^ The answer is simpler: it should be not in the form of pleading - "let us all embrace 'polytheism'" but in the form of matter-of-factly stating it.*
Hindus *have* many Gods (i.e. saguNa Gods are many; and always distinct from and unrelated to the non-existent sky-terrorist "jeebusjehovallah"). Even had Hindus but "one", if they were to count all the Gods the Japanese have and the Daoists and the Hellenes and and and...., then the total still comes to more than 1 manifest God in this world.
And to be fair, Hindus - thus far famously willing to admit to the existence of jeebus and jehovallah - should re-direct that benefit-of-the-doubt to the deserving: the Daoists, etc.
(* But "polytheism" is such a loaded word. Still,... there is the minor advantage that it will annoy christians greatly if Hindus were to assert it. But dangerous trade-in, that.)
Oh yes terribly scientific.
arcasm: I suppose that explains why Witzel was once into ISKCON* (IIRC IF members had posted on this)? Such taste is hardly proof of Witzel's scientific temperament.
(* Typical attempt to dabble in others' heathenism - ISKCON is perceived as one of the gateways into the otherwise forbidding Hindu religion.
While I do to some extent sympathise with desperately groping ex-christians - I can *understand* what he actually wanted to do - he should have gone back to Donar and Syf etc. Though only born-heathens of Europe's NW seem to manage that one successfully. Obviously Witzel is so christoconditioned he wouldn't have succeeded there either and may well have U-turned on his own ancestral religion too.)
People don't require "subjective views and prejudices" to accuse Witzel of a hidden agenda. He gives enough occasion for even those who actually feel sorry for him: The fact is that witzel did a U-turn and is now vengeful towards Hindus. (Here's a guess: someone could well have told him that he wasn't invited to dabble in the Vedam, or maybe some wouldn't recognise the "brahmana" ticket that ISKCON sells to all aliens. In any case, other such temporary dabblers are known to have been set off by such an uncompromising position on the part of Hindus, and have done a U-turn and thereafter specifically set out to deny Hindus a claim to their own Vedam. <- So my theory is not entirely impossible considering precursors. Of course, what actually set *Witzel* off/against Hindus is unknown to me.)
Anyway, this one is for Hindoos - related to Mudy's #86 - stolen from a link found off the site of that heathen, Ishwar Sharan:
Just some excerpts on a birthday celebration surrounding Shringeri Matham/Sharada Peetham in KN, from
hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5213 (On occasion HT still has a few Hindu articles by Hindoos, not just anti-Hindu subversive articles.)
Hindus *have* many Gods (i.e. saguNa Gods are many; and always distinct from and unrelated to the non-existent sky-terrorist "jeebusjehovallah"). Even had Hindus but "one", if they were to count all the Gods the Japanese have and the Daoists and the Hellenes and and and...., then the total still comes to more than 1 manifest God in this world.
And to be fair, Hindus - thus far famously willing to admit to the existence of jeebus and jehovallah - should re-direct that benefit-of-the-doubt to the deserving: the Daoists, etc.
(* But "polytheism" is such a loaded word. Still,... there is the minor advantage that it will annoy christians greatly if Hindus were to assert it. But dangerous trade-in, that.)
Quote:In my opinion ,Witzel is a scientist who is objective in his research.Only people whit subjective views and prejudices accuse him of hidden agenda.
Oh yes terribly scientific.
arcasm: I suppose that explains why Witzel was once into ISKCON* (IIRC IF members had posted on this)? Such taste is hardly proof of Witzel's scientific temperament.(* Typical attempt to dabble in others' heathenism - ISKCON is perceived as one of the gateways into the otherwise forbidding Hindu religion.
While I do to some extent sympathise with desperately groping ex-christians - I can *understand* what he actually wanted to do - he should have gone back to Donar and Syf etc. Though only born-heathens of Europe's NW seem to manage that one successfully. Obviously Witzel is so christoconditioned he wouldn't have succeeded there either and may well have U-turned on his own ancestral religion too.)
