What makes a Hindu a Hindu - Version 2

[Vinayaka]

Unfortunately I am guilty of doing just that, which I have come to regret. Not out of any sense of embarrassment, but I feel it's something I should have kept to myself. I have some framed deity pictures and tiny brass murtis in my work cube (some? ). My Indian coworkers were tickled pink when they first saw them. My western co-workers probably think "that's Jai just being Jai" (digression: my middle name is actually Jason, so Jay or Jai works). But now the proverbial genie is out of the bottle, so to scale back or dismantle my work "shrine" (no incense or diyas though.. yet ) would probably send a negative signal.

One woman, on a bring-your-kid-to-work day, made a point of bringing her son to meet me and show him the images in my cube. I take that as full acceptance. I sometimes wear my om pendant over my t shirt, but I don't generally do it in the presence of other Hindus, if they are not wearing any religious jewelry. I feel I'm "trying too hard" and trying to out-Hindu other Hindus, especially being a white westerner.

For the most part, I could care less what other people, westerners, and Hindus alike, think. The reason I don't wander around in veshti or pottu is I don't need to be drawing attention to myself. It's just easier, but if something does come up, so what? We're off to Toronto in a couple of weeks, and will hit maybe 30 temples between there and on the way home. (We're driving from here.) It's been a while, and they don't know us at all, so we'll see how it goes.

At school very few people actually cognised I was a dedicated practicing Hindu. They knew it, but it was in the same importance scale as what kind of car I drove.

 

[ajay0]

If you can point out to me any teaching in which Lord Shiva or Lord Krsna mentions the word Hindu then only will I be impressed. Until then I'll be happy to say that I am not a Hindu but just a human being trying to follow their dharma.

Yeah, just be a human being trying to follow his or her dharma. That is enough.

The term or label 'Hindu' or 'Tantra yogi' serves the purpose of a functional identity, just like your name Marcion.

If you had no name you would not have been able to have RF membership, as they require a name .

The term 'Marcion' is just a label for your person, created by your parents for functional purposes. 'Marcion' is not engraved in your body from birth or anything of that sort. It is an artificial man-made identity, but it serves a purpose.

Similarly the terms 'Hindu', 'Japanese','muslim' , 'heterosexual', 'female', 'transgender' and so on. You use them for functional purposes but not emotionally identify with them as your true identity as it is a false identification leading to creation of the ego, reactivity and psychological suffering. That is where the label trouble erupts, and all conflicts arise from these dualistic divisions due to the emotion invested in them by false identification.

The true identity as per Vedanta is the Self, which is awareness or pure consciousness, and there are no dualistic divisions in this state of being.

 

[Jainarayan]

For the most part, I could care less what other people, westerners, and Hindus alike, think. The reason I don't wander around in veshti or pottu is I don't need to be drawing attention to myself.

You're right on both counts. On the first point I'm learning to not care what other people think. I think I've told this before: I mentioned to my lady friend at temple that the night of Tamil New Year I was dressed in veshti, angavastram and a nice collared dress shirt. I felt I was getting some looks that I interpreted at the time as mild disapproval. In retrospect maybe it was a combination of surprise and curiosity. At any rate she waved her hand and said who cares what anyone thinks?" And she's right, because the temple manager and priests were smiling from ear to ear when they saw how I was dressed for the occasion. The manager took my hands in his and said "wonderful! perfect!"

 

[Marcion]

I sometimes wear my om pendant over my t shirt, but I don't generally do it in the presence of other Hindus, if they are not wearing any religious jewelry. I feel I'm "trying too hard" and trying to out-Hindu other Hindus, especially being a white westerner.

We are encouraged to wear our pratiik as a pendant around the neck (to remind yourself of its meaning) but not visible above the clothes. Many years ago I once decided to wear it outside of my shirt in a hotel and was almost immediately approached by a Jewish guy in the lobby who started 'shaloming' me thinking that I was a fellow-Jew. I didn't point out the details of the pratiik and pretended I didn't speak any English to save time.

 

[sayak83]

Christians will often wear a crucifix around their neck, Muslims will fly flags with a moon sickle and five pointed star, Jews have their sixpointed star, we have our pratiik, a sixpointed star with rising sun and swastika. Do Hindus have such a symbol that they wear or show?

This one below. Aum.

 

[Marcion]

Ah, thanks, I suspected that might be the one.
Isn't the Ohmn sound something to do with the cosmic vibration (or "primal sound") that started off the physical universe?

We're off to Toronto in a couple of weeks, and will hit maybe 30 temples between there and on the way home. (We're driving from here.) It's been a while, and they don't know us at all, so we'll see how it goes.

At school very few people actually cognised I was a dedicated practicing Hindu. They knew it, but it was in the same importance scale as what kind of car I drove.

Do you also get the opportunity in your tradition to become a Brahmin with a sacred thread or is that more of an ISKCON-thing only?

 

[ajay0]

You're right on both counts. On the first point I'm learning to not care what other people think. I think I've told this before: I mentioned to my lady friend at temple that the night of Tamil New Year I was dressed in veshti, angavastram and a nice collared dress shirt. I felt I was getting some looks that I interpreted at the time as mild disapproval. In retrospect maybe it was a combination of surprise and curiosity. At any rate she waved her hand and said who cares what anyone thinks?" And she's right, because the temple manager and priests were smiling from ear to ear when they saw how I was dressed for the occasion. The manager took my hands in his and said "wonderful! perfect!"

The veshti is similar to the Greek toga.

