Lamentation of an orthodox tabra from abroad

[saidevo]

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namaste shrI Sangom.

Yes I googled but found this link instead:
Prayaschita during samudrayana

Seems the same set of posts in both the links. However, I would not prefer to brand the 'shriman ***' with the label of an orthodox/hypocrite/bramin basher etc.

Our Hindu Dharma provides for three ways to perform most of our anuShThAnams: uttama madhyama and adhama; so what is important is at least the least a brahmin who is with his nityakarmas can do. I would say this graded way of performance applies to all the Hindus and all the rituals.

 

[Nara]

...I am told that Sri Velukkudi krishnan, who stresses the importance of adherence to traditions in his upanyasams (tv or in person), in his foreign travels, eats only fruits in the flights, eats simple satvik food cooked by his wife wherever he stays. .

IMO, this is like a Tamil adage I have heard that goes something like, சோத்துல என்னமோ தெளிவுல வாறு.

A truly observant SV Brahmin will not eat anything cooked by anyone other than close family or self, in the most madi condition. No iron or steel vessels allowed, and the ones that are allowed like Zinc, Copper, Brass, stone, etc., must be ritually cleansed, a process called சித்தப்படுத்துதல். Water must be drawn from a well that is not used for ablations -- my grandparents houses had two wells, one inside the kitchen and one in the back. One has to use only vaRatti or firewood, no kerosine, gas, or electric range.

I am sure the one "who stresses the importance of adherence to traditions" flouts all of these rules while choosing "simple satvik food" during foreign travels -- hope he eats the same while not traveling to foreign countries as well.

Lest I am misunderstood, I have no problem with anyone following anything in their personal life. We all make compromises and I loath to criticize anyone on that account. The point is about making public statements about importance of tradition while making private compromises that are necessary for their own personal reasons that are important to them.

Cheers!

 

[sarang]

If someone from their family offered to bring dahi from the kitchen, he/she will wash his/her hand before touching the dahi. It is the practice followed in that household and is that not enough?

I have a younger (in 40's) friend. We were invited for dinner at their house, the hosts also sat down for a wonderful Madrasi dinner. The food was on the table, for all of us to share. Only Dahi was on the kitchen counter, I offered to bring it to table. They politely refused. When I wanted dahi, they suggested that I wash my left hand before I touch the Dahi. I was aghast, I remember that practice when we used to visit some relatives in Madras. By the way, all leftovers went back to same fridge.:faint:

 

[sangom]

namaste shrI Sangom.

Yes I googled but found this link instead:
Prayaschita during samudrayana

Seems the same set of posts in both the links. However, I would not prefer to brand the 'shriman ***' with the label of an orthodox/hypocrite/bramin basher etc.

Our Hindu Dharma provides for three ways to perform most of our anuShThAnams: uttama madhyama and adhama; so what is important is at least the least a brahmin who is with his nityakarmas can do. I would say this graded way of performance applies to all the Hindus and all the rituals.

Shri Saidevo,

I would like to know why that Shriman cannot be called an "orthodox brahmin" as in the OP?

Where, in which Dharmasastra is this three ways of anushThAnams specified? Are the brahmins allowed choice of one out of the three according to their volition?

 

[saidevo]

namaste shrI Sangom.

In post #56 of the gAyatrI mantra thread, I have quoted HH Abhinava VidyAtIrtha SvAmigaL for three ways of doing a japam.

japam is repeating a mantra. It is of three kinds.

uttamaM mAnasaM japyamupAMshurmadhyamaH smRutaH |
adhamaM vAchikaM prAhuH sarvamantreShu vai dvijAH ||

"The superior way is to chant (the mantra) in mind. To chant it with lip movement but not producing any sound is intermediate. To read it aloud is inferior. The twice-born thus say it of all mantras."
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/transl...i-mantra-meaning-translation-6.html#post97697

Similarly, for doing the morning sandhyA vandanam, SvAmigaL quotes the gautama smRti and says:

uttamA tArakopetA madhyamA luptatArakA |
adhamA sUryasahitA prAtaH sandhyA tridhA patA ||

"The superior way is to do it when there stars in the sky. The intermediate way is to do it after the stars have disappeared when it has dawned well. The inferior way is to do it after the sun has risen."

Personal constraints differ, but if possible, IMO, an orthodox brahmin would avoid crossing the seas as did Yamaka's professor. Again I guess there could be three ways of looking at it.

 

[subbudu1]

namaste shrI Sangom.

