Bhaktas worshipping more than one?

[Guest guest]

Hopefully this is not too silly of a question, but...

 

 

Let's say you were...for instance, a Shiva bhakta. Would it be considered

breaking away from the "bhakta" aspect of your path if you decided to

worship other deities every now and then? I wondered about that, since I am

fairly novice in the Sanatana Dharma.

 

 

Just food for thought...maybe I am too analytical for my own good. The

question came to my head when discussing Bhakti Yoga with someone.

 

 

Blessings,

Anya

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

No question is silly;) but to add to this question, does a bhakta worship

Ganesha? cause i know Ganesha is supposed to be worshipped prior to any form of

worship or undertakeing so if you were a Siva Bhakta would u still worship

Ganesha? and do Sakta's worship ganesha? sorry to intrude on your question Anya,

but when I read this I was about to post a similar question.

 

Aum Shanti

Ardan Mihiraan

Anya Mortiis <angelusmortiis wrote:

 

Hopefully this is not too silly of a question, but...

 

 

Let's say you were...for instance, a Shiva bhakta. Would it be considered

breaking away from the "bhakta" aspect of your path if you decided to

worship other deities every now and then? I wondered about that, since I am

fairly novice in the Sanatana Dharma.

 

 

Just food for thought...maybe I am too analytical for my own good. The

question came to my head when discussing Bhakti Yoga with someone.

 

 

Blessings,

 

 

/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The all-new My – Get yours free!

 

 

[Guest guest]

Anya,

 

No, the dieties represent different aspects. Just like the govt has

different depts, like a home dept and a defense dept and an

agricultural dept, the dieties in some limited sense represent various

depts.

 

For lot of tantrics into yoga and vamamarga worship skanda. Sasta is

worshipped by people who have saturnian influences. A qualified guru

would be able to find your resonance energy and direct your worship to

a particular diety.

 

-J

 

 

, "Anya Mortiis"

<angelusmortiis@h...> wrote:

>

> Hopefully this is not too silly of a question, but...

>

>

> Let's say you were...for instance, a Shiva bhakta. Would it be

considered

> breaking away from the "bhakta" aspect of your path if you decided to

> worship other deities every now and then? I wondered about that,

since I am

> fairly novice in the Sanatana Dharma.

>

>

> Just food for thought...maybe I am too analytical for my own good. The

> question came to my head when discussing Bhakti Yoga with someone.

>

>

> Blessings,

> Anya

[Guest guest]

Dear Anya:

 

As a general rule, any "lines" in Hinduism are drawn by outside

analysts -- religious scholars, anthropologists, and so on.

 

*** Let's say, for instance, you were a Shiva bhakta and then you

wanted to worship Lakshimi and Kali too...is that totally necessary

or does that throw the whole devotion thing out the window? What do

you think? ***

 

I'm not sure I understand your question ... Is what totally

necessary?

 

I'll say this: One's school tends to indicate only one's orientation

as far as ontology goes; it doesn't rule out worshiping other

deities, who are all considered aspects of the One anyway.

 

By orientation, I mean, the Shiva bhakta will worship Parvati (who

is seen as encompassing all forms of Devi, including Lakshmi and

Kali) as His wife or helpmate. Devi is seen as an aspect of Shiva,

produced out of Him. She is also understood as His model devotee.

 

The Shakta takes the Tantric view that the human body and human

experience is a microcosm of the Cosmos. Since it is our experience

that it is Woman, not Man, who gives birth, Devi Herself is seen as

the principle form of God, producing all other dieties, including

Shiva, out of Her own body. Again, this does not mean that Shiva or

whatever god cannot be worshiped. It simply means that they are

understood by the Shakta as only aspects of Her Totality.

 

*** I know that most Hindus have a liberal policy when it comes to

worship, but I know that the line would be drawn somewhere, would

you think? ***

 

As stated above, no. The line is basically in your heart. If God

feels like Devi to you, then you are called as a Shakta and She will

guide your path. If God feels like Shiva to you, there is no need to

feel bad about it. It is just a slightly different path. I happen to

feel that the sadhak really has very little choice in the matter. As

Jessica stated, should your sadhana eventually lead you to a true

Guru, s/he would help you to identify and refine your worship along

whatever path.

 

There are far deeper implications in all of this, to be sure; but as

a general statement what I've said should hold accurate for you.

 

Aum MAtangyai NamaH

[Guest guest]

Dear Ardan:

 

You ask, "if you were a Siva Bhakta would u still worship Ganesha?"

 

Yes, you would.

 

You added, "do Sakta's worship ganesha?"

 

We most certainly do. In Srividya, it is integral.

 

DB

[Guest guest]

Dear Jessica:

 

You write: "The experience of woman giving birth is limited to beings

in this planet."

 

If you mean, by the term woman, "the female of the terrestrial human

species," then I would have to agree.

 

But if you mean that "the experience of the *feminine* giving birth is

limited to beings of this planet," then I would respectfully observe

that your theory contradicts the philosophy of the Tantras, which

allots to the Feminine the property of creative generation.

 

*** In my opinion the feminine and masculine are two different forms

of energy. ***

 

This is absolutely true. But the two aspects of this energy each have

their own qualities and functions.

 

*** Does anyone observe differences between male ascetics and female

ascetics? ***

 

In what sense?

 

DB