Teachings of Sankaracarya - I need Advice

[CCC]

Hare Krsna

 

all glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

 

Please devotees accept my humble obeisances.

 

I have a question and I need help please...

 

 

Today I was talking with a devotee about the incarnation of Krsna and He said me that sancaracarya has taught the worship of the five most importants gods and demigods (LOrd Vishnu, Ganesa Durga, Shiva and Brahma?)and this sistem is followed by the indian today. also he said me that Sancaracarya also taught that whatever god you worship, the result is the same...

 

Is this true? In what book can I get information about this? I am very interesting... Hare Krsna!

[Harekrsnaharsha]

Hare Krsna

 

All Glories to Shila Prabhupada,

 

Well as the God Head (Vishnu) said in every thing I live so it means nomatter you worship Ganesha Hanuman Durga shiva or bramha the God is one as electricity is one and it flows through many gadgets OR as all river has to join the sea. You can pray for one power and it will reach the Gods Head but do it with full faith.

 

Krsna lived 5000 years back for nearly 119 years before he went to abode so Krsna been remembered is worshiped with immense faith and devotion.

 

Hare Krsna

Hare Srinivasa

[CCC]

 

Hare Krsna

 

All Glories to Shila Prabhupada,

 

Well as the God Head (Vishnu) said in every thing I live so it means nomatter you worship Ganesha Hanuman Durga shiva or bramha the God is one as electricity is one and it flows through many gadgets OR as all river has to join the sea. You can pray for one power and it will reach the Gods Head but do it with full faith.

 

Krsna lived 5000 years back for nearly 119 years before he went to abode so Krsna been remembered is worshiped with immense faith and devotion.

 

Hare Krsna

Hare Srinivasa

 

 

HAre Krsna!

 

I don't want to discuss this topic but reading your coment I think, if is true, are the teachings of sancaracarya

 

I Would like to know who teach those things... Sancaracarya? I dont want to discuss if is true or not just who taught such things

 

Because Sri Caitanya never approve such things as pure bhakti.

 

Hari Bol

[Laulyam]

Vrajanatha: What is this philosophy called Mayavada? I am unable to understand it.

Babaji: Listen carefully. Maya-sakti is just a perverted reflection of the spiritual kingdom, and it is also the controller of the material world which the jiva enters when he is overpowered by ignorance and illusion. Spiritual things have an independent existence, and are independently energetic, but Mayavada does not accept this. Instead, the Mayavada theory declares that the individual soul is itself brahma, and only appears to be different from brahma because of the influence of maya. This theory states that the jiva only thinks himself to be an individual entity, and that the moment the influence of maya is removed, he understands that he is brahma. According to this conception, while under the influence of maya, the atomic spiritual spark has no independent identity separate from maya, and therefore the way of liberation for the jiva is nirvana, or merging in brahma. Mayavadis do not accept the separate existence of the pure individual soul. Furthermore, they state that Bhagavan is subordinate to maya, and has to take shelter of maya when He needs to come to this material world. They say, “This is because brahma is impersonal and does not have any form, which means that He has to assume a material (mayika) form in order to manifest Himself in this world. His Isvara aspect has a material body. The avataras accept material bodies and perform wonderful feats in this material world. In the end, They leave Their material body in this world, and return to Their abode.”

Mayavadis show a little kindness towards Bhagavan, for they accept some differences between the jiva and the avataras of Isvara. The distinction they make is that the jiva has to accept a gross body because of his past karma. This karma carries him away, even against his wishes, and he is forced to accept birth, old age and death. The Mayavadis say that Isvara’s body, designation, name and qualities are also material, but that He accepts them of His own accord, and that whenever He desires, He can reject everything and regain His pure spirituality. He is not forced to accept the reactions resulting from the activities that He performs. These are all misconceptions of the Mayavadis.

Vrajanatha: Is this Mayavada philosophy found anywhere in the

Vedas?

