Guest guest Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 Happy to share anything I can on the Mandir. Here is something that I missed out on the Durga Ashtami celebrations.On the 8th day of both the Spring and Autumn Navaratri Maa and Swamiji do a Brahmin puja - honoring the Brahmins - or seekers of knowledge. During the spring Navaratri , the men were honored with a cotton shawl called 'chador' ..They are also given Rudrakshas, dakshina ( a dollar apiece), prasad , a plate of food etc. (During the Autumn Navaratri, the women are honored with a saree or a skirt lovingly made from Maa's hands.) This Navaratri , one of the Brahmins that was honored was a devotee that helps out with construction work at the Mandir. He was a sight for sore eyes - dressed in paint splattered clothes and work worn jeans but with a pristine yellow cotton shawl block printed with red "Om Namah Shivaya" . He looked looked like a cross between an ad for Heineken beer and an Indian Pujari. Afterwards, all the men posed with Swamiji for a group photo complete with their new shawls. Jai MaaNanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 That is sooooooo sweet. I want to see the photos. On Apr 19, 2005, at 10:35 PM, Nanda wrote: > Dear All, > Happy to share anything I can on the Mandir. Here is something that I > missed out on the Durga Ashtami celebrations.On the 8th day of both > the Spring and Autumn Navaratri Maa and Swamiji do a Brahmin puja - > honoring the Brahmins - or seekers of knowledge. During the spring > Navaratri , the men were honored with a cotton shawl called 'chador' > .They are also > given Rudrakshas, dakshina ( a dollar apiece), prasad , a plate of > food etc. > > (During the Autumn Navaratri, the women are honored with a saree or a > skirt lovingly made from Maa's hands.) > > This Navaratri , one of the Brahmins that was honored was a devotee > that helps out with construction work at the Mandir. He was a sight > for sore eyes - dressed in paint splattered clothes and work worn > jeans but with a pristine yellow cotton shawl block printed with red > "Om Namah Shivaya" . He looked looked like a cross between an ad for > Heineken beer and an Indian Pujari. > > Afterwards, all the men posed with Swamiji for a group photo complete > with their new shawls. > > Jai Maa > Nanda > > > > > > Sponsor > > > > Children International > > Would you give Hope to a Child in need? > > > <332170_011805_newchildforemail.jpg> > > · > Click Here to meet a Girl > And Give Her Hope > > · > Click Here to meet a Boy > And Change His Life > > Learn More > > <l.gif> > > Links > > • > / > > • > > > • Terms of > Service. > > Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 ohhhhhhhhh, that sounds so wonderful! i would love to see that photo, too! Nanda wrote: Dear All, Happy to share anything I can on the Mandir. Here is something that I missed out on the Durga Ashtami celebrations.On the 8th day of both the Spring and Autumn Navaratri Maa and Swamiji do a Brahmin puja - honoring the Brahmins - or seekers of knowledge. During the spring Navaratri , the men were honored with a cotton shawl called 'chador' ..They are also given Rudrakshas, dakshina ( a dollar apiece), prasad , a plate of food etc. (During the Autumn Navaratri, the women are honored with a saree or a skirt lovingly made from Maa's hands.) This Navaratri , one of the Brahmins that was honored was a devotee that helps out with construction work at the Mandir. He was a sight for sore eyes - dressed in paint splattered clothes and work worn jeans but with a pristine yellow cotton shawl block printed with red "Om Namah Shivaya" . He looked looked like a cross between an ad for Heineken beer and an Indian Pujari. Afterwards, all the men posed with Swamiji for a group photo complete with their new shawls. Jai Maa Nanda Small Business - Try our new resources site! -- Be Love, Berijoy http://www.egyirba.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 Dear Nanda, you said: > Happy to share anything I can on the Mandir. can I ask you something? How many people were there for the celebrations? Do they come especially to the Mandir, for the whole period or just a day, or do many of them live there? Where is the homa performed? Inside or outside? Did you all fast? Does Shree Maa make the skirts for the women by hand? Do all people do their sadhana separately, all with their own book and do people do different things? Or is it all a joint effort? Are Shree Maa and Swamiji with the people all the time? I'm trying to get a picture in my mind of life at the Mandir, but it is hard to imagine, so these details would help me, hope you don't mind my asking, with love, curious Henny Here is something that I missed out on the Durga Ashtami celebrations.On the 8th day of both the Spring and Autumn Navaratri Maa and Swamiji do a Brahmin puja - honoring the Brahmins - or seekers of knowledge. During the spring Navaratri , the men were honored with a cotton shawl called 'chador' .They are also > given Rudrakshas, dakshina ( a dollar apiece), prasad , a plate of food etc. > > (During the Autumn Navaratri, the women are honored with a saree or a skirt lovingly made from Maa's hands.) > > This Navaratri , one of the Brahmins that was honored was a devotee that helps out with construction work at the Mandir. He was a sight for sore eyes - dressed in paint splattered clothes and work worn jeans but with a pristine yellow cotton shawl block printed with red "Om Namah Shivaya" . He looked looked like a cross between an ad for Heineken beer and an Indian Pujari. > > Afterwards, all