Sheetala Devi

[Guest guest]

In this context, my only concern is this. Any devotion should be out

of love and there should be never an element of fear in it.

 

And any worship should be done in the spirit that the devataa is one

with and same as supreme being. This is the approach adopted by veda-

s when it worships different devata-s such as suurya, varuNa, etc.

There is a name for this in English (which was once quoted in

advaita-L) and I dont remember it now.

 

Ravi

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

On 5th March 2004, Ravi wrote:

"In this context, my only concern is this. Any devotion should be out

of love and there should be never an element of fear in it.

 

And any worship should be done in the spirit that the devataa is one

with and same as supreme being. This is the approach adopted by veda-

s when it worships different devata-s such as suurya, varuNa, etc.

There is a name for this in English (which was once quoted in

advaita-L) and I dont remember it now."

-----------------------

The word is "henotheism".

 

Hinduism is neither monotheism, which contemplates the Divine is in heaven nor

it is polytheism which contemplates the Divine is in the universe. Max Mueller

coined the word "henotheism" for indicating the tendency of the Vedic seers to

magnify the importance of the particular deity they are praising in a hymn at

the expense of the other gods.This is the remarkable feature of Hindu worship.

When the Hindu seers say that all Gods are nothing but names an d forms of the

same Ultimate Transcendental Reality, they mean it.

The strength of Hinduism, (according to Monier-Williams, I think)

"lies in its infinite adaptability to the infinite diversity of human character

and human tendencies. It has its highly spiritual and abstract side suited to

the philosopher, its practical and concrete side congenial to the man of the

world, its aesthetic and ceremonial side attuned to the man of poetic feeling

and imagination and its quiescent contemplative aspect that has its appeal for

the man of peace and the lover of seclusion".

 

PraNAms to all devotees of Mother Goddess

profvk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and

Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site.

Also see the webpages on Paramacharya's Soundaryalahari :

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/DPDS.html

 

 

[Guest guest]

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Moderator's note : The contents of this post appeared already in

/message/6593

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Namaste all.

 

Following is an excerpt from a message I posted on another List in 2001.

Thought it would be of interest to the dovotees of Mother here as it includes a

prayer to Mother ShyAmala. The transliteration may not be quite ok as I did it

at a time when I wasn't familiar with I-Trans.

 

QUOTE

 

Reference the request for information on Maa Maariamman and the commendable

inputs that followed from Maa's children.

 

Permit me to post the following:

 

Although Maariamman Pooja and temples are a hallmark of the great Tamil culture,

Seethala worship should be seen in an all-India (or pan-Hindu)context and

perspective as it is quite ancient and not strictly isolated to Tamil Nadu.

 

I am resident abroad and, therefore, has no easy access to sources of

information on Maariamman. I cannot, therefore, offer substantial material to

support my suggestion. However, I remember there was, few months ago, a news

report from Calcutta in foreign newspapers with a photogrpah showing Bengali

women rolling in the rain to please Seethala Devi. It will therefore be a good

idea for those interested to gor for a wider search for information on Seethala

Devi. West Bengal and surrounding areas can probably generate very interesting

information.

 

Besides, I reproduce below in English alphabet a Sanskrit Sthothram in praise of

the Devi. I have been chanting this for years now in my morning prayers of

Lalitha Sahasranama, Devi Mahathmya etc. I had got it originally in Malayalam

script and then learnt it by heart. The original or its source is now not

traceable here. Who authored it is also unknown. Perhaps, there is no need to

name an author as Mahadeva is identified as the rishi. Nevertheless, I presume

it is quite old like the many precious sthothras and manthras that we have in

Sanskrit. With my rudimentary knowledge of Sanskrit grammar, I have made the

reproduction as error-free as possible and hope it will be of some use all Maa's

children. May Maa forgive this son for any inadvertent errors.

 

The contents of the sthothra suggest that it is effective not only against

epidemics like small pox, chicken pox etc. but also against all diseases,

blindness, evil planetary influences and generally against all afflictions that

"explode" or "break-out violently" (as the word "visphotaka" is used). One must,

therefore, think that the intent of the sthothra should cover even bomb blasts

and nuclear explosions. Or whom else to call other than our dear Mother in these

days of reckless terrorism?! I do chant this sthothram repeatedly whenever

someone in the family or friends fall sick. And Maa has always been very kind to

see that there are no complications!.

 

Moderator's note : The document can be found in ITRANS transliterated as well as

ps/pdf formats at

 

http://lavanya.aros.net/sanskrit/all_pdf/shiitalaashtakam.pdf

http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_devii/shiitalaashtakam.itx

http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_devii/shiitalaashtakam.ps

 

UNQUOTE

 

May Maa Seethala protect us all.

 

Jai Maa! PraNAms.

Madathil Nair