Babaji: No! Mayavada cannot be found anywhere in the Vedas. Mayavada is Buddhism, We read in Padma Purana:

 

 

 

mayavadam asac-chastram

 

 

 

pracchannam bauddham ucyate

 

 

 

mayaiva vihitam devi

 

 

 

kalau brahmana-murtina

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uttara-khanda (43.6)

 

In answer to a question by Umadevi (Parvati), Mahadeva explains “O Devi! Mayavada is an impure sastra. Although actually covered Buddhism, it has gained entry into the religion of the Aryans, disguised as Vedic conclusions. In Kali-yuga, I shall appear in the guise of a brahmana and preach this Mayavada philosophy.”

Vrajanatha: Prabhu, why did Mahadeva perform such an ugly task, when he is the leader of the devatas and the foremost among Vaisnavas?

Babaji: Sri Mahadeva is Bhagavan’s guna-avatara. The supremely merciful Lord saw the asuras taking to the path of bhakti and worshiping Him to get fruitive results and to fulfill their wicked desires. He then thought, “The asuras are troubling the devotees by polluting the path of devotional service, but the path of bhakti should be freed from this pollution.” Thinking thus, He called for Sivaji and said, “O Sambhu! It is not auspicious for this material world if My pure bhakti is taught amongst those who are in the mode of ignorance and whose character is asurika. You should preach from sastra and spread Mayavada philosophy in such a way that the asuras become enamored and I remain concealed from them. Those whose character is asurika will leave the path of devotional service and take shelter of Mayavada, and this will give My gentle bhaktas the chance to taste pure devotional service unhindered.”

Sri Mahadeva, who is the supreme Vaisnava, was at first somewhat reluctant to accept such an arduous task with which Bhagavan had entrusted him. However, considering this to be His order, he therefore preached the Mayavada philosophy. Where is the fault of Sriman Mahadeva, the supreme guru, in this? The entire universe functions smoothly like a well-oiled machine under the guidance of Bhagavan, who expertly wields in His hand the splendid Sudarsana Cakra for the well-being of all creatures. Only He knows what auspiciousness is hidden in His order, and the duty of the humble servants is simply to obey His order. Knowing this, the pure Vaisnavas never find any fault in Sankaracarya, Siva’s incarnation who preached Mayavada. Listen to the evidence from sastra for this:

 

 

 

tvam aradhya tatha sambho grahisyami varam sada

 

 

 

dvaparadau yuge bhutva kalaya manusadisu

 

 

 

svagamaih kalpitaistvanca janan madvimukhan krru

 

 

 

manca gopaya yena syat srstiresontarontara

 

 

 

 

 

 

Padma Purana, Uttara khanda (42.109-110)

 

 

 

and Narada-pancaratra (4.2.29-30):

 

Visnu said, “O Sambhu, although I am Bhagavan, still I have worshiped different devatas and devis to bewilder the asuras. In the same way, I shall worship you as well, and receive a benediction. In Kali-yuga you should incarnate amongst human beings through your partial expansion. You should preach from sastras like Agama, and fabricate a philosophy that will distract the general mass of people away from Me, and keep Me covered. In this way, more and more people will be diverted away from Me, and My pastimes will become all the more valuable.”

In Varaha Purana, Bhagavan tells Siva:

 

 

 

esa moham srjamy asu ye janan mohayisyati

 

 

 

tvanca rudra mahasaho mohasastrani karaya

 

 

 

atathyani vitathyani darsayasva mahabhuja

 

 

 

prakasam kuru catmanamprakasanca mam kuru

 

 

 

 

“I am creating the kind of illusion (moha) that will delude the mass of people. O strong-armed Rudra, you also create such a deluding sastra. O mighty-armed one, present fact as falsehood, and falsehood as fact. Give prominence to your destructive Rudra form and conceal My eternal original form as Bhagavan.”

Vrajanatha: Is there any Vedic evidence against the Mayavada philosophy?

Babaji: All the testimony of the Vedas refutes Mayavada philosophy. The Mayavadis have searched all the Vedas and isolated four sentences in their support. They call these four sentences mahavakya, ‘the illustrious statements.’ These four statements are:

1) sarvam khalv idam brahma, “All the universe is brahma.”

Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1.

