Guest guest Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 respected learned members, My earlier question reg routine puja of an upasaka was beautifully answered by Sri Ganapathyjee.thanks a lot for the same. now i place before the learned members another doubt of mine for clarification. I do my nitya puja of lalithsahasranama, soundarya lahiri, and a few other prayers and japas. my mind does not go too much into the tatwartha or analytical part of puja or learning more about tantra etc though a lot of books are available with me.if i get a little free time i prefer to do more prayers or japa. i am lacking the urge to advance my knowledge though i have deep bhakti to Jagadamba. can learned members advise me whether this attitude of mine will be a hinderance to advance in Srividya? thanks Rajee. Mail - More reliable, more storage, less spam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 , rajeswari vishnu <rajeswarivishnu> wrote: > I do my nitya puja of lalithsahasranama, soundarya lahiri, and a >few other prayers and japas. my mind does not go too much into the >tatwartha or analytical part of puja or learning more about tantra >etc though a lot of books are available with me. Learning tantra for the purpose of sadhana is best accomplished by following ones's teacher(tantric teacher). There are so many tantras and a good number of them are either made up, irrelevant for this age or simply junk. Reading this tantra and that tantra may only lead to confusion and may not positively help in sadhana(some sadhanas listed in tantras might provide inspiration though). There are only a few(like Rudrayamala and few others) genuine tantras and the rest of them are corrupt. >if i get a little >free time i prefer to do more prayers or japa. i >am lacking the >urge to advance my knowledge though i have deep >bhakti to Jagadamba. > whether this attitude of mine will be a hinderance to advance in >Srividya? IMHo, at this point, reading Bhaskararaya's commentary on Lalita Sahasranama and Shankaracharya's commentary on Lalita trisati might help. Reading commentaries and then chanting LS may make the recital more enjoyable. Personally, I would wait for others comments. Rgds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 our respected member smt.rajeshwari writes ... "I do my nitya puja of lalithsahasranama, soundarya lahiri, and a few other prayers and japas. my mind does not go too much into the tatwartha or analytical part of puja or learning more about tantra etc though a lot of books are available with me.if i get a little free time i prefer to do more prayers or japa. i am lacking the urge to advance my knowledge though i have deep bhakti to Jagadamba. > can learned members advise me whether this attitude of mine will be a hinderance to advance in Srividya?" "DEEP BHAKTA TO JAGADAMBA" - *excellent* bhava to approach the divine feet of Sree MATA. The attitude of devotion is always hailed as a supreme bhava towards spiritual attainment. my favorite sloka in Saundarya lahari describes this bhava of devotion thus .... Japo japah silpam sakalam api mudra-viracana gatih pradaksinya -kramanam asanady ahuti-vidihi pranamaha sarveshah sukham akilam atmarpana-drsa saparya -paryaya tava bhavatu yan me vilasitam (sloka 27) Literal translation May everything that i do with the sense of self-dedication (atmarpana -drsha) be items in thy service - my prattle , the utterance of thy mantra; the movements of my hand , the gestures and poses of THY worship; my walking, THY circumambulation ; my eating , fire -sacrifce to THEE; the stretching of the body in sleep and rest, prostration to THEE; and all my enjoyments , offerings made to Thee. This is the literal meaning. The esoteric meaning is whatever enjoyments comes to us in the course of life , we have to accept them not for ourselves but make an offering of them to Siva-sakti aikya rupini ! (lakshmidhara's interpretation) This is specially true of those situated in "samyachara" - they experience all activities of life as a supreme offering to Devi. But this applies to those samayins who live in Worldly life but are jivan muktas (liberated) But for samayins who are not in worldly life , worship consists only in practicing the four-fold identification with the Devi IN CHITAKASA (SKY OF THE MIND) .... that is they do not practice any external worship of siva-sakti like the sri-chakra engraved in metal , but practice only the meditative worship, which has no external rituals and ingredients. , but consists only the practice of the four-fold identification. (but this is to be explained by only advanced sri vidya upasakas-upasikas in this group - i am not qualified to even talk about it! ) if you are interested, you can refer to sloka 41 in saundarya lahari and lakshmidhara's interpretation. (taken from swami tapasyananda's saundarya lahari) you state, " my mind does not go too much into the tatwartha or analytical part of puja or learning more about tantra etc though a lot of books are available with me.if i get a little free time i prefer to do more prayers