Sanatana Dharma - Aka Hinduism (2nd Bin)

[Husky]

Weren't Mangalasutras used by Goan GSBs too? I thought I had read about this on Goan forums, but it's so long ago now that I can't be sure. Maybe I imagined it. Someone may know.

Even if SI, just want to explicitly state what is obvious to IF-ers: Mangalasutra is specifically a <i>Hindu</i> tradition (the term 'custom' seems to have a more lax meaning). As in, it's <i>not</i> secular, not 'merely cultural'.
In some ways, in the South, Mangalasutra is more compulsory than nosestuds, toerings and other Hindu items. Hindus in TN and KN feel it is deeply compulsory since it is deeply religious.

[Guest]

If memory serves, paati used to tell us that yagnopaveetham for girls gave way to maangalyam.

[Husky]

<!--QuoteBegin-k.ram+Jun 17 2009, 04:14 PM-->QUOTE(k.ram @ Jun 17 2009, 04:14 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->If memory serves, paati used to tell us that yagnopaveetham for girls gave way to maangalyam.
[right][snapback]98861[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->So you adopted a S Hindu tradition over time? Did your pathi give any reasons for this? For instance, was there any reason not to keep Yagnopaveetham while adding in Maangalyam?

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Husky+Jun 17 2009, 08:17 PM-->QUOTE(Husky @ Jun 17 2009, 08:17 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-k.ram+Jun 17 2009, 04:14 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(k.ram @ Jun 17 2009, 04:14 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->If memory serves, paati used to tell us that yagnopaveetham for girls gave way to maangalyam.
[right][snapback]98861[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->So you adopted a S Hindu tradition over time? Did your pathi give any reasons for this? For instance, was there any reason not to keep Yagnopaveetham while adding in Maangalyam?
[right][snapback]98869[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Pratice of yagnopaveetham for girls was given up entirely elsewhere but in South it was replaced with Mangalyam is how I remember it. In South (some parts I suppose) before marriage they do gauri puja (bride) and will offer yagnopaveetham to gauri. Apparently that was a reminder that girls used to wear yagnopaveetham - per some people. They used to get yagnopaveetham when they were either 8 years old OR Guru was in exalted state (cancer). I guess, whenever that was replaced with maangalyam they probably started getting them married off too at that age? Now that is all my speculation and may have something to do with Islamic invasions and their incessant rape, plunder and loot.

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->I guess, whenever that was replaced with maangalyam they probably started getting them married off too at that age? Now that is all my speculation and may have something to do with Islamic invasions and their incessant rape, plunder and loot.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Marrying early was the norm in all premodern societies & it makes sense when considering the prevailing conditions.

Life expectancy was what, 30 years.

At 27 a womans fertility starts to decline & chances of death during childbirth also increase with age.

It is only with modern medicine drastically increasing our life expectancy that marriage is being delayed.

In Silappathikaram, Kannagi was married at 12.

Islamic rape raids may have pushed down the age of marriage a little bit.

Looks like I was wrong, there seems to be a mention of tALi in Bala Khanda:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->vashiSTHo bhagavaan etya vaideham idam abraviit || 1-73-10
raajaa dasharatho raajan kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH |
putraiH nara vara shreSTha daataaram abhikaa.nkSate || 1-73-11

10b, 11. bhagavaan vashiSTHaH= godly, Vashishta; vaideham etya= to Videha king, on going to; idam abraviit= this, said [to Janaka]; nara vara shreSTha= oh, people, among best ones, best one; raajan= oh, king; raajaa dasharathaH= king, Dasharatha; kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH = having performed, marriage-thread, auspicious ceremony; putraiH= with such sons; daataaram abhikaankSate= for donor [of brides,] looking forward.