In post #56 of the gAyatrI mantra thread, I have quoted HH Abhinava VidyAtIrtha SvAmigaL for three ways of doing a japam.

japam is repeating a mantra. It is of three kinds.

uttamaM mAnasaM japyamupAMshurmadhyamaH smRutaH |
adhamaM vAchikaM prAhuH sarvamantreShu vai dvijAH ||

"The superior way is to chant (the mantra) in mind. To chant it with lip movement but not producing any sound is intermediate. To read it aloud is inferior. The twice-born thus say it of all mantras."
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/transl...i-mantra-meaning-translation-6.html#post97697

Similarly, for doing the morning sandhyA vandanam, SvAmigaL quotes the gautama smRti and says:

uttamA tArakopetA madhyamA luptatArakA |
adhamA sUryasahitA prAtaH sandhyA tridhA patA ||

"The superior way is to do it when there stars in the sky. The intermediate way is to do it after the stars have disappeared when it has dawned well. The inferior way is to do it after the sun has risen."

Personal constraints differ, but if possible, IMO, an orthodox brahmin would avoid crossing the seas as did Yamaka's professor. Again I guess there could be three ways of looking at it.

All this is nice to hear. The case of mantra recitation itself varies from mantra to mantra.There are also certain things that are never to be done.
One thing repeated again and again in the shastras is the Mlecha samparka.There is no inferior about it , it is to be abhored,as per the texts.

Let us look at practical aspects and see how a brahmin can conduct even one entire vaidika karyam without apacharam if he is abroad. Take the name for continents used in the mantras. This is messed up if we do it outside India. Another example is the position of stars and moon used to construct the panchangam.Unless this is corrected as per the country all rituals are conducted in vain and timed wrongly. If the mantras still work then that means shastras are of no use anyway. Hope that is clear.

So the first thing american orthodox TB should do is layaside shastras and reinvent their religion.

Many of the rituals if they had been witnessed by my elders( long left the world),they would beat their forehead till it sheds blood. That is the extent to which shastras are followed. Even the basic rule on Jalam ,water is violated as it is extracted from inappropriate sources and is not fit for the vaidika rituals. In usa probably they are using recycled water on top of it. Where is madi and acharam with this water. There is no inferior it is thrown away and calls for the orthodox to smack their foreheads in horror.

 

[subbudu1]

Having thought a bit I think there is a splendid opportunity for Indian Amsricans to restart their religion. While I dont want to get into the nitty gritty of things as the religious lot it is upto them,here is my list

1. Nominate the american rivers as holy rivers. Build one temple each on the banks of each major river.
2. Nominate priests based on their capability and interest.
3. Introduce a good dose of English prayers
4. Construct architecture for the temples based on careful observation of American climate and the rules of construction allowed there
5, Have meaningful and contemporary prayers for the marriage. May be it calls for reselection of vedic mantras to be nominated for marriage
6. Constitute American panchangam
7. Constitute American styled dress for the prayers which ever is suitable for ceremonies
8.Collect the native deities of American Indians and incorporate them into worship

The next generation Indians will start coming in lesser numbers to India. It is important that for hinduism to survive in America it must shed its Indian image and becoming the native religion of America. That is the only way it can survive and grow.

 

[sangom]

I am well aware that for any person who eats food outside his home in USA, it is impossible to retain that so-called purity as required by the shastras, why even strict vegetarianism.Atleast one mistake where there is a mixture would mean expiation.

I have a question for all the orthodox here who perform ceremonies abroad? How many are able to use ground water for their ceremonies and not supplied water? Even a thing like Amavasya tharpanam cannot be done on the water supplied by the municipality, am I not right?

I knew an old brahmin widow who sternly prevented cooking gas (cylinder) from being brought inside the house till almost the fag end of her life; reason— non brahmins would have made it aSuddham by using the same cylinder for NV cooking plus it is all Sudras who fill and deliver the damn thing to our house. She, her orthodox son and grandson would not take anything from any house which had cooking gas. In addition the three will just stand in the hall of our house not touching anything because once someone revealed to her that we don't observe the menses theettu in my house (for my wife).

During her last days she had to be hospitalized in a Christian-run hospital and had to take the food supplied by them, out of necessity. Thereafter she relented but by then new gas connections became horse's horn (kuthiraikkombu) in TVM. Anyway she spent her last days also in fuel-wood cooked food!

 

[sangom]

namaste shrI Sangom.

