Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 22:26:39 -0000 "Satish Arigela" <satisharigela writes: > That is bcoz Saraswati is known as goddess of learning and not > perfumes. Is there any source which says Saraswati is goddess of > perfumes or something? Saraswati is described as <chandana-priya>, or "fond of sandalwood." She is also described as inventing and mastering the 57 arts and sciences, one of which is making perfumes. > > Please tell me if you find anything about Saraswati like that. And > what on earth does a goddess of perfumes mean? She makes all > perfumes in this world? Perhaps she inspires all the perfume-makers in the world. > Or should one meditate on Saraswati while > using perfumes? One should offer her sandalwood oil as <gandha> during her puja. > Is there some scripture which prescribes her > meditation while using perfumes? Please let me know if you find > something like that. > > Another reason is that, She doesnt need someone to dress Her hair > and perfume. Is She human? Since such questions come up one > concludes it is poetic. Since she is not human, she doesn't need a human form. "God" is beyond all human attributes. It is the limited mind of man that has to assign qualities to God, because we cannot grasp something without qualities. But the qualities assigned to God in Hinduism are beautiful and, yes, poetic. That is the appeal of Hinduism to me. If you want to worship God without attributes, you might as well be a Muslim. They aren't allowed to portray God in any form, and even avoid using images of people or animals for fear of instilling "idolotry." Even the Jews (my ancestral people) have one of their Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not make or worship graven images." It is my favorite Commandment to break! My apartment is full of beautiful graven images. Many of them are on my altar, where I daily wave lamps, burn incense, chant mantras, and yes, offer perfumes to them! <snip> > ------------------- > Saundaryalahari is a *poem*. A tantra is *not a poem*.Just remember > that. > ------------------- So, do you literally believe Lord Shiva sat in a cave and instructed Ma Parvati in various Tantras? Warning her to keep them secret from Ganesh and Skanda? Isn't that symbolic and poetical? The Tantras use "twilight language," which needs to be interpreted by a Guru because its true meaning is hidden, symbolic, and poetical. <sarasvati mahabhage/ vidye kamala lochane// vishvarupah vishalakshi/ vidyam dehi namostute//> Mother Saraswati, who inspires all poetry, grant me the wisdom to deal with strange people who insist that what is "poetical" is without value! -- Len/ Kalipadma ______________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 , kalipadma@j... wrote: > Saraswati is described as <chandana-priya>, or "fond of >sandalwood." She > is also described as inventing and mastering the 57 arts and sciences, > one of which is making perfumes. Lots of Gods are praised like that. Krishna for one. All major devatas seem to have a name somewhere which praises them in relation to Chandana. Isnt it 64 arts? May be there are different versions. Let us talk about the other conclusion too. That Indrani is patroness of hairs. > > Or should one meditate on Saraswati while > > using perfumes? > > One should offer her sandalwood oil as <gandha> during her puja. Those two are different things. > But the qualities assigned to God in Hinduism are beautiful and, yes, > poetic. That is the appeal of Hinduism to me. If you want to worship > God without attributes, you might as well be a Muslim. Whether human qualities should be attributed to Devi or not is *not* the question. I am talking about wrong conclusions from wrong sources. Like the other example I mentioned in another shloka of Saundaryalahari. > > ------------------- > > Saundaryalahari is a *poem*. A tantra is *not a poem*.Just remember > > that. > > ------------------- > > So, do you literally believe Lord Shiva sat in a cave and instructed Ma > Parvati in various Tantras? Warning her to keep them secret from Ganesh > and Skanda? Isn't that symbolic and poetical? Yes it is symbolic but not poetical. There are exaggerations here and there. > <sarasvati mahabhage/ vidye kamala lochane// > vishvarupah vishalakshi/ vidyam dehi namostute//> > > Mother Saraswati, who inspires all poetry, grant me the wisdom to deal > with strange people who insist that what is "poetical" is without value! So what value does the poem impart to you when it says in Saundaryalahari that a worshipper of Lalita sports with Lakshmi to the jealousy of Vishnu?? Would you take this literally? That is what I am talking about. Saying something poetical is without value is a different thing, and I *did not* say/mean that. Drawing wrong type of conclusions from wrong type of sources is what I am talking about and not anything bad about poetry. Rgds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 01:01:35 -0000 "Satish Arigela" <satisharigela writes: > > > > > Or should one meditate on Saraswati while > > > using perfumes? > > > > One should offer her sandalwood oil as <gandha> during her puja. > > Those two are different things. Depends on how one defines "goddess of perfumes." > > > > So what value does the poem impart