Then that godly sage Vashishta on going from Vedic-ritual hall to marriage hall said this to Janaka, "Oh, best one among best people, oh, king Janaka, having performed the auspicious marriage-thread ceremony, Dasharatha along with his sons is looking forward for the donor... [1-73-10b, 11]

kR^ita kautuka sarvasvaa vedi muulam upaagataaH |
mama kanyaa munishreSTha diiptaa vahneH iva arciSaH || 1-73-15

15. munishreSTha= oh, eminent-saint; mama kanyaa= my, maids; sarvasvaa= absolutely; kR^ita kautuka [mangalaa]= having performed, marriage-thread, [auspicious ceremony]; diiptaa vahneH arciSaH iva = radiant, fire's, jets of flame, as with; vedi muulam= Altar of Ritual-fire, at its base -; upaagataaH= arrived near - they are already at the Fire-Altar.

"Oh, eminent-saint Vashishta, on absolutely performing the auspicious ceremony for the marriage-thread, and thereby tying thread-band at wrists my daughters have already arrived, and they are at the base of the Altar of Fire, like the irradiant jets of flames of radiant fire... [1-73-15]

http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga..._frame.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But how ancient this is in Sanskrit literature is hard to tell as Bala Khanda & Uttara Khanda are considered later additions to the original.

Also this mAngalyam seems to be somewhat different as it talks about having it tied to their wrists.

[Husky]

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/articles_conversion/69.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Conversion Of The Vanavasis</b>
By Dr. Shreerang Godbole

<b>"The end justifies the means", so goes the Jesuit maxim. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:10) commands that all the people (ethne) of the world be discipled - that is enrolled in Christ's army, or incorporated in his body, the Church.</b>

But the world has changed. The colonialist connection of Christianity which was so helpful in the good old days has become a stigma that refuses to go. In keeping with the times, Christianity has to be sold as the religion of the downtrodden. Hence, the need to negate, sanitize, distort and invent!

A recurring theme: The aboriginal tribes were marginalized and exploited by Hindus (with the wicked Brahmins in the forefront, of course). These aborigines (adivasis) lacked a systematic religious system. The Christian missionaries appeared on the scene as saviors. Far from the missionaries using force or fraud to convert, it was the tribals who plumped for Christianity. Any nexus between the rulers and the missionaries was indirect.

<b>How close was the nexus between the 'neutral' British rulers and Christian missionaries?</b> "It is not only our duty," declared Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister, "but in our own interest to promote the diffusion of Christianity as far as possible throughout the length and breadth of India." "Every additional Christian," declared Lord Halifax, the Secretary of the State, "is an additional bond of union with this country and an additional source of strength to the Empire." "They are doing for India," as Lord Reay introducing a deputation of Indian Christians to the Prince of Wales, said "more than all those civilians, soldiers, judges and governors whom your Highness has met;" "They are the most potent force in India," declared Sir MacWorth Young...('Missionaries in India: Continuities, Changes, Dilemmas', Arun Shourie - ASA Publications, 1994, p. 109). <b>In fact, the façade of neutrality was a convenient strategy. As Reverend Tucker told the Select Committee on Indian Territories, in 1853, "I should be sorry to see the Government departing from its present position of strict neutrality. If the Government openly announces Christianity to be a part of the education it imparts, Christianity will immediately lose the high vantage point it now occupies."</b> (ibid, p. 120).

Was the missionary concern for the 'tribals' born out of altruism? In his address to the Baptist Missionary Society in London in April 1883, Sir Richard Temple who had been the Finance Minister and Governor of the Bengal and Bombay Presidencies said, "...But what is most important to you friends of missions, is this - that there is a large population of aborigines, a people who are outside caste, who do not belong to any old established religions, who are not under the influence of bigoted and hereditary superstitions. These aborigines by their mind and conscience offer a surface like clean paper, upon which the missionaries may make a mark...If they are attached, as they rapidly may be, to Christianity, they will form a nucleus around which the British power and influence may gather. Remember, too, that Hinduism, although is dying, yet has force, and endeavors to proselytize amongst these people, and such tribes, if not converted to Christianity, may be perverted to Hinduism." (ibid, p.99).