People don't require "subjective views and prejudices" to accuse Witzel of a hidden agenda. He gives enough occasion for even those who actually feel sorry for him: The fact is that witzel did a U-turn and is now vengeful towards Hindus. (Here's a guess: someone could well have told him that he wasn't invited to dabble in the Vedam, or maybe some wouldn't recognise the "brahmana" ticket that ISKCON sells to all aliens. In any case, other such temporary dabblers are known to have been set off by such an uncompromising position on the part of Hindus, and have done a U-turn and thereafter specifically set out to deny Hindus a claim to their own Vedam. <- So my theory is not entirely impossible considering precursors. Of course, what actually set *Witzel* off/against Hindus is unknown to me.)
Anyway, this one is for Hindoos - related to Mudy's #86 - stolen from a link found off the site of that heathen, Ishwar Sharan:
Just some excerpts on a birthday celebration surrounding Shringeri Matham/Sharada Peetham in KN, from
hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5213 (On occasion HT still has a few Hindu articles by Hindoos, not just anti-Hindu subversive articles.)
Quote:A Guru's Birthday Event for Everyone
1,500 Vedic priests gather for 13 days of rites at Sringeri Peetham, honoring the 60th birthday of Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji HINDU OF THE YEAR 2011
By Choodie Sivaram, Bengaluru
(Photo at link where the Hindoo - the Swami - looks typically cuddly. Love the veeboothi, by the way. Increases the kallai factor.)
When devotees asked the pontiff of South India's preeminent Sringeri Math about holding a 60th-birthday extravaganza for him, Mahaswamiji responded, "We renunciates do not need such festivities; but if these celebrations provide an avenue for divine invocation, then it is meaningful. These events are for the welfare of the world. Our sankalpa (resolve) has always been: "May the people of this land follow righteousness with sincerity and not get swayed by the sinful. May they be freed from hatred, which manifests as cruelty and results in physical harm. Hatred is the root of conflict."
Hindu tradition considers that life begins at conception; thus, the day of birth is considered one's first birthday. The 60th birthday is a special occasion for all Hindus, and pujas are performed for the person's well-being. Mahaswamiji's devotees wanted to celebrate his 60th birthday on a grand scale. Having obtained his permission, the small town of Sringeri bustled with divine fervor from April 4 to 16 in one of the greatest celebrations in the Peetham's history, honoring Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji.
The celebration brought together the whole town. The Peetham ensured that no one was excluded, that every household felt involved in the festivities. Invitations to the festivities were sent to each and every house. Auto rickshaws used loudspeakers to request all to come to the Math. They urged the women not to cook that day and instead have their family take its meals at the Math.
[color="#800080"](Did someone say Free Food? <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> )[/color]
Lanes were filled with hundreds of joyful men, women and children in their best traditional attire: men in dhotis or vesthi, women draped in silk saris and little girls in pavadas. <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
Central to the celebration was a series of yajnas and pujas, including the Ati Rudra Mahayajna, three Veda Samhita Yajnas, Mrityunjaya Homa, Lakshamodaka Ganapati Homa, Ugra-ratha Homa, Ayushya Homa and Navagraha Homa. These powerful rites culminated in the Ayuta Chandi Mahayajna, conducted for the first time in the recorded history of Sringeri. This Vedic fire ritual involves ten thousand recitations of Durga Saptashati (also called Devi-Mahatmya), an exposition on the glory of the Goddess from the Markandeya Purana. It is said that difficulties are overcome, diseases cured and wishes fulfilled through the recitation of this sacred text. This powerful ritual requires strict adherence to purity in thought, action and practice from those performing it. For over a year, the purohitas had been carefully screened to evaluate not only their expertise in rituals and scriptural knowledge, but their habits and personal discipline as well. Within the Peetham complex, an entire village had been set up for the priests, with all amenities and comforts, to ensure that throughout the 13 days of celebrations they would not leave the sanctified area.[/color]
[color="#800080"](DM also promises to wipe out all the shatrus. So, My Mother, who is known as the veritable chintAmaNi to her bhaktas - I have but one wish - please destroy christoislamicommunism and may all the sheepish ummah thus freed return to their ancestral Gods=religion, in exactly the way that that pristine, insubvertible, Brilliant One who had emanated from Helios himself - i.e. Julian - did return to the religion of his Divine Parents. With special mention of my own kind: may all the captives of Indian-ancestry return to (the religion of) their Hindu Gods. May all my people be like that faultless Julian.)[/color]
[color="#0000FF"]The atmosphere reverberated with sonorous chants as one thousand Vedic scholars recited the Chandi Paatha in unison. Devotees joined in the chanting of the Durga Saptashati. The Jagadguru's presence charged the air with Godliness.
