Well, I know that's a big decision but...

[Aupmanyav]

JB, I do not know where you live. But perhaps you could contact the Hindu temple in Hawaii or other temples/organizations in your vicinity to see if they would be interested in a branch. How much this purohit will charge you for whatever instruction he is going to give you? Is that reasonable? Sanskrit instruction and procedure to conduct puja is available on the net, CDs, and books. Yes, women are not being trained to do puja, and even if they were not, nobody can stop you from learning that. After all, hinduism had great women verse writers for RigVeda and philosophers (I remember they said there were 31 of them). What do you think of that?

.. my absence is due that I'm currently in India for work, ..

You could take a 'karmakanda' course in an Indian university. There should also be a distance course. The BJP education minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi introduced 'karmakanda' teaching in Indian universities. I know a very nice French Hindu who is a follower of Aurobindo and married to an Indian architect. They live around Lyons.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I have a question, since (I'm assuming) you're a "convert", and thus not a Brahmin, are many Pujaris laypeople? Or is Pujari, in a way, just another word for "preist"?

There are temples in India for some castes, where the pujari (simply the priest) is not a brahmin, but generally they are, and nearly always male (we have a division of work, women taking care of the house, and males taking care of the outside matters).But then who is a brahmin - one who is righteous, learned in scriptures, wise, patient --- add any other number of such qualities. If anyone, Indian or foreigner is that, that he/she is no less than a brahmin. Celibacy has never been a requirement for brahmins or pujaris. Even our sages were married, sometimes with many women, and had large number of progeny. Sage Vishvamitra (born a kshatriya, brahmin by actions, is supposed to have 60,000 sons (I suppose the reality may be 60 or 600 pupils, who unfortunately, did not follow their father, and turned Shudras*)).

* The real story: Sage Vishwamitra furrowed an independent line. Since the vernal equinox had moved from Pleiadas to Arietis, he wanted to make the necessary change in the beginning of the year. This happened around 1,400 BC. The orthodox (just like the orthodox jews) did not approve it. His pupils were perhaps thrown out of the brahmin fold. A story was created that he wanted to send King Trishanku (who might have agreed to the changes) to heaven with his body but the Gods would not allow it. And Vishvamitra did not let the king come back to earth as the Gods wanted through the power of his penances (tapasya). So, the poor king dangled between earth and heaven to this time. Stories to camouflage what actually might have happened. However, the change that Sage Vishvamitra wanted was made finally and quitely in 600 AD by astronomer Bhaskara I (If I am right, I need to go back to books to confirm that).

 

[Vinayaka]

Maybe the Gitanada ashram in Italy could help you. They do have female sannyasins, and a South Indian style temple.


Ashram

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

Speaking about this... I had a priest helping me via email then Skype... But apprently being a woman is a very serious problem for some (many?)...

Don't get depressed, they're probably just jealous of you. Look at what vyAsa says...

evamanyaistathA kleshaiH puruShA dvijasattamAH|
nijA~njayanti vai lokAnprAjApatyAdikAnkramAt|| 6,2.27||
yoShichChushrUShaNAdbhartuH karmaNA manasA girA|
taddhitA shubhamApnoti tatsAlokyaM yato dvijAH|| 6,2.28||

 

[Aupmanyav]

Not verses that I like, particularly 6.2.28. Derogatory to some people.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam and thanks all for your posts !

JB, I do not know where you live.

Currently, France, Europe.

But perhaps you could contact the Hindu temple in Hawaii

Yes I though of that, and I have been following the teachings of Satguru Sivaya Subramunyiswami, but unfortunately I am not really considered Hindu if I didn't followed some strict rules. Among them is changing legally my name for an Indian one and making it official and public. And I can't do that for many reasons. So I don't know if they will agree to answer my questions or teach me if I have met all these conditions...

or other temples/organizations in your vicinity to see if they would be interested in a branch.