In and around 1822, David Scott, Esq., the Commissioner of Koch Bihar first conceived the idea of Christianizing the Garo tribe of Assam. He wrote to Bayley, Secretary to Government, "I am satisfied that nothing permanently good can be obtained by other means (than sending a missionary) and that, if we do not interfere on behalf of the poor Garo, they will soon become Hindu or half-Hindu. Secretary Bayley sent a most encouraging letter in reply closing with the words, "I do not think the favorable opportunity for making this interesting <b>experiment</b> should be lost." (Milton Sangma, 'Garo Beliefs and Christianity' in 'The Tribes of North-East India', ed. Sebastian Karotemprei, Firma KLM Pvt. Ltd., 1984, Shillong, p. 99).

Was the 'tribal religion' really separate from Hinduism? Who coined mischievous terms like 'animism' and 'adivasi' (original inhabitant)? V.J. Middleton in his thesis for the Fuller Theological Seminary makes a statement that Hinduism pervades practically every tribal religion. Rev. Chhangte Lal Hminga himself admits that the Mizos knew the story of Rama and Sita. At the foot of the Lushai (Mizo) hills, rudely carved idols of a God sitting cross-legged and a goddess standing as well as pagoda-like buildings have been found toward the close of the 19th century. The Mizos believed in life after death (The Life and Witness of the Churches in Mizoram, Rev. Dr. C.L. Hminga, Literature Committee, Baptist Church of Mizoram, 1987, pp. 12, 35). Evidence of the prevalence of Hinduism and its cults of the sun and mother goddess in the Munda & Oraon region dates back to the early medieval age. The impact of Hinduism resulted in acceptance by the tribals of Siva as Mahadeva Bonga and Parvati as Chandi Bonga (K.K. Verma and Ramesh Sinha, 'Socio-Political Movements among the Munda and the Oraon', in 'The Tribal World and its Transformation, ed. Bhupinder Singh, J.S. Bhandari, Concept Publishing Company, p.4). Ear-boring and sacred-thread ceremonies are observed by the Gond of Ranchi. The Ranchi Gond are ideally supposed to put Ganga water along with some Tulsi leaves into the mouth of a Gond on his death-bed. The Gond offer worship to Mahadev, Ram and Krishna. They honor the cow. <b>They are emphatic to their claim that they are Hindus</b> (Satish Kumar, 'The Gond of Ranchi', ibid. p. 144).
(Yeah, me too. We're obviously related.)

The Mishing of Assam adopted the 'Bhakatya Panth' and recite religious verses of 'Kirtana' and other 'Punthis' (books) written by Shankar Deva and Madhab Deva (D. Doley, 'The Tribes of North-East India', pp. 92-93). The Lalung (Tiwa) tribe of Assam got their names from the Shiva's Lal (Saliva). The Reang of Tripura perform Lakshmi Pooja, Ker Pooja, Tripurasundari Pooja and Chitragupta Pooja every year and have close interactions with Hindu Bengalis. The Hajong of Meghalay have been following Hindu rites and customs. The origin of the Hindu shrine of Kamakhya, near Guwahati is attributed to the Khasis. Hindu deities like Ranachandi, Viskuram have found place in the Khasi Pantheon. The Khasis believe in re-birth. The Rabha of Assam worship the cow as a goddess. The Monpa (Tsanglas) in the south of Tibet trace their lineage to Guru Padmasambhava (Rimpoche). The above could simply have not been possible if the tribals had been marginalized by the Hindu Society. In fact, the tribals are Hindus in their beliefs and modes of worship.

It was the mischief of the British rulers and missionaries to label these Hindu 'Vanavasis' as animists and detach them from the Hindu Society! The 1901 census noted in its report that 'the dividing line between Hinduism and Animism is uncertain'. The 1921 census noted that it is never possible to say where Animism begins and Hinduism ends. The 1931 census abandoned the term 'Animism' and replaced it by a new category, 'tribal religions'.

The missionaries have popularized the term 'adivasis' for the tribals to imply that the non-tribals (read Hindus) are immigrants (like the Mughals and the British) and had chased these original inhabitants to the forests where the missionaries 'saved' them. In fact, the proper term for 'tribals' should be 'vanavasi'. Similarly, the term 'Diku' used by the Kolarian tribe was first coined by the missionaries to mean mainly the Hindus to imbue in the minds of the tribals the idea to look upon Hindus as exploiters (Singh, Bhandari, p.31).