2) prajnanam brahma, “The supreme knowledge is brahma.”

Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3.

3) tat tvam asi svetaketo, “O Svetaketu, you are that”

 

Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7.

4) aham brahmasmi, “I am brahma.”

Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10.

The first maha-vakya teaches that the whole universe, consisting of the living beings and non-living matter, is brahma; nothing exists that is not brahma. The identity of that brahma is explained elsewhere:

 

 

 

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate

 

 

 

na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate

 

 

 

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate

 

 

 

svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

 

 

 

 

 

 

Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8)

 

None of the activities of that para-brahma Paramatma is mundane, because none of His senses – such as His hands and legs – is material. Thus through the medium of His transcendental body, He performs His pastimes without any material senses, and He is present everywhere at the same time. Therefore, no one is even equal to Him, what to speak of being greater than Him. The one divine potency of Paramesvara has been described in sruti in many ways, among which the description of His jnana-sakti (knowledge), His bala-sakti (power), and His kriya-sakti (potency for activity) are most important. These are also called citsakti or samvit-sakti; sat-sakti or sandhini-sakti; and anandasakti or hladini-sakti respectively.

Brahma and His sakti are accepted as non-different from each other. In fact, this sakti is said to be an inherent part of brahma, which is manifested in different ways. From one point of view, it may be said that nothing is different from brahma, for the potency and the possessor of potency are non-different. However, when we look at the material world, we can see that in another sense brahma and His sakti are certainly different.

 

 

 

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam

 

 

 

eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

 

Katha Upanisad (2.13) and

 

 

 

Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.10)

 

He is the one supreme eternal being among all eternal beings, and the one supreme conscious being among all conscious beings. He alone is fulfilling the desires of everyone.

This statement from the Vedas accepts variegatedness within the eternally existing substance (vastu), brahma. It separates the sakti (potency) from saktiman (the possessor of the potency), and then it considers His jnana (knowledge), bala (power) and kriya (activities).

Now let us consider the second maha-vakya, prajnanam brahma, “The supreme knowledge is brahma“ (Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3). Here it is said that brahma and consciousness are identical. The word prajnanam, which in this sentence is said to be one with brahma, is also used in Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.21), where it is used to mean prema-bhakti:

 

 

 

tam eva dhiro vijnaya prajnamam kurvita brahmanah

 

When a steady and sober person attains knowledge of

brahma, he worships Him with genuine loving feelings

(jnana-svarupa-prema-bhakti).

The third maha-vakya is tat tvam asi svetaketo, “O Svetaketu, you are that,” (Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7). This sloka gives instructions on oneness with brahma, which is more elaborately described in Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (3.8.10) as follows:

 

 

 

yo va etad aksaram gargy aviditvasmal lokat praiti sa krpanah

 

 

 

ya etad aksaram gargi viditvasmal lokat praiti sa brahmanah

 

O Gargi! Those who leave this material world without understanding the eternal Visnu are krpanah, extremely miserly or degraded, whereas those who leave this material world in knowledge of that Supreme Eternal are actually brahmanas, knowers of brahma.

The words tat tvam asi therefore mean, “He who gains true knowledge eventually attains devotional service to para-brahma, and he is to be known as a brahmana.”

The fourth maha-vakya is aham brahmasmi, “I am brahma” (Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10). If the vidya that is established in this vakya does not become bhakti in the end, then it is thoroughly condemned in Sri Isopanisad (9), which says:

 

 

 

andham tamah pravisanti ye ’vidyam upasate

 

 

 

tato bhuya iva te tamo ya u vidyayam ratah

 

Those who are situated in ignorance enter deep darkness, and those who are in knowledge enter deeper darkness still.

This mantra means that those who embrace ignorance, and do not know the spiritual nature of the soul, enter the darkest regions of ignorance. However, the destination of those who reject ignorance, but who believe that the jiva is brahma, and not a spiritual atom, is far worse.

