Guest guest Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Hello everyone, This is my first post on this forum. I have couple of questions, I hope someone could answer them. 1) I am not quite sure of the differences between various aspects of Holy mother. Like for example Durga, Kali, Chandi. How would one select which aspect to follow or could all aspects be followed? 2) I have bought Durga beginners puja book. What else should I buy or do to follow the path of the divine mother (should I acquire Chandi path book and etc. If I want to meditate - can I use mantra without initiation and which mantra? 3) I live on the East coast and Ramakrishna- Vedanta center is the only one close to me. I know that Sri Ramakrishna followed Kali aspect of the mother. I not sure, but it seems that Ramakrishna centers pray and meditate upon Ramakrisha. Can anyone advise? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Hi my3byk, Welcome!!! I'm sure you'll get lots of responses, and unless I'm mistaken, probably one from Swamiji, too. I'm afraid I don't really know very much about Ramakrishna centers and what they practice. As far as the different aspects of Divine Mother are concerned, ultimately they are all one. In a general sense, one may worship Durga if there are obstacles to be overcome, Lakshmi for prosperity, and Saraswati for studies or artistic endeavors. But with my limited understanding, I begin to see that there are many levels and great depths to the interrelationships of these Devis, and their intrinsic natures as aspects of the One. Only time and study and experience will unveil them for you. Minus any direct instructions from your gurudeva (and I assume you don't have one), you are free to worship any or all of them. I think most of us here do that very thing. The choice of Ishta (your choice of personal aspect of God) is a personal choice based on who you find yourself attracted to - who you fall in love with. Since you have the Durga Puja, why not begin there. Puja allows you to express devotion in an active way through ceremony, and it acts as a kind of guided meditation, creating a one-pointed focus on the divine. There are a lot of details involved in the puja ceremony that aren't described in the pujas (at least not in the ones I have - I don't have the Durga). There is a great guide to all the minutia here on the Group site (in the Files section), it is a compilation of an online lesson in the Beginner's Shiva Puja that Nanda conducted a couple of years ago. Since the pujas all contain the same basic " modules " , the lessons are applicable to all of them. It covers things like how to set up your altar, when to ring the bell, how to purify and offer water, the utensils you'll need, and a lot of other practical bits. You can download it here (I recommend printing it out, too): Beginner%20Shiva%20Puja/ If you want to learn to chant the Chandi Path, you can join us for the monthly sankalpas. The Chandi is divided-up to make it easier to learn. I don't know how many more months Swamiji will have us continue with it, but you could certainly order the book (and I would recommend you get the mp3 cd too) and join us next month. If you just continue hanging out here - and try to catch Swamiji's video classes on www.shreemaa.org (you need a broadband connection)- I'm sure you'll find inspiration to broaden (or maybe focus) your practice. Hope you find just what you need! Jai Maa! Chris , " my3byk " <my3byk wrote: > > Hello everyone, > > This is my first post on this forum. I have couple of questions, I hope > someone could answer them. > > 1) I am not quite sure of the differences between various aspects of > Holy mother. Like for example Durga, Kali, Chandi. How would one > select which aspect to follow or could all aspects be followed? > > 2) I have bought Durga beginners puja book. What else should I buy or > do to follow the path of the divine mother (should I acquire Chandi > path book and etc. If I want to meditate - can I use mantra without > initiation and which mantra? > > 3) I live on the East coast and Ramakrishna- Vedanta center is the > only one close to me. I know that Sri Ramakrishna followed Kali aspect > of the mother. I not sure, but it seems that Ramakrishna centers pray > and meditate upon Ramakrisha. Can anyone advise? > > Thank you. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Hej my3byk!Here is my opinion!1.) I recomande you that you read a lot about those aspects of holy mothers and then you try to find out which is the one whit who you are most attrected to! I have selected Kali Ma because we are in Kali Yuga and i feel some unexplained connection with her.The soul that worships becomes always a little child: the soul that becomes a child finds God oftenest as mother. In a meditation before the Blessed Sacrament, some pen has written the exquisite assurance: " My child, you need not know much in order to please Me. Only Love Me dearly. Speak to me, as you would talk to your mother, if she had taken you in her arms. " Kali's boon is won when man confronts or accepts her and the realities she dramatically conveys to him.2.) I think that the Durga beginners puja book is enough. The only thing that is important is that you understand Durga (What she presents - her arms, her gestures, her vehicle (tiger)). It is important that you think on her all the time. That you offer her everithing,.... Only she is yours everithing! I dont know about initiation. I use kali mantra and i had no initiation. I think love to god is the best initiation. About mantra: mantra for durga is Om Sri Durgaya Namah! You have to understand the menning of mantra. And while you meditate you must have durga in front of your eyes,.... Greeting2007/5/16, my3byk <my3byk: Hello everyone, This is my first post on this forum. I have couple of questions, I hope someone could answer them. 1) I am not quite sure of the differences between various aspects of Holy mother. Like for example Durga, Kali, Chandi. How would one select which aspect to follow or could all aspects be followed? 2) I have bought Durga beginners puja book. What else should I buy or do to follow the path of the divine mother (should I acquire Chandi path book and etc. If I want to meditate - can I use mantra without initiation and which mantra? 