Following the path of Sanatana Dharma

[Sundance]

Greetings, everyone! I really need your help. After much reflection and sifting through my own belief system, I realized that because much of what I personally believe either originated with Sanatana Dharma or was influenced by it, and the very strong pull I feel towards it, I know that it is the path that I am meant to follow. With that being said, if I must undergo a process of conversion, where do I begin? Should my name be changed? Which form of Deity should I worship? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Peace and blessings.

 

[SomeRandom]

Which deity should you worship? Any one that you feel like. Or none at all, your choice really. How do you convert? I don't know, just live your life as a Hindu/Santana Dharma, learn, grow, play, find a mentor, find a path that you feel is right.
Having a name change is pretty hardcore. Not to be taken lightly. I don't know if it's like a requirement or not, because I am a born Hindu not a "convert."
Conversion and even apostasy are not really concepts in Santana Dharma/Hinduism. Just try to live a good Dharmic life, try to achieve the 4 goals in life and viola, you're a Hindu/Santana Dharma.

Research the schools of thought to see if they are match for you. If they are not, no worries, forge your own. Find knowledgeable people to help you find your path.

I don't mean to be vague, but this is a path that is largely independent (with helpers.) You have to walk it yourself, no one else can do it for you.

 

[Stormcry]

Should my name be changed? Which form of Deity should I worship? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Peace and blessings.

I think it is not necessary to change the name. But even if you want to, you could get help from Brahmana/Vedic astrologer.

Which deity you should worship? hmnnn Vishnu !

Your first move - Read Bhagvad Gita

Hari Om!

 

[Chakra]

Honestly, the current neo-Hindu belief is that you should worship any God that attracts you. Many Hindus would advocate it and it's not a bad start to Hinduism.

But if you care about what the stalwarts of Hinduism have said (like Adi Shankara, Madhva, Ramanuja, Desika, Madhusudhana Sarasvati etc), then Vishnu is the way to go.

And I'm not trying to convert you into Vaishnavism or anything. I have give you the two main options that people can follow.

That being said, are you completely sure that Hinduism is your religion now, and that you want to formally convert? I would call myself a Hindu, but I have not been initiated. If you wish to get initiated into a sect (which is what I recommend), then you must first pick a philosophy and a guru. The guru will help you get initiated into Sanatana Dharma.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Greetings, everyone! I really need your help. After much reflection and sifting through my own belief system, I realized that because much of what I personally believe either originated with Sanatana Dharma or was influenced by it, and the very strong pull I feel towards it, I know that it is the path that I am meant to follow. With that being said, if I must undergo a process of conversion, where do I begin? Should my name be changed? Which form of Deity should I worship? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Peace and blessings.

I do not know how much you know about Hinduism (because you are asking about which deity to worship). I will suggest some basic reading starting with Hinduism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and then follow the links on the page to topics that interest you. You may also go through BBC - Religion: Hinduism and About Hinduism: Hindu Beliefs, Practices, and Culture The first requirement of Hinduism is 'dharma' which means fulfill your responsibilities and engage in righteous action. If you do that, then you are a Hindu. Name change can come any time later when you are sure. Here are some deities that Hindus worship. No problem if you choose one, a few or all. They do not the problem about "Thou shalt have no other gods before me".


(Top row) Vishnu, Durga, Saraswati, (Middle row) Ganesha, Krishna, Hanuman(carrying Rama on his shoulder), (Bottom row) Shiva, Lakshmi, Kartikeya.

 

[kalyan]

There is no word called 'Hindu' or 'Hinduism' , so I would avoid that.

If you are want to come to sanatana dharma. the one which has existed from time immemorial, as my above poster said don't worship multiple gods if it is islam/chrisitianity/Any other.

God can only be one and in our vedic scriptures they point to 'nArayaNa'/Sri Maha Vishnu/ Sri Krushna...Vedas clearly say 'ekamEvA adviteeyam'.

All the other mini gods Brahma/Siva run to Maha Vishnu to help and he is the only supreme.

Regarding the name change it is a common practice among vaishnavites to change their name after they have been initiated. THEY associate themselves as something related to Vishnu like Vishnu Daasa, RamanujaDaasa (meaning servitude only to Maha Vishnu)

 

[George-ananda]

Should my name be changed?

No

Which form of Deity should I worship?

Is there any form of God that you are drawn to or feel most fitting to? There are types of spiritual practice too that does not emphasize worship of a deity form. What is your strongest draw to Hinduism?

 

[kalyan]

No

why not?

 

[George-ananda]

why not?

Perhaps I don't know enough about you. What country do you live in? If you feel driven to change your name that is fine too. Do you mean legally change your name?

 

[Chakra]

TBH, I thought he was talking about changing his username.

 

[Acala]

Is this the Sanatana Dharma of Sri Pravartaka Acharyaji?

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram DJ ji

Greetings, everyone! I really need your help. After much reflection and sifting through my own belief system, I realized that because much of what I personally believe either originated with Sanatana Dharma or was influenced by it,

would be good to know more about your beleifs

I know that it is the path that I am meant to follow. With that being said, if I must undergo a process of conversion, where do I begin?

no , no conversion is nececary at this point , ...initiation can come later when you meet a guru you feel comfortable with then He will give you a new name when you take your initiation vows , .....

Should my name be changed?

of couurse for your avatara here you can change it , ....DJ to Dhananjaya , .....usualy the Guru chooses an auspicious name begining with the same initial letter as your birth name (this if you were born Sanatana Dharmi would be chosen by your bith date ) , ...Dhananjaya is one of the names given to Arjuna in the Mahabarata , ...one who brings prosperity , ...(think of prosperity in terms of auspiciousness and spiritual wealth ), .....