On the dawn of the Vardhanti day, April 9, thousands of devotees gathered for Anhika Darshana, the sight of Jagadguru in meditation. This is a rare blessing, as acharyas normally perform their sadhanas in private. Sri Narasimhamurthy explains, "The Anhika Darshana is special and powerful since, during japa, the guru will be in communion with God. Having his darshan at this time connects us to the Divine; and if the guru's glance falls on us, it augurs well and removes our karma."
On the evening before the finale, heavy rains lashed Sringeri for three hours, bringing down portions of the yajnashala. No laborers or volunteers could be allowed inside the now consecrated space, so priests and trainees worked through the night to repair and restore the temporary structure.[/color]
Guruvandana
On the eve of the Vardhanti, following time-honored tradition, Jagadguru personally performed puja at the shrine of Lord Malahanikareshwara (Siva) after praying at the temples of Sharadamba and Ganapati. Devotees were then given the opportunity to offer personal salutations to Jagadguru, an event called Guruvandanda. Thousands of people offered obeisance--devotees from Sringeri, from across India, and hundreds who had traveled from Australia, US, Canada, Middle East and other parts of the world. Offerings were also made by representatives from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Thirumala Tirupati Devasthnam, Dharmasthala, Kollur Mookambika, BGS and other religious institutions. Dr. Gowrishankar expressed the prevailing mood: "Devotees feel they have received so much by just uttering his name, by his grace, that we must give something as an expression of our devotion and bhakti. Twenty-two years after his ascending the Peetham, this was an occasion to express their gratitude to their guru and benefactor."
That auspicious Vardhanti evening also saw the release of a documentary film on the Jagadguru, "Life and Teachings of an Inspiring Saint;" a pictorial souvenir, Jagadguru Darshanam; and a commemoration volume, Jagadguru Vaibhavam, containing tributes by eminent scholars and dignitaries.
Serving the Satguru
Being constantly in the company of such a divine presence is a blessing. Those who closely interact with Jagadguru are quick to speak of his grace and mystical powers.
Krishnamoorthy says, "I joined the pathashala in 1983. The pontiffs went on an all-India tour, and we went as volunteers. I was thrilled that I could see the various places. In 1987 I was offered the chance to serve Jagadguru as his personal secretary. I got this opportunity because of the accumulation of punya [merit] from my past lives and the devotion of my forefathers."
Now Krishnamoorthy is always by the guru's side as his close confidante, having served him for 25 years. "From the beginning, I decided to remain a brahmachari. The job did not require me to remain a bachelor, but it was my choice. I knew that if I married, my time would be split and I would not be able to dedicate myself completely to my guru. I wanted to devote every minute of my life to him, and I have found bliss in doing so."
Narasimhamurthy narrates many incidents which illustrate the blessings Jagadguru has bestowed upon him and other devotees. He offered, "Gurugalu has vaak siddhi. His words are prophetic." Pt. Krishna Bhat added, "I've seen a lot of miracles. The way my life has turned out is itself a miracle; whatever work I do for guru is always successful." Another devotee, Ramachandra Sastrigalu, shared, "I lost my parents, property, everything very early. I did not know a single word of the Vedas till I was ten. My uncle taught me the Vedas and brought me here. Living here, I have found everything. Guru kripa and Devi's grace is essential. I am a happy man."
[...]