the men posed with Swamiji for a group photo complete with their new shawls. > > Jai Maa > Nanda > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 Here you go.. LCH (Lieve Curious Henny) asked :can I ask you something? N(Nanda) says: But of course ! LCH :How many people were there for the celebrations? N: About 45-50 LCH:Do they come especially to the Mandir, for the whole period or just a day, or do many of them live there? N: A combination of all. There a few people that live at the Mandir and closeby, and a few that stayed to do seva and sadhana for Navaratri. We do not yet have major facilities for guests, so the folks that stay are willing to rough it out and find a spot for their sleeping bags. Most of the people are long standing devotees and disciples of Maa and Swamiji who make their weekly pilgrimage to do sadhana. LCH:Where is the homa performed? Inside or outside? N:Inside - we have a special homa fire pit for this purpose and boy does it create a lot of soot. One of my tasks is to clean out the surrounding area every Sunday. I step back after I am done to survey my handiwork with satisfaction for maybe 1 second before the next wave of soot merrily messes the place. So much for my work - I feel like that guy that rolled the stone all the way up the hill only to start all over again. But I LOVE IT - ANYTHING to be around Maa and Swamiji. LCH : Did you all fast? N: Not everyone and certainly not me! I need my sugar at 3.30 pm every evening to be a sweet and shining light to everyone. LCH :Does Shree Maa make the skirts for the women by hand? N: YES - Maa is really the mother and takes great delight in cooking and sewing for her children. LCH : Do all people do their sadhana separately, all with their own book and do people do different things?Or is it all a joint effort? N: Again, a combination. People do their own sadhanas at their own times and then also happily join in group sadhanas early in the morning and in the evening. People take turns to lead the group sadhana. LCH : Are Shree Maa and Swamiji with the people all the time? N: NO ! We get to see them from time to time but really not more than most people . We do "see" them in the temples when they are doing their morning sadhanas, but really do not talk to them very much unless we have an appointment or they initiate the conversation. The Mandir is really more for Sadhana - and people that come there realize that while we have the privilege to be in close physical proximity to two great souls, it REALLY is all about us - our sadhana and our seva. We take great care in preserving and respecting this atmosphere - to paraphrase Swamiji's words - it is not about bringing in our worldly problems to get them resolved by Maa and Swamiji , but rather about going into THEIR world and see life from the perspective of sadhana. Also the Mandir is a hermitage - a Rishi's ashram of yore, where people stay long term so that they too could learn sadhana by serving the Gurus. Hope this helped answer your questions. JAI GURU Nanda Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam protection around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 curious berijoy echoes curious henny! --- henny_v_i <HvI wrote: > > > Dear Nanda, > > you said: > > > Happy to share anything I can on the Mandir. > > can I ask you something? How many people were there for the > celebrations? Do they come especially to the Mandir, for the > whole > period or just a day, or do many of them live there? Where is > the homa > performed? Inside or outside? Did you all fast? Does Shree Maa > make > the skirts for the women by hand? Do all people do their > sadhana > separately, all with their own book and do people do different > things? > Or is it all a joint effort? Are Shree Maa and Swamiji with > the people > all the time? I'm trying to get a picture in my mind of life > at the > Mandir, but it is hard to imagine, so these details would help > me, > hope you don't mind my asking, > with love, > curious Henny Be Love, Berijoy http://www.egyirba.net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You never miss your water 'til your well runs dry. Give thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 Nandaji, this helped very much! And your cleaning away the soot with such persistance and determination is a very inspiring thought. In fact, only this afternoon I got very frustrated at a job I am doing at work and which is boring and seemingly never-ending. I tried with all my might to visualise the Goddess with her courageous lion, chasing away the army of Anger and Self-Pity, but to no avail. The next time I'll think of you and your brush, cleaning away all the dirt with such persistance and determination, and I'll try to love what I'm doing too. It is strange, but now that you've told me that you don't talk very much with Shree Maa and Swamiji at the Mandir, their presence has somehow become more 'real' in the Devi Mandir movie I am directing in my mind. thank you for taking the time to answer all my questions, veel liefs, Henny In , Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote: > Lieve Curious Henny, > Here you go.. > > LCH (Lieve Curious Henny) asked :can I ask you something? > N(Nanda) says: But of course ! > > LCH :How many people were there for the celebrations? > N: About 45-50 > > LCH:Do they come especially to the Mandir, for the whole period or just a day, or do many of them live there? > N: A combination of all. There a few people that live at the Mandir and closeby, and a few that stayed to do seva and sadhana for Navaratri. We