[ramakrishna] Questions from a Hindu in the West

[Guest guest]

*Sri Lakshmi Narasimhay Namaha*

*Sri Ramanujay Namaha*

*Sri Vendant Guruvey MahaDesikay Namaha*

*Sri SaiRam*

 

Humble namaskar to all Learned and knowledgeable Ones,

 

Adeyan Anand, beleives and is of the opinion that

Hindu is never a religion in past, today or tommorow.

Aryan Civilization on the banks of river Sindhu in

Norther part of MahaBharath of MahaBharath Map came to

be termed as Hindus. Hindu is pack of different castes

and varnas. Aryans knew vedas and many recited vedas

during daily life and during special occassion. Vedas

is not connected or wealth of any so called Religions

like Cristianity , Islam.......Vedas are superior

knowledge and as it was huge and had different parts

many people were categorised to recite and teach.

 

Gods and Goddesses are idols on which we can trust and

incorporate faith as we cannot install all trust &

faith on onself wherein God or the Superior Human Self

resides.

 

Vedas, Upanishads, Purans does not speak of any

religion called Hindu. But all this Hinduism words got

incorporated among residents of India as other

residents following Islam called themselves

Muslim/Mohmeddan, Bible -----Christians.............So

we on the Banks of Sindhu formed MahaBharat.later

Hindustan and so Residents called themselves

Hindus..........it is not a religion.

 

Sorry Adeyan does not intend to hurt anybody but seeks

knowledge and in the process stated ablove through

self history knowledge and some self thought about,

 

Narayana Narayana ( he never claimed to be Hindu nor

any Gods and Goddesses/ Idols claim of being Hindu in

any books it speaks the way Hindu way of

worship---mean residents of Hindustan way of worship)

 

Narayana Narayana

Adeyan Anand Dasan

 

--- Vivekananda Centre <vivekananda

wrote:

> The following interesting set of questions arrived

> on our site.

> I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in the

> West

> trying to make sense of her religion.....

>

> Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or be

> sent via the

> list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89

> ~~~~~~~~~

>

> To the reader,

> I am a student in college in america. i have lived

> all my life in india and

> am really sad to say have not been taught to seek

> the truth: be it in

> religion, in news or even in the day to day school

> life.

> When i did come here many people explained their

> religions and we debated on

> the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam,

> Judaism all have a point of

> start. My question is where and how did the hindu

> religion start. who

> started it? it there a chronological order to the

> avatars and if so what is

> it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas

> all have extremely wise

> and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want to

> know where the faith

> that i have stood by and that some one billione

> people in the world are

> following came from?

> i am not looking for theories i want to know for

> sure. Only if I am

> convinced of and know my faith with i be able to

> hold my head up high in

> front of others.

> The Gita says that the atman must merge with

> parmatma when it has attained

> self realisation. But why did the atman break away

> from parmatma in the

> first place?

> i also want to know if there are any historical

> dates as the formation of

> the universe in our religion. what do we believe

> when we think as to the

> formation of the earth?

> i am not looking for an idealistic feel good answer.

> i want to know the

> truth. this might sound to you liek a string of

> complains but to me its the

> questions that i must answer to my self and others.

> please reply to this message and help me find the

> right answer.

> pranam

> Tanuja

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

>

> Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> Vivekananda Centre London

> http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

>

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

I will say that all these curious questions even if answered will give

you the

mental satisfaction for sometime ( I am not denying the importance of these

all, they

things to satisfy the curiosity of the historians and intellectuals and

provide them

the pleasure) but a true lover of god doesn't care for all these

..............

he just love god because he wants to .............

 

and about the question that we have not been taught to seek the truth,

I agree to some extent that yes there is ignorance

and we ourselves are equally responsible for that ..................

 

one should try to " become " and not try to " win any debates " with

anyone...........

and I think that sunder was right that you will find answers in your heart

only .........

