hinduwoman

Karma is applicable to everyone because it is about their deeds. A bad man will go to hell, but he will also be allowed to a stint in heaven according to whatever good he had done. Similarly, a good man will have to go to hell if there are some bad things he had done. When the time for rebirth comes the total of the man's life is weighed and the soul is sent to the appropriate womb.


Shiva's work is neccessary. Without death no new genrations will have place. Shiva is not cruel or evil, it is simply that without him the world will be eternally doomed to contine even if worn out and there will be nothing fresh, nothing new.(Taken of course from the seasonal cycle of nature).
But the reason why he is so popular is that he is actually the kindest god. He is always ready to give his devotees a boon and forgives insults offered to him. According to myth he saved the world again and again, because the time had not come for its destruction. He is very approachable personal god and the fact he has a complete family makes him even more attractive. Also the romance between him and his wife makes him a hot favourite with women.

[ December 21, 2002: Message edited by: hinduwoman ]</p>

Eudaimonist

THAT'S an answer to my question. Thanks!

Demosthenes

I'm a bit confused, I thought Brahma, Shiva, and Vishsu were all one same god which had taken different forms to correspond to the three major aspects of reality.

From the little I've read about Hinduism, I was under the impression that the god had reincarnated in various forms to carry out his purpose on earth and also reincarnating into different forms in heaven when necessary. Or I'm just confused by the complexity of the religion.

Hinduthvaite

As a Hindu I find Hinduism as the name given to a system that recognises the freedom of a human being to deepen his life through whatsoever means he/she chooses. The difference between Hinduism and abrahamic creeds is mainly that we are told to test and accept things based on our experience. Some sages squarely say that Gods are creations of the mind (Carl Sagan popularised this particular thought stream of Hinduism in his Cosmos). Atheism is a recognised spiritual tradition. Least tolerant of Hindu sects are ISKCON Vaishnavite who believe in a Personal God (Vishnu). Sri Aurobindo also talks of Vishnu but is a proponent of an Impersonal Consciousness pervading the universe. 'Use of personal deity as a means to reach the Impersonal non-duality' is the defining character of many Hindu sects. Today this great traditional system which has been a veritable tropical forest of theodiversity s facing threats from billion dollar evangelical organizations and Saudi funded Jehadi organizations. Every social problem that exists in India has been made an opportunity to villify Hinduism and poach our souls. Pope john Paul II was given official welcome by secular INdian Government not once but twice. In his latest visit during a Hindu festival of lights (Deepavali) Pope declared that missionaries should do a 'harvest of souls'. Today India is facing a monumental clash between expansionist monocultures of the mind represented by Jehadis, Marxist fundamentalists and Evangelical organizations in one side and Hinduthava-vadis who stand for theo-diversity.

S.Aravindan neelakandan

Seraphim

I'm a bit confused, I thought Brahma, Shiva, and Vishsu were all one same god which had taken different forms to correspond to the three major aspects of reality.

My reply : Three diety for three stage of life - Birth (Brahma), Life (Vishnu) and Death (Shiva).

From the little I've read about Hinduism, I was under the impression that the god had reincarnated in various forms to carry out his purpose on earth and also reincarnating into different forms in heaven when necessary. Or I'm just confused by the complexity of the religion.

My reply : Only Vishnu (the Preserver) takes various forms (starting from a Fish all the way to Krishna) to do things. This incarnation is on Earth and heaven (such as when He become a Turtle that carried a mountain on His back for the sake of the Devas).

Shiva is not known to be reincarnated, He just appears in disguise now and then or simply pop in, does His things, bless or Blast His followers or foes and leave.

Brahma doesn't known to come in disguise at all, He never known to do much except to tell others things.

There's not much complexity in it, just too many twist in the story. Have patience and read from the beginning, you will understand it.

PS : Where the heck is everyone? This forum seems to be too quiet all the sudden ...

Answerer

I thought that according to myths, it should be Vishnu who had saved the world the most number of times, so am I wrong?

Seraphim

I thought that according to myths, it should be Vishnu who had saved the world the most number of times, so am I wrong?

My reply : Nope, you're right. Vishnu does the saving (over and over again) and Shiva does the destruction part. But Shiva sometimes does do some saving - IN His own ways, like the time He helped to bring Ganga (River Ganges) from heaven.

hinduwoman

Vishnu as the Preserver has the job of incarnating again and again to save the world. But Shiva is often called upon by gods to protect them from a particular demon who is too powerful to tackle and they cannot wait for Vishnu to be born and grow up. It can also be some crisis that needs immediate attention --- for example, the churning of the ocean turned up a powerful poison; the world fainted at the very smell of it; then Shiva drank it and saved the world. That is why his throat is blue.

