A Troubling Question - Thank You

[Guest guest]

First I would like to thank everyone who has replied both publicly and

privately - your words have helped to boost my confidence in the love

and acceptance of humanity and, also, in God.

 

I will reply to everyone privately. Thank you all very, very much for

your replies.

 

Sincerely

Casey

 

 

 

 

Aum

Namaste Casey

 

I empathize with you and would like to explain the following to you

Firstly "Is

Shiva - and, perhaps more importantly - Hinduism (that is, all the

religions and sects that fall under this catch-all phrase) a God and

religion that is available to all peoples of the Earth?

 

Answer is yes, God does not discriminate about who can and cannot

worship him, all are entitled - one being born of, sustained and

maintained by God's energy !

Hindus do not seek to actively convert anyone but respect all, if one

wishes to follow what we teach then certainly you may do so, so long as

one follows what is taught.

However, there are laws and developed rules as to what is permissible

or not for a variety of reasons.

 

Does a

white woman from Australia - whose ancestors came from Europe

and probably had no contact with India or its many great religions -

have any right to say that she began her path towards enlightenment

because Shiva was a constant, almost unbearable, presence in her life

for six months until she accepted him and began to worship him?

 

If this is how you feel then certainly you may express this ! You are

not the first woman who has encountered this, I have seen a few others

too.

I wish to explain something for your comfort. Before ALL souls come to

earth they are made to promise what they will do upon earth, if you

were a devotee of Bhagavan Siva in previous lives, then this life would

be an opportunity to continue your worship of him.

 

When HE decided it was time then he informed you in a way that you

would not forget. Please understand (if you follow Christianity - which

originally taught about reincarnation but presently does not) that this

is only a gentle reminder ! ( I am very sure

you would not like an unpleasant one)

 

My

understanding of Hinduism has always been that it is accepting of

many paths - all paths are equally important - and of the many

spiritual aspirants walking them - that no one aspirant is more

important than the next. Is my understanding wrong?

 

Your understanding is "contextually

wrong", what is presently called Hinduism is an amalgam of

different religious/spiritual traditions. Hindus (from different

traditions) co-exist and are respectful of one another ( this has not

always been so either, due to hatred developed by over zealous people

who wished to perpetuate their way as the ONLY way ).

These different paths are for the purpose of reaching souls that are in

different stages of evolution and development, therefore none is more

important than the other ( because they all serve a purpose)

 

However, within Hinduism there are distinct systems of worship of

various God forms (Devis and Devatas) that serve the purpose of

unfolding your consciousness - your path ( this is not something that

you can turn on and off at your will )

e.g

Ganapatyam - worshippers of Lord Ganesh

Shaktas - Worshipers of Devi

Sauras - Worshippers of the Sun

Vaishnavas - Worshippers of Lord Vishnu

Shaivas - Worshippers of Lord Siva

 

When you are required to perform your obligations, you need to complete

this to move forward. Failure to do this will only lead to more misery

until you come around. While this may be perceived as undemocratic and

against your free will, Lord Siva has been with you for lifetimes and

as he is immortal - he is not going anywhere either.

 

Please understand this is not about emotion ( how you personally feel

about this requires objective understanding ) but what is in your best

interest.

 

Namah Sivaya

Pandit Devendra Maharaj

 

Aum

 

--- On Sat, 4/11/09, poisoned_innocences <zziegamp

wrote:

 

poisoned_innocences <zziegamp

A Troubling Question

 

Saturday, April 11, 2009, 6:17 AM

 

 

 

Hello, everyone (and please forgive me if this comes

through twice)

 

Very recently, I have been going over a troubling question and would

like to ask what the members of the list think. Is Shiva - and, perhaps

more importantly - Hinduism (that is, all the religions and sects that

fall under this catch-all phrase) a God and religion that is available

to all peoples of the Earth? Does a white woman from Australia - whose

ancestors came from Europe and probably had no contact with India or

its many great religions - have any right to say that she began her

path towards enlightenment because Shiva was a constant, almost

unbearable, presence in her life for six months until she accepted him

and began to worship him?

 

My understanding of Hinduism has always been that it is accepting of

many paths - all paths are equally important - and of the many

spiritual aspirants walking them - that no one aspirant is more

important than the next. Is my understanding wrong?

 

(The white woman used as an example is, obviously, me. I literally had

no rest during those months - my thoughts revolved around Shiva and

only Shiva to the point that it distracted me from my daily activities.

It was not until I began to worship him in one of his many forms that

this stopped.)

 

Sincerely

Casey