Ekadashi, Rituals etc

[Guest guest]

At the outset, I wish to thank Mani for bringing this forum back to

life.

 

I went back and looked at my posting after reading Mani's rebuttal.

I did not see anything that I had written or even inferred to about

going to hell for not observing Ekadashis. I do not see the

need to refute something that I did not write in the first place. To

say that Ekadashis have no benefit other than some limited bodily

purity is to deny something that one has personally not experienced.

However I know many people who will vouch for the spiritual benefits

of observing Ekadashis.

 

For a Srivaishnava Prapatti is the one act by doing which one becomes

a Kritakritgna or "one who has done what one ought to do". After

that every act is done with the intention of pleasing God. The

primary reason for observing Ekadashi is to be able to give up

regular activities twice a month and concentrate on Shravana,

Kirtana, Smarana etc. How can this not be "experiencing God and

living more fulfilling lives"? Ekadashi or Sandhyavandanam is not

required to attain Moksha. Prapatti alone will do that. Therefore

for a Prapanna each of these actions alone (thati is nitya and

naimittika karmas) are an end in itself. This is because we

understand from Shastra that this is what Sriman Narayana wants us to

do during the rest of life on earth. Other activities like jobs,

family affairs etc will be forced upon us by our Karmas anywhay.

 

Secondly, what is so unbelievable about the story of King Muchukunda?

It sounds as if you have decided that if something is written in the

Puranas it is not worth the paper (or leaf) that it is written on.

To me this sounds to be closed minded. If I can accept this

statement, then I will also have to accept the statement of my

relatives, that Ramayana and Mahabharata are just stories and not to

be taken literally.

 

At least I did not think that I was quoting Vedanta Desikar out of

context. When He said something, He elaborated it with justification

from Shastras. I have neither the time, nor the attention span of

readers to go into multiple pages of justification of what is

written. So for the purpose of most of this group it will suffice to

quote Vedanta Desikar whose Dharma Bhuta Gnana was uncontracted. If

I am quoting Vedanta Desikar out of context then please justify your

claim.

 

In reply to your point that a person living a good decent life is not

in the same category as a murderer who hates God, Acharyas have

quoted some examples. (1) Hiranyakasipu consoled Hiranyaksha's wife

at Hiranyaksha's death by quoting philosophy and stating how

everything is controlled by fate etc. He was at that time a "good

king". We all know what he did later.

 

(2) Kamsa was extremely fond of his cousin sister Devaki. This was

till he was threatened with death at the hands of Devaki's 8th son.

A person who does not feel that he belongs to God and exists to do

only what God wants him to do, is in a category inimical to God, no

matter what his current life situation may be. A person within the

control of the 3 gunas will do good things when Sattva Guna is in the

ascent, and evil things when Tamo guna is in the ascent. A jivatma

surrendered to God will be corrected and perfected by God, even if he

or she resorts to the most abominable action (Geeta Chapter 9 I

believe).

 

Therefore by this classification, there are only 2 kinds of souls,

one whose association is beneficial, and the one whose association is

not. All the other categories in between are not relevant to Moksha.

 

Finally don't be too sure about beach front property in Arizona. If

you sell me beach front property in Arizona, Sriman Narayana is

capable of turning it into beachfront property just to keep the word

of His devotee.

 

Jaganath.