That guy on the left needs to get some hustle in his muscle or he’s gonna have one heck of a hot foot!
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That guy on the left needs to get some hustle in his muscle or he’s gonna have one heck of a hot foot!
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Women celebrated Karwa Chauth yesterday. 'Nirjala' (without water) fast for the whole day. They are allowed to eat and drink before the sunrise but would eat and drink in the evening only after the rise of moon. More problem for my wife because the daughter-in-laws are not supposed to enter the kitchen and the food must be prepared by the mother-in-law. Sure, mother-in-law get some present (a sari) but has to give more to the daughters-in-law. Since my brother's wife is no more, her responsibility is fulfilled by my wife. That means his daughter-in-law (and the family) comes to our place and so also my daughter and son-in-law. But we had a nice time.
Next in the calendar, Chhath, a festival of Central North India (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh. That means celebration by some half a billion people or 1/16 of the humanity). Similar idea, welfare of the family, extends to three days and includes preparation of a feast by the side of a pond or river and - bathing and worship of the Sun God.
And Chhath (October 31 this year): I have included the videos not just for the songs in various dialects in Bihar (Maithili, Bhojpuri, etc.) but also, if interested, you can get a glimpse of how the rich and poor (mostly) celebrate this festival. It requires a longer fast than Karwa Chauth.
Th variety, the richness of culture that we have in India, brought tears to my eyes.
Next in the calendar, Chhath, a festival of Central North India (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh. That means celebration by some half a billion people or 1/16 of the humanity). Similar idea, welfare of the family, extends to three days and includes preparation of a feast by the side of a pond or river and - bathing and worship of the Sun God.
And Chhath (October 31 this year): I have included the videos not just for the songs in various dialects in Bihar (Maithili, Bhojpuri, etc.) but also, if interested, you can get a glimpse of how the rich and poor (mostly) celebrate this festival. It requires a longer fast than Karwa Chauth.
Th variety, the richness of culture that we have in India, brought tears to my eyes.
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Two days back I had the honour of being asked to eulogise an old friend, a Ganesha bhaktar. My subconscious mind, so convinced now that bodily death is a time of celebration, and birth is the time to grieve, no longer grieves at such occasions, making me an ideal choice to eulogise, I suppose.
The man was just so full of determination. In the last few years, with the effects of a stroke and cancer weakening his body, he would still get in his car and drive himself to temple, manage to retrieve a walker out of the back seat, make his way the 30 metres or so to the door, and use the banister to make it up the steps and into the temple. Several folks talked about how they would ask to help him, but be told in no uncertain terms he was fully able to do it himself.
He was a staunch traditionalist, and in my 40 odd years of association, I never once saw him in temple with western clothes. Nothing but veshti for him.
I saw him about a month back, and his last teary eyed (tears of bhakti) words to me were how the temple was just like the temple of his youth in Sri Lanka, where the mystical events when he was 6 years old convinced him of the realness of his Dear Lord, Ganesha. Humble and aloof, nobody in the community other than family knew he was in hospital, the last 2 weeks.
I hope my exit from this body goes so quickly.
The man was just so full of determination. In the last few years, with the effects of a stroke and cancer weakening his body, he would still get in his car and drive himself to temple, manage to retrieve a walker out of the back seat, make his way the 30 metres or so to the door, and use the banister to make it up the steps and into the temple. Several folks talked about how they would ask to help him, but be told in no uncertain terms he was fully able to do it himself.
He was a staunch traditionalist, and in my 40 odd years of association, I never once saw him in temple with western clothes. Nothing but veshti for him.
I saw him about a month back, and his last teary eyed (tears of bhakti) words to me were how the temple was just like the temple of his youth in Sri Lanka, where the mystical events when he was 6 years old convinced him of the realness of his Dear Lord, Ganesha. Humble and aloof, nobody in the community other than family knew he was in hospital, the last 2 weeks.
I hope my exit from this body goes so quickly.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
I do not think birth is an occasion to grieve. In theist view, some one has made at least that kind of progress to be born as a human. That should be a happy occasion. Sorry to hear about the passing away of a nice, determined person, and your friend, looking at it from the worldly level.
BhagawadGita Chaper 2, Verse 20:
"na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin, nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ;
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre."
Neither (it) is born nor (it) dies at any time, never having born (it) will never have to be born again; this eternal unborn is ever-existing, (It) is not slain when the body is slain. (Aup's translation, IMV, better than Prabhupada's translation).
Prabhupada's translation has confusion in the second half of the first line. "He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being." There is no 'He' in the original.
BhagawadGita Chaper 2, Verse 20:
"na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin, nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ;
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre."
Neither (it) is born nor (it) dies at any time, never having born (it) will never have to be born again; this eternal unborn is ever-existing, (It) is not slain when the body is slain. (Aup's translation, IMV, better than Prabhupada's translation).
Prabhupada's translation has confusion in the second half of the first line. "He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being." There is no 'He' in the original.
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Had a nice quiet Diwali in Delhi, though the pollution increased many times over. Hope wind will take it away soon. Ayodhya had a resplendent Diwali with more than 500,000 earthen lamps being lighted on both banks of Sarayu river. Next year, hopefully, we will have an even grander Diwali with construction of Rama temple having started. Now preparing for the 'Chhath' festival (Octoboer 31 - November 3).
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Aup, at the deepest level there is no joy or sorrow at either end of a single lifetime. There is only detached observation. In my personal view, grieving at death is either a non-belief in reincarnation, or death denial. It is part of life, and nothing to ever be surprised at. Birth, OTOH, begins another round of karma to be completed.I do not think birth is an occasion to grieve. In theist view, some one has made at least that kind of progress to be born as a human. That should be a happy occasion. Sorry to hear about the passing away of a nice, determined person, and your friend, looking at it from the worldly level.