In post #56 of the gAyatrI mantra thread, I have quoted HH Abhinava VidyAtIrtha SvAmigaL for three ways of doing a japam.

japam is repeating a mantra. It is of three kinds.

uttamaM mAnasaM japyamupAMshurmadhyamaH smRutaH |
adhamaM vAchikaM prAhuH sarvamantreShu vai dvijAH ||

"The superior way is to chant (the mantra) in mind. To chant it with lip movement but not producing any sound is intermediate. To read it aloud is inferior. The twice-born thus say it of all mantras."
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/transl...i-mantra-meaning-translation-6.html#post97697

Similarly, for doing the morning sandhyA vandanam, SvAmigaL quotes the gautama smRti and says:

uttamA tArakopetA madhyamA luptatArakA |
adhamA sUryasahitA prAtaH sandhyA tridhA patA ||

"The superior way is to do it when there stars in the sky. The intermediate way is to do it after the stars have disappeared when it has dawned well. The inferior way is to do it after the sun has risen."

Personal constraints differ, but if possible, IMO, an orthodox brahmin would avoid crossing the seas as did Yamaka's professor. Again I guess there could be three ways of looking at it.

Shri Saidevo,

In your post #26 (http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/genera...tation-orthodox-tabra-abroad-3.html#post99429) you have said as under:—
"Our Hindu Dharma provides for three ways to perform most of our anuShThAnams: uttama madhyama and adhama; so what is important is at least the least a brahmin who is with his nityakarmas can do. I would say this graded way of performance applies to all the Hindus and all the rituals."

My post#29 (http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/genera...tation-orthodox-tabra-abroad-3.html#post99438) was as follows:-

"Shri Saidevo,

I would like to know why that Shriman cannot be called an "orthodox brahmin" as in the OP?

Where, in which Dharmasastra is this three ways of anushThAnams specified? Are the brahmins allowed choice of one out of the three according to their volition? "

You have now cited the Sringeri Acharya in respect of morning sandhyaavandanam and gaayatree japam. You will agree, I think, that Hindu Dharma does not end up with just these two rites. There are a multitude of rites and rituals for an orthodox brahmin to do throughout the year. For example, in respect of sraaddham itself there can be different modes of doing it, like hiranya sraaddham with dakshina only, hiranya sraaddham with meals/tiffin, sahoma sraaddham (homam paNNi sraaddham) with dakshina only plus cash in lieu of veshTi, uttareeyam, homam paNNi sraaddham with veshTi, uttareeyam, and so on. Where is it said which of these is madhyama and which adhama?

To the extent I have dabbled with Dharma Sastra texts, those texts usually state what id the proper thing to be done and also mention nishiddha practices. I will be thankful if you can guide me on the Madhyama and adhama (above nishiddha category) for the Dharma as a whole.

 

[prasad1]

Having thought a bit I think there is a splendid opportunity for Indian Amsricans to restart their religion. While I dont want to get into the nitty gritty of things as the religious lot it is upto them,here is my list

1. Nominate the american rivers as holy rivers. Build one temple each on the banks of each major river.
2. Nominate priests based on their capability and interest.
3. Introduce a good dose of English prayers
4. Construct architecture for the temples based on careful observation of American climate and the rules of construction allowed there
5, Have meaningful and contemporary prayers for the marriage. May be it calls for reselection of vedic mantras to be nominated for marriage
6. Constitute American panchangam
7. Constitute American styled dress for the prayers which ever is suitable for ceremonies
8.Collect the native deities of American Indians and incorporate them into worship

The next generation Indians will start coming in lesser numbers to India. It is important that for hinduism to survive in America it must shed its Indian image and becoming the native religion of America. That is the only way it can survive and grow.

I agree to most of the points.
I do not agree with#8.
I am very much an Indian at heart to change. I am surprised to see a Scholar like Sangom Like it.

Why have a statue at all? Why have a temple? Why come together at all in the first place.

Put your suggestion to a group of people, see how many people are interested. Collect the money required to build that Temple. Show me the project, I will donate $1000.00 to that temple, but you fail in the effort you will contribute $1000.00 to my choice of organization.

Are you up to the challenge?

Kunjuppu just complained about a non traditional Temple in another post, but likes this post.

 

[Yamaka]

"After answering nature's call one used to walk about 100 or 150 feet to a small pond within our compound, wash and come up. This pond was not used for other purposes. Even as a child I used to have the doubt whether the water in that pond was sufficiently "maDi" since we were using the water with which we ourselves, or someone else had cleaned himself and the answer I used to get was "KoLatthu thaNNukku aSuddham kiTaiyaathu, bhoomiyile thoTTu iruppathaal" - pond water is always pure since it is in contact with earth. I was not convinced but could not think of any thing else except follow the others."- Sangom, post 21

Dear Sangom:

When I read this, my memory jogged immediately to my early days in my small village in Ramanathapuram Tk in TN.