Did the 'tribals' uniformly look upon the missionaries as friends? Were the Hindus in the plains always looked upon as exploiters? The legendary Munda hero Birsa, who is revered as 'Birsa Bhagwan' was in fact dissatisfied with the teachings of the missionaries who hurt the feelings of the tribals by speaking ill of their religions and left his earlier association with them. Armed Munda under his leadership, in fact, timed an attack on the missionaries, landlords and Police on Christmas Eve, 1899. Birsa caused apprehension among the missionaries and they prevailed upon the government to arrest him and sentence him 22 years in jail (Singh, Bhandari, pp. 7, 29). The Mizos had strongly resisted the missionaries. A popular heathen song "Puma Zai" had the following words to deride the Christian preachers "Carrying book, imitating foreigners, always proclaiming something, Puma!" (Hminga, p.87). What an apt description! The attempt of missionaries to pressurize the Khasi parents to send their children to schools provoked the 'rebellion' in the Jainitia Hills (1862-64) which was ruthlessly suppressed. Babu Jeebon Roy (b. 1838), the first Khasi to join government service started a literary movement to revive the ancient Khasi heritage. Prominent Khasi personalities like Babu Sibcharan Ray (b. 1862) focussed on the close proximity between Khasi and Hindu religions. He edited a paper 'U Nonphira' which was critical of the British and the missionaries.

He was an active member of the Congress and the Brahmo Samaj and had studied and translated Hindu classics like Bhagavad Gita, Chanakyaniti-Darpana, etc. into Khasi (Karotemprei, pp. 331-332). A Hindu religious leader Bhagirath Babaji had sponsored the Kharwar of Sapha Hor, a socio-political uprising amongst the Santals in 1871. The Heraka movement led by Jodunang (1905-1931) and later by the legendary Rani Gaidiniu among Zaliangrong Nagas was a counter to the missionary activities which according to anthropologists like Elwin and Haimendorf 'had demoralized and destroyed the solidarity of the Naga by forbidding the joys of feasting, decorations and the romance of communal life!' The missionaries to this day, pose the greatest danger to tribal culture and national security in the sensitive North-East of our country. Missionaries insist that they are here to 'save our bodies and souls'. God save us from being 'saved'!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The Gods manifest over all of greater Bharatam. So how could any of the free (non-christoconditioned) indigenous people of the land, being their children, have missed them. It's like - for example, how Dionysus wandered/wanders all over the Mediterranean area and thereabouts and was worshipped throughout those parts (hence he apparently also had a following in the middle-east).

Deluded christobrits, trying to hypnotise Hindus into imagining they're not Hindus using obvious fictions like "you're adopted". No. <i>Empathically</i> Hindu, like the Gonds explain. Our Gods are our natural parents.
Christos are the ones who out of brainwashed ingratitude kicked their natural parents - their Gods - and chose to leave them for a malignant fiction. But it's never too late to go back home: parents are always eager to take their kids back.

[Bodhi]

<img src='http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090624/capt.9cb4b8206ef84518aecf33a13649bf48.india_hindu_festival_brx101.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090624/capt.6ae75c0b8d984f74848c7aa2e2556e6b.india_hindu_festival_brx104.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090625/images/25jhaoriRath1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Bhubaneswar, June 24: Puri today saw a surge of 8 lakh devotees on its shores as the rath yatra of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra rolled peacefully amid tight security in the pilgrim town.

Rituals involving the grand event passed off smoothly and ended before time said the chief administrator of the Jagannath temple, A.K. Meena, while talking to The Telegraph.

The main ritual, which involves pulling of the three chariots, began three hours before schedule.

Despite the high humidity and heat wave, frenzied devotees pulled the gigantic wooden chariots along the 3km Grand Road chanting “haribol” amid beating gongs and drums.

Elaborate security measures, including closed circuit television cameras, anti-terrorist squads and sniffer dogs, were spotted along the Grand Road that begins from Singhadwar, the main entrance to the Jagannath temple, and ends at Mausima temple.

