Baby steps in Hinduism

[lekshmi_remesh 0]

Hi,

I am a 20 year old from Kerala. I came to this forum to seek help, to be honest. MY life story goes like this - I was more into Christianity esp Catholicism all these years, though born into a Hindu family. It was an entirely persnal choice. But now I saw my error and I want to live my life as a Hindu. I dont see religion as a support mechanism but as a way to know the truth. But, I have no idea where to start as a Hindu. True, I take part in daily rituals and pujas and all that, but I haven't read much or known much. Can anyone help me out on where to start and how.

Love,

Lekshmi

[Guest guest]

There are two important prayers in your Catholic religion that can help you greatly in the science of Vaisnavism, otherwise known as Bhakti. Both the Lords Prayer, which recommends honoring the Names of the Supreme Being, and the Hail Mary, which asks an intimate and unalloyed servant of the supreme Lord for guidance in spiritual life, are keys to unlocking this science.

 

My Spiritual Master, Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has given all of his disciples and followers a mantra, which has no secrecy whatsoever. To utter the names of the Supreme Lord, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is the very beginning step, as well as the final goal of this science.

 

Another mantra is also helpful, Bhaja Sri Krsna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita Gadadhar Srivas adi Gaura Bhaktivrnda. This mantra is uttered first, and protects the aspiring candidate for bhakti yoga from calamities caused by doubt to the potency of the Holy Names, any feelings that the beginning mechanics of this practice is just another material idea are greatly reduced by uttering this prayer for protection against offense.

 

The Hare Krsna mantra is uttered 108 times, and this is called a round. If you possess a rosary, follow the beads of the circle twice, and when you come to the medal that connects the five beads with the cricifix, simply utter the Bhaja Sri Krsna Prayer.

 

Initiated disciples of Srila Prabhupada have promised to do 16 rounds daily, but Srila Prabhupada emphasizes that this is a gradual process. This means that at first, one may chant one round a day, then two, then three, but never less than the previous day. This insures success in this process.

 

Now, If you check out this site for a writer named Theist, at the bottom of his posts he has a hotkey that places you on the vedabase. The top book listed on this site is Bhagavad Gita As it Is, which is declared by all Vaisnavas throughout history to contain ALL that is needed to go back home, back to Krsna. Srila Prabhupada told me personally that to understand just the introduction to this book is sufficient for one to become a master of this science.

 

Anyway, anopther important point is that one associates with devotees. This forum is full of nice devotees with plenty to offer. A wonderful site to jump onto is a site hosted by the writer named gHari, who always hotkeys his Kingdom of God site. In my opinion, this is the best of sites, has the fullest access of links to other wonderful sites, etc. Browse the KoG site, and youll go back to Krsna very soon.

 

Thank you for posting such a wonderful inquiry, and great fortune to you. Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

Haribol. I forgot another very good resource in regard to your inquiry. On this forum, the "letters to the editor" section has very good information, and is especially nice because there is no arguing there. And if you browse to this forum often, please dont let the arguing get in the way of your devotion, because we all are very fond of each other, having common cause, common goals. The arguing is just the practice of "Unity in diversity", recognizing that Krsna Consciousness is open to all without exception, containing all members of social, economic and political spectra. Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[lekshmi_remesh 0]

thank you, thank you ever so much for the baby steps /images/graemlins/smile.gif i am quite familiar with the catholic prayers you mentioned, and i am quite used to chanting the rosary -the catholic one - to the extent of doing 10-15 rounds each day. in fact, i have heard from my family about the significance of 108 repetitions of a mantra and it was just yesterday night that i discovered that i could do two rounds of the circle and chant the mantras without losing count.

i will surely go through the links you gave me. though i have two or three copies of the Bhagawad Gita at home, I have never really read it attentively - mostly because i found the terse translations hard to grasp. but i need to go back to my roots and i know thats where i can find, or rather, lose myself in God /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Raghavan 0]

Being in Kerela, you are near a PunyaKshethra the Great Guruvayoor, where Shri Krishna's original image given by Him and installed by Guru and Vayu is there in the temple. What else do you need to start. Guruvayoorappan Shri Krishna is famous for curing even the most dreaded disease. Go and see Him once and that would be the good start, He will cure your ailment of ignorance and delusion and give you the proper vision.

Guruvayoor is famous for the Narayaneeyam written by Narayana Bhattaadri that is the condensed version of Bhagawat Purana. YOu should be knowing the history behind Narayaneeyam epic. Begin to read Narayaneeyam, and you will get the vision of Lord Himself and this is for sure in this birth itself when you are alive.

Raghavan