Guest guest Report post Posted February 8, 2005 Im doing a project for my eastern religions class on anything dealing with hinduism. i would really like to do my project on animals and was wondering if animals got special treatment since some of Hindus gods are animals and maybe other ideas and websites for my project Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barney 0 Report post Posted February 8, 2005 Get your facts before you start your project on the subject. May be you got wrong information from half breed Hindus. If you are curious why Ganesha is with a elephant head the purana says that once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. If you are curious about the diety we call Hanuman who is in the form of monkey please read the Ramayana and you will understand who that diety is in reality. We do not take Hanuman as God but remember that God dwells in all living being as so we Hindus respect all forms of animals as there are animals such as the lion, tiger, rat and snake being used as vehicle for God in different aspects and manifestation. Hinduism is unique in the sense that it teaches us to respect all living beings irrespective of status as God dwells in all live form. HE is omnipresent and omnipotent who is here and there and every where so learn more about Hinduism before you touch on the subject Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maadhav 0 Report post Posted February 8, 2005 every living being or animal has an eternal soul within its body. animals live/act mosty by instinct, where as humasn are supposed to act by intelligence. although souls are many, the supersoul, god is one, and he is also present within each living being on the side by the soul. god is every where also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brinthan 0 Report post Posted February 9, 2005 I don't think that Purana Stories are actual facts. I'm not sure about it. But most of the gods in Hinduism symbolzes something. It has a meaning. Saying that Shiva found the elephant head and put it on Ganesh is a childish story that you tell when your children ask you these kind of question. Why does Ganesh have elephant head? The vehicle of Ganesh is a rat. Our mind is more like a rat, that runs around everywhere. And it's really hard to control just like rat. Ganesh is sitting on the top of the rat, made it his vehicle. It shows if you can control your mind (the rat), you'll get the power of an elephant. That means that you can achieve anything you want if you control your mind. That's what Ganesh symbolzes. We are said to think about god Ganesh before we start any actions. They say that if you think of God Ganesh, your work will be completed successfully. What they really mean is that control your mind, focus it on your task, and you'll achieve your goal. So, when you think of God Ganesh you think of controling your mind. God is one and he doesn't have any shape. All the shape of the gods symbolzes a deep meaning. If you look at it deeply, you'll find the meaning. This is my opinion. Purana stories have deep meaning in it, it is not based on facts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted February 9, 2005 ******I don't think that Purana Stories are actual facts ***** Yes, most stories and associated symbols are representations of eternal truths as envisaged by sages. Lord Ganesh represents the divine and the manifest together, who partakes of pleasures but has head in divinity. He is Tattwa manifested as well as the root. Steadiness of mind cannot be attained without Lord Ganesha's grace. As per Ganesh Upanishad 6. You create all this world. You maintain all this world. All this world is seen in you. You are earth, water, air, fire, ether. You are beyond the four measures of speech. You are beyond the three gunas. You are beyond the three bodies. You are beyond the three times. You are always situated in the muladhara. You are the being of the three Saktis. You are always meditated on by yogins. You are Brahma, you are Visnu, you are Rudra, you are Agni, you are Vayu, you are the sun, you are the moon, you are Brahma, bhur-bhuvah-svar. ******* God is one and he doesn't have any shape. All the shape of the gods symbolzes a deep meaning. If you look at it deeply, you'll find the meaning. ************* RV X, 114, 5AB v) By their words the inspired sages impart manifold forms to that Bird which is the One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted February 9, 2005 "Barney... I don't think that Purana Stories are actual facts. " we are all school children in learning vedas and vedic scriptures, we will be able to give opinions like yours only when we will be fully realized.. to accept or reject by faith is not required in sanatana dharma as in christianism or islamism, there's only to study, surrender and experience.. if you close your mind with such hypotesys, the truth will not reveal herself to you Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted February 9, 2005 "God is one and he doesn't have any shape.." do not blasphemy god, he has everything, and everything includes shape(s), name(s), activities.. is it difficult? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted February 9, 2005 or one shape, God may have all shapes. I believe God has all shapes, all attributes. There is nothing lacking in him. If God has only one shape, and one set of attributes, he is lacking in other sets of attributes and other shapes. I don't think God lacks anything, so he has all shapes, all attributes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted February 10, 2005 RV X, 114, 5AB v) By their words the inspired sages impart manifold forms to that Bird which is the One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted October 20, 2005 Just so everyone know the god Ganapati's, also known as Ganesha, mount is actually a shrew. It does get mixed up with a rat or mouse, but please dont give people false information Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted October 20, 2005 The hindu philosophy includes animals as not having a seperate status from humans. So it teaches compassion to humans and animals alike. It's rather different from other religions which teaches god as having no relation to animals, and then seperately teaches the compassion one needs to have for animals. And we see the distint strong groups from within the people showing compassion for animal protection. There is a temple in south india where some 70 monkeys live and are fed every day. I believe the practice is as old as the temples existence. These days it's getting popular among tourists who visit during seasons. We were told that there is a seperate bank account opened for the monkeys these days. Unfortunately, the time I reached the temple was after sun down, and I couldn't see any. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
