Questions...

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

Checking my email has suddenly become exciting! I wasn & #8217;t expecting

to receive so much feedback. If you don & #8217;t mind, I & #8217;ll address

my replies individually, although they clearly overlap at times...

 

Kumari: I believe that the understanding of pranapratishtha, and hence the

essence of murtis, varies quite a bit from one sampradaya to another.

Personally, I would not want to call the Devi into an object unless I knew

I could devote myself to it all the time like a good host. With this, of

course, I am not criticising your practice: I & #8217;m simply pointing out

that at the moment I am not in a position to serve a murti 24/7. Hence, no

pranapratishtha for me.

 

Vishweshwar: thank you for all the wonderful advice! I & #8217;m actually

waiting for & #8220;Before becoming this & #8221; & #8211; I ordered it a few

days ago. I'm glad to discover that the beginner & #8217;s Durga puja can be

performed without pranapratishstha. This was not clear to me from the

booklet (which I do have). I think I will study the puja and start

practicing in the near future. Before then, though, I wish to learn the

Devi Kavacham, and integrate it into my practice of japa and recitation of

the shaptashloki. At the moment, my altar is very primitive, but it does

give me a focus.

 

Devi: I love your new blog! It & #8217;s funny how something like internet

can become a really powerful tool for fostering bhakti... I was curious to

know what you mean by the group recitation of the Chandi on Sunday: how

does this work?

 

Henny: thanks for all your words of encouragement! I love Sanskrit, and am

lucky enough to have a v. proficient teacher at the moment (I & #8217;ve

been studying the language for the past two years or so...)

 

Kali: I don & #8217;t mind swamis etc. being cautious about giving mantras

etc.: these are certainly powerful tools, and esp. in this age, it is best

not to cast pearls to the swine. One thing I cannot stand is

& #8216;Hindutva & #8217; and the idea that Sanatana Dharma somehow only

applies to ethnic Indians. This is an annoying attitude I have often come

across. A problem with the ashram I visited, I guess, is that they do not

emphasise bhakti in particular & #8211; which is what I am after, really. I

feel more at ease with Devi Mandir, because its concern appears to be very

much on devotion (after the example of Sri Ramakrishna).

 

Sorry to have packed so much stuff into one email, but the questions

raised are really important for me, and I value the experience and

opinions of every one of you.

 

Jai Maa!

 

Sergio

[Guest guest]

On Sundays we do Chandi via web cam. LInk to cam below. http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/?q=taxonomy_menu/58/125Devi--- On Tue, 11/25/08, Sergio Knipe <sergio.knipe wrote:Sergio Knipe <sergio.knipeRe: [www.ShreeMaa.org] Questions... Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 9:57 AMDear friends,Checking my email has suddenly become exciting! I wasn & #8217;t expectingto receive so much feedback. If you don & #8217;t mind, I & #8217;lladdressmy replies individually, although they clearly overlap at times...Kumari: I believe that the understanding of pranapratishtha, and hence

theessence of murtis, varies quite a bit from one sampradaya to another.Personally, I would not want to call the Devi into an object unless I knewI could devote myself to it all the time like a good host. With this, ofcourse, I am not criticising your practice: I & #8217;m simply pointing outthat at the moment I am not in a position to serve a murti 24/7. Hence, nopranapratishtha for me.Vishweshwar: thank you for all the wonderful advice! I & #8217;m actuallywaiting for & #8220;Before becoming this & #8221; & #8211; I ordered ita fewdays ago. I'm glad to discover that the beginner & #8217;s Durga puja canbeperformed without pranapratishstha. This was not clear to me from thebooklet (which I do have). I think I will study the puja and startpracticing in the near future. Before then, though, I wish to learn theDevi Kavacham, and integrate it into my practice of japa and

recitation ofthe shaptashloki. At the moment, my altar is very primitive, but it doesgive me a focus.Devi: I love your new blog! It & #8217;s funny how something like internetcan become a really powerful tool for fostering bhakti... I was curious toknow what you mean by the group recitation of the Chandi on Sunday: howdoes this work?Henny: thanks for all your words of encouragement! I love Sanskrit, and amlucky enough to have a v. proficient teacher at the moment (I & #8217;vebeen studying the language for the past two years or so...)Kali: I don & #8217;t mind swamis etc. being cautious about giving mantrasetc.: these are certainly powerful tools, and esp. in this age, it is bestnot to cast pearls to the swine. One thing I cannot stand is & #8216;Hindutva & #8217; and the idea that Sanatana Dharma somehow onlyapplies to ethnic Indians. This is an annoying attitude I have often

comeacross. A problem with the ashram I visited, I guess, is that they do notemphasise bhakti in particular & #8211; which is what I am after, really. Ifeel more at ease with Devi Mandir, because its concern appears to be verymuch on devotion (after the example of Sri Ramakrishna).Sorry to have packed so much stuff into one email, but the questionsraised are really important for me, and I value the experience andopinions of every one of you.Jai Maa!Sergio---Please visit us online at http://www.ShreeMaa.org