There was tight security at bus stands and railway station, said inspector-general of police (law and order) Arun Kumar Sarangi. Quick Reaction Teams of the state police, comprising groups of trained commandos, were also deployed, besides bomb-disposal teams and armed rooftop watchers. Seventy platoons of armed police were also present in the town under the supervision of IG Sarangi.

Throughout the day, temple servitors were seen busy performing the plethora of colourful rituals that lends the festival its unique colour.

During pahandi bije in which the deities are brought out in a rhythmic manner began from the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th century shrine. Following that the three idols were installed atop three chariots — Taladhwaja, Devadalana and Nandighosha — parked in front of Singhadwar.

Pahandi bije was followed by chhera panhara (sweeping of the chariot floors with gold brooms) performed by Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingh Deb, considered as the principal sevak of the two lords and the lady.

Around 1pm came the ecstatic moment when the three chariots started to roll down the 3km Grand Road towards Mausima temple one after another, while a frenzied crowd cheered.

The three deities would return home after enjoying a nine-day retreat at Mausima temple.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090625/jsp/...ry_11155319.jsp

[acharya]

http://vegeyum.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/ramanathaswamy/

[Bharatvarsh]

Good article on Arumuga Navalar:

http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/issues/30/roots.htm

[Husky]

Woohoo.

http://rajeev2004.blogspot.com/2009/09/hap...yudha-puja.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Happy Ayudha Puja!</b>
The Pandavas & Kauravas used to worship their weapons of choice during Ayudha Puja & even at other times. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Bharatvarsha needs true Kshatriyas like Narendra Modi now more than ever.
Thanks to Kanchan Gupta for the pictures from twitter.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->With pictures.
Comments:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Blogger  Deva said...

    http://videos.sify.com/watch/Modi_performs...j2sOcahigd.html

    Satyabhashnam twitter - Video of the <b>Shastra Puja.</b>

    9/28/2009 11:38 PM
Blogger schuncher said...

    KapiDhwaja will be pleased:

    India to get Israeli killer drones by 2011

    http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20090929/804/t...r-drones-b.html

    9/29/2009 3:54 PM
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bharatvarsh2]

A Hindu mitra of mine is serving in Afghanistan right now as part of US infantry near Kandahar.



He is at FOB Wilson.



Anyway he told me he couldn't find any Hindu landmarks or Hindus in Kandahar so far.



But he met someone near his base who identified himself as a Kalash Kafir. That guy gave him his address in Pak & told him to visit if he was ever in Pak. I didn't get a chance to find out more as he is on a combat mission off the base right now & doesn't have access to net.



Just found it interesting, i have read that there are only about 2000 to 6000 Kalash Kafirs left mostly in Chitral.

[Bharatvarsh2]

Helping the Bhutanese Refugees

How one organization supplements government assistance to settle new arrivals in the US

By Sree N. Sreenath



The Bhutanese immigrants are the first poor Hindus to have arrived in the United States as refugees in large numbers, having lived for 17 years surviving on UN food assistance programs in seven camps in Nepal. When a refugee family arrives in the US with basic possessions, the government gives them food stamps, financial assistance, health screening and insurance, job search assistance, basic English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) coaching and an inexpensive apartment along a subway or bus line in a poor and often dangerous neighborhood. All of this is done through contract with a settlement agency. This contracted support lasts for eight months. After that period, the refugees are completely on their own. This is when Sewa International USA, the organization that I am president of, steps in.



Sewa is a non-profit, international, volunteer-based service organization, in partnership with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, that works in 30 different US cities on the Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment (BRE) Project. Our volunteers are nonresident Indians, second-generation Indian-American students and concerned Americans. A number of like-minded organizations have joined hands with us in this ambitious project.



In addition to employment and transportation (unemployment is nearly 70% in some communities), refugees face uprooting of familial and societal structures, cultural and religious isolation, language barriers, children's education needs, family issues (marriage, birth, death), conflict resolution, counseling needs, cold weather, health and hygiene issues. We give financial responsibility education, and hold job etiquette seminars and resume writing workshops.



