Ashoka67 0 Report post Posted July 16, 2004 Respectful greetinsg to you all. I am a 35-year-old man who has felt called by God for a very long time. I have studied Judaism and Christianity for a long time. I felt especially drawn to the love and compassion of Christ and the idea of a personal relationship with him. But I study the Bible so much and I am so often horrified by what I see there. I see the love of women condemned as evil, I see God threatening to make parents eat their children! I see a God of anger and hatred. I have been studying the book of Ezekiel and I sometimes feel like crying, or like screaming "This can't be what God would really say to His children! This sounds like a crazy, murderous tyrant!" But I have started reading the Bhagavad Gita also. Krishna is so different, and his message is so different. He even tolerates those who worship differently because he knows that he is God. When I first became drawn to Christinaity, I was told to simply speak to Jesus from my heart; to speak to him as a friend or elder brother. Is it possible to approach Krishna in this way, or must one use certain prayers at certain times? Do followers of Krishbna feel that they have a *personal* relationship with him? Or Siva, or Rama? Can one speak with Ganesha as a friend? Will he comfort you in times of trouble or despair? How do I approach the loving Gods of Hinduism and know whether I can have a relationship with them? Will they communicate with me to let me know they are real? Can they save me from the Christian Hell? I can't sleep with anxiety. I need the peace of the love of a compassionate God. How can I pray to teh Hindu Gods, or know which Hindu God I will worship? Please share advice with me... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pankaja_Dasa 1 Report post Posted July 16, 2004 Hare Krishna I shall give you my unwanted advice. I too was astonished after reading As It Is Gita. Regarding your questions about relationships with Krishna. You would do good to read Nectar of Devotion www.vedabase.net . I have read even some parts it is a priceless book. Thats all from me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 16, 2004 Yes you can have the most personal relationship whit Sri Krishna .he is most happy when mother Yasoda ,is chaseing him whit stick on her hand, to punish, his nothy boy, thre are diferent rasas that we can have whit him, his least favorite is the worship in reverenced . but he is so kind that he will take whathever one offers ,whit love and devotion, a little flower ,water, ladu. samosa, cachori , sandesh, it is your love that he wants ,he dosent need anything , so dont settle for less than Krsna and Radha , read gita chant Krsnas names , and be happy . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ashoka67 0 Report post Posted July 17, 2004 How does one know which god(s) to follow? How do I know who I should become a devotee of? Should I just pick whatever god or goddess appeals to me? How do I begin? I feel lost... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 17, 2004 Krsna tell us to surender to him ,so why wander about who to worship , he is telling surender to me ,it is so clear ,"read gita as it is"but still we are thinking o!!! who would i worship? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ashoka67 0 Report post Posted July 17, 2004 Allah also tells us to surrender to him - how do we know which God? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 17, 2004 He dosent have wife , u like wife? krsna loves wife so much he had 16,000 so you sound like an intelegent man, do you think a lonly God is a happy one ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 17, 2004 study bhagavad gita...it is not easy or cheap read a little then come back to make questions http://www.asitis.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 17, 2004 I'm a little confused by the replies here. Thanks anyway... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ashoka67 0 Report post Posted July 17, 2004 I'm a little confused by the replies here. Thanks anyway... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 17, 2004 But I study the Bible so much and I am so often horrified by what I see there. ••bible shows the punitive aspect of religion.. that is true but not the only one.. if you study bhagavad gita, puranas, upanishads under a proper guide you will put also bible in the proper frame Is it possible to approach Krishna in this way, or must one use certain prayers at certain times? ••you can and must do both things.. krsna is pleased if you think at him as your closest friend and if you respect his authority in worshipping him as he asked.. so read bhagavad gita, chant his holy name (hare krishna, hare krishna, krishna krishna, hare hare.. hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare) and offer to him all your food provided it is vegetarian Do followers of Krishbna feel that they have a *personal* relationship with him? Or Siva, or Rama? Can one speak with Ganesha as a friend? Will he comfort you in times of trouble or despair? ••yes to all How do I approach the loving