Guest guest Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 Vanakkam GaneshandLakshmi, The rudrakshas have certainly worked rapidly for you too, bringing you "Home" to God on a deeper (subtle) level, triggered when you visited the temple and had the Kaapu put on your head. Thwameva Mata Cha Pita Thwameva, > Thwameva Bandhuscha Sakhaa Thwameva. > Thwameva Vidyaa, Dhravinam Thwameva, > Thwameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva > Om Shanti Shanti Shanti > > (Meaning: O Lord You are my mother and father. You are my relative > and friend. You are my knowledge (wisdom) and wealth (strength, > valour and power) and you are my all - My God of Gods.) In truth, God is One -- whether its Ganapatiji or MahaLakshmi, Lord Shiva, Shakti, MaaKali, Durga, Vishnu, Brahma, etc. etc. There are zillions of deities but all are "manifestations" of the "One Supreme God", the All. Hence, God is "mother, father, relative, friend, knowledge, wisdom, wealth, strength, valor, power, my/our All"..... They say that nothing happens by accident in samsara. All are connected and related. In your case, may I humbly offer 2 dimes worth: You have blessings from preceeding births and this auspicious occasion has re-opened the path back to God of which submission is one component. It is the Bhakti that had lain dormant within you, that by the Grace of God, made you open up and pour it forth..... Not everyone has dreams or visions of Lord Shiva, Brahma or Vishnu, Ganapatiji, MahaLakshmi, MaaKali, Durga, etc. etc. Everyone has different experiences of God's Darshan and this can come in any form, without warning or preparation. Everybody's level of bhakti is also different Om Namah Shivaya Jai Shree Gurudev Namaha Simone , ganeshandlakshmi <no_reply> wrote: > > > Namaste, All ! > > Here is my experience with Rudrakshas over the past 2 weeks or so. > I got my Rudrakshas on 02/13/05 and I started wearing them the same > day; I take them off only before I shower, otherwise I am wearing > them all the time, even while asleep. I have been using my Japa Mala > to keep track during prayers, (also when I am driving on the highway). > > The past 2 Fridays (considered auspicious back in southern India), I > prayed at the Sri Lakshmi temple in Ashland, MA. Apparently, (correct > me if I am wrong here) the rituals in this temple are performed in the > Telugu tradition (Telugu is the language spoken in Andhra Pradesh > state). I am more used to the Kerala and Tamil Nadu traditions. > > The second visit (yesterday), especially, was a unique experience. As > I waited in a line with other devotees outside the shrine for Goddess > Lakshmi, the priest, after performing the rituals, came out to bless > us all. As he walked down the line, he gently put a tall, cone- shaped > silver cup (called "kaapu", I believe -- correct me, again) to each > devotee's head, lightly touching the head. I bowed down my head as the > priest approached me. He touched the "kaapu" to my head. At that > moment I became emotional and my eyes started tearing up. Then they > all started chanting MahaLakshmi Ashtakam("Namastestu Mahaamaaye..."). > This was a stotram that I used to recite (in the evenings) back in > India in my childhood and I found myself chanting along as I > discovered that I could recall much of it. After accepting from the > priest the Prasadams (flowers), Bhasmam (sacred ash), Kumkumam > (saffron), Chandanam (Sandalwood paste) and Naivedyams (any fruit or > prepared sweet already offered to the deity), I proceeded to make > Pradakshinams (walk in a circle) around the shrines. I don't recall > having spent that much time, almost an hour, worshipping at a temple > in my past. > > This morning, I read through Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam once again; then I > proceeded to chant Arjuna's prayer: > > Thwameva Mata Cha Pita Thwameva, > Thwameva Bandhuscha Sakhaa Thwameva. > Thwameva Vidyaa, Dhravinam Thwameva, > Thwameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva > Om Shanti Shanti Shanti > > (Meaning: O Lord You are my mother and father. You are my relative > and friend. You are my knowledge (wisdom) and wealth (strength, > valour and power) and you are my all - My God of Gods.) > > That is when I started sobbing out aloud, uncontrollably. It was as if > all the emotions I dammed up inside me at the temple last night broke > free this morning. I am not an emotional person, not given to break > into tears that easily. I don't know how to explain this. Even now, as > I recite "Twameva..." I am tearing up. > > My question to you all is, have the Rudrakshas begun to work for me ? > Are they finally (after barely 2 weeks of having them) beginning