Baba! The Vedas have no shoreline and are unsurpassed. Their precise meaning can only be understood by studying each and every sloka of the Upanisads separately, and by deriving the meaning from all of them combined. If one singles out a particular sentence, he

may always be diverted by some misinterpretation. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore investigated all the Vedas thoroughly, and then preached that the individual spirit souls and the material world are simultaneously and inconceivably one with Sri Hari and different from Him.

[Laulyam]

 

Hare Krsna

 

All Glories to Shila Prabhupada,

 

Well as the God Head (Vishnu) said in every thing I live so it means nomatter you worship Ganesha Hanuman Durga shiva or bramha the God is one as electricity is one and it flows through many gadgets OR as all river has to join the sea. You can pray for one power and it will reach the Gods Head but do it with full faith.

 

Krsna lived 5000 years back for nearly 119 years before he went to abode so Krsna been remembered is worshiped with immense faith and devotion.

 

Hare Krsna

Hare Srinivasa

 

 

This is a bogus philosophy that Srila Prabhupada or any of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharyas would not accept.

[CCC]

 

This is a bogus philosophy that Srila Prabhupada or any of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharyas would not accept.

 

 

HAre Krsna Laulyam

 

 

where did it come this philosophy from?

 

Because a devote said me that it comes from Sancaracarya, for that reason I am asking if this is true...

 

thanks

[gHari]

Smile, and run away.

[Laulyam]

Please read carefully the Jaiva Dharma excerpt. It is explained.

[theist]

 

Hare Krsna

 

all glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

 

Please devotees accept my humble obeisances.

 

I have a question and I need help please...

 

 

Today I was talking with a devotee about the incarnation of Krsna and He said me that sancaracarya has taught the worship of the five most importants gods and demigods (LOrd Vishnu, Ganesa Durga, Shiva and Brahma?)and this sistem is followed by the indian today. also he said me that Sancaracarya also taught that whatever god you worship, the result is the same...

 

Is this true? In what book can I get information about this? I am very interesting... Hare Krsna!

 

Yes this is true. It is called pancayatapuja (?). I can't refer you to a single book of sankaracarya's that explains this but a google should bring it up readily. It is very commonly known.

 

These five gods have often since been referred to as the Hindu pantheon. This is one reason I like to distance myself from the word Hindu. Supposedly one can pick either of these five gods as a focus point of worship until one comes to realize oneness with that form at which time one sees the Brahman that is the real substance of the demi-god, as one with Brahman that is same real substance of himself and theorhetically all individuality and sense of separateness is then dissolved. This is what the impersonalists mean when they speak of bhakti. They will use this puja process or bhakti-yoga as a means to merge into the Brahman.

 

So to the impersonalist bhakti is not eternal, therefore we don't accept it as even bhakti at all. The Vaisnava's teach that real Bhakti begins after the liberated stage is reached. So we can see why the two ideas are totally imcompatable.

[Laulyam]

Came across this article on BVML this may help explain.http://bvml.org/contemporary/BVAM_pancopasana.html

[CCC]

"Among the many types of worship described in the Vedas we find that the puja of these five devatas is prominent. Many people think they should do puja to all of them, because actually if you worship all of them, you cannot lose. It is like playing roulette-if you put a chip on so many squares, you are bound to win something eventually. Once I went to the house of a Hindu gentleman with some devotees. I saw that on his altar everyone was there-all the demigods, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Sai Baba, even Margaret Thatcher. At that time she was the prime minister of England. I looked at the altar and I said, "Oh, so many personalities!" He answered, "Yes, I am taking no chances." What is this? This is only called confusion. Oh yes, Confucius was there also."

 

:rofl:

 

that was so funny, many thanks for all I am reading is very interesting

[sambya]

One of the greatest misconceptions about mayavad is that brahman is impersonal.Brahman is not impersonal neither personal.This peculiar phenomenon of Brahman is described as that which is the ultimate and absolute unity.It is beyond earthly concepts like impersonality and personality.For if one believes in the idea of impersonality it automatically suggests the existence of personality.Brahman is described as something transcending such ordinary concepts.The word 'nirguna' does not suggest without guna(without characteristics),as put forward by these vaishnav leaders.Nirguna is an unexplainable state of reality that crosses over all mental concepts about god. These vaishnav scholars,who are adept in blasphemising other sects are lost in the web of puranic stories and scriptural quotations.Therefore they devise such stories like sankaracharya formulating mayavad for asuras etc.One question needs to be asked to them.If god is causelessly mercifull towards all ,irrespective of their position,then how can he devise a theory so dangerous for his own already mislead children(the asuras that is)???Such ridiculous stories were cooked up by the medieval orthodox pundits to protect it from the reigning mayabad beliefs.