or japa. " YES, then again, there are many ways to approach the divine.Patitham (reading about god/esses), writing about god/essess (likhitaM) , SRAVANAM (hearing about gods/esses ), kirthanam ( praising the god/esses through congrgational chanting) , atma-nivedanam ( surrendering to the lotus feet of the gods/esses), pada -sevanam (worshipping the lotus feet of the gods/essess) etc.... internal worship (manasika puja) , external worship .... to each his/her own... but at the end of the day , it is the "bhava" that is important... once, the bhakti bhava predominates, jnana follows in due course! i am not referring to the dry jnana of scriptures and books - jnana refers to true knowledge "knowledge of the self." atma-jnana ! "tat- twam asi." there is a tamizh saying which goes thus ... " Arivadhu enil arivil unarvadaam. Arivil mattum ezhbhavai yaettu suraikkai. . . " KNOWLEGE DOES NOT MEAN MEAN MERE SCHOLARSHIP .... it is correct perception that is important... one may read all the tantras, chant all the mantras , do all the yantra pujas but if one does not realize the "self" what is the use ? i am reminded of a famous verse by adi shankara which goes like this ... Kuputrojaayete Kvachidapi Kumaataa na bhavati). ... there may be bad sons but never a bad mother! Our divine mother KAMAKSHI AMMAN IS FULL OF "KARUNYAM" (COMPASSION) she never turns away a true bhakta in whatever language they address Her! ( it does not necessarily be chaste samskritam) Salutations to devi who is atma vidya! (knowledge of the self) salutations to devi who is maha vidya ! ( the supreme knowledge) salutations to devi who is Sree vidya! (the auspicious knowledge ) btw - i have been approached by a famous sri vidya guru and she is ready to initiate me but i have requested her to delay this as i feel i am not ready physically and emotionally to be worthy of this HONOR as yet ! she is now preparing me for this initiation.... i am sure ganapathyji, harshaji, raviji, aravindji , ganeshprasadji can come up with more satisfactory responses... my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 , rajeswari vishnu <rajeswarivishnu> wrote: > > I do my nitya puja of lalithsahasranama, soundarya lahiri, and a few other prayers and japas. my mind does not go too much into the tatwartha or analytical part of puja or learning more about tantra etc though a lot of books are available with me.if i get a little free time i prefer to do more prayers or japa. i am lacking the urge to advance my knowledge though i have deep bhakti to Jagadamba. > can learned members advise me whether this attitude of mine will be a hinderance to advance in Srividya? > thanks > Rajee. Namaste, Rajeshwarivishnu and all, You don't have to be apologetic about what you are doing. The very fact that you are feeling your mind is not going deeply into the tattwartha, but would rather prompt you to do more prayers or japa, is a healthy spiritual sign. Going into the tatwartha may improve your scholarship but there is no guarantee it would improve your spirituality. After gaining that scholarship you have to be doing what you are doing now; because this is what improves your spirituality. And in due time the Mother Herself would take you where you should be. The only thing required -- which you obviously have -- is that Faith and Trust. If She in Her Compassion decides you should know more tattwartha, She would create the circumstances and the moods for that, Herself. praNAms to all devotees of Mother Goddess. profvk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 It is not that one stops his/her saadhaana, learns tattvaartha and comes back to the saadhana. They go hand in hand and aid each other. And it is not done for mere scholarship. Probably, you may say that of only for professors who teach in philosophy department. Even there it is not always true. There are exceptions like Prof. Grimes, who is a great bhakta of mahaagaNapati. Even if one does not go deep into tattvaartha and rahasyaartha-s, it is better to understand at least some meaning. It will improve the efficacy of the saadhana. There is sea of difference in saying nityaklinnayai namaH with and without understanding the meaning. Understanding the meaning gives so much depth. You yourself cite in one of your pages how your father used to do trishatii archana. Understanding hidden meanings adds additional element of joy. Not often these are available in books. Some arise by keeping an open mind and seeking divine guidance. Consider the name "daxa yajna vinaashini". Besides its obvious meaning: daxa also mean well developed and coordinated jnAna and karmendriya-s (vide rudram daxash cha me). Hence daxa yajnA is an action in the external field, and outward activity. This if done by itself without iishvaraarpita bhaavam is a waste. That is what is not inviting shiva to the yajnA. Now ambaa becomes a nimitta kaaraNa to destroy that out of Her karuNa and turn the mind either inward or make one realize that everything has to be offered and include the Lord in it. I understood this meaning while