to > manifest their power and influence over me ? Is my emotional outburst > a sign of submission to the Lord? What do I read into this incident? > Having read thru' other people's experiences with Rudrakshas, I > thought I would also experience something similar, such as dreams of > Lord Shiva, etc. None of that has ocurred to me -- yet. > > I eagerly await your considered opinion. Thank you, All! > > > GaneshLakshmi > > > GURUR BRAHMA GURUR VISHNU > GURUR DEVO MAHESHWARAH > GURU SAKSHA PARA BRAHMA > TASMEI SHRI GURAVE NAMAH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 Namaste Ganeshlakshmi, It sounds like you had a wonderful experience. I also am not know as an emotional person, yet after wearing a Rudraksha siddha mala along with others, I also find that my heart is opened. I recall my guru's description of Swami Vivekananda, he said outside he was a jnani but inside a pure bhakta. I find that the rudrakshas have defintely helped me cultivate bhakti, and continue to do so. My relationship with Shiva grows deeper daily. We are currently rewatching Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana and found tears folling down my cheeks at several places. Har Har Mahadev! Arjuna ganeshandlakshmi <no_reply> wrote: Namaste, All ! Here is my experience with Rudrakshas over the past 2 weeks or so. I got my Rudrakshas on 02/13/05 and I started wearing them the same day; I take them off only before I shower, otherwise I am wearing them all the time, even while asleep. I have been using my Japa Mala to keep track during prayers, (also when I am driving on the highway). The past 2 Fridays (considered auspicious back in southern India), I prayed at the Sri Lakshmi temple in Ashland, MA. Apparently, (correct me if I am wrong here) the rituals in this temple are performed in the Telugu tradition (Telugu is the language spoken in Andhra Pradesh state). I am more used to the Kerala and Tamil Nadu traditions. The second visit (yesterday), especially, was a unique experience. As I waited in a line with other devotees outside the shrine for Goddess Lakshmi, the priest, after performing the rituals, came out to bless us all. As he walked down the line, he gently put a tall, cone-shaped silver cup (called "kaapu", I believe -- correct me, again) to each devotee's head, lightly touching the head. I bowed down my head as the priest approached me. He touched the "kaapu" to my head. At that moment I became emotional and my eyes started tearing up. Then they all started chanting MahaLakshmi Ashtakam("Namastestu Mahaamaaye..."). This was a stotram that I used to recite (in the evenings) back in India in my childhood and I found myself chanting along as I discovered that I could recall much of it. After accepting from the priest the Prasadams (flowers), Bhasmam (sacred ash), Kumkumam (saffron), Chandanam (Sandalwood paste) and Naivedyams (any fruit or prepared sweet already offered to the deity), I proceeded to make Pradakshinams (walk in a circle) around the shrines. I don't recall having spent that much time, almost an hour, worshipping at a temple in my past. This morning, I read through Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam once again; then I proceeded to chant Arjuna's prayer: Thwameva Mata Cha Pita Thwameva, Thwameva Bandhuscha Sakhaa Thwameva. Thwameva Vidyaa, Dhravinam Thwameva, Thwameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva Om Shanti Shanti Shanti (Meaning: O Lord You are my mother and father. You are my relative and friend. You are my knowledge (wisdom) and wealth (strength, valour and power) and you are my all - My God of Gods.) That is when I started sobbing out aloud, uncontrollably. It was as if all the emotions I dammed up inside me at the temple last night broke free this morning. I am not an emotional person, not given to break into tears that easily. I don't know how to explain this. Even now, as I recite "Twameva..." I am tearing up. My question to you all is, have the Rudrakshas begun to work for me ? Are they finally (after barely 2 weeks of having them) beginning to manifest their power and influence over me ? Is my emotional outburst a sign of submission to the Lord? What do I read into this incident? Having read thru' other people's experiences with Rudrakshas, I thought I would also experience something similar, such as dreams of Lord Shiva, etc. None of that has ocurred to me -- yet. I eagerly await your considered opinion. Thank you, All! GaneshLakshmi GURUR BRAHMA GURUR VISHNU GURUR DEVO MAHESHWARAH GURU SAKSHA PARA BRAHMA TASMEI SHRI GURAVE NAMAH To send an email to: / Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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