BhagawadGita Chaper 2, Verse 20:
"na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin, nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ;
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre."
Neither (it) is born nor (it) dies at any time, never having born (it) will never have to be born again; this eternal unborn is ever-existing, (It) is not slain when the body is slain. (Aup's translation, IMV, better than Prabhupada's translation).
Prabhupada's translation has confusion in the second half of the first line. "He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being." There is no 'He' in the original.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Brothers and sisters on Bhai Dooj this year (Amitabh on far left).
Amitabh Reu
Amitabh performed 'shabad' at Gurudwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi, on the occasion of the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to Darbar Sahib Gurudwara. In the photograph with his guru.
https://scontent.fdel27-1.fna.fbcdn...=9c755f1b458510bd2e5140e33f3b2bef&oe=5E40EA0E
Well, I noticed that I got my 20,000 posts and 8,000 ratings almost simultaneously. Not a good score, close to 40% but still not there.
Amitabh Reu
Amitabh performed 'shabad' at Gurudwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi, on the occasion of the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to Darbar Sahib Gurudwara. In the photograph with his guru.
https://scontent.fdel27-1.fna.fbcdn...=9c755f1b458510bd2e5140e33f3b2bef&oe=5E40EA0E
Well, I noticed that I got my 20,000 posts and 8,000 ratings almost simultaneously. Not a good score, close to 40% but still not there.
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Trying desperately to get over my disappointment that Netflix does not have Season 2 of Ramayan, and ended with the enthronement of Rama and Sita, I've moved on to their next Hindi language offering... Buddha from 2013, with English subtitles. Largely fictionalized, much artistic license taken, but it's really good.
I was watching it, my husband walks in and starts talking, so I raised the volume and said "shh!" He asked why I raised the volume. I said "because I can't he-- " and caught myself.
Right, you don't understand a word of it. Actually I can pick out some of the dialogue. There's a lot of Sanskrit vocabulary.
I was watching it, my husband walks in and starts talking, so I raised the volume and said "shh!" He asked why I raised the volume. I said "because I can't he-- " and caught myself.
Right, you don't understand a word of it. Actually I can pick out some of the dialogue. There's a lot of Sanskrit vocabulary.
ManSinha
Well-Known Member
Cool! I can play it but unfortunately no subtitles.
I don’t think I’ve whined in a long time, so it’s time to relieve the pressure.
So I’m really pretty upset with myself. I pulled into the temple parking lot tonight for Mahā Śiva Ratri. When I saw all the cars (well, like duh?) I said “oh so much nope!” So I pulled out and came home.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’m getting worse in feeling “I don’t belong here”. No one has ever said or done anything to make me feel unwelcome, though I’m particularly sensitive to the looks of curiosity, especially from kids. I’m just a very self-conscious person.
It doesn’t help that I don’t have family to attend temple and festivals with, which really makes me feel all the more left out. I hate this feeling.
Carry on.
So I’m really pretty upset with myself. I pulled into the temple parking lot tonight for Mahā Śiva Ratri. When I saw all the cars (well, like duh?) I said “oh so much nope!” So I pulled out and came home.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’m getting worse in feeling “I don’t belong here”. No one has ever said or done anything to make me feel unwelcome, though I’m particularly sensitive to the looks of curiosity, especially from kids. I’m just a very self-conscious person.
It doesn’t help that I don’t have family to attend temple and festivals with, which really makes me feel all the more left out. I hate this feeling.
Carry on.
We (everyone) always do that. It took me a while to learn how to do it to not look like I got bashed on the forehead with a 2x4.
It’s all in my head and I have to fight it. It happens when I’m feeling sorry for myself or not feeling very good about myself. The funny thing is the temple is where one would surrender oneself and one’s problems to God. I’ll have to remember that.
I don’t think I’ve whined in a long time, so it’s time to relieve the pressure.
So I’m really pretty upset with myself. I pulled into the temple parking lot tonight for Mahā Śiva Ratri. When I saw all the cars (well, like duh?) I said “oh so much nope!” So I pulled out and came home.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’m getting worse in feeling “I don’t belong here”. No one has ever said or done anything to make me feel unwelcome, though I’m particularly sensitive to the looks of curiosity, especially from kids. I’m just a very self-conscious person.
It doesn’t help that I don’t have family to attend temple and festivals with, which really makes me feel all the more left out. I hate this feeling.
Carry on.
We all have our ups and downs. I'd just see it (with you) as being a down time. For me personally, it is NEVER about the people and ALWAYS about the God. I have the ability to tune out people and stares in favour of one pointed concentration on that direct communion. As per action, besides what Aup said about tilak, it also helps to go prostrate right away ... let's everyone know why you're there. (We just got back from a 2 week pilgrimage to our sampradaya headquarters on Kauai, and your 'problem' is a bit evident there as well, as more and more Indian born Hindus use it as a pilgrimage site. I noticed more westerners feeling uncomfortable.
Here's a new link to a new app that should cheer you up. Today at Kauai's Hindu Monastery
Y’know, that’s good point. I’m too conscious of my surroundings. And too self-conscious. It’s that damn social anxiety. Temple is about the only place besides work where I encounter a lot of people. I even avoid work functions. But I went to temple Sunday afternoon just to spend time, no pujas going on. I sat and did a couple of rounds of japa. A lot of people came in and did their thing. I sat and before I knew it I was there almost 2 hours. I hated to leave.