[ARJ]

 

These vaishnav scholars,who are adept in blasphemising other sects are lost in the web of puranic stories and scriptural quotations.Therefore they devise such stories like sankaracharya formulating mayavad for asuras etc.

Hey buddy, you got a fan club ?

[Trivedi]

Yes I am a fan of Sambya. ( I approve Sambya's view)

 

Vaishnava Fanaticism is to be accounted for such views as Lord Siva is a demigod, and he in the form of Sankara preached false views to misguide beings and those who believe Advaida philosophy are Demons etc.

 

Puranas themselves are not accounts of truth but bogus stuff created by the baktas of respective gods as political texts full of lies and correptions and prejudices. We are told puranas are all written By Vyasa . How come Vyasa who existed long long ago has written about Buddhists and Sankara in Padmapurana? There is another purana ( I think it is Vishnu purana of my memory is right ) that says that Buddha is the avadar of Vishnu to misguide beings and teach false principles and make sure their down fall and both Buddha and Jaina religion will continue till the end of Kali to misguide being and then Buddhists and Jains will be masacred by Kalki. . All these are cooked up later by some other people as a religious ideological warfare.

 

All this shows only the Fenaticism of Vaishnavas , their intollerance and heatered of other religions. Not only they are iontolerant of other religions they atre intolerant of other gods of hinduism itself. They are a shame to Hinduism which is truely broad minded spirituality.

 

Trivedi

 

 

[Hiranyagarpa]

Count me too in the fan club.

 

Added to Sambya and Trivedi's ideas, I should bring to the notice that Sankara is not the Avadar of Siva as it is implied in the post no. 4 of Lahulyam . Even it is widely believed by many now it still cannot be true as Siva does not incornate in mortal womb. Siva has never taken birth in flesh and blood. Incarnating is Vishnu's earned curse ( he was cursed by a saint that he will be born again and again in all sorts of wombs , for doing some mischif) . Siva has no such destiny).

 

Puranas are definitly corrept texts. Whoever included the material on 'Siva's Avadar in disguise of a brahmin teaching Mayavada" in Padmapurana, did not knew the fact of Siva's 'Non incarnation principle' and is a let out of the correption of the text, in addition to the reference of Buddism in Padmapurana.

 

Hiranyagarpa

[bhaktajan]

Today's lesson from the vaishnava Bhaktajan:

 

"Teachings of Sripad Shankaracarya, and, You are what you post"

 

Example#1: All this shows only the Fenaticism of Vaishnavas , their intollerance and heatered of other religions. Not only they are iontolerant of other religions they atre intolerant of other gods of hinduism itself. They are a shame to Hinduism which is truely broad minded spirituality. --Mr Trivedi

 

Example#2: it still cannot be true as Siva does not incornate in mortal womb. ... Incarnating is Vishnu's earned curse (for doing some mischif) ... did not knew the fact of Siva's 'Non incarnation principle' --Mr Hiranyagarpa

 

Example#3: Brahman is not impersonal neither personal. ... These vaishnav scholars,who are adept in blasphemising other sects ... cooked up by the medieval orthodox pundits to protect it from the reigning mayabad beliefs. --Mr (non-entity?) Sambya.

 

The Lesson? Beware the cook's Ghee quality!