 

Regards

Jay Prakash Sahu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

Vivekananda Centre <vivekananda

list <Ramakrishna >; Self Knowledge List

<selfknow-l; viv list <vivekananda >; Tanuja

Adiani <tanuja89

Wednesday, July 18, 2001 3:53 AM

[ramakrishna] Questions from a Hindu in the West

 

 

|

|

| The following interesting set of questions arrived on our site.

| I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in the West

| trying to make sense of her religion.....

|

| Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or be sent via the

| list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

|

|

| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89 ~~~~~~~~~

|

| To the reader,

| I am a student in college in america. i have lived all my life in india

and

| am really sad to say have not been taught to seek the truth: be it in

| religion, in news or even in the day to day school life.

| When i did come here many people explained their religions and we debated

| on

| the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam, Judaism all have a point of

| start. My question is where and how did the hindu religion start. who

| started it? it there a chronological order to the avatars and if so what

is

| it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas all have extremely wise

| and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want to know where the faith

| that i have stood by and that some one billione people in the world are

| following came from?

| i am not looking for theories i want to know for sure. Only if I am

| convinced of and know my faith with i be able to hold my head up high in

| front of others.

| The Gita says that the atman must merge with parmatma when it has attained

| self realisation. But why did the atman break away from parmatma in the

| first place?

| i also want to know if there are any historical dates as the formation of

| the universe in our religion. what do we believe when we think as to the

| formation of the earth?

| i am not looking for an idealistic feel good answer. i want to know the

| truth. this might sound to you liek a string of complains but to me its

the

| questions that i must answer to my self and others.

| please reply to this message and help me find the right answer.

| pranam

| Tanuja

|

| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

|

|

|

| Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

| Vivekananda Centre London

| http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

|

|

[Guest guest]

Dear Tanuja-

 

I think the Bhagavad Gita is the clearest explanation

of religion ever written at any time in any culture.

 

You must understand the four principle paths

described:

 

1. Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of Devotion)

2. Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of knowledge)

3. Karma Yoga (the Yoga of Action)

4. Raja Yoga (the Yoga of Mysticism/Meditation)

 

Try Swami Satchidananda's " The Living Gita " for a

modern easy-to-understand translation by a living Yoga

master....

 

While it's helpful to have a conceptual framework to

strengthen your faith and conviction, only sadhana

(spiritual practice) will answer all your questions.

 

Jai Sri Sat Guru Maharaj Ki!

 

Sincerely,

Ravi

 

 

--- Vivekananda Centre <vivekananda

wrote:

> The following interesting set of questions arrived

> on our site.

> I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in the

> West

> trying to make sense of her religion.....

>

> Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or be

> sent via the

> list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89

> ~~~~~~~~~

>

> To the reader,

> I am a student in college in america. i have lived

> all my life in india and

> am really sad to say have not been taught to seek

> the truth: be it in

> religion, in news or even in the day to day school

> life.

> When i did come here many people explained their

> religions and we debated on

> the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam,

> Judaism all have a point of

> start. My question is where and how did the hindu

> religion start. who

> started it? it there a chronological order to the

> avatars and if so what is

> it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas

> all have extremely wise

> and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want to

> know where the faith

> that i have stood by and that some one billione

> people in the world are

> following came from?

> i am not looking for theories i want to know for

> sure. Only if I am

> convinced of and know my faith with i be able to

> hold my head up high in

> front of others.

> The Gita says that the atman must merge with

> parmatma when it has attained

> self realisation. But why did the atman break away

> from parmatma in the

> first place?

> i also want to know if there are any historical

> dates as the formation of

> the universe in our religion. what do we believe

> when we think as to the

> formation of the earth?

> i am not looking for an idealistic feel good answer.

> i want to know the

> truth. this might sound to you liek a string of

> complains but to me its the

> questions that i must answer to my self and others.

> please reply to this message and help me find the

> right answer.

> pranam

> Tanuja

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

>

> Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> Vivekananda Centre London

> http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

>

>

[Guest guest]

*Sri Lakshmi Narasimhay Namaha*

*Sri Ramanujay Namaha*

*Sri Vendant Guruvey MahaDesikay Namaha*

*Sri SaiRam*

 

Humble namaskar to all Learned and knowledgeable Ones,

 

Adeyan Anand, beleives and is of the opinion that

Hindu is never a religion in past, today or tommorow.