We never had a running water or toilet in any house till late 1970s.. electricity came in late 1960s.

For nature's call, we have to go outside the village and hide behind the plenty of bushes... there were areas assigned for men and women. For cleaning we have to walk some distance to go to ponds, which were used for swimming and bathing also!! And, after football games, many used to go to the same pond to drink water!!!

We were told that these ponds are "good waters" and will not harm anybody and it never did....

When I swim today in my private swimming pool in Houston, I used to think "Those days in my village were the happiest days..." with a deep sigh....

Cheers.

 

[kunjuppu]

Y,

re your post #36,

i could not suppress my grin, which i am afraid, i am unable to xfer here

seriously, we all had so many immunities. nothing could really harm us. madras had rains, stagnant water and along with it came cholera.
regularly. a few and very few caught it and even fewer died.

we had dengue fever, small pox (every class had atleast one kid with pockmarks), chicken pox, typhoid (mummy had this along with lock jaw, had to break open her jaw with hammer, thus damaging her front teeth forever also lost a year in school), jaundice (moi had this), brain tumour (one classmate died), inherited unknown illnesses (2 classmates died over 5 year period) and so on.

when i first came to canada, i could not but admire the cleanliness of the place. one of my erstwhile classmates from india, studying in madison, wisconsin, came to toronto in summer, and we observed the ratha yathra of hare krishna folks for gokulashtami. the horses that drew the chariot,
were followed immediately by two guys with scoops and gunny bags, to remove the waste in case the equus decided to do their business. en
route. much to the amusement of my american domiciled friend, who could not imagine such a thing happening in madison of 1974!

also, one of the first shocks was my classmates at the university, lighting up, inside the class, in front of the profs. something, a 'no no' in india, and always done furtively at my age. this was a time, when cigarettes used to be available in vending machines in canada, 75 cents a pack!! today, they are kept hidden, from view, and one has to ask for them to get served.

then came the 80s and the violent backlash against the smokers. no more ash trays in meeting rooms. if smokers smoked in their seat, the anti
crowd set up table fans to blow the smoke back in their faces...

till today..

we are so sterile, that we have little immunity left. a little cough, not felt, not seen, but only heard on a public transport or a meeting hall, is
enough to get us all worked up, and comment on the civic sense of the public to do such a thing as 'COUGH IN PUBLIC'.

times have changed. and so have we. good to reminisce. chances are, there are still young lads, images of yourself 50 years ago, still in rural
ramanathapuram, using those very same ponds, and benefitting from the 'good waters'.

personally, i sort of lament, the loss of immunities. a trip to africa does warrant many many needles. i comply. so does to india, per the doctor.
which i stubbornly ignore and refuse. the heart does not agree to clinicalizing myself prior to my tryst again, with the dust and spirit of mother
india !!


best wishes...

 

[Subhalakshmi]

My MIL was extremely orthodox and lived with me 25 years, 20 years in the US.. we had to adjust a lot in the beginning, and I used to tell her, why don't you give up a few things, it is not being practical, and of course she would not, and the last year of her life, she was paralyzed and sometimes I had to make food without a bath in the morning and shower and go to work I had to do it and other days as well.. she was in the rehab and had a nurse come in to help during the day, she was fed and cleaned by them, she ultimately admitted to me.. " naalu vayasula pazhaki vitaa romba sudam ellam paarkaradhukku, ippo yaar yaaro clean panni chaapaadu kodukara enna pannaradhu, ellam vitudanam" but she was in peace with herself she realized nothing ultimately matters, only the good she did

 

[saidevo]

namaste shrI Subbudu.

You have a point in post #32, but here are what I agree/disagree to.

1. Okay, but you cannot use the foreign river names in mantras.
2. agreed.
3. No, we don't need the Christian type inculturation. The western Hindus should learn to recite prayers in Sanskrit or in an Indian language. Whey they earlier chanted their Bible in Latin or Greek or another ancient language, why not use the native language for their Hindu prayers? This is, of course, my opinion.

4. Yes, so long as there is no serious violation of Hindu cultural construct rules. You cannot make a Hindu temple look like a church.

5. No idea as to what you mean by contemporary prayers for a marriage.
6. I think this is already done by the Kauai's Hindu Monastery at Hawaii.
7. While a decent dress--eastern or western style--is okay in temple, I think in ceremonies one should wear the traditional attire.

