Pushtimarg and Swaminarayanism

[mark]

Haribol

 

Please forgive my ignorance but could anyone tell me what these are please ?

 

Many thanks

Mark

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

They believe Swami-Narayana is an incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna. Who appeared not long ago [about 200 years ago]. But some believe Swami-Narayana was actually a Jiva-tattva empowered to teach Krishna-Bhakti. Just like Narada is an incarnation of Krishna as a Sage of the Demi-gods.

 

I have specifically seen Radha-Krishna diety in Swami-Narayana Temples, though they mainly chant the Swami-Narayana Mantra [swami-narayana]. They also has to 2 factions. One is called Baps [they hold Swami-Narayana as Vishnu-tattva] the other calling themsleves Original don't. In this way, both worship Sri Radha-Krishna.

 

But myself I don't find any need to go into thier teachings. Since the Goal is Krishna-Bhakti in gaudiya Vaishnava Teachings [Krishna-prema]. The goal in Swami-Narayana is Mukti [Liberation].

[Guest guest]

The swaminarayan followers are basically what Srila Prabhupada would say 'fools and raskals'.

 

Why?

 

Because they think Swaminarayan who appeared about 300 years ago is the supreme and not krishna.

 

They have Lord krishna's diety in thir temples but they don't worship him, they worship the Guru, swaminarayan.

 

Swaminarayan himself was a devotee of Lord Krishna but his followers have made him the supreme, above Krishna.

 

They have no interest in the Vedic scriptures like the Bhagavad-gita.

 

Read swaminarayan's teachings at www.gitamrta.org/swamainarayan.htm

 

They are much like the Christians, who ignore God, but worship Jesus, the Guru, as God. Jesus himself never declared himself as God.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Jai Shri Krishna

 

Pushtimarg is the path founded by Mahaprabhu Shri Vallabhacharya. Pushtimarg means the path of grace or krupa.

 

For more information please see www.pushtimarg.net

www.http://www.shrivallabhsharanam.com/contents.html

www.pushtikul.com

 

and many other websites have relevant information. Please note this information is just to answer the query.

 

Jai Shri Krishna

[Guest guest]

I admire KCs and vaishnavas for one great thing. They do a great job in this pretence to look orthodox, ritualistic and more ritualisitic than most others with clear rule books etc. They also do a great job of back stabbing other followings within hinduism.

 

Calling the other followers within hinduism as fools and raskals, very generously, for perhaps being out of line with the typical vaishnavite thinking. Listen to Ramanujacharya or the the recent kripalu swami, the vishita advaitha makes its point only by digging on advaithic school. That's shows the shallowness of the belief & no real content other than rule books.

 

The good thing of vaishnavism is that even if one of the family members becomes a thorough bread vaishnavite, it doesn't change anything. There is no conversion.

 

Vaishnavism is financially more smarter today than the hard work, sweat & toil days of chaitanya mahaprabhu, who travelled so much, converted so much and perhaps planned for no funds enough to build temples along his path with distinct branding and identity (which a KC guy will do today in a giffy & guts).

 

Today you can see the vaishnavite temples with that distint sign competing everywhere. They are even taking over popular ganesha and other temples, just getting there where ever money is.

 

We see a lot of vaishnavites coming to gurus with strong advaithic thinking, and yes ofcourse pouring out their money and prosperity, as though their life is taking a new interpretation. And in their new interpretation they sober down significantly. Here vaishnavism will stand as loosers, as it has little depth. Although it's an indian religion, it seems to be missing the depth offered by vendanta or krishna. It's becoming more like any other religion with almost no spiritual thinking.

 

Vaishnavism looks to me as a collection of social movements across the country from the then deprived class, who contented that they can't understand vedic philosphy, but want to assert themselves clearly & intellectually. It's said that most Bakthy movements across india have always had a social cause. That's why the vaishnavism offers a strong identity for the group/pack, but fall heavily short of content for an individual's search and introspection, where all these stroies of god-positioning etc are just mere meaningless. There is almost nothing in it for the individual to progress in spiritual realization.

 

Vaishnavism exploits that made-in-india brand with indian customs, sankrit usage, and krishna/vishnu's name. But you take these lavish usage of names/nouns & phasart from it, and then you'll see that there is nothing hinduism in it.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

Guest on Vaishnava's-

Although it's an indian religion, it seems to be missing the depth offered by vendanta or krishna.

 

 

 

Homepage of the Bhaktivedanta Booktrust

 

Maybe take a look at these Books.

Especially the Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

If you require some depth as you call it, then jump straight to Chaitanya Caritamrta.

[Guest guest]

I consider myself a follower of Advaita and I view the teachings of Lord Krishna in the light of this. The picture that has been painted about the Vaishnava movement seems a little too deliberate for my liking. I don't see any problem. Whether drowned in the ocean of bhakti or burnt in the fires of knowledge, as long as the ego dies that is all that is required. Whether by total analysis or total surrender, the same goal is reached. Each feeds the other, the more your knowledge grows the more your devotion will grow and the more your devotion grows the more your knowledge will grow.

 

When he is the only doer who can be blamed? Action is there constantly unfolding, regard it as such.