3) I live on the East coast and Ramakrishna- Vedanta center is the only one close to me. I know that Sri Ramakrishna followed Kali aspect of the mother. I not sure, but it seems that Ramakrishna centers pray and meditate upon Ramakrisha. Can anyone advise? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Thank you everyone for the response. I will look at Shiva puja as it probably will answer my questions about the Durga as well. It seems that Durga has different Mantras - the one mentioned - Om Sri Durgaya Namah. Mantra which is in the book, is - Om Hrim Srim Dum Durgaya Namah . I am wondering which one is best used for meditation. Can I just use simple bija mantra: Hrim. Is Chandi and Kali - are just darker aspects of Durga - and more powerfull and dangerous to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Namaste, i am a devotee of Shree Maa's and i often go to the east coast for work. where are you located? what is your name -- on the group you did not indicate? i think you have made a great choice in getting the Durga puja book. I myself started with beginner's Siva which is very similar. The Chandi Path is a challenge, but such a rewarding one. i think you will want to start it later when you have been doing puja and been in the group for some time. it is not necessary to have initiation, as somebody posted to you, just a " sincere longing for God " as Swamiji says. This is a wonderful and nurturing place to be and the blessings we receive from Maa and Swamiji are unfathomable. gauri , " Chris Kirner " <chriskirner1956 wrote: > > Hi my3byk, > > Welcome!!! > > I'm sure you'll get lots of responses, and unless I'm mistaken, > probably one from Swamiji, too. > > I'm afraid I don't really know very much about Ramakrishna centers and > what they practice. > > As far as the different aspects of Divine Mother are concerned, > ultimately they are all one. In a general sense, one may worship Durga > if there are obstacles to be overcome, Lakshmi for prosperity, and > Saraswati for studies or artistic endeavors. But with my limited > understanding, I begin to see that there are many levels and great > depths to the interrelationships of these Devis, and their intrinsic > natures as aspects of the One. Only time and study and experience will > unveil them for you. > > Minus any direct instructions from your gurudeva (and I assume you > don't have one), you are free to worship any or all of them. I think > most of us here do that very thing. The choice of Ishta (your choice > of personal aspect of God) is a personal choice based on who you find > yourself attracted to - who you fall in love with. > > Since you have the Durga Puja, why not begin there. Puja allows you to > express devotion in an active way through ceremony, and it acts as a > kind of guided meditation, creating a one-pointed focus on the divine. > > There are a lot of details involved in the puja ceremony that aren't > described in the pujas (at least not in the ones I have - I don't have > the Durga). There is a great guide to all the minutia here on the > Group site (in the Files section), it is a compilation of an online > lesson in the Beginner's Shiva Puja that Nanda conducted a couple of > years ago. Since the pujas all contain the same basic " modules " , the > lessons are > applicable to all of them. It covers things like how to set up your > altar, when to ring the bell, how to purify and offer water, the > utensils you'll need, and a lot of other practical bits. You can > download it here (I recommend printing it out, too): > Beginner%20Shiva%20Puja/ > > If you want to learn to chant the Chandi Path, you can join us for the > monthly sankalpas. The Chandi is divided-up to make it easier to > learn. I don't know how many more months Swamiji will have us continue > with it, but you could certainly order the book (and I would recommend > you get the mp3 cd too) and join us next month. > > If you just continue hanging out here - and try to catch Swamiji's > video classes on www.shreemaa.org (you need a broadband connection)- > I'm sure you'll find inspiration to broaden (or maybe focus) your > practice. > > Hope you find just what you need! > > Jai Maa! > Chris > > > > > , " my3byk " <my3byk@> wrote: > > > > Hello everyone, > > > > This is my first post on this forum. I have couple of questions, I hope > > someone could answer them. > > > > 1) I am not quite sure of the differences between various aspects of > > Holy mother. Like for example Durga, Kali, Chandi. How would one > > select which aspect to follow or could all aspects be followed? > > > > 2) I have bought Durga beginners puja book. What else should I buy or > > do to follow the path of the divine mother (should I acquire Chandi > > path book and etc. If I want to meditate - can I use mantra without > > initiation and which mantra? > > > > 3) I live on the East coast and Ramakrishna- Vedanta center is the > > only one close to me. I know that Sri Ramakrishna followed Kali aspect > > of the mother. I not sure, but it seems that Ramakrishna centers pray > > and meditate upon Ramakrisha. Can anyone advise? > > > > Thank you. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Namaste, Thank you Gauri for the kind words about the group. My name is Al - located in Washington Dc area. AL. , " gauri_108 " <gauri_108 wrote: > > Namaste, > i am a devotee of Shree Maa's and i often go to the east coast for > work. where are you located? what is your name -- on the group you > did not indicate? > i think you have made a great choice in getting the Durga puja book. > I myself started with beginner's Siva which is very similar. The > Chandi Path is a challenge, but such a rewarding one. i think you > will want to start it later when you have been doing puja and been in > the group for some time. it is not necessary to have initiation, as > somebody posted to you, just a " sincere longing for God " as Swamiji > says. This is a wonderful and nurturing place to be and the blessings > we receive from Maa and Swamiji are unfathomable. > > gauri > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 Just noticed Q & A posted by Nanda and Swamiji to my questions. Thank you so much - its a big help. Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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