8. No. Instead you can find a form of our own grama-devatas that resemble a native American deity.

Thankfully, you missed lighting candles in Hindu temples and ceremonies, dressing up our deities with western style clothes, offering a pizza for prasadam and such other modern necessities of life.

 

[saidevo]

namaste shrI Sangom.

In response to your post #34, I am not aware of any dharma-shAstras that speak of three choices with regard to shrAddham. However, I found something in this link, whether you find it okay or not:
Srivaishnavam, Sanathana TharpaNam & Srardham - Answers by TRS Iyengar (que.14)

Some other links where these choices are made:
Measurements of Vigrahas General Principles.
Bharata Narthananlayam
Other Language Links | Sanskrit Central
Building of Temples (Vastu)

 

[sangom]

I agree to most of the points.
I do not agree with#8.
I am very much an Indian at heart to change. I am surprised to see a Scholar like Sangom Like it.

Why have a statue at all? Why have a temple? Why come together at all in the first place.

Shri Prasad,

IMHO, most of our current Hindu Pantheon has come about as a result of "absorption" of the "deities" or God forms of diverse groups into Hinduism, baptising them in hinduism with suitable Puranic legends and their intricately woven "family linkages" between the many deities and so on. There is, therefore, nothing essentially improper in Subbudu's suggestion #8. The difficulty may be that we don't have so many scholars in Sanskrit capable of deities like Raven, Coyote, etc., Sanskritize those names, invent lateral junction points in our existing pantheonic family chart and then it will become easy to accept these new "gods" also.

A very recent example is "pratyangiraa devi" imo, in India itself.

 

[subbudu1]

namaste shrI Subbudu.

You have a point in post #32, but here are what I agree/disagree to.

1. Okay, but you cannot use the foreign river names in mantras.
2. agreed.
3. No, we don't need the Christian type inculturation. The western Hindus should learn to recite prayers in Sanskrit or in an Indian language. Whey they earlier chanted their Bible in Latin or Greek or another ancient language, why not use the native language for their Hindu prayers? This is, of course, my opinion.

4. Yes, so long as there is no serious violation of Hindu cultural construct rules. You cannot make a Hindu temple look like a church.

5. No idea as to what you mean by contemporary prayers for a marriage.
6. I think this is already done by the Kauai's Hindu Monastery at Hawaii.
7. While a decent dress--eastern or western style--is okay in temple, I think in ceremonies one should wear the traditional attire.

8. No. Instead you can find a form of our own grama-devatas that resemble a native American deity.

Thankfully, you missed lighting candles in Hindu temples and ceremonies, dressing up our deities with western style clothes, offering a pizza for prasadam and such other modern necessities of life.

Dear Sai,

The question is between being open minded about reform and sticking to shastras. When you are in America shastras cannot apply. So you have no choice but to be open minded. It is about understanding the youth and the next generation which have grown up proudly as Americans. It is nice to have sanskrit and ritual classes in vedas.

But from a broader perspective they need something to hold on to with pride in America. Building temples is only part of the way. You have to remember that white or chineese or black or red daughter in laws and son in laws are an inevitability. You cannot run a caste based katchi in America. Once you move out of caste, race is also not a barrier. You must build centres of culture and religion which is attractive to all.It is then that a community can survive and grow without isolation. Think about it. Saying that sanskrit cannot accomodate the american river names etc does not help or solve the problem of NRIs and others. The trademark of hinduism is nature worship. This must be accomodated to include the american rivers, mountains, trees and flowers. That is broad thinking.

 

[happyhindu]

Having thought a bit I think there is a splendid opportunity for Indian Amsricans to restart their religion. While I dont want to get into the nitty gritty of things as the religious lot it is upto them,here is my list

1. Nominate the american rivers as holy rivers. Build one temple each on the banks of each major river.
2. Nominate priests based on their capability and interest.
3. Introduce a good dose of English prayers
4. Construct architecture for the temples based on careful observation of American climate and the rules of construction allowed there
5, Have meaningful and contemporary prayers for the marriage. May be it calls for reselection of vedic mantras to be nominated for marriage
6. Constitute American panchangam
7. Constitute American styled dress for the prayers which ever is suitable for ceremonies
8.Collect the native deities of American Indians and incorporate them into worship

The next generation Indians will start coming in lesser numbers to India. It is important that for hinduism to survive in America it must shed its Indian image and becoming the native religion of America. That is the only way it can survive and grow.