do not yet have major facilities for guests, so the folks that stay are willing to rough it out and find a spot for their sleeping bags. Most of the people are long standing devotees and disciples of Maa and Swamiji who make their weekly pilgrimage to do sadhana. > > LCH:Where is the homa performed? Inside or outside? > N:Inside - we have a special homa fire pit for this purpose and boy does it create a lot of soot. One of my tasks is to clean out the surrounding area every Sunday. I step back after I am done to survey my handiwork with satisfaction for maybe 1 second before the next wave of soot merrily messes the place. So much for my work - I feel like that guy that rolled the stone all the way up the hill only to start all over again. But I LOVE IT - ANYTHING to be around Maa and Swamiji. > > LCH : Did you all fast? > N: Not everyone and certainly not me! I need my sugar at 3.30 pm every evening to be a sweet and shining light to everyone. > > LCH :Does Shree Maa make the skirts for the women by hand? > N: YES - Maa is really the mother and takes great delight in cooking and sewing for her children. > > LCH : Do all people do their sadhana separately, all with their own book and do people do different things?Or is it all a joint effort? > N: Again, a combination. People do their own sadhanas at their own times and then also happily join in group sadhanas early in the morning and in the evening. People take turns to lead the group sadhana. > > LCH : Are Shree Maa and Swamiji with the people all the time? > N: NO ! We get to see them from time to time but really not more than most people . We do "see" them in the temples when they are doing their morning sadhanas, but really do not talk to them very much unless we have an appointment or they initiate the conversation. > > The Mandir is really more for Sadhana - and people that come there realize that while we have the privilege to be in close physical proximity to two great souls, it REALLY is all about us - our sadhana and our seva. We take great care in preserving and respecting this atmosphere - to paraphrase Swamiji's words - it is not about bringing in our worldly problems to get them resolved by Maa and Swamiji , but rather about going into THEIR world and see life from the perspective of sadhana. > > Also the Mandir is a hermitage - a Rishi's ashram of yore, where people stay long term so that they too could learn sadhana by serving the Gurus. > > Hope this helped answer your questions. > > JAI GURU > Nanda > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 I also wanted to say that - some of the most beautiful disciples and devotees of Maa and Swamiji, (that I know of ) live far away in the US -and many in other countries. Just as an example - Brazil and Barbados and India and Malaysia ... Some of them have not even met Maa and Swamiji in person... The distance really doesnt seem to matter as they do their loving seva and are richly blessed by our Gurus. It really is all about the receptivity to the Guru's teachings. Then even though the longing IS there to be near by , these devotees do their sevas and sadhanas contentedly wherever they are - with the faith that Maa knows whats best for them. Maa's arm span is wide and long enough to embrace the furthest devotee. JAI MAA Veel Liefs NandaDo You ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Oh, Nanda, you must have read my mind! This was exactly what I needed to hear! In Maa's embrace, may She bless you always, Henny - In , Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote: > Lieve Henny, > > I also wanted to say that - some of the most beautiful disciples and devotees of Maa and Swamiji, (that I know of ) live far away in the US -and many in other countries. Just as an example - Brazil and Barbados and India and Malaysia ... > > Some of them have not even met Maa and Swamiji in person... > > The distance really doesnt seem to matter as they do their loving seva and are richly blessed by our Gurus. > > It really is all about the receptivity to the Guru's teachings. Then even though the longing IS there to be near by , these devotees do their sevas and sadhanas contentedly wherever they are - with the faith that Maa knows whats best for them. > > Maa's arm span is wide and long enough to embrace the furthest devotee. > > JAI MAA > > Veel Liefs > Nanda > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Take care Jai Maa Nandahenny_v_i <HvI (AT) SoftHome (DOT) net> wrote: Oh, Nanda, you must have read my mind! This was exactly what I needed to hear!In Maa's embrace,may She bless you always,Henny - In , Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote:> Lieve Henny,> > I also wanted to say that - some of the most beautiful disciples and devotees of Maa and Swamiji, (that I know of ) live far away in the US -and many in other countries. Just as an example - Brazil and Barbados and India and Malaysia ...> > Some of them have not even met Maa and Swamiji in person...> > The distance really doesnt seem to matter as they do their loving seva and are richly blessed by our Gurus.> > It really is all about the receptivity to the Guru's teachings. Then even though the longing IS there to be near by , these devotees do their sevas and sadhanas contentedly wherever they are - with the faith that Maa knows whats best for them.> > Maa's arm span is wide and long enough to embrace the furthest devotee.> > JAI MAA> > Veel Liefs> Nanda> > > > > > Do You ?Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam protection around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.