random questions about hinduism

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

i just want to ask some questions to those of you following hinduism in-depth:

 

1. is there a difference in the RESULTS of worshipping shiva instead of vishnu / krishna or vice versa? (as the supreme). ie. results in changes of personality or outlook on life?

 

2. how is it that knowing your true nature as atman / brahman will result in purifying your senses? why would you be inclined to become a dharmic person? what is it that forces this change?

 

3. what are the basic rules in hinduism? what are some general ideals that a common hindu should follow?

[Guest guest]

1. Shiva and Krishna are two different forms of God. There is no result in the realizations gained by worshipping Shiva or Krishna. In order to realize Truth, mind has to be overcome - therefore all name, form, emotions, anything born of ego will have to be overcome. Therefore for the final realization of Truth (which is the goal of hinduism) mind and ego will have to be overcome. so that result of realization is same whether u worship Shiva or Visnu.

 

now other results... it depends on the person. everyone has faculty of choice, and since "ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti" (one truth, but many names) there is no problem in which name you choose. they are all One. so now Shiva is the renunciate God. Krishna/Visnu is the God of devotion. the person who worships Shiva will have renunciate qualities, and the person who worships Visnu will have loving qualities.

 

but the MAIN POINT is that there will be same final result. Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahudha = Shiva and Visnu are one and same (even tho they look diff from outside).

 

2. Knowing the true self to be nothing other than Pure Consciousness one loses attachment to ego/mind. ego and mind are ignorance and they are impure. They must be overcome in order to realization of Truth. Truth is found easiest when one asks the question "what is this 'I'?" then the answer says, no i am not this limited ego, i am not this limited mind, i am the infinite Consciousness, SatChitAnanda. So this knowledge of the highest Truth will purify mind and ego. attachment will go away, desire will go away, and MOST IMPORTANTLY suffering will go away.

 

The force that affects it? maybe the shakti that purifies. It is actually the force of Truth. just that knowledge of Truth is a force.

 

3. Basic rules? Karma, Reincarnation, (Dharma is all the rules), other things. Go to this site: HINDUISM BASICS! JUST FOR YOU

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/basics/

 

--

Om Namah Shivaya

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

http://www.prabhupadavani.org/Caitanya_Caritamrta/Text/010.html

 

Unless we accept inconceivable power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning of God. If you think "a person" means like me or you... Yes, like me or you, God is also person. That is accepted in the Vedas: nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). There are many cetanas, living entities, and they are all eternal. They are many, plural number. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. But there is another nitya, nityo nityanam, two. One is singular number, and one is plural number. What is the distinction? The distinction is eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. That singular number is particularly so powerful that He's supplying the necessities of all the plural number. The plural number, or the living entities, anantaya kalpate... They... You cannot count how many living entities are there. But they are to be maintained by the singular number. That is the distinction. God is person; you are also person; I am also person. We exist eternally, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna said to Arjuna that "You, Me, all these soldiers and kings who have assembled there, it is not that they did not exist in the past. They are existing in the present, and they will continue to exist in that way in the future." That is called nityanam cetananam.

[Guest guest]

typo in first line:

 

There is no *difference in* result in the realizations gained

 

 

SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[maadhav]

<< There is no *difference in* result in the realizations gained >>

 

krishna does not say so in gita.

 

many questions about Hinduism are answered in gita.

one should read it before shooting random questions and answers.

 

[Guest guest]

Yes, please read "The Holy Geeta" by Swami Chinmayananda.its the bestest!!!!

[barney]

I am Lord Shiva, I am the god of wealth, I am the fire god, and the mountains. (10.23)

[barney]

I am the water-god, and the manes. I am the controller of death. I am the time or death

among the healers, lion among the beasts, and the king of birds among birds. (10.29-30)

 

I am the origin of all beings, O Arjuna. There is nothing, animate or inanimate,

that can exist without Me. (See also 7.10 and 9.18) (10.39)

 

For those who worship the Supreme with unswerving devotion as a personal deity of their choice,

offer all actions to Me, intent on Me as the Supreme, and meditate on Me; I swiftly become their

savior ¾ from the world that is the ocean of death and transmigration ¾ whose thoughts are set

on My personal form, O Arjuna. (12.06-07)

 

The Supreme Being is the source of all lights. He is said to be beyond darkness of ignorance.

He is the Self-knowledge, the object of Self-knowledge, and seated in the inner psyche as

consciousness (See verse 18.61) of all beings, He is to be realized by Self-knowledge. (13.17)

 

Goodness prevails by suppressing passion and ignorance; passion prevails by suppressing

goodness and ignorance; and ignorance prevails by suppressing goodness and passion,

O Arjuna. (14.10)

 

Please understand the GITA well before making assumptions of your own.

[maadhav]

antavat tu phalam tesAm

tad bhavati alpa-medhasAm

devAn deva-yajo yanti

mad-bhaktA yAnti mam api

 

"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet."

 

So, the destinations are different.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Whatever Krishna puranas say is fine.

Whatever Shiva puranas say is also fine.

all paths lead to realization of Self.

 

if i worship shiva, i shall realize the Self. If i worshp KRsna i shall realize the same Self.

 

--

Om Namah Sivaya

[maadhav]

i am not argueing.

 

[Guest guest]

 

******

antavat tu phalam tesAm

tad bhavati alpa-medhasAm

devAn deva-yajo yanti

mad-bhaktA yAnti mam api

 

"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet."

 

So, the destinations are different.

***************

 

 

Devas mean Demi Gods or simply gods? Then who are these demi gods, if at all your translation is valid??

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

ravi & govindaram: thankyou, those sites are excellent and your answers make sense

 

maadhav: yes i've read the gita and i understand it, but there was that question lingering in my mind. some priests have mentioned to me to worhsip hanuman for strength. now why would a demigod be useful in that way if they all lead into the same place? makes me think the worship or particular deities will imbue particular 'gifts' over others.