do HK's participate in garba?

[Guest guest]

?

[Haridham 0]

I personaly hate garba. All u do is spin around in a circle and the rest are just talking prajalpa.

 

I dont like going, i dont like the atmosphere.

 

I dont know about the rest of us.

[theist 1]

garba?

[Haridham 0]

Its a gujurati Dance.

 

also called Dandiya Ras

[livingentity 0]

honoring Goddess Amba? Anyway, why would we be interested if our main occupation should be to serve Lord Krsna, chant etc?

[Haridham 0]

Yes our main duty is to serve krsna. I have been there from time to time but it never felt like they were honouring goddes amba.

 

The atmosphere wasnt spiritual at all either.

 

If you know anything about the gujus and in perticular how the the people within the casts(eg: soni samaj nonsense) hate each other then u woudnt go.

 

THere are always spreading rumors about each other and trying to ruin each others lives.

 

Hare krsna.

[livingentity 0]

came up with the following info...

 

"GARBA - Gujarati Dance

Garba, the leading dance of women in Gujarat, is associated withthe fertility cult. For the nine nights of Navaratri, an autumn festival,women come out into the open and with perforated earthen pots holding lighted lambs poised on the head sing, clap and dance a simple, circular dance, in honour of the goddess Amba.

 

At times men too dance, by singing and clapping,and the dance is known as Garbi. Traditionally the Garba is intended to be danced only at night and as a votive offering. In an evolved version,the dance can be performed for its own sake and at any time.

 

India, the Tippani is one. It is danced by women labourers in parts of Saurashtra, to relieve tedium, as part of the beating of the floor with wooden mallets, in the construction of a house. "

[theist 1]

Ok LE, now you have done it. Whose Amba?

 

If this is a circular stick dance sort of thing then I can say I used to go. The gujurati's would preform this on ekadasi which was one day ahead of when we honored it. They would dance at the temple.

 

I didn't take part I just went to see the pretty Indian girls dancing around. That is until I realized what a slob I was for going to Radha Krishna's temple with such a degraded motive, then I quit.

[theist 1]

I see.

[Guest guest]

You can listen to garba songs here (they're in gujarati):

 

http://gujaratonline.com/music/garbo.htm

 

I was just wondering about garba/Navrati/Diwali because I know HK's observe many Hindu festivals.

[livingentity 0]

Goddess Durga.

[Haridham 0]

Well being from a guju background i personally dont even like going to Garba. I stay away from people who are detrimental to my spiritual life.

 

Preety girls on the other hand.....well just read what i just wrote.

[livingentity 0]

Lord Krsna.

 

I was just wondering about garba/Navrati/Diwali because I know HK's observe many Hindu festivals.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Amba riding the tiger

 

The Goddess in Hinduism is depicted as the motherhood of God. She is the transforming power behind the sustaining power of the God. She is easily approachable and loves all that love her. Like a mother to her child, she can be both giving and fiercely protective.

 

Goddess Amba, also known as Parvati or Durga is the wife (consort) of Lord Shiva and exists in various divine (both friendly and fearful) forms. Two of her fierce but very powerful forms are Durga (goddess beyond reach) and Kali (goddess of destruction).

 

Both have eight hands and great power and energy (Shakti). Durga rides on a lion and Kali rides on a corpse of a demon. Parvati was called Sati in her previous divine incarnation. The family of Lord Shiva, Parvati and their sons Ganesha and Subramanya is an ideal example of family unity and love.

 

She is charming, strong, and admirable. In her Parvati form, she is adored by married women for a happy married life. In her other forms she is respected and loved for her protective, defensive strength.

 

http://www.msu.edu/user/chris221/

[Guest guest]

I don't think it's in relation to Lord Krsna, because in the center of the floor which everyone does garba around there are only pictures/deities of Amba.

 

[Govindaram 1]

Hare Krishna

 

Going to Garbha is praising Amba Maa,

to ask for Krishna Bhakti.

[Gaurasundara 0]

Some do, some don't. I think it all depends on how serious you are. Anyone who has been there knows that the atmosphere may not be all that devotional, and it is more or less a meeting place to get introduced to members of the opposite sex. Food, drink, dance, people, what more could you want for a party?

 

That said, there was a couple of garbha functions advertised in Bhaktivedanta Manor. It was not organised by the Manor although several Manor devotees were there attending, dancing and all. Even initiated ones. The function was that it was supposed to be a 'Ras Garbha.' There was a table in the middle with a figuring of Muralidhara Krishna on it, as if it was supposed to mean Krishna is in the middle and all the participants were Gopis or something. I didn't realise this until near the end of the function but when I did, I found it distasteful.

 

A couple of days later, I found that a few friends at the Manor were discussing the Ras Garbha and wondering whether Srila Prabhupada would have approved. The obvious answer is 'no.'

[Guest guest]

Thank you Govindaram prabhu. You are the only one who has had something positive to say about Garba. As for the others, if you dont like it, dont knock it. You obviously havn't experienced it properly. As for whoever said it has nothing to do with Krishna, think again. As Govindaram prabhu rightly said, we pray to the Devis to ask for Krishna bhakti. The Devis are far greater than we will ever be so deserve the upmost respect.

 

Jay Matiji

 

Jay RadheShyam

[livingentity 0]

seems like the long way around when it is Lord Krsna Himself that instructs us in Bhagavad Gita of the temporary nature of demigod worship.

 

It is best to serve and please Lord Krsna - this pleases all the denizens of the heavenly planets. Why go the long way around and have to come back that many more times?

[Guest guest]

Well as i see it, we need all the help we can get to go back home. (Also, its better not to approach Lord Krishna directly).

 

 

Jai Mataji

 

Jai RadheShyam

[Govindaram 1]

 

Hare Krishna

 

It depends what consciousness you are in,

if you goto Garbha and think i will check

the fit girls or i will pray to GarbhaMaa

and ask for a benediction...

 

The thing is many Hindus celebrate this

festival, and this argumant about going

the long way around is not always good.

 

Critising a festival like this is not

constructive to Bhakti, though you can

teach people that praying to Garbha Maa

or Ambha Maa for Krishna Bhakti is good.

 

Even the gopis asked Katayani Maa for Krishna!

 

[livingentity 0]

Bhagavad Gita. I know you will say you already read it but you can never read it enough. Each time you read you will see something new and understand something new. "Ever fresh."

 

We are also taught that you do not approach Lord Krsna directly but this does not mean demi-god worship. Respect yes, worship no.

 

I am on my way out the door right now - otherwise I would post the verses and purports from both Bhagavad Gita As It Is and Srimad Bhagavatam concerning this very subject. There are many such verses and purports.

 

Hare Krsna. Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!

 

 

[livingentity 0]

but I choose to follow the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. I am not a gopi so or so pure in consciousness. Are you? (this really is not a question that I mean for you to answer - only to think about)

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

 

(Also, its better not to approach Lord Krishna directly).

 

 

Worship of the Acharya (Guru) includes worship of all the devas, and it is most pleasing to Lord Krishna. The quickest way to achieve the mercy of Lord Krishna is to worship the Guru.

 

Religious cultural functions such as Garbha dance, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc., will not bring Krishna bhakti regardless of how we justify it. They are little more than social meetings held in temples.

[livingentity 0]

Prabhupada tell us to do this?

 

though you can teach people that praying to Garbha Maa or Ambha Maa for Krishna Bhakti is good.

 

 

I am not saying that you are saying Prabhupada says to do this - please do not misunderstand me. I asked the question to bring out a point.