Aryan Civilization on the banks of river Sindhu in

Norther part of MahaBharath of MahaBharath Map came to

be termed as Hindus. Hindu is pack of different castes

and varnas. Aryans knew vedas and many recited vedas

during daily life and during special occassion. Vedas

is not connected or wealth of any so called Religions

like Cristianity , Islam.......Vedas are superior

knowledge and as it was huge and had different parts

many people were categorised to recite and teach.

 

Gods and Goddesses are idols on which we can trust and

incorporate faith as we cannot install all trust &

faith on onself wherein God or the Superior Human Self

resides.

 

Vedas, Upanishads, Purans does not speak of any

religion called Hindu. But all this Hinduism words got

incorporated among residents of India as other

residents following Islam called themselves

Muslim/Mohmeddan, Bible -----Christians.............So

we on the Banks of Sindhu formed MahaBharat.later

Hindustan and so Residents called themselves

Hindus..........it is not a religion.

 

Sorry Adeyan does not intend to hurt anybody but seeks

knowledge and in the process stated ablove through

self history knowledge and some self thought about,

 

Narayana Narayana ( he never claimed to be Hindu nor

any Gods and Goddesses/ Idols claim of being Hindu in

any books it speaks the way Hindu way of

worship---mean residents of Hindustan way of worship)

 

Narayana Narayana

Adeyan Anand Dasan--- Vivekananda Centre <vivekananda

wrote:

> The following interesting set of questions arrived

> on our site.

> I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in the

> West

> trying to make sense of her religion.....

>

> Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or be

> sent via the

> list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89

> ~~~~~~~~~

>

> To the reader,

> I am a student in college in america. i have lived

> all my life in india and

> am really sad to say have not been taught to seek

> the truth: be it in

> religion, in news or even in the day to day school

> life.

> When i did come here many people explained their

> religions and we debated on

> the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam,

> Judaism all have a point of

> start. My question is where and how did the hindu

> religion start. who

> started it? it there a chronological order to the

> avatars and if so what is

> it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas

> all have extremely wise

> and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want to

> know where the faith

> that i have stood by and that some one billione

> people in the world are

> following came from?

> i am not looking for theories i want to know for

> sure. Only if I am

> convinced of and know my faith with i be able to

> hold my head up high in

> front of others.

> The Gita says that the atman must merge with

> parmatma when it has attained

> self realisation. But why did the atman break away

> from parmatma in the

> first place?

> i also want to know if there are any historical

> dates as the formation of

> the universe in our religion. what do we believe

> when we think as to the

> formation of the earth?

> i am not looking for an idealistic feel good answer.

> i want to know the

> truth. this might sound to you liek a string of

> complains but to me its the

> questions that i must answer to my self and others.

> please reply to this message and help me find the

> right answer.

> pranam

> Tanuja

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees-

 

Today's reading from Ananta beautifully clarifies that

questions concerning the origin of the soul and

universe- and how understanding how or why the

individual soul (jiva) got separated from God (Shiva)

is close to impossible. That " inscrutable maya " is

just that- impossible to explain in words (remember

the " salt doll?). In our daily lives, we must pay

attention to how the world subtely deceives us into

thinking that certain things are pleasurable- or that

we can avoid painful situations by being " smart. " It's

often that being " smart " tricks us into thinking we

understand maya and in fact are completely lost in

it's promises (like pleasure can if fact be attained

without pain!) We have to be smart in the sense of

letting go of the search for pleasure- which is true

renunciation....here's Ananta's reading again:

 

But the Hindu is sincere. He does not want to take

shelter under sophistry. He is brave enough to face

the question in a manly fashion; and his answer is: " I

do not know. I do not know how the perfect being, the

soul, came to think of itself as imperfect, as joined

to and conditioned by matter. " But the fact is a fact

for all that. It is a fact in everybody's

consciousness that one thinks of oneself as the body.