Even other monastic orders revere Jagadguru and the Peetham and look to him for guidance. [color="#0000FF"]Swami Japananda of Sri Ramakrishna Sevashrama of Pavagada tells us: "The Ramakrishna Order of monks traces its roots to the Math through Paramahansa Ramakrishna's guru, Sri Tota Puri, who carried the Math's legacy. For this reason, even to this day, the Ramakrishna Math monks pay their highest tributes to the Dakshinamnaya Sharada Peetham."[/color]
[color="#800080"](See see, RKM=Hindoo.)[/color]
No Distinctions
The number of devotees visiting Sringeri Math has increased steadily over the decades. The concept that Sringeri Math is a Brahminical institution, not open to outsiders, changes instantly when one observes and interacts closely with it. Over 95 percent of present-day visitors are of the non-traditional, non-Brahmin classes. Pandit Krishna Bhat observes, "Earlier, people who came were mainly the traditional parampara (lineage) devotees. Now the crowds have increased manifold, and people from all sects and places come to take darshan, often seeking the blessings of good education and intelligence for their offspring. [color="#0000FF"]Many vouch that their lives have been transformed through Jagadguru's blessings. They have been spiritualized, and wishes have been fulfilled."
Shyamsundar Polishetty, who hails from the business community, says, "Swamiji named both my children. We sought his blessings for the Anna Prashnam ceremony (first solid food). Guruji asked us to bring the child to the Adhistana temple, where he himself fed the child and performed the Anna Prashna. Would this have been possible if the Math was purely brahminical? We have never ever felt discrimination by the guru or administration."
[color="#800080"](He fed the baby himself? That is so cute.
But the "brahminical" statement labours under a misapprehension. Lots of brahmanas have fed Hindoo babies and children and adults from various backgrounds. This is nothing new or unsurprising.)[/color]
Sringeri's auto rickshaw drivers echo similar sentiments. "We are proud to belong here. This is a divine land, and we have Jagadguru protecting us. To us, he is the visible God, and we seek his blessings in everything we do. We have never felt alienated because of our caste. He has been most benevolent towards us; he lends an ear to our difficulties, guides and helps us. We abide by his every word. Every member of this town is treated with warmth and care. Look at the number of people who flock to have darshan and his blessings. This proves that the Peetham is open and fair to all."[/color]
[color="#800080"](If only we could have Swami Lakshmananda and Swami Aseemananda and Swami Amritananda - was it - etc back. Sigh.)[/color]
Dr. Gowrishankar elaborates, "Eighty percent of our followers are non-brahmins. Even our donations are mostly from non-brahmins. We are an institution meant for human beings. All are welcome here. There are [color="#FF0000"]even many Christians who come to our Math[/color] and stay here and seek what they want. (Uh-no. Foot in the door. Dangerous. Look what happened to the Acharyas at Kanchi Peetham. Then again, Sharada at her Peetham may bring these straying sheep back to her Vedic religion this way. Who of Hindoo ancestry could resist her.) People from all sects come here, and all are treated equally, without discrimination. Anyone can walk in and have darshan of Goddess Sharada or the Jagadguru. There are no separate queues, entry fees or discrimination. Representatives from many institutions from different communities come to us to learn, seek guidance and set up their own religious maths." He adds, "Jagadguru dislikes caste discrimination. He believes there is only one creed, and that is the human race."
The Institution
The Peetham is dedicated to promoting nondualism and Vedic learning, upholding the Smarta traditions and advaita philosophy. Priests and scholars trained in the Sringeri method at the Peetham's gurukula are globally respected. Graduates serve at the Kathmandu Pasupathinath Temple and other ancient shrines. (Oh, serving the Pashupati himself at his famous Abode....
While holding fast to the strength of tradition, the Peetham has kept pace with modern trends and technology. Its website is promptly updated with Jagadguru's latest discourses and current news of Math activities. The research center boasts a state-of-the-art digital knowledge database. Construction activities continue to expand, building new guest houses for devotees. The large dining hall is served by a highly efficient kitchen, feeding 10,000 people every day. [color="#800080"](Typically Hindoo.)[/color]
[...]