reading a commentary on rudram for the word dakshash cha me. Now when I encounter that word while reading sahasranaamam it is really enchanting. tattvaartha-s do not always come from book - they also come from deep thinking and divine grace. To put it down as mere scholarship and that goes counter to saadhaana etc. is not correct. It is not in vain that books like shriividya saparyavaasanai etc. are all written, but only because of the importance of understanding the tattvaartha-s in enhancing the saadhana. jnAna to start with may be aparoxa, but through constant manana and nidhidhyaasana can be made into one's own and gain a lot of value from it in saadhana. At weak moments, tattvaartha-s and guidance from books such as bhagavad giita, yoga suutra bhaashhya, etc. uplift the saadhaka and put him back on the path. If one does not want to taste that honey and just look at it, that is fine. But putting it down is not good. If trust and faith alone are enough, then one should not even need sahasranaama or saundaryalaharii. One can simple to talk to God and have an open conversation with Her. Tell her what one does and one thinks. My 2c. Ravi , "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk> wrote: > > Namaste, Rajeshwarivishnu and all, > > You don't have to be apologetic about what you are doing. The very > fact that you are feeling your mind is not going deeply into the > tattwartha, but would rather prompt you to do more prayers or japa, > is a healthy spiritual sign. Going into the tatwartha may improve > your scholarship but there is no guarantee it would improve your > spirituality. After gaining that scholarship you have to be doing > what you are doing now; because this is what improves your > spirituality. And in due time the Mother Herself would take you > where you should be. The only thing required -- which you obviously > have -- is that Faith and Trust. If She in Her Compassion decides > you should know more tattwartha, She would create the circumstances > and the moods for that, Herself. > > praNAms to all devotees of Mother Goddess. > profvk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 , "MSR" <miinalochanii> wrote: >> > jnAna to start with may be aparoxa, but through constant manana should read "paroxa" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 , "MSR" <miinalochanii> wrote: > > > Even if one does not go deep into tattvaartha and rahasyaartha-s, it > is better to understand at least some meaning. It will improve the > efficacy of the saadhana. There is sea of difference in saying > nityaklinnayai namaH with and without understanding the meaning. > Understanding the meaning gives so much depth. You yourself cite in > one of your pages how your father used to do trishatii archana. > Now when I encounter that word while reading > sahasranaamam it is really enchanting. tattvaartha-s do not always > come from book - they also come from deep thinking and divine grace. > To put it down as mere scholarship and that goes counter to > saadhaana etc. is not correct. It is not in vain that books like > shriividya saparyavaasanai etc. are all written, but only because of > the importance of understanding the tattvaartha-s in enhancing the > saadhana. > > > If one does not want to taste that honey and just look at it, that > is fine. But putting it down is not good. If trust and faith alone > are enough, then one should not even need sahasranaama or > saundaryalaharii. One can simple to talk to God and have an open > conversation with Her. Namaste, Ravishankarji and all, I did not mean to 'put it down as mere scholarship'. I was only trying to encourage Shri Rajeshvari Vishnu in Her prayers and japa. And I might have taken an extreme posture for that purpose. Thank you for reminding me it is too extreme a stand. PraNAms to all Devotees of Mother Goddess. profvk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 raviji, i thank you for this well-written post, but, ultimately , it is by devi's will one makes progress in one's sadhana. here, i would like to quote this devotional verse ... na medhaya na bahuna srutena yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas tasyaisa atma vivrute tanum svam The Supreme Self can never be known by argument, reasoning, intelligence, or scholarship. The finite can never know the infinite. By His (Her) own sweet will, however, the Infinite may reveal Himself (Herself)the finite in His (Her) personal divine form. Those who wish to know the infinite must therefore submit to him (Her) ) through surrender. (Katha Upanisad 1.2.23) What can be the best form of surrender ? Bhakti yoga - PREMA BHAKTI YOGA ! As far tasting 'honey' is concerned , She is available in all her divine forms ... in scriptures, in vigraha murthis, in mantra, in yantra, in japa, in rosary mala etc.... and great devotees do talk to Goddess . Muthuswamy dikshitir, shyama shastry, shri ramakrishna Paramahamsa regualy communicated with the Goddess !!! pranams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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