Wonderful board and some extraordinary reviews

July 12, 2003

Hi guys,

I am new to this board. I find many reviews on this board very interesting and providing a different perspective of religion on the whole. I am a hindu by birth and I have equal respect for all religions and their beliefs. But I dont like people who discriminate other religions when they dont have enough information. I am taking a religion class where people were making fun about hindisim that it is not a religion and there are 330 million gods. I know part of it is true but i dint have solid point to back exlaination. Does anyone know why there are 330 Million gods ? I would appreciate if anyone could give a good explaination without comparing to any other religion ?

Thanks

A true lover of this board

gHari · July 13, 2003

While there are actually unlimited forms and names of God, He is one. The Upanishads describe it as one candle igniting many candles. They all shine as brightly, but that one original candle is known as Bhagavan Sri Krsna. This is the answer: CLICK HERE TO KNOW that there is no greater truth than Krsna and no one is equal to Him.

Your religion is very rich with knowledge of God. He is named for His various pastimes and qualities; therefore there are many names to be found in the Vedas. They all describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the cause of all causes and all that is; He is one beyond a second. He is simply Krsna, the Ultimate Truth. He is your best friend. You have an eternal relationship with Him. And that is what life is about.

gHari

gHari · July 13, 2003

The above post and link explained the various incarnations and expansions of Sri Krsna, and how They are all one; They are all the one person, God, Krsna. Now we can look at the demigods. They are not God, Krsna, but rather exalted servants of Krsna who perform great tasks and services for Him.

Other religions have only two classes, namely those who worship God and those who don't, the atheists. However, in sanatana-dharma (or Hinduism or Vedic Dharma) God is much kinder for He arranges that all people of all capabilities can worship Him directly or indirectly in such a way as to gradually increase their capacity to love Him as He actually is.

So, one is not rejected because he cannot understand God; God gives him a path to become qualified to understand Him. The main processes that one may follow on the path to Krsna are described below by the great writer and spiritual master Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:<blockquote>From engagement in material activities up to the awakening of spiritual

activities is called the preliminary stage of God consciousness. From

this preliminary stage up to the uttama-adhikari stage there are

innumerable levels:

<BLOCKQUOTE>ONE - Inquiring about the truth of the material world is called

Sakta-dharma, because the predominating deity of the material world is

goddess Durga. All behavior and practice instructed in Sakta-dharma is

helpful only in the preliminary stage. Such behavior and practice is

meant to bring one closer to spiritual life, and materialistic people

may be attracted by this only until they begin to inquire about the

Supreme Absolute Truth. Sakta-dharma is the living entity's initial

spiritual endeavor, and it is extremely essential for people of that

level.

TWO - When the preliminary stage is further strengthened, one

attains the next level. One then considers the energy of work and the

superiority of heat over dull matter, and one therefore accepts the sun-god,

who is the source of heat, as one's worshipable deity. At that

time, Saura-dharma is awakened.

THREE - Later, when one considers even heat as dull matter and

animal consciousness as superior, one attains the third stage,

Ganapatya-dharma.

FOUR - In the fourth gross stage, Lord Siva is worshiped as the

pure consciousness of the living entities, and Saiva-dharma manifests.

FIVE - In the fifth stage, the consciousness of the living

entity worships the supreme consciousness, and thus Vaisnava-dharma is

manifest. </BLOCKQUOTE>By nature, there are five types of paramarthic dharmas, or spiritual

duties, which have been known throughout the world by different names at

different times. If one considers all the different dharmas that are

current in India and abroad, one can see that they certainly fall within

these five categories.

The religious principles taught by Mohammed and Jesus Christ are similar

to the religious principles taught by Vaisnava sects. Buddhism and

Jainism are similar to Saiva-dharma.

This is a scientific consideration of truths regarding religious

principles. Those who consider their own religious principles as real

dharma and others' religious principles as irreligion or subreligion are

unable to ascertain the truth due to being influenced by prejudice.

Actually religious principles followed by people in general are

different only due to the different qualifications of the practitioners,

but the constitutional religious principles of all living entities are

one.

It is not proper for swanlike persons to reject the religious principles

that people in general follow according to their situation.</blockquote>

We must always remember the great majesty of the Vedic scriptures; how so very comprehensive they are. They are produced by the breathing of God. As He breathes, the pure sound of the Vedas emanate. He exists and breathes eternally; therefore the Vedas are eternal; were never created, they just exist. Hence, we can expect that the knowledge found therein will contain so much more factual information about what God does in the Kingdom of God, what He is like, and how to learn to love Him.

So many pastimes we are told of, so many qualities we can hear about, so many names describing His activities and qualities, we are so very fortunate to get to know so much about God. If we care to know, if we can spare the time, He is presenting Himself to us freely.

gHari

July 16, 2003

That is an extraordinary detailed explaination. I really enjoyed it. With this information I can even challenge my professor. Thank you for your effort and time.