492--Q&A WITH SWAMIJI-- Adding deities to the altar

[Guest guest]

I have a follow-up question on this. How does the worship

of many forms of deity relate to the notion of having a

chosen deity, or ishta devata? There seems to be two

directions along which your altar can evolve. One is

toward a "cosmic" altar that has many forms of deity.

The other direction is toward an altar that has only one,

chosen deity, one's ishta devata.

 

I'd appreciate any comments anyone might have on this.

 

Thanks,

Alan

 

, Nanda <chandimaakijai wrote:

>

> Question from Alan:

> As we work through the various pujas (Shiva, Durga,Hanuman, ...),

is the idea that we will add new deities to the altar (without

replacing or removing existing deities) as we take up the practice of

the new pujas?

>

> Swamiji's response:

> Correct. Pretty soon we will be worshipping all wherever we go.

>

[Guest guest]

hi alan, here is my experience ...

 

at first it seems to matter one way or the other. then you are just

drawn in. today i love shiva but i see the beauty of hanuman tomorrow.

shiva isn't jealous.

 

if you look at the outpouring of books from swamiji ... hanuman puja,

shiva puja, durga puja ... you see multiplicity of the forms of god is

not a problem in the eternal way.

 

, "xiaqi250" <xiaqi250 wrote:

>

> I have a follow-up question on this. How does the worship

> of many forms of deity relate to the notion of having a

> chosen deity, or ishta devata? There seems to be two

> directions along which your altar can evolve. One is

> toward a "cosmic" altar that has many forms of deity.

> The other direction is toward an altar that has only one,

> chosen deity, one's ishta devata.

>

> I'd appreciate any comments anyone might have on this.

>

> Thanks,

> Alan

>

> , Nanda <chandimaakijai@> wrote:

> >

> > Question from Alan:

> > As we work through the various pujas (Shiva, Durga,Hanuman, ...),

> is the idea that we will add new deities to the altar (without

> replacing or removing existing deities) as we take up the practice of

> the new pujas?

> >

> > Swamiji's response:

> > Correct. Pretty soon we will be worshipping all wherever we go.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Alan,

 

Sri Ramakrishna taught that ritualistic worship gradually merges into

the Gayatri mantra, and that the Gayatri merges into Om. Then, that Om

merges into the Silence of God realization.

 

Sri Ramakrishna also taught that a spiritual aspirant climbs the

stairs on the way to the roof of his house, as it were, by renouncing

the stairs one by one. When he arrives at the roof, he discovers that

the roof is made of brick, lime, and brickdust. Having gained that

understanding, he then descends the stairway, realizing that each of

the stairs is itself also made of the same brick, lime and brickdust.

 

As the Creator breathes, the Many merge into the One, and the One

re-emerges as the Many. What one does with this Truth depends on

one's temperament as well as where one is in terms of spiritual evolution.

 

The only thing to be avoided, of course, is the fundamentalist

intolerance of having neither experience of the One, nor respect for

the Many.

 

Respectfully,

 

Tanmaya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, "xiaqi250" <xiaqi250 wrote:

>

> I have a follow-up question on this. How does the worship

> of many forms of deity relate to the notion of having a

> chosen deity, or ishta devata? There seems to be two

> directions along which your altar can evolve. One is

> toward a "cosmic" altar that has many forms of deity.

> The other direction is toward an altar that has only one,

> chosen deity, one's ishta devata.

>

> I'd appreciate any comments anyone might have on this.

>

> Thanks,

> Alan

>

> , Nanda <chandimaakijai@> wrote:

> >

> > Question from Alan:

> > As we work through the various pujas (Shiva, Durga,Hanuman, ...),

> is the idea that we will add new deities to the altar (without

> replacing or removing existing deities) as we take up the practice of

> the new pujas?

> >

> > Swamiji's response:

> > Correct. Pretty soon we will be worshipping all wherever we go.

> >

>