Sattwic

For Hindus, I have a request.
Instead of Destruction, Dissolution is the right word that conveys the sense.

Similarly, Creation brings to mind, ex nihilo creation of the universe in Judeo-Christian-Islam religions.

In Hinduism, the act of creation, which is eternal -with no start and end is called 'Manifestation'.. NOT creation.

Therefore, The cycle of Universe life follows a ring of manifestation, preservation, and dissolution.... after a period of latency, remanifestation happens and the first living being to be manifested from God is Brahma., who goes on to give rise to rest of the Universe.

Corresponding to Big Bang, Expansion of the universe, and re-traction is the Hindu cosmology.

Thank you,
Dr.Jagan Mohan.

Kama

which is an ancient Tamil scripture by Thirumoolar of the Shaiva Shidanta school

God is one

7: Divine Father
Primal First is He, older than the Co-eval Three(trimurti)
But the Lord is He peerless, unequalled;
Call Him "Father," and Father He to thee,
Inside you He flames in the Lotus of golden hue.

8: Kinder Than Mother
Hotter is He than fire, cooler than water;
And yet none knows of His Grace abounding;
Purer than the child, kinder by far than the mother,
Nearest to Love is He, of the flowing matted locks.

33: Adore Him
Many the Gods this hoary world adores,
Many the rituals; many the songs they sing;
But knowing not the One Truth, of Wisdom bereft
Unillumined, they can but droop at heart.

377: The Lord Animates Within Brahma and Vishnu Also
The four headed God on lotus seated
The comely lord on dark sea sleepeth
They both are of the essence same
Of the One Great who cognises all,
As unto life within the fleshly body.

391: The Primal One is Narayana and Brahma as Well
He is the First Cause,
All-pervasive in love;
He is Vishnu; He is Brahma,
He is Veda, the Cosmos, the Abiding One.

270: Love and Siva are One
The ignorant prate that Love and Siva are two,
But none do know that Love alone is Siva
When men but know that Love and Siva are the same,
Love as Siva, they e'er remained.

104:Trimurthi--One Continuity
He, the Being First, and He, the Emerald-hued,
And He of the glowing, original Lotus-seat--
Are these three separate or one continuous whole?
Thus the world in divisions many wrangle!

105: God Is One
Beyond the Two Karmas is Isa seated,
The seed of this world, the mighty God become;
"This" and "That" is Isa--so the thoughtless contend,
The dross but know the basest sediment low.

107: Trimurthi Are Kin
But if we thus the soul of truth probe and bare,
Aya nor Mal to us no alien Beings are
But Indissolubly Kin to Nandi, the Three Eyed
Blessed be ye all by the Heavenly Three.

110: Assign Not Ranks To Trimurthi
The ignorant know not, from the First did leap
The Light that flamed into Three and Five;
So blindly groping, lost in maze of words,
Isa, Mal and Aya, to graded ranks assign.


Of death

161: Body is Fragile Frame
No roofing above nor standing ground below,
Two legs to support and a central beam athwart,
Rudely thatched on top but unlined within,
An empty vessel, in Karmic garb enwrapt.

143: Dust Into Dust-That is Body's Way
The Vessel's clay was one, but of two Karmas made,
Firm-set, until Fate its grim summons gave;
Then the rains poured and back to clay the vessel turned;
Thus countless hordes perish and pass to the grave.

144: Your Vigil and Wisdom Alone Accompany Departing Soul
This roof of delights, when by use, to pieces falls,
Wife nor children who all enjoyed follow the parting Soul
Only the holy vigils kept and wisdom gained
Remain to save--others dwindle and desert us all.

257: Charity Leads to Life Eternal
Some in charity overflow; by such noble deeds done,
Noble gods they become in human beings' high esteem;
And the many who hold this fleshly body their dear God,
To them comes Death, saying; "I, your God supreme."

Of this state called Hell

165: Those Who Do Not Adore Lord, Lie Writhing in the Seventh Hell
While the body the Lord of blooming Konrai wrought
And Life worshipping not the Divine,
In the Seventh hell, neglected lie,
Writhing in pain and wordless agony keen,
The kith and kin, widely crying, did shout and howl and sigh.

198: They Who Kill Reach Hell
The men who shouted,"Kill and stab,"
Them with strong ropes Death's ruffians bind;
And stationing them at the fire-gates of Hell,
The agents yell, "Stand, go; and in the fire pit roast."

262: Give and Escape Hell
Charity denying, they know not the Lord's Feet to praise,
Nor enter they the precincts of the City of Siva's Grace;
Their ears inclined to those who falsehoods preach,
They stand to sin enslaved, condemned to hell's hot embrace.

