I hope this is not a disrespectful question

ALifetimeToWaitFor.... said:

sorry this is off topic, but what language is largely spoke and what is writing is used most commonly in hindu circles?

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The liturgical language of Hinduism is Sanskrit, which nobody actually speaks as a daily language.
Being largly confined to India, the language of most Hindus is that of the region they live in.

I think ISKON are a perfectly good organization, but they love to insult other sects when they belive their lord is supreme.

about iskcon i would say that may be it is taking some different path but the way in which it is influencing people is great. i have heard about many western people who upon reading the copy of "Bhagavada Gita - As it is" have dedicated their lives to krishna conciousness. now it is not that easy to influence somebody with a complex way of life like hinduism about which many misconceptions are there. one more thing is that they are also effectively influencing many young people. and this is not as easy as it might look because many of the youth have misconceptions about hinduism and they go on living their life without giving a second thought. iskcon is actually washing away such misconceptions of many young people.

thats what i can say iskcon is good - i think
anup

hare krishna

I am not the biggest fan of ISKON, as a hindu i pride myself on not running into the streets and pressuring people to buy books. ISKON is so close to becoming evangelistic. I have no time for evangelical religions.

ISKON believers are stuck up too, they worship Krishna Bhagwan with a good heart, but feel as if everyone should. They are always telling me (i am swaminarayan) that my faith is wrong and i chose the wrong God.

Sanatan Dharm is not about picking your God, it's about loving and cherishing the one you feel a connection too. Living the Hindu life, not just praying to a God. Hinduism is way of life moreso than a religion. There is no rigidity and full flexibility. For really anyone can be identified Hindu, but specific beliefs and actions seperate us. Hinduism does not ask much of a person. It asks them to follow one of 4 paths, Jnan Yog, Bhakti Yog, Karma Yog or Raja Yog. All of which drive the mind to great extents, to breakaway from birth and death, to reach a state which we should reach.

Anyone who says you shouldnt believe a particular form of God are wrong to do so. Especially when that form is mentioned in the scriptures. For example, Swaminarayan Bhagwan is mentioned within Skand Puran etc. So truth is truth. But by denying him we are struck of out title of being a vaishnav. I have many ISKON follower friends and they are all great and accept Swaminarayan Bhagwan as God. I am a follower of Swaminarayan Bhagwan and is see Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as God as i know he is mentioned in the scriptures and even if he wasnt mentioned it would not be my place to say whetehr he was/wasnt God. As as vaishnavs we are not entitled to such. We may do a sin by saying he is not God. This should be the case for all who establish the Vedas.

Jai Swaminarayan
Jai Shri Krishna

Friend santdasji,

Even without scriptures, can state that you too are part of the same god as swaminarayan or Krishna or all living and non living things, seen or unseen.
Those who do not believe it, it is their karma not ours.
Love & rgds

We are not God. atma and PArmatma are two separate entities. Yes This Parmatma is in my atma but both are not one.

And we're off to the races....

Yeah? Cool im betting.

FRiends,

We are not God. atma and PArmatma are two separate entities. Yes This Parmatma is in my atma but both are not one.

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Atma / paramatma OR individual consciousness/universal consciousness there is a thin line; can anyone state as to what is that?

Love & rgds

How u mean thin line? Define thin line please?

define atma /parmatma.
whatever is the difference is only thin.

I do not understand, zen. Parmatma is the more or less Brahman/Parabrahman. An atma/jiv is a much lower soul form, is it not? I thought the line woud be incredibly thick.

Don Penguino you are right. We are not Parmatma or anyway close. If there was a thin line then we would be able to do at least half of what He does. But no. We do not make universes or give life into objects made of 5 tatvas.

And how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

We're splitting hairs here, my friends.
I think, in general, we can agree that there are levels of diversity/unity corresponding to levels of consciousness. Where one draws the line and applies a different technical term is of little import. The debate threatens to sow discord, as well as diverting attention from the Big Picture.

Hmmmm... Back to the topic...Jeev, Ishvar, Maya, Brahm and Parbrahm are five eternal entities. They are not expansions nor a part of each other according to what i have learnt from the scriptures and my Guru.

Hogwash. There are subjective realities -- illusions, maya, and there is Objective Reality -- Brahman. Only Brahman is really Real.

kiwimac said:

But I have always wondered how traditional hindus feel about ISKON? Does the Society enhance western views of the Dharma or not?

Kiwimac

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Aw, it's not a disrespectful question at all.

I admire their Bhakti or devotion and I enjoy listening to their chanting...which to me is very powerful! I can get taken up very easily.

However, I could be wrong, but I get the impression that some of them believe that people should pray to Krishna only and not the other Deities. Perhaps not all of them are like this. I can't say for sure. Hinduism on the other hand teaches that all Deitites are aspects of one God. Hindus will also acknowledge Jesus, Allah etc. as the Vedas say that Truth is one but is called by many names. ISKCON devotees also seem to be followers of the Dvaita path or dualism, where God and humanity are seperate. Hindus choose to follow either dualism or non-dualism (Advaita). I myself subscribe to the Advaita school of thought.

Seyorni said:

Hogwash. There are subjective realities -- illusions, maya, and there is Objective Reality -- Brahman. Only Brahman is really Real.

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Thats your opinion and your etitled to it. Mr."Really real". lol

The illusion is all part and parcel of Maya.


If you do not like the Vishtadvait Philosophy then fine. It is not my job to convert you into it. HAHA. But your view is barren and makes no sense. Yes this creation is the Karya of the Karan. Who is Parbbrahman Purshottam Bhagwan.

If Brahman isn’t affected then what does peaceful living in harmony with society serve? If one feels peace in raping and looting then he would have no trouble in going about to serve himself right? As according to you there is no karma. So its fine to hurt, kill, loot, rape etc. By the way, why should it matter if “we have come as humans” ? As a human according to you is Brahman, No maya, Parbrahm or Karma affects it so why does it serve a purpose? Why is it necessary for the human society to survive anyway if all is Brahman? If it doesn’t make a difference why do you mention it? So back to my question.. If there is no purpose then what is our aim? Why does the Brahman you describe to be serve no purpose? Also if there is no purpose and no Karma then according to you it’s justifiable to commit murder, rape, steal etc?

But our actions themselves are maya, Santdasji. We're not really walking down the street, eating, combing our hair, &c. This is all a dream. It's an abstract represention of shifting energy fields, potentials, probabilities, &c. We're flying by instrument.

When you play a video game do you think you're really shooting dragons and wandering through castles? Of course not. it's all electrons and liquid crystal chemistry, all an abstraction.

Likewise, metaphysically, no-one's commiting murder; no-one's feeding the poor. There exists, in Reality, no-one to murder or feed. The illusion is there simply as a device to help us optimally configure our energy fields, &c; to help us navigate a multi-dimentional universe we can't perceive.