! I always thought of Her as the combined essence of both (and Saraswati) like Vaishno Devi, how She is all the members of the Goddess Trinity (Devi Trimurti? Is that a term?) in one. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us! She displays the given traits of each of them:

1. She's Krishna's handmaiden and bride (Srimati Radharani)

2. She destroys all evil (Parvati Mata/ Durga)

3. She shows Her wisdom in the Magnificat (Saraswati Mata)

Well, at least, that's how I've always understood Her!

Jai Radhe-Maria! Jai Sri Yeshu ki Jai! Jai Sri Krishna!

Namaste Her Servant!

I love Mary. After I pray the Maha Mantra to Sri Radha-Krishna, I try to pray 54 Hail Mary's to Her. Mary always was absolutely filled with Krishna's love. I think She is very important to Krishna, She bore His son!

I agree, and I say with you: Aum Hare Krishna! Jai Sri Radhe-Maria ki Jai!

Google Frank Wesley Indian artist. He is quite famous.

I really like this one! The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is one of my favorite parts of the Gospel of Luke! I esp. love the Canticle of the Virgin:

And Mary said:

My Soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden. Behold, from henceforth, all generations shall bless me! For He that is mighty has done unto me a mighty thing, and holy is His Name. His mercy is from generation unto generation to those that pay Him reverence. He hath shown might with His arm, and He hath scattered the proud in their imaginary hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, but hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, yet the rich He hath sent empty away.

--Luke 1:46-53

I'm gonna go pray it in front of my Lord Krishna on my altar!