We help in finding entry-level employment in the hospitality and food industries, retail, customer relations, NGOs and factories. Women are employed through projects such as sewing, ironing, fabric painting, weaving, housekeeping and value-added food product generation (e.g., pickles). Microfinance for starting home/office cleaning or landscaping businesses, or to buy a car, is provided. We connect up a Hindu American family with a vulnerable Bhutanese family for mentoring and developing friendships.



We sponsor and conduct bhajans, yoga/meditation and festival celebrations. After 17 years of virtual incarceration in camps, the elders--functionally illiterate and numbering 40% of the workforce--have lost their skills and will to work. They have a hard time adjusting and great difficulty finding employment. We have helped start urban and rural farming programs for these ex-farmers, and we help market their produce. We also counsel students seeking higher education and provide rental assistance in cases of eviction.



One scene is etched in my mind for ever: On November 16, 2008, we met with a newly arrived group of Bhutanese Hindus in Cleveland to take them to the local mandir. Though the temperature was around freezing, most were wearing thin sweaters, no gloves and were barefoot or with only sandals. A friendly smile, a Gurkha hospitality cup of sweet, hot, boiled milk with tea from them, and a "Welcome to the US" from us, we were suddenly bosom friends. It started snowing heavily--the first snow. To our horror, young and old alike started jumping and playing in the snow in their bare feet without headgear, jackets or gloves. To our puzzled concern about frostbite they said, "We lived in the tropics; snow is new to us. Isn't it beautiful?" That afternoon we pooled our money and bought shoes for all 35 school-going children in the group. Thus began my relationship with this beautiful and friendly community.



http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/sma...temid=5049

I heard that the xtians have been targeting them especially because being a new community & non Indian they are very vulnerable in the US.



Any Hindu looking for contributing money to charities should look into charities helping vulnerable groups like the Eezham Hindus back home or Bhutan refugees.

[Bharatvarsh2]

I had previously asked about tALi in Sanskrit texts.



Came across a very detailed article exploring the whole issue by Jayasree Saranthan:



http://www.scribd.com/Maangalya-DharaNam...d/12856007



Link to her site:



http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.com/2...art-1.html

[Bharatvarsh2]

I caught this documentary by chance yesterday:

Felix Almeida: Calm on the outside, raging on the inside, he is articulate, passionate and brings a sense of historic purpose to the film. As a good Catholic who was almost a saint, he discovers the horrific Goan Inquisition in sixteenth century India, brought about by the Portuguese colonizers in his beloved Goa and has decided to take a drastic step to right a historic wrong.



http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/tv/signatur...yreligion/

He traces his journey from being a devout Catholic to returning back to Sanatana Dharma.



He describes the lies that were taught (still being taught today) to them about how Catholicism came as a benign force to Goa & the attempts to forcibly Europeanize the local Christians by forbidding them to speak local languages, wear local dress etc.

[Guest]

There is a belief among many of us that the crows represent our Pitrudevatas and during Shraddha Karma, when we do Pinda Pradhanam. We wait till the crow touches the Vikiram or Pindams and be satisfied if it does so.



Yogi Vemana also questioned the human mis-understanding about our belief that the Crows represent pitrudevatas, in one of his poems, in his Satakam. "Piyya Tinedi Kaki Pitarundetlayyaraa! " (How a Crow which eats the shit, became the Forefather? Yogi Vemana Questions, thus)



Here it is how one of the Rishis from Himalayas analyses.



His Analysis:



There are some creatures in this Universe with extra sensual organisms built in by the Lord. Some of them, we usually found are Crows, cats, Jackals, (There are many). These extra sensual organisams help to recognise presence of souls.



So, when we offer food (Pindas) to our Pitru Devatas during the Sharadda Karma and invite them with relevant Mantras, they immediately come and start taking the essence of food in its usable form for them and go away after blessing the Karta of the Shraddha.