to you when it says in > Saundaryalahari that a worshipper of Lalita sports with Lakshmi to > the jealousy of Vishnu?? Would you take this literally? "Sporting with Lakshmi" is a poetical way of saying that the devotee of Lalita will draw wealth and abundance into his life. We all want wealth and abundance, but since the Goddess of Wealth is married, her husband is going to naturally respond, "Hey! Quit flirting with my wife!" (And Lakshmi IS called <chanchala>, "the fickle one" -- because fortune seldom stays long with any one person.) My Guru is Ammachi of Kerala, and she gave me a mantra to my ishtadevata, Sarasvati. Some friends who are Hindus said, "What bad luck for you! Sarasvati gives great creativity, but little money." And I thought, I ought to chant Ganesha's mantra, too -- he'll remove obstacles to my finances. When Amma next came to New York, however, they informed me that she only gives her shishyas ONE mantra! I told my problem to one of her assistants, and he said, "All the gods are aspects of Brahman -- when you chant to Sarasvati, do you think Ganesha doesn't hear you? Envision Ganesha with Sarasvati, see whatever Devas you wish in her attendance, but keep Sarasvati foremost in your heart. And see Amma as guiding you constantly to Her." It's symbolic, it's poetical -- but it's also all God. I don't worry too much that Vishnu will get jealous if I like Lakshmi. Vishnu is the Preserver, and Lakshmi's blessing brings preservation with it. On some level, all the Gods and Goddesses are in my heart. <tat tvam asi> Thou art That. <Om chidanda rupah shivoham shivoham> In the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva. I am Sarasvati, Ganesha, Krishna, Kali... and so are you. Here we are, God arguing with God. It's silly. -- Len/ Kalipadma ______________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 , kalipadma@j... wrote: > Depends on how one defines "goddess of perfumes." Did you find in any shastra that Saraswati is goddess of perfumes? When you do, let me know. > > So what value does the poem impart to you when it says in > > Saundaryalahari that a worshipper of Lalita sports with Lakshmi to > > the jealousy of Vishnu?? Would you take this literally? > > "Sporting with Lakshmi" is a poetical way of saying that the devotee of > Lalita will draw wealth and abundance into his life. Good. That is exactly what I am trying to say. It is some truth that is poetically expressed in some way. See the essence(as you did above) and not the literal translation(as done for another verse) when it comes to a poem. The other stuff about Vishnu you wrote is improper. Rgds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 > Sarasvati. Some friends who are Hindus said, "What bad luck for you! > Sarasvati gives great creativity, but little money." And I thought, I > ought to chant Ganesha's mantra, too -- he'll remove obstacles to my It is more commonly known that where Saraswati resides, Laxmi has to stay; but where Laxmi resides, Saraswati need not stay. In most Saraswati pictures, She holds a wad of cash/gold coins. Just ask Her to give some of that to you:-) > finances. When Amma next came to New York, however, they informed me > that she only gives her shishyas ONE mantra! I told my problem to Amma does give shishyas more than one mantra. Both Amma and Ramakrishnananda Swami told me that when one is sincerely practicing the given mantra, one can be eligible for another mantra(mainly a modification of the original mantra). But we dont decide when we become eligible, it is an act of Amma's grace!! -yogaman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 , "childofdevi" <childofdevi> wrote: > > Sarasvati. Some friends who are Hindus said, "What bad luck for > you! > > Sarasvati gives great creativity, but little money." And I > thought, I > > ought to chant Ganesha's mantra, too -- he'll remove obstacles to my > > It is more commonly known that where Saraswati resides, Laxmi has to > stay; but where Laxmi resides, Saraswati need not stay. Perfect! If one obtains the grace of Sarasvati, he/she will automatically obtain the grace of Lakshmi, Durga, Parvati, Shiva and any other devata. One of the greatest texts on mantra shastra is named after Saraswati, as Sarada Tilaka and the very first mantras it discusses is that of Vagdevi or Sarada or Saraswati. Saraswati is the goddess of the alphabets/varnas of which all mantras are composed of. If one has Saraswati mantra in one way it is equavalent to having all other mantras.She is the essence of mantra shastra in one way. The great Bhaskararaya and similar saints became well learned only by doing Her upasana. As for your hindu friends comments: You need not pay attention to those statements. The common hindu doesnt have a single clue about his own religion. Such statements are just meant for fun and they are not intended to be taken seriously(most prolly they dont know that those statements were originally intended for fun either). The tantras quite often say that if one succeeds in one mantra sadhana, he/she will succeed in all other mantras. That statement comes from some very authoritative sources on mantra shastra. Rgds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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