The Hindu does not attempt to explain why one thinks

one is the body. The answer that it is the will of God

is no explanation. This is nothing more than what the

Hindu says, " I do not know. "

 

--- R D <jaguarxox wrote:

> Dear Tanuja-

>

> I think the Bhagavad Gita is the clearest

> explanation

> of religion ever written at any time in any culture.

>

> You must understand the four principle paths

> described:

>

> 1. Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of Devotion)

> 2. Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of knowledge)

> 3. Karma Yoga (the Yoga of Action)

> 4. Raja Yoga (the Yoga of Mysticism/Meditation)

>

> Try Swami Satchidananda's " The Living Gita " for a

> modern easy-to-understand translation by a living

> Yoga

> master....

>

> While it's helpful to have a conceptual framework to

> strengthen your faith and conviction, only sadhana

> (spiritual practice) will answer all your questions.

>

> Jai Sri Sat Guru Maharaj Ki!

>

> Sincerely,

> Ravi

>

>

> --- Vivekananda Centre <vivekananda

> wrote:

> > The following interesting set of questions arrived

> > on our site.

> > I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in

> the

> > West

> > trying to make sense of her religion.....

> >

> > Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or

> be

> > sent via the

> > list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

> >

> >

> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89

> > ~~~~~~~~~

> >

> > To the reader,

> > I am a student in college in america. i have lived

> > all my life in india and

> > am really sad to say have not been taught to seek

> > the truth: be it in

> > religion, in news or even in the day to day school

> > life.

> > When i did come here many people explained their

> > religions and we debated on

> > the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam,

> > Judaism all have a point of

> > start. My question is where and how did the hindu

> > religion start. who

> > started it? it there a chronological order to the

> > avatars and if so what is

> > it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas

> > all have extremely wise

> > and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want

> to

> > know where the faith

> > that i have stood by and that some one billione

> > people in the world are

> > following came from?

> > i am not looking for theories i want to know for

> > sure. Only if I am

> > convinced of and know my faith with i be able to

> > hold my head up high in

> > front of others.

> > The Gita says that the atman must merge with

> > parmatma when it has attained

> > self realisation. But why did the atman break away

> > from parmatma in the

> > first place?

> > i also want to know if there are any historical

> > dates as the formation of

> > the universe in our religion. what do we believe

> > when we think as to the

> > formation of the earth?

> > i am not looking for an idealistic feel good

> answer.

> > i want to know the

> > truth. this might sound to you liek a string of

> > complains but to me its the

> > questions that i must answer to my self and

> others.

> > please reply to this message and help me find the

> > right answer.

> > pranam

> > Tanuja

> >

> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> >

> >

> >

> > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> > Vivekananda Centre London

> > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees:

 

I am a student in United States. I would like to add

on to the question set by Tanuja.

 

I have gone through some books on Bhagvad Gita by

Iskcon.

Nowhere is there any strong explanation on the origins

of the Universe. I had got an explanation in the

following way:

That all atmas resided alongwith Krishna in

GolokVrindavan in the beginning & it was because the

jiva-atmas wanted to enjoy on their own in separation

to Krishna. So out of mercy Krishna has created this

Universe for us jiva-atmas to try our luck.

 

But I find a flaw in this explanation.

say for example :

there is a world consisting of just 10 people.

of which one person is the owner & the rest 9 are the

employees under him. Now if they have a loving

relationship amongst each other i.e to say if the

owner is so loving & caring to his

subjects(employees),

unless there is some 11th person landing in their

world & alluring these 9 people with some other kind

of pleasure i.e stating that see I can enjoy without

your owner..why dont you guys have a world of your own

like me..

How can these 9 people ever think of leaving their

loving & caring owner unless this 11th person had

existed .

if he had existed who was he?

 

 

Its my humble request to all devotees to enlighten me

with their answers.

