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Harihara?

I think some public Hindu figures deliberately made more of Jesus than was otherwise appropriate in order to better reach out to a Western audience, build bridges, etc., and try to keep interreligious tensions down... I would like to think they knew better on a personal level.

Maybe this is wishful thinking and better that such dissembling not be attributed to them. A little naivety is perhaps better than disingenuity.

The quote is from Skandopanishad.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
I think some public Hindu figures deliberately made more of Jesus than was otherwise appropriate in order to better reach out to a Western audience, build bridges, etc., and try to keep interreligious tensions down... I would like to think they knew better on a personal level.

Maybe this is wishful thinking and better that such dissembling not be attributed to them. A little naivety is perhaps better than disingenuity.

I think you are right on all those points.

The quote is from Skandopanishad.

Ah! I knew the name Skand was in it. Thanks. :)
 

Philomath

Sadhaka
Unfortunately, the vast majority of Hinduism is still out of reach of Western converts - and, for that matter, most Indians. Why? Because only a small % of the scripture has been translated, and the oral transmissions also remain out of earshot.

The guys who really should know a lot are able to dedicate their entire waking & sleeping/dreaming life to learning the intricacies of sadhana (spiritual practice; worship). The picture of the man in your profile - a sadhu, should be one such, although unfortunately most sadhus in India now are little more than beggars or, worse - thieves and miscreants.

There are a lot of sects, a lot of cross-pollenation between them. Within each sect, there are a lot of of different methods to be known and synchronized, if one really wants to study and practice in the way it was intended to be.

To return to the subject of Harihara in light of the above, one can see how deep the undercurrents go beneath the surface. There is tremendous detail - so many mantras, so many vital concepts to charge one's practice with - such as the rishi, the shakti, the meter, and so forth of the mantra, the laws of sound & grammar as they relate to the theory of mantra which the mantrin should be aware of, the dhyana the mantra gives rise to, and its corresponding yantra. It boggles the modern mind the degree to which these yogis were able to virtualize a spiritual cosmos within themselves.

Within this bewildering array of practices, there may well be quite well defined Harihara sadhanas and particular cults dedicated to Harihara.

Here's another useful reference:
Encyclopaedia of the Śaivism - Swami Parmeshwaranand - Google Books

What, may I ask, is your interest in Harihara as ishtha-devata?

I didn't know that particular information about the Sadhus; thanks for sharing. As for my interest in Harihara, I don't know what it is. In general I have an interest in the combined formed of the Devas. Ardhanarishvara also interests me too.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I worship Ardhinarisvara. It enables the mind to see the causal aspect (Siva) and manifestations of that (Shakti) together. They are not separate.
 

bp789

Member
Namaskar,

Shaivas and some sects of Vaishnava worship Harihara (especially the Swaminarayan Vaishnavas). I guess you could say both sects would see Harihara as Supreme, because they see them both as two sides of the same coin.

As a Swaminarayan Hindu, I should probably correct that Swaminarayan Hindus don't worship Harihara. I've actually never even heard of the name Harihara until now.
 

Philomath

Sadhaka
As a Swaminarayan Hindu, I should probably correct that Swaminarayan Hindus don't worship Harihara. I've actually never even heard of the name Harihara until now.

This is my first time hearing of a Swaminarayan Hindu. What do they believe?
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
As a Swaminarayan Hindu, I should probably correct that Swaminarayan Hindus don't worship Harihara. I've actually never even heard of the name Harihara until now.

Harihara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Swaminarayan holds that Vishnu and Shiva are different aspects of the same God.[2][3][4] Notably, the Swaminarayan view is a minority view among Vaishnavites, but the dominant view in contemporary Hinduism which follows the Smarta view in general.[5]

:shrug:
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Harihara is a different concept than Vishnu being the same as Siva. In Harihara, it is a unique deity having both. He is singular, you can't split Him in two. Same with Ardhinarisvara. It is a form of Siva, not two separate deities.

So Harihara is like someone who is half Greek, half Irish in blood. It is one person, not two. Whereas if you look at that persons heritage, the parents are one Greek, one Irish ... separate beings.

Those who are mystically inclined really get this, as you get a whole new vibration in a temple, if you separate them.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Excellent analysis of it. :) I think the phrase "one and the same" belies that. I am thinking that to understand it is on the way to understanding the oneness of everything. Images which we rely on, because we are limited in our understandings, indicate that split down the middle, and give rise to and perpetuate our ideas of separation. These are just some sleep and caffeine deprived brainfarts. :p
 

bp789

Member
My post here explains some of the beliefs about Swaminarayan Hinduism, though I probably forgot some stuff :p http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/hinduism-dir/146974-what-exactly-swaminarayan-faith.html#post3299164

As far as the Vishnu and Shiva being one in Swaminarayan Hinduism, it doesn't really seem to happen in practice. There's still a tendency for many people to believe Swaminarayan, Krishna, etc. as superior, while Shiva is a deva. It's not just the laymen, but many of the sadhus also say this. I'll have to look into this further though.
 
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