Bhakti Yoga and imagined place in the worship of Devi

[Guest guest]

Kindly allow me some questions about Bhakti Yoga and the worship of Devi.

In the Bengal Vaisnava tradition there is a practice where a serious

practitioner is given an esoteric identity within the realm of Vrindavana by his

or her guru. This includes the following details: age, colour of skin, what kind

of clothes you wear, etc. The practitioner memorises maps of Vrindavana, where

he or she lives, where he or she sports with Krishna, etc. Usually the identity

is that of a manjari, a young girl who assists in the play of Radha and Krishna,

but it could also be a friend of Krsna. This new identity is called the

siddha-deha, the perfected body. It is considered to be the practitioners true

identity. In meditation the practitioner enters this " reality " and the goal is

to enter permanently into it at one point. This " imaginary " world is considered

to be the highest reality, the cosmic drama, the eternal spiritual play of Radha

and Krishna.

Does such kind of practice also exist in the Shakta tradition? Can Devi be

worshiped in a similar way?

If not, does such a practice exist in the Shaiva tradition in connection with

Parvati and Shiva ?

I beg everyone who has information or an opinion to send a mail.

 

Kind regards

OM SHANTI,

Alexandra

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

dear Alexandra,

I think in every tradition this female / male aspect is included. In Devi

worship some Gurus ask the devotee to imagine oneself as Shiva , till ur one

with Shakthi. And in Sreevidya worship anyone who reccieves pancha dashakshari

mantra or shodashi is considerd to be Paramashiva himself. But most devotees

prefer to worship Devi in mother form . In kaula tradition ,any one who follows

vama marga (left hand practise) sees themselves as shiva and parvathi before

entering into sexual intercourse. One can follow these aspects or can remain

oneself as male and female within themselves and feel complete in oneself. All

these are advisable to follow only through Guru;s descision

Vanadurga

On Sun, 17 Feb 2002 Alexandra Kafka wrote :

> Kindly allow me some questions about Bhakti Yoga and

> the worship of Devi.

> In the Bengal Vaisnava tradition there is a practice

> where a serious practitioner is given an esoteric

> identity within the realm of Vrindavana by his or her

> guru. This includes the following details: age, colour

> of skin, what kind of clothes you wear, etc. The

> practitioner memorises maps of Vrindavana, where he or

> she lives, where he or she sports with Krishna, etc.

> Usually the identity is that of a manjari, a young girl

> who assists in the play of Radha and Krishna, but it

> could also be a friend of Krsna. This new identity is

> called the siddha-deha, the perfected body. It is

> considered to be the practitioners true identity. In

> meditation the practitioner enters this " reality " and

> the goal is to enter permanently into it at one point.

> This " imaginary " world is considered to be the highest

> reality, the cosmic drama, the eternal spiritual play

> of Radha and Krishna.

> Does such kind of practice also exist in the Shakta

> tradition? Can Devi be worshiped in a similar way?

> If not, does such a practice exist in the Shaiva

> tradition in connection with Parvati and Shiva ?

> I beg everyone who has information or an opinion to

> send a mail.

>

> Kind regards

> OM SHANTI,

> Alexandra

>

>

>