Right action

200: Shun Sinful Living
Killing, theiving, drinking, lusting, lying--
These horrid sins detest and shun; to those
Who Siva's Holy Feet attain and the Bliss eternal,
They come not; such men in Wisdom's bliss ever repose.

201: Seek not the Thorney Date; Ripened Jack-Fruit is at Hand
The dear, wedded wife pines within the home,
But the lusting youth covets the guarded neighbour's mate;
Even as one, declining the luscious ripeness of the jack,
Yearns for the tamer taste of the thorny date.

1860 Feeding the Tapasvin is superior to feeding Brahmins and Gods
Though you a thousand abodes to holy Brahmins give
Though you a thousand temples for the gods build;
None, none is of merit compare
To a day's feed to a holy devotee given;
This be of certain.

2137 Lord is in Body, do not Despise it
Dumb fools are they
Who as Mala (Impurity) despise the body;
Other places as holy
They go about seeking;
They who consider "Good this is"
And in it seek the Lord,
Shall experience macrocosm entire,
In their body tenacious
(That microcosm is.) :banghead: >

Rulers and the vocation of Brahmins

231: Attributes of True Brahmins
Of Truth devoid, of pure Wisdom Bereft,
Lacking sense-control, spiritually inert,
Empty of devotion or grasp of Truth divine;
Mad fools are they--not Brahmins, I assert.

241: Ruler's Duty to Impious Brahmins
If Brahmins, from folly unredeemed, flaunt the tuft and thread,
That land droops and fades, its ruler's glory runs to waste;
So, scanning deep in Wisdom's light, the King shall clip
The thread and tuft for empty show kept and possessed.

243: Ruler's Duty to Protect Cow, Women and Brahmins
The cow, the woman, the sacred Brahmins true,
And men in holy garb whom the Devas acclaim,
These the King shall protect; if that duty he ignores,
Irredeemable his hell shall be, cursed ever his name.

246: Ruler to Punish Drunkards
Breath in control held, letting inward fire upward rise,
Mind turned to Samadhi moon-sprung nectar--if they drink not,
But, like inebriates, heady liquors madly consume,
Then, such shall by ruler to just punishment be brought.

247: Ruler to Punish Those Who Deviate From Their Professed Faiths
Who, by their professed faiths, do not abide,
Beside the judgment they receive in the life beyond,
In terms of Agamic law by Siva revealed,
Punished they shall be on earth by the just ruler of the land.

1658 Why they don the Holy Robes
The lowly-born don the robe
That they may the high become;
The high-born don the robe
That they may the Gods become;
To infamy-born are the knaves in robes
That they be disrobed and cast away.

What the soul(Jiva) yearns for

137: As Atom Merges in the Vast, Jiva Merges in Siva
The tiny atom, swimming the Universe vast,
Merges in the Vast--no separate existence knows;
So the Spirit's plastic stress sweeping through bodies all,
At sight of His Holy Feet, discovers its Ancient Home

2134 The Birth Cycle ends only when Jiva Unites in God
The Jiva that realized
"I" and "You" are one,
Is in Tatpara state;
Its course inherent diverting
Will reach Param;
The rest of Jivas
Reaching their destined abodes
In heaven and earth
Will in sorrow wallow.

Metaphors from myth

343: The Lord Burnt the Cities Three
The Primal Lord,
Who on His matted crimson locks
Wears Ganga's water sacred,
He destroyed the Cities Three
--Thus say the ignorant;
The Three Cities are the Triple Impurities
It is them He burnt
Who knows this truth thereof?

371: Why The Lord Wears Skull and Bone
He is the Lord of all Celestial Beings,
Who wear bejewelled crowns of dazzling beauty;
But the Lord did bedeck Himself in Skull and Bone
How is it?
If He bears not skull and bone.
Dust unto dust will theirs be.

346: The Lord Vanquished Kama, the God of Love :boohoo:
The Lord was seated in Yoga
His thoughts stilled in meditation deep;
Lo! there came Kama
To tempt the Lord with shafts of love.
But the Love-God's wiles, the Lord foiled in Yoga Way;
This He did at Korukkai, the shrine divine.

1545: God is Beyond All Religions
This the right path, that the right path
Be not tossed in such frail human doubts;
Seek the Being that is beyond wilderness of doubts
His is the Form that transcends fleshly imperfections.

1532: Existence of God is an Act of Faith
Say, Lord is within you and without you
Then sure my Lord is within you and without you;
To them they say,
He is neither within you or without you
Sure is He nowhere for them.

http://himalayanacademy.com/books/ti...udevaTalk.html