 

your personal Vaishnava viceroy,

Bhaktajan

[sambya]

i completely fail to understand why vaishnavs lay so much stress on puranas instead of vedas a nd upanishads.probably they would put forward the same old idea that puranas are the commentaries of the vedas or that veads do not work in kali era .in that case,whom am i to believe,for the tantriks also say tantras are commentaries of vedas,and tantra should be followed in kali era.does the vaishnavs know that its a proven historical fact that puranas were written over a period of more than 1000 years?it started in the hindu period and subsequent additions went on till17th century.also these puranas are so contradictory.for ex:when most purans glorifies vishnu for killing madhukaitav,markendaya puran glorifies shakti for doing the same job.that is because yogamaya is suppossed to overpower madhu and kaitav with her maya ,at the request of brahmaa,after which vishnu could kill them.no hindu sect can survive without vedas and upanishads,can they? so wats the point pondering over these misleading purans instead of following upanishads.

[bhaktajan]

Teachings includes chapter after chapter of discussions & Topics --What is being referred to in your postings are the conclusion of Advaita [after all is given up at the final exam of Death].

 

What elementary topic that is neglected is, "What is Absolute?"

 

Let us accept that the teachings of Shankaracarya are Absolute.

 

So Brahman (the void) is Absolute. The elements that are in flux by the 3 Gunas are in changing states of being --but they are absolute!

 

The souls that arrise to see the Sun-light and contemplate Nirvana (none-quality-ness) are temporary --but this temporary 'pastime' of samsara ... is absolute.

 

The illusion of maya (transient material activities) are absolute enitities.

 

There is so many absolute(s) in existence.

 

A "Mahatma" (Great Soul) is an absolute phenomenom. Mahatmas are the men who recorded the Puranas, Vedas, Et al. Just as your mum had a mother's Husband--this is an absolute true-ism (in-escapable-fact-of-life).

 

All knowledge descends to ourselves by way of a succession of authorities --this maxim is absolute.

 

If we cannot except that the soul is eternal while the body & ego is temporary & fleeting than we miss the absolute lessons of Avataras such as Christ showed.

 

Any simply person sees that the Pastimes of Christ showed that the soul does not vanish at death --and thus, any simply person knows that the soul is absolute.

 

Absolute means that "Absolute" came into existance first, before "temporary" existances came to be & pass.

 

God is absolute and, by definition, Bhagavan is unlimited because He came first before "temporary" existances and all existances do indeed point back to his persona.

 

If Godhead is absolute --then his name, fame, form, personality, paraphenalia, entourage and pastimes are elite, sublime, exclusive, transcending mundane, definitive, eternal and unchanging --all the while while eons of lifetimes of passing cosmos flash-by in a eye-winks span of time.

 

Time is the measure of distance that vibrations can be recognized as differing elements--passing time is not absolute; but universal time is absolute and that wrist watch is 'worn' on the arms of the One almighty Absolute Godhead. The devas sometimes loose track of time in their own vantage points within the material world.

 

The Devas make embarrassing mistakes all the time--compared to pastimes of Vishnu who is absolute.

[Saraba Iyar]

 

i completely fail to understand why vaishnavs lay so much stress on puranas instead of vedas a nd upanishads.probably they would put forward the same old idea that puranas are the commentaries of the vedas or that veads do not work in kali era .in that case,whom am i to believe,for the tantriks also say tantras are commentaries of vedas,and tantra should be followed in kali era.does the vaishnavs know that its a proven historical fact that puranas were written over a period of more than 1000 years?it started in the hindu period and subsequent additions went on till17th century.also these puranas are so contradictory.for ex:when most purans glorifies vishnu for killing madhukaitav,markendaya puran glorifies shakti for doing the same job.that is because yogamaya is suppossed to overpower madhu and kaitav with her maya ,at the request of brahmaa,after which vishnu could kill them.no hindu sect can survive without vedas and upanishads,can they? so wats the point pondering over these misleading purans instead of following upanishads.

 

Vishnavas give emphasis to puranas because Vishnu and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> are puranic creations. There is no mention of <st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> in veda and the name Vishnu in Veda refer to Sun god. It is one of the twelve aspects of Sun.

Of matters of Devadas, Rg Veda is the supreme and final authority. Only by Rg Veda mantras devadas could be invoked. Yajur Veda mantras are used to give offerings to the gods invoked by Rg Veda and Sama Veda mantras are used to praise the devada invoked by Rg veda. Hence, all other gods mentioned in subsequently in Yajur and Sama are just different names of Rg Vedic Gods.