I have seen a tall young englishman in an ashram wearing a veshti. He was a surveyor and was surveying the ashram land for construction purposes as part of his seva.

He had rolled the veshti in half upwards till his knees for better mobility while walking , and there he was looking very masculine and rugged in his veshti while surveying the area. He looked better in a veshti than the kurta pyjama that he wore as well, and seemed to be making unconsciously a fashion statement.

I enjoy wearing the veshti as well due to its comfort and simplicity. It seems better suited for hot weather than pants.

 

[Marcion]

One thing about Indian dress I do like is the shirt with an upright collar instead of the Western type of collar.
I need to find a shop where they sell a good selection of them.

 

[Jainarayan]

I enjoy wearing the veshti as well due to its comfort and simplicity. It seems better suited for hot weather than pants.

Yes indeed!

 

[Vinayaka]

We are encouraged to wear our pratiik as a pendant around the neck (to remind yourself of its meaning) but not visible above the clothes. Many years ago I once decided to wear it outside of my shirt in a hotel and was almost immediately approached by a Jewish guy in the lobby who started 'shaloming' me thinking that I was a fellow-Jew. I didn't point out the details of the pratiik and pretended I didn't speak any English to save time.

What's a pratik?

I wear a single rudraksha ... hidden.

 

[Vinayaka]

Do you also get the opportunity in your tradition to become a Brahmin with a sacred thread or is that more of an ISKCON-thing only?

No. Definitely not, although the monks in the order I am connected to do, but it signifies their brahmacarya.

 

[Marcion]

What's a pratik?

I wear a single rudraksha ... hidden.

What is a rudraksha?

This is a pratik or emblem (the metal one is quite coursly made; cannot find a picture of a nicer one):

The pratik yantra/symbol consists of the following elements:

* Upward-pointing triangle representing one's external actions (social service)
* Downward-pointing triangle symbolizing one's internal work (meditation, self-realization)
* Rising sun symbolizing spiritual progress through the balance of external and internal efforts
* Swastika representing fulfillment or one's ultimate spiritual goal (victory)

Rudraksha:

 

[Vinayaka]

I wear a silver praṇava (ॐ) on a silver chain. I know a young woman who wears a gold one. I take mine off only at night only because I can't sleep with anything around my neck.

I had the weirdest sore ear, and talked to my doctor friend, the ENT, (Ear, Nose, Throat) specialist, at the temple. He invited me over for a closer look, and couldn't find anything at all, other than a sore tendon just behind the ear. I placed my rudraksha up there, and sure enough, it was a perfect fit. So together we decided I must have slept on it tucked there. So now I don't wear it. Go figure, eh. A western doctor would have never caught that.

 

[Vinayaka]

What is a rudraksha?

This is a pratik (the metal one is quite coursly made):

The pratik symbol consists of the following elements:

* Upward-pointing triangle representing one's external actions (social service)
* Downward-pointing triangle symbolizing one's internal work (meditation, self-realization)
* Rising sun symbolizing spiritual progress through the balance of external and internal efforts
* Swastika representing fulfillment or one's ultimate spiritual goal

Thank you. Rudraksha is aa seed from a tree sacred to Shiva. The bead you see on sadhus. The 6 pointed star is also a symbol of Murugan, and is called a shadkonam in that context.

 

[Kirran]

The 6 pointed star is also a symbol of Murugan, and is called a shadkonam in that context.

You got any more info on that, Vinayaka? I'd never heard that.

 

[Jainarayan]

I had the weirdest sore ear, and talked to my doctor friend, the ENT, (Ear, Nose, Throat) specialist, at the temple. He invited me over for a closer look, and couldn't find anything at all, other than a sore tendon just behind the ear. I placed my rudraksha up there, and sure enough, it was a perfect fit. So together we decided I must have slept on it tucked there. So now I don't wear it. Go figure, eh. A western doctor would have never caught that.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh but it's the simple things that can drive us crazy. Who'd have thought?

If I get another tulsi kanthi mala I'm going to take it off at night and in the shower. I kept it on because of superstitious internet comments like "once you put tulsi on you can NEVER take it off, Lord Vishnu will NEVER forgive you!" Much Yahweh?

 

[Vinayaka]

You got any more info on that, Vinayaka? I'd never heard that.

It's in the center of Murugan's yantra. It should be there at Skanda vale.
From Dancing with Siva it says ... two interlocking triangles, upper stands for Siva, purusha and fire, the lower for Shakti, prakriti, and water. Their union gives birth to Murugan, whose sacred number is 6. You can google it for more info too.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh but it's the simple things that can drive us crazy. Who'd have thought?

If I get another tulsi kanthi mala I'm going to take it off at night and in the shower. I kept it on because of superstitious internet comments like "once you put tulsi on you can NEVER take it off, Lord Vishnu will NEVER forgive you!" Much Yahweh?

They rot if you get them repeatedly wet and dry, It's wood. Wood riots. Basic science.

 

[Jainarayan]

I didn't think I had a pic of the pranava I wear. I got it from Rudra Centre in India (Mumbai). I love their products and get most of my stuff from them.

 

[Kirran]

It's in the center of Murugan's yantra. It should be there at Skanda vale.
From Dancing with Siva it says ... two interlocking triangles, upper stands for Siva, purusha and fire, the lower for Shakti, prakriti, and water. Their union gives birth to Murugan, whose sacred number is 6. You can google it for more info too.

His yantra is there of course, but I haven't seen it. That's interesting, thankyou.

I shall.