Gods of Hinduism and know whether I can have a relationship with them? ••approach the supreme lord sri krsna praying him and chanting his holy name. He's the root of all creation, pleasing him all divine personalities are pleased.. ganesh, shiva, jesus and so on... Will they communicate with me to let me know they are real? ••if you make some effort in cleaning your mind chanting hare krsna you will communicate surely with him Can they save me from the Christian Hell? I can't sleep with anxiety. I need the peace of the love of a compassionate God. ••try to not make gross sins.. be peaceful, do not kill animals to eat them, do not intoxicate with alcohol or drugs, chant hare krishna, read the gita and no hell will have you How can I pray to teh Hindu Gods, or know which Hindu God I will worship? ••sri shankaracharya, one of the greatest saints and philosophers of india says: "bhaja govinda, bhaja govinda...! worship sri krsna govinda in the ways that i have explained and you will be satisfied krsna is not "a" god... krsna is the supreme lord.. the father of everyone and everything Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maadhav 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2004 The phrase 'hindu god' is confusing to some. god is the one only god for all per the vedic literature. those who know god by studying the vedic literature like gita, ramayan or bhagavat, etc are called hindus. but that vedic literature for the whole humanity of all times. yes, you can know krishna by studying gita in which he himself tells all about him. and how you can go to him. in bhagavatam vyasadev and others tell about krishna. and you can establsh any personal relation with krishna. knowing abour krishna is good, but when you live by gita, then you really reap the benefit. wishing you best. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pankaja_Dasa 1 Report post Posted July 18, 2004 I'm a little confused by the replies here. Thanks anyway... ? If you went to Guru he would say same thing maybe. Either chant Hare Krishna {he will for sure tell you to do that} and read Books. So PLEASE read Gita. No need to say I am confuced. You got your answer /images/graemlins/grin.gif Suggestion was read then later ask. If you want to e-mail me you can. theholynameofkrishna@.co.uk I can't give you any amazing words of wisdom. But I know little stuff. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 18, 2004 Ashoka67 - "How do I know who I should become a devotee of? Should I just pick whatever god or goddess appeals to me? How do I begin? I feel lost..." Read the works of Sri Ramakrishna if you want to know about devotion, how to see God, etc. You will learn alot from him. If you're interested in Vaishnavism read the works of Sri Ramanuja. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ashoka67 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2004 Thank you for the kind replies and for your patience. These messages help me. I am almost finished with the Gita, and it is wonderful. I am seeking a copy of the gosepl of Sri Ramakrishna. Where shall I start with my studies of the Vedas? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 18, 2004 i thank you for your sincere and intelligent questions!! study the gita translated and commented by bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada http://www.asitis.com/ you will be more able to apply the teachings of the gita in your own life and , in my opinion, do not read ramakrsna or read it only for your culture ramakrsna is a nichilist not a guide to transcendence, he will (try to) teach you only to stop learning and that transcendence and god are unreal vedas? read sri isopanishad and bhagavat purana.. read all bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada's books if it works for me, it works also for you please chant hare krishna mahamantra every day and come back here to share your realizations of your readings with us Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 19, 2004 You can buy books related to the Vedas as well as the Vedas from the site below. http://www.vedah.com/org/index.asp Ramakrishna's and Vivekananda's books can be bought from their centres websites or some from Amazon.com below http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0911206019/103-5917966-5519001?v=glance As you can see some Iskconites cannot keep their prejudice hidden for too long as 'guest' has shown! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 19, 2004 prejudices are the ones of who is insulting being not able to bear different opinions.. our friend has make questions, answer to them instead of gratificating yourself in making religious wars give some help Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 19, 2004 "our friend has make questions, answer to them instead of gratificating yourself in making religious wars" If you can see, I answered his questions. I didn't show prejudice by speaking ill of another spiritual guru. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 19, 2004 no spiritual guru has been offended Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