There is "only" one temple in my country: a south indian Ganesha mandir. Unfortunately, it is 2 hours by train from where I live (and train is expensive here <__<) so I can't come regularly there... And, long story short, I wasn't well welcomed at all last time. I couldn't have care less but I was bothering me to see they refused me to take the light blessing after the puja, and one of the priest continually (and intentionnally) bothered me during my prayers... So I'm not very fond of coming back there often.
There is another temple, but it is secret. I mean, I was told not to go there because they didn't wanted westerners in this temple.
Only option I have seems to be Hare Krishna...

How much this purohit will charge you for whatever instruction he is going to give you?

Nothing for the basics.

Sanskrit instruction and procedure to conduct puja is available on the net, CDs, and books.

The problem is, almost all these ressources are overly simplified daily rituals at the home altar, and I already know how to do them. What is my aim is really to be able to do the Pûja, Samskar, Homa, like a priest would do. In a professionnal manner. And documents to learn that are really, really difficult to find, it's impossible ! I came across one book written by a priest and destined to priests in training. It's very difficult to translate and understand, but it's a real goldmine of knowledge for me, because it is "solid" source. I am also learning how to conduct some samskar thanks to these books detined to priests, but I can't find more. If you have good ressources/adresses, please don't hesitate to share !
[/QUOTE]

Maybe the Gitanada ashram in Italy could help you. They do have female sannyasins, and a South Indian style temple.


Ashram

This is... This is perfect ! Thank you so much ! I will e-mail them soon !

they're probably just jealous of you. Look at what vyAsa says...

And they shouldn't. I don't do that for personal reasons or for gaining admiration or jealousy from others. All that matters for me is to serve fellow Hindus, be useful for God and revive Dharma in the heart of many western hindus that let go of traditions because of the lack of priests. I don't do this for me. I do this for Hindu Dharma and God.


Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

Not verses that I like, particularly 6.2.28. Derogatory to some people.

Derogatory to whom? The verse is saying that a woman can reach the same worlds which dvija-s strive for (Apnoti tatsAlokyaM yato dvijAH) merely though honoring and loving her husband (shushrUShaNAdbhartuH) with her actions, thoughts, and speech (karmaNA manasA girA) whereas the most excellent of brAhmaNa-s (or dvija-s in general, puruShA dvijasattamAH) must undergo severe anguish (evamanyaistathA kleshaiH) in order to reach the spheres of prajApati (lokAnprAjApatyAdikAnkramAt). If anything, the text is saying that women have an advantage over dvija-s in gaining mokSha, hence why I made the joke about the priests being jealous of jayabholenAth. Remember, the same text also says "yo****o nAvamanyeta," meaning do not ignore/disrespect a women.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Perhaps you are right. 'akritajnena nichavat'. I suppose that should not and cannot be taken as caste. The Vedabase translation should have avoided the word low-class.

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

Perhaps you are right. 'akritajnena nichavat'. I suppose that should not and cannot be taken as caste. The Vedabase translation should have avoided the word low-class.

Wait, what are you talking about? Those verses I wrote came from the viShNupurANam, not the bhAgavatapurANam. As far as I know, prabhupAda (from whom the ISKCONites at the Vedabase site get their translations) never translated the viShNupurANam. I agree, though, that akR^itaj~nena nIchavat used in the bhAgavatapurANam merely means "ungrateful like a abominable/fallen person," and doesn't necessarily refer to someone's varNa or jAti.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam,

Sorry for having been away those times ! Life is a busy thing. Too busy, actually. I hope to be able to contribute more.

So what is new ? Everything is back on track and I have months worth of hard work ahead. Namely, various important Homa and learning the whole marriage ceremony !

I never expected the marriage ceremony to be that complicated, long and so full of meaning, from a priest PoV. It's a VERY big challenge O___O

Well, that's all for the quick update.

I love Homa and fire ceremonies !


Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[Aupmanyav]

You are correct. Meaning everywhere. But then you can always take the help of books. One does not need to remember all things by heart. North Indian ceremonies can be short, but not so the South Indian ceremonies.