CHILD OF DEVI- SPIRITUAL POVERTY VERSUS MATERIAL POVERTY!

[Guest guest]

Greetings my own child of devi!

 

thank you! but, really i do not deserve all that praise! i am

as 'human' or as 'inhuman' as many people on this planet but i

certainly try 'hard' every day to become a better human being - not

necessarily a 'god-fearing' person but a 'god loving person.'

 

also, i am not knowledgeble- the only real knowledge is when you

realize the 'truth' i am far from "that" ... but, i am trying,

though!

 

but, research is what i do for an occupation and i am good at surfing

on the web and present facts as i come across them! nothing that i

write is original and is already known to most people...

 

The stotra you are referring to is "MANISHA PANCHAKAM' WRITTEN BY ADI

SHANKARA !

 

YES, "Shri Shankara has been criticized by modern western scholars for

propounding sectarian beliefs in his commentary (bhashya) of

Brahma sutra where he restricts the recitation of Vedas to the upper

castes only. However, one should note that one is handicapped when

writing a commentary on a text. Thus in independent compositions like

the upadesasahasri and this short text, maniishhaa panchakam he

expounds his Advaita philosophy in all its glory. Advaita, the non-

dualistic philosophy expounded in detail by Shri Shankara, does not

recognize differences between people based on caste, creed, religion,

gender etc since we are all the manifestations of the same Brahman."

 

CHILD OF DEVI, IF YOU LIKE I WILL EMAIL YOU THE FIVE BEAUTIFUL VERSES

WITH THEIR ENGLISH TRANSLATION- -

 

child of devi, YOU MENTION HOW CAN ONE REALIZE GOD ON AN EMPTY

STOMACH? true! very true! even gautama buddha realized that ! he

undertook huge penances and practiced severe austerities but was

still miles and miles away from 'nirvana' UNTIL ONE DAY HE REALIZED

that 'nirvana' cannot be attianed on an empty stomach AND A BUDDHA

BIKSHINI BROUGHT HIIM SOME FOOD... AND HE REALIZED THAT YOU NEED SOME

FOOD AT LEAST TO KEEP THE BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER...

 

IT IS INTERESTING YOU SHOULD MENTION' POVERTY' -n sufism , there is a

word called 'faqr'

 

what does the word "faqr" mean?

 

In the language of the sufis, faqr means being rich with god or nOn-

dependent on anything otheR than god.

 

but unlike hiduisn, in islam renunciation is purely spiritual or

mental, not physical!

 

a hindu santyasi or an ascetic may renounce his wife, kids, home and

other worldly possessions. rather, this is considered total

renunciation or tyagha - and a sadhu has only two possessions

- a loin cloth and an alms bowl!

 

but in Islam an ascetic need not renounce the world and sit in

seclusion for good. What the Muslim ascetics do is that they live in

the world, attend to its affairs, earn a livelihood, having full

trust in God and believing that it is not their efforts which bring

them bread, but it is through God's grace and kindness that they get

what they get. so they do not run away from their duties ,pains

and sorrows unlike the ascetics of other religions who do not face

the world and take to seclusion for good.

 

So in Sufism faqr does not means poverty. It means wealth and

abundance, because a faqir in the real sense, is an extremely rich

person who lives on spiritual and not physical wealth. That is why

the Prophet (s.a.w.) said," Faqr is my Fakhr (pride)".

 

i live in usa which is supposedly one of the richest countries in the

world... the per capita income is high; every household has two cars;

people own houses etc,,,, but still there is so much discontent and

unhappiness! what is the use of owning the aerth and losing the soul?

 

But you do make an interesting point- this was one reason why mother

teresa nad her missionary sisters were able to convert so many hungry

and homeless people on the streets of calcutta! she gave them dignity

and self esteem when their own hindu brethern treated them like S***

(pardon my french) why do you think 3000 dalits embraced buddhism

recently? please read dr. ambedkar's views on the caste system... if

the indian government does not straighten up the act , india might

become a 'christian' state! smiles!

 

btw, veda vyasa mother was 'satyavati' the fisherwoman... also, did

you know that sage narada's mother was a woman of ill repute?

 

why do you think gandhiji went to london round table conference in

a 'loin cloth' when he was ridiculed by the british presss for this

immodest attire, he retorted " how can i wear a three piece suit when

half of india is naked, hungry and homeless'?

 

but seriously, child of devi! which is worse spiritual poverty or

material poverty?

 

 

love and love only