So long as the Pitrudevatas are present, no crow or for that matter no animal come nearer to the Pindam (Food). The moment the Pitrudevatas go away to their respective Lokas, then, I repeat, and then only the Crow come and take the remains of the food which is visible to us. Since the crow can feel the presence of Pitrudevatas, it will not come near to the Pindam. Therefore, it is wrong to call crows represent our Pitrudevatas or call crows as our Pitrudevatas. The Pitrudevatas do not take the form of a crow. Never. They come as is designated,designed and dignified manner by the Almighty as per their Poorva Karmas, in invisible form. That invisible form thought not visible to crows, but they feel the presence of them around the Pindams.



Sometimes, no crow comes near to the Pindams (Food). Here, it is a popular Bhakti belief that Pitrudevatas are not satisfied as the crows did not touch the food (Pindams). Here the point is whenever a wish has to be fulfilled by Kartas, the pitrudevatas, want a promise from the Karta, that he would fulfill that particular wish to the satisfaction of Pitrudevatas, and when the Karta does that, the Pitrudevatas leave the place, leaving the remains to the birds, most popularly the Crow.



This is exactly what happens during Pitru Karmas. So, let us not be under the wrong belief that crows are our Pitrudevatas. , and they represent our Pitrudevatas. The crows come there to eat the remains, then we can feel that the Pitrudevatas left to their abode, after blessing us satisfied. So, the crow coming is only indication that Pitrudevatas have left. Since the crows have the capacity to feel the presence of souls, due to some power given by Lord, the Almighty.

And Yogi Vemana knows all this and that's why he warns us to see the truth.

[acharya]

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http:...RIGINS.PDF

[Bharatvarsh2]

prekShA – the title of our blog is a Samskrit word that can be derived as prakRShTatayA IkShaNam (प्रकृष्टतया ईक्षणम्) that means “seeing clearly”. In addition to this meaning - “clear vision” - prekShA also means intellect, consideration or reflection - an apt name chosen for our group blog.



We are a group of individuals from Bangalore, India brought together by our interest in Indian culture and tradition. Our primary source of knowledge and guidance in this matter has been our teacher, mentor and well-wisher – Dr. ShatAvadhAni R. Ganesh who inspired us to disseminate our streams of thought, ancient in origin though they may be, via the modern conduit of the Internet.



At the outset, we would like to enumerate some of the objectives of our effort.



We would like for this blog to be a source of original and reliable articles on Indian Culture predominantly in the English language. But having been brought up in Karnataka, we would like to have a few posts in Kannada also. And, since Samskrit has served as a wonderful vehicle of Indian thought, a few posts will be in the devabhAShA as well.



The articles themselves will be broadly on Indian culture. Some tentative topics might give you an idea of what we have in mind -



· Articles on Samskrit (and thereby Indian) poetics or alaMkAra-shAstra;



· Biographies of illustrious personages that contributed to Indian Culture – that are not available on the WWW.



· Lesser known Samskrit and Kannada poets



· Darshana-shAstra



· Showcase creative writing in the classical style in both Kannada and Samskrit



· Travelogues of excursions to places renowned in ancient India



· ……….



http://prekshaa.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

[Capt M Kumar]

Julia's move to Hinduism has sparked off a torrent of online response. Some are highly critical of her; others the opposite. "Another confused celebrity trying on the religion "flavour" of the month. Hindu? Does she even know what that means? How can you convert to another religion after making a film? Next thing you know she'll be wearing a Kabbalah bracelet after going to a Madonna concert!," was a comment posted on The Daily Mail's website. However, Anne, Leicester, wrote, "I like Julie Roberts, admire her work on screen and her commitment to her beliefs. If she's living her life to the ideals of Hinduism, that's all to the good. I look forward to seeing her latest film.



Read more: Julia Roberts embraces Hinduism - India - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india...z0vrcfHTh0

[Bharatvarsh2]

The Nāṭakalakṣaṇaratnakośa of Sāgaranandin: A Thirteenth-Century Treatise on the Hindu Theater

Myles Dillon, Murray Fowler, V. Raghavan



http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HJDDBJDQ



It's a translation.

[Bodhi]

BhV, the links says "The file you are trying to access is temporarily unavailable"