[Advaita-l] ***UNCHECKED*** Re: Rudram chanting in Whitehouse

[Sujal Upadhyay via Advaita-l]

Namaste,

I am not complaining nor questioning anyone nor disagreeing. I know that
one should not directly take symbolic meaning and bypass some vedic
procedures by saying that, oh all it means is 'to obtain inner purity',
which you achieve by chanting God's name, etc.

The thing is, we should always consider the present scenario. If someone
objects to something, or takes away anything, then a substitute / solution
has to be given.

Why did veda-s (almost) perish?

smriti-s also says that one should consider present scenario. parASara
smriti is considered as to be suitable for kalyuga. It says that widow
(P.S. 4.30) can remarry. yagnavalkya smriti says other wise. P.S. says, one
incurs sin only by actions in kalyuga. 3-5 knowledgeable brahmins can form
a council create new laws (P.S. 8.6-8, 8.13, 6.35).

P.S. 11.910, 11.13 says brahmins can accept food from sudras

Manu smriti is for krita (satya) yuga says parashara smriti (refer first 25
verses in chapter 1)

There are many sins and to get rid of them, donations of cows and bulls are
prescribed. But today, this is not possible. I think Yajnavalkya Smriti
gives alternative. For some crime, a women has to stand in a pit filled
with neck deep water containing cow dung, etc. Is this possible today?

I have heard that brahmins abandon another brahmin who has drunk water from
well used by a shudra. He ends up becoming a Christian.

What I am talking is that a solution should also be given. Kanchi
Paramacharya in his book Hindi Dharma says that, in case of emergency
situation, one can learn from sudras and women.

Do you think that today the whole atmosphere is sattvik like in krita yuga?
Hene majority of people adhere to dharma? Are there no prophecies of
degradation of a dharma? What should be done? Even uploading veda-s and
upanishads on net is not recommended, it breaks guru-shishya parampara.
Perhaps upanishads are not for masses. What is the sin if you do so or use
online resources? Have you used these online resources? :)

If vedic mantra 'OM Namah Shivaya' is also given in Linga or Shiva purana.
Now since there is no restriction to read purana / itihasa, can anyone
chant this mantra. Likewise if Sri Rudram is mentioned to be chanted in any
purana, can it be chanted by all, as puranas are for all?

I am not mixing vedic injunctions with smirit-s. All I am asking is
'solution' considering present day scenario.  Many people either leave
practice, become atheist or change religion (for self esteem) due to
various reasons.

Jains are very strict in conduct. But even they are now loosing the knots,
as they know that today's modern generation cannot be taught in 'ancient
way'.

Why do sanyasins have mail and chat account. For what do they take sanyasa,
to chant God's name or to interact with society, which they have renounced.
Why do they need iphone, ipad, AC, car, etc? Why? Because no one is born as
a sanyasin nor one is born to a sanyasin couple (sanyasin cant marry). All
they have is strong desire for liberation. But no one takes sanyasa leaving
his mind. And todays mind is demanding. It cant stay in hardships. Does God
tests todays saints with tests that Druv, prahlada, etc had to pass
through. Our mind cant take it. It will collapse.

So you see even sanyasins are not technically sanyasins. And who many go to
all 4 Shankara mathas and walk length and breadth of India? This system is
almost dead. In olden days, Kings used to leave their palace and retire to
forest. Now, saints leave forests, come to cities and build palace like
ashramas with all modern facilities. How are you going ot stop it? Can you
stop them for asking donations? Can a sanyasin actually approach for a
donation? No. Rose flower does not need any extra effort to attract bees.
Fragrance is the very nature of Rose. IF you ask for money, it is self
effort, so technically you do not have faith in God whom you have
surrendered.

I understand and appreciate that you are sticking to tradition and I
respect you for this. All I am asking is a solution.

What I can think of is that learning has to be done from grass root level.
Religion, spiritual living has to be embedded from childhood. There should
be love for our tradition, for our culture, for our country. We lack all
these to a greater extend. Now, we have to prove or convince kids that
ancient traditional way of thinking is better and superior than today's
western thinking and living a western life. This is not every easy. How
many parents take their children to temples? and if your son does not wish
to come, how do you react??

Son or daughter should happily hold daddy's finger as daddy takes him/her
to temple or for Self Study group.


On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 8:37 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste
> On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 11:23 AM, Sujal Upadhyay via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Namaste,
> >
> > What does SAstra-s say in case of ApatkAlika-paristhiti (emergency
> > situation), as you have mentioned that hardly anyone follows vedic dharma
> > strictly.
> >
> In the Taittiriya Upanishad there is a saying - Yaanyasmaakam Sucharitaani
> Taani Tvayopaasyaani No Itaraani.
>
> What the Guruji is doing if it is good action according to Dharma we have
> to follow it. But not other actions even if done by Gurus. This means even
> in ancient times some Brahmins were doing actions for money and materialist
> gains not for Dharma.
>
> In Bhagavata there is a story of Takshaka the Snake giving some bribe to a
> Brahmin to go away and allow him to bite Parikshita Raja. Otherwise the
> Brahmin could have cured Parikshita. You can say Parikshita died because of
> a Bribe. In those days also some Brahmins were greedy for money.
>
> In America if some Veda Ghanapaathis have given Rudram and other Mantra
> Upadesha to Mleccha Jatis it is not good according to Dharma. We should not
> follow it. We should not mix with such Mlecchas and join them in Chanting.
>
> We should always try level best to follow only Dharmic action but not
> others. We cannot give excuse like nobody is following Dharma why should I?
>
>
>
>