 

Hare Krishna,

Amol Bhide

--- R D <jaguarxox wrote:

> Dear Devotees-

>

> Today's reading from Ananta beautifully clarifies

> that

> questions concerning the origin of the soul and

> universe- and how understanding how or why the

> individual soul (jiva) got separated from God

> (Shiva)

> is close to impossible. That " inscrutable maya " is

> just that- impossible to explain in words (remember

> the " salt doll?). In our daily lives, we must pay

> attention to how the world subtely deceives us into

> thinking that certain things are pleasurable- or

> that

> we can avoid painful situations by being " smart. "

> It's

> often that being " smart " tricks us into thinking we

> understand maya and in fact are completely lost in

> it's promises (like pleasure can if fact be attained

> without pain!) We have to be smart in the sense of

> letting go of the search for pleasure- which is true

> renunciation....here's Ananta's reading again:

>

> But the Hindu is sincere. He does not want to take

> shelter under sophistry. He is brave enough to face

> the question in a manly fashion; and his answer is:

> " I

> do not know. I do not know how the perfect being,

> the

> soul, came to think of itself as imperfect, as

> joined

> to and conditioned by matter. " But the fact is a

> fact

> for all that. It is a fact in everybody's

> consciousness that one thinks of oneself as the

> body.

> The Hindu does not attempt to explain why one thinks

> one is the body. The answer that it is the will of

> God

> is no explanation. This is nothing more than what

> the

> Hindu says, " I do not know. "

>

> --- R D <jaguarxox wrote:

> > Dear Tanuja-

> >

> > I think the Bhagavad Gita is the clearest

> > explanation

> > of religion ever written at any time in any

> culture.

> >

> > You must understand the four principle paths

> > described:

> >

> > 1. Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of Devotion)

> > 2. Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of knowledge)

> > 3. Karma Yoga (the Yoga of Action)

> > 4. Raja Yoga (the Yoga of Mysticism/Meditation)

> >

> > Try Swami Satchidananda's " The Living Gita " for a

> > modern easy-to-understand translation by a living

> > Yoga

> > master....

> >

> > While it's helpful to have a conceptual framework

> to

> > strengthen your faith and conviction, only sadhana

> > (spiritual practice) will answer all your

> questions.

> >

> > Jai Sri Sat Guru Maharaj Ki!

> >

> > Sincerely,

> > Ravi

> >

> >

> > --- Vivekananda Centre

> <vivekananda

> > wrote:

> > > The following interesting set of questions

> arrived

> > > on our site.

> > > I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in

> > the

> > > West

> > > trying to make sense of her religion.....

> > >

> > > Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her

> or

> > be

> > > sent via the

> > > list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

> > >

> > >

> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89

>

> > > ~~~~~~~~~

> > >

> > > To the reader,

> > > I am a student in college in america. i have

> lived

> > > all my life in india and

> > > am really sad to say have not been taught to

> seek

> > > the truth: be it in

> > > religion, in news or even in the day to day

> school

> > > life.

> > > When i did come here many people explained their

> > > religions and we debated on

> > > the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam,

> > > Judaism all have a point of

> > > start. My question is where and how did the

> hindu

> > > religion start. who

> > > started it? it there a chronological order to

> the

> > > avatars and if so what is

> > > it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and

> vedas

> > > all have extremely wise

> > > and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i

> want

> > to

> > > know where the faith

> > > that i have stood by and that some one billione

> > > people in the world are

> > > following came from?

> > > i am not looking for theories i want to know for

> > > sure. Only if I am

> > > convinced of and know my faith with i be able to

> > > hold my head up high in

> > > front of others.

> > > The Gita says that the atman must merge with

> > > parmatma when it has attained

> > > self realisation. But why did the atman break

> away

> > > from parmatma in the

> > > first place?

> > > i also want to know if there are any historical

> > > dates as the formation of

> > > the universe in our religion. what do we believe

> > > when we think as to the

> > > formation of the earth?

> > > i am not looking for an idealistic feel good

> > answer.

> > > i want to know the

> > > truth. this might sound to you liek a string of

> > > complains but to me its the

> > > questions that i must answer to my self and

> > others.

> > > please reply to this message and help me find

> the

> > > right answer.

> > > pranam

> > > Tanuja

> > >

> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> > > Vivekananda Centre London

> > > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

> > >

> > >