In Rg Veda Gods are thirty three. They are, Asta Vasu (8 Vasues ) Ekadasa Rudra (11 Rudras) and Duadasa Aditya (12 Adityas ) Prajapati and Indra. Note that there is no <st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> or Rama or any of the modem day gods for that matter. A name called Vishnu exists but is actually one of the names of Aditya.

These thirty three gods are a final and fixed list and there can be no more gods as per Vedic system the reason is that Vedic Divinities are intimately linked with the Sanskrit consonants. And the consonants are 33 in number ( Ka to Ha are 33) .

Puranas created new gods and promoted them above the Vedic gods and demoted original Vedic gods some to demigod status, some to non entity worthy of any worship. If you are a <st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> bakta , then to justify your belief you need Purana and Itihasda.

Saraba Iyar.

[RadhaMukunda]

Pancha Puja was not made up by Shankaracharya. It's mentioned in various puranas. Funny thing about Gaudiya Vaishnavas, they quote puranas without ever having picking up one to read them, except for the Bhagavata Purana.

 

 

Smile, and run away.

Yes, you don't want to get confronted with your own beliefs. Run like a scared little bitch.

[RamanaDasi]

The Gaudiyas text Brahma Samhita mentions worship of the 5 forms of the Absolute: Durga, Surya, Sri Ganesha, Shiva and Vishnu.

 

Thakura Bhaktivinoda wrote about this worship also, and said it is proper religious activity to worship God who is revealed to us according to our spiritual capacity. Some see Ma Durga as Mother of the Universe, like is described in Devi Bhagavat. Some see Shiva is in the mind of Durga and how Shiva is beyond Maya and the world too. Some souls see Ganesha as the perfect image of all our souls, for he is born of Ma and he is the leader of the Gana (masses of people in the world). Some see Surya as the symbol energizing force behind nature, and worship Surya with Gayatri mantra om bhu bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi ... Some souls worship Vishnu because Vishnu is situated in Parampadam and he is preserving all our lives. This is what Thakura Bhaktivinoda writes in his book.

[devilwrld]

Totakashtakam

(A hymn of eight verses by

Totakacharya - disciple of Adi Sankara)

viditAkhilasAstrasudhAjaladhE

mahitOpanishatkathitArthanidhE |

hridayE kalayE vimalam charaNam

bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Oh, Thou, the knower of the entire ocean of milk of scriptures, He Who teaches the truths found in the great treasure chest of the Upanishads ! I meditate on Thy faultless feet. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara. (1.)

karuNAvaruNAlaya pAlaya mAm

bhavasAgara dukhkha vidUnahridam |

rachayAkhiladarsanatattvavidam

bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Oh, Thou Ocean of compassion ! Save me whose heart is tormented by the misery of the sea of birth. Make me understand the truths of all schools of philosophy ! Be Thou my refuge, Master Sankara ! (2.)

bhavatA janatA suhitA bhavitA

nijabOdhavichAraNa chArumatE |

kalyEsvara jIvavivEkavidam

bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

By Thee the masses have been made happy, Oh, Thou of noble intellect, skilled in the quest of Self-Knowledge ! Enable me to understand the wisdom relating to God and the Soul. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (3)

bhava Eva bhavA niti mE nitarAm

samajAyata chEtasi kowtukitA |

mama vAraya mOhamahAjaladhim

bhava sankara dEsika mE saranam ||

Knowing that Thou art verily the Supreme Lord, overwhelming bliss arises in my heart. Protect me from the vast ocean of delusion. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara!(4)

sukritE(a)dhikritE bahudhA bhavatO

bhavitA samadarsanalAlasatA |

atidInamimam paripAlaya mAm

bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Desire for the insight in unity through Thy Grace will grow only when virtuous deeds are in abundance - and in all directions. Protect this extremely helpless person. Be Thou my refuge, Master Sankara ! (5)