Aiyo

Subbudu sir

You are saynig close to something that christian missionaries in india are trying to do.

Christian missionaries are trying to create christian vedanta, trying to portray jesus in hindu ways, christian missionaries even wear saffron robes....

What is this about religion...God am fed up. I don't want to belong to any religion. Just let me be with the very few gods i like to be with. Narayana, Devi, Ishvara.

God save everyone...

 

[subbudu1]

Aiyo

Subbudu sir

You are saynig close to something that christian missionaries in india are trying to do.

Christian missionaries are trying to create christian vedanta, trying to portray jesus in hindu ways, christian missionaries even wear saffron robes....

What is this about religion...God am fed up. I don't want to belong to any religion. Just let me be with the very few gods i like to be with. Narayana, Devi, Ishvara.

God save everyone...

There is a difference no Happy between dressing up our gods like theirs (which missionaries do),and taking their gods as it is and putting it in the shrines. Are we or have we not done it to so many thousands of gods including Sastha, Balaji, Murugan and so many others. There is a difference and no conversion is required for this. Let people go to church and come to our temples to also pray to their own gods as well as ours.

 

[prasad1]

Mr. Subbudu,
I endorse your view very much. I fully agree that we need to evolve. Some of NRI's are learning a lot. NRI's carry the values of the time they left their hometown.
When in this temple we were discussing about statues, some of the north Indian members did not even know the "Murga" (they thought it was chicken), we had to explain "murugan" as Kartic and go into detail.

As for red-Indians, even most American would not know. Each native Indian tribe is different. They have been exploited and lost all significance of their culture. They have been converted to Christianity, and very rarely follow their own brand of Religion. If you think our Hindu Religion is riddled with outdated and unproven hockus-pokus, the native Indian beliefs are not accepted at all by their own younger generations. Please read up on Native American traditions in some reputable books.

 

[prasad1]

Aiyo

Subbudu sir

You are saynig close to something that christian missionaries in india are trying to do.

Christian missionaries are trying to create christian vedanta, trying to portray jesus in hindu ways, christian missionaries even wear saffron robes....

What is this about religion...God am fed up. I don't want to belong to any religion. Just let me be with the very few gods i like to be with. Narayana, Devi, Ishvara.

God save everyone...

Leave me my religion alone. I do not follow any "Branded-religion". I agree with you.

 

[prasad1]

Shri Prasad,

IMHO, most of our current Hindu Pantheon has come about as a result of "absorption" of the "deities" or God forms of diverse groups into Hinduism, baptising them in hinduism with suitable Puranic legends and their intricately woven "family linkages" between the many deities and so on. There is, therefore, nothing essentially improper in Subbudu's suggestion #8. The difficulty may be that we don't have so many scholars in Sanskrit capable of deities like Raven, Coyote, etc., Sanskritize those names, invent lateral junction points in our existing pantheonic family chart and then it will become easy to accept these new "gods" also.

A very recent example is "pratyangiraa devi" imo, in India itself.

Mr. Sangom,
Hello again.
You are right as usual.
When I have to go to a Temple for Ravana, that will be the day I give up. I have difficult time going to Kalibari in Kolcutta, or taking a dip in Ganges at Kashi amid all the half burnt corps. Thank you, but no thank you. LOL

 

[saidevo]

namaste NRI members.

I understand the situations envisaged in the homes and social life of our NRI friends abroad and the necessity to sustain our Hindu Dharma. IMHO, whenever a Hindu-convert is absorbed in the family, either as a son-in-law or daughter-in-law, that person needs to embrace our religion rather than our daughter/son embraching theirs.

When the Christian denominations in India go about their inculturation tasks to propagate their religion, they don't do it on their own; instead, they get the guideliness from their central authority. We Hindus do not have such an authority, but we do have The Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, as "the apex unifying body that provides leadership, guidance and a collective voice for the Hindus." So, our NRI bandhu-mitras, instead of resorting to their own initiatives, should hold talks with this HDAS, whose convener is Swami Dayananda Saraswati, and bring about the changes desired under the guidelines of the Sabha.

In fact, this Sabha, which has membership from almost all the Hindu traditions, seems to find itself inactive. Our NRI Hindus can strengthen its hands providing the necessary assistant (financial or otherwise). (I am not a devotee of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, so I am not saying this with any preference).

 

[Yamaka]

"What is this about religion...God am fed up. I don't want to belong to any religion...." post 43.

Dear HH:

This is how I felt about 40 years ago... and I became an Atheist soon after!

Regards.