 

jagatImavitum kalitAkritayO

vicharanti mahAmahasachalata: |

ahimAmsurivAtra vibhAsi gurO

bhavasankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Oh Teacher ! For the purpose of saving the world the Great Ones take various forms and wander in disguise. Of these great Ones, You shine like the sun ! Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (6)

guru pungava pungava kEtanatE

samatAmayatAm nahi kOpi sudhIhi |

saraNAgatavatsala tattvanidhE

bhavasankara dEsikamE saraNam ||

Oh, Best of Teachers ! Supreme Lord Who has the sacred bull as His banner ! None of the wise Ones is equal to Thee! Thou are compassionate to those who take refuge in Thee! Thou treasure chest of Truth! Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (7)

viditA na mayA visadaikakalA

na cha kinchana kAnchana masti gurO |

drutamEva vidhEhi krupAm sahajAm

bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam||

I do not understand correctly even a single "branch of knowledge". I do not possess even the least bit of wealth, Oh Teacher, quickly bestow on me Thy Grace. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (8)

[raghu]

 

Yes this is true. It is called pancayatapuja (?).

 

It is called panchopasana, and refers to the practice of worshipping five different deities as different facets of Brahman. It is widely believed to have been introduced by Sri Sankaracharya although where precisely he writes about is not known (at least not by me). Needless to say, the idea is repulsive to orthodox followers of many Vaishnava Vedanta systems since it amounts to equating subordinate, anya-devatas with Vishnu who alone is Brahman.

 

 

These five gods have often since been referred to as the Hindu pantheon. This is one reason I like to distance myself from the word Hindu. Supposedly one can pick either of these five gods as a focus point of worship until one comes to realize oneness with that form at which time one sees the Brahman that is the real substance of the demi-god, as one with Brahman that is same real substance of himself and theorhetically all individuality and sense of separateness is then dissolved. This is what the impersonalists mean when they speak of bhakti. They will use this puja process or bhakti-yoga as a means to merge into the Brahman.

 

Now, the above is certainly an entertaining if not overtly hypocritical series of remarks, and one has to hand it to Theist for trying desperately to get in a dig against "Hinduism" in an answer to a simple question about Sankaracharya.

 

The fact is that "Advaita" does not equal "Hinduism," and the practices of Advaita do not represent Hinduism as any minimally honest scholar on the subject can tell you. It makes little sense to level criticisms against "Hinduism" by criticizing Advaita.

 

And now for the hypocrisy: the fact is that it is Theist who s to a religious tradition (iskcon/gaudiya) which equates Shiva with Vishnu, an idea that is not upheld by shruti and not accepted by any other Vaishnava school of thought. Strange that he objects to panchopasana, but has nothing against ideas like "Shiva is a transformation of Vishnu as milk is transformed into yogurt," don't you think?

 

While we're on that subject, Theist also has no objection to worship of the Christian god, the Muslim god, and the Jewish god as different aspects of Vishnu. Modern-day panchopasana, anyone?

 

Needless to say, many of us do not regard this as real bhakti. We know that real bhakti begins when one surrenders all these misconceptions and just accepts what Sri Krishna has to say in the Gita.

[melvin]

 

Hare Krsna

 

all glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

 

Please devotees accept my humble obeisances.

 

I have a question and I need help please...

 

 

Today I was talking with a devotee about the incarnation of Krsna and He said me that sancaracarya has taught the worship of the five most importants gods and demigods (LOrd Vishnu, Ganesa Durga, Shiva and Brahma?)and this sistem is followed by the indian today. also he said me that Sancaracarya also taught that whatever god you worship, the result is the same...

 

Is this true? In what book can I get information about this? I am very interesting... Hare Krsna!

 

 

Prior to death you must only worship Krsna not Vishnu, Ganesh ,Durga, Siva and Brahma because the results are always not the same. Believe it or not.

 

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[kaisersose]

 

Prior to death you must only worship Krsna not Vishnu, Ganesh ,Durga, Siva and Brahma because the results are always not the same. Believe it or not.

 

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Thank you for the "Believe it or not". The answer is not obviously, for all non Hare Krishnas.

 

Cheers