Which form of Deity should I worship?

I am biased , ....Visnu in his many forms , ....

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Peace and blessings.

jai jai

Bankibihari Lal sends blessings and Welcome , .....

 

[Sundance]

Which deity should you worship? Any one that you feel like. Or none at all, your choice really. How do you convert? I don't know, just live your life as a Hindu/Santana Dharma, learn, grow, play, find a mentor, find a path that you feel is right.
Having a name change is pretty hardcore. Not to be taken lightly. I don't know if it's like a requirement or not, because I am a born Hindu not a "convert."
Conversion and even apostasy are not really concepts in Santana Dharma/Hinduism. Just try to live a good Dharmic life, try to achieve the 4 goals in life and viola, you're a Hindu/Santana Dharma.

Research the schools of thought to see if they are match for you. If they are not, no worries, forge your own. Find knowledgeable people to help you find your path.

I don't mean to be vague, but this is a path that is largely independent (with helpers.) You have to walk it yourself, no one else can do it for you.

Thank you very much, SomeRandom. Your advice is greatly appreciated, and I will definitely take it to heart. But then, how does one live “Hindu”?

 

[SomeRandom]

Thank you very much, SomeRandom. Your advice is greatly appreciated, and I will definitely take it to heart. But then, how does one live “Hindu”?

No worries.
By fulfilling their specific Dharma, of course. Hinduism is a very personal thing, so I cannot give you a broad or even specific answer, as it depends largely on the person and their specific circumstances. Some might argue that to live Hindu is to try to achieve the 4 goals in life. So you could try your hand at that, as well.

 

[Aupmanyav]

View attachment 10168
(Top row) Vishnu, Durga, Saraswati, (Middle row) Ganesha, Krishna, Hanuman(carrying Rama on his shoulder), (Bottom row) Shiva, Lakshmi, Kartikeya.

Vishnu: Supreme; Durga: Supreme; Saraswati: Speech, all learning including music, poetry, science too; Ganesha: Auspicious, destroyer of obstacles; Krishna: Naughty, Wise, Supreme; Hanuman: Friendship, loyalty, bodily power (Rama: Supreme, dharma personified, eminently followable); Shiva: Supreme, creator of language, dance, music; Lakshmi: Supreme, all kinds of wealths, spouse of Vishnu; Kartikeya: Valor, wisdom.

There is no word called 'Hindu' or 'Hinduism', so I would avoid that.

I do not see any need to do that. People know those who follow Sanatan (the eternal) Dharma as Hindus.

Vedas clearly say 'ekamEvA adviteeyam'.

"Ekameva adviteeyam' (the one without a second), but they did not name him, so you have the choice.

 

[Sundance]

Honestly, the current neo-Hindu belief is that you should worship any God that attracts you. Many Hindus would advocate it and it's not a bad start to Hinduism.

But if you care about what the stalwarts of Hinduism have said (like Adi Shankara, Madhva, Ramanuja, Desika, Madhusudhana Sarasvati etc), then Vishnu is the way to go.

And I'm not trying to convert you into Vaishnavism or anything. I have give you the two main options that people can follow.

That being said, are you completely sure that Hinduism is your religion now, and that you want to formally convert? I would call myself a Hindu, but I have not been initiated. If you wish to get initiated into a sect (which is what I recommend), then you must first pick a philosophy and a guru. The guru will help you get initiated into Sanatana Dharma.

Am I completely sure that I wish to convert? Yes!

 

[Sundance]

No


Is there any form of God that you are drawn to or feel most fitting to? There are types of spiritual practice too that does not emphasize worship of a deity form. What is your strongest draw to Hinduism?

I feel most in love with Vishnu's incarnation of Krishna. Kirtan is what attracted me in a very real way to Sanatana Dharma.

 

[Aupmanyav]

All the other mini gods Brahma/Siva run to Maha Vishnu to help and he is the only supreme.

Regarding the name change it is a common practice among vaishnavites to change their name after they have been initiated. THEY associate themselves as something related to Vishnu like Vishnu Daasa, RamanujaDaasa (meaning servitude only to Maha Vishnu)

Not a good line to write if you see that the forum is used by all Hindus, Shaivas, Shaktas and Smartas also, who have different views.

There are many ways you can worship Gods/Goddesses and not just servitude. Bhava - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"One may speak of bhāvas plural, often glossed as devotional attitudes. A traditional reckoning of ideal bhāvas, as exemplified in the Hindu scriptures, is as follows:

• śāntabhāva, the calm, peaceful, gentle or saintly attitude adopted by the ancient Rishis
• dāsyabhāva, the attitude of a servant towards his master, exemplified by Hanuman
• sakhyabhāva, the attitude of a friend as exemplified by Arjuna and Uddhava towards Krishna
• vātsalyabhāva, the attitude of a mother towards her child as exemplified by Kausalya towards Rama and of Yasoda towards Krishna
• madhurabhāva (or kantabhava), the attitude of a woman in love as exemplified by Radha and Mirabai toward Krishna
• tanmayabhava, the attitude that the Lord is present everywhere."

 

[Aupmanyav]

Is this the Sanatana Dharma of Sri Pravartaka Acharyaji?

Now who is that? It is rainy season and the tadpoles seem to rain down.

 

[Sundance]

namaskaram DJ ji



would be good to know more about your beleifs



no , no conversion is nececary at this point , ...initiation can come later when you meet a guru you feel comfortable with then He will give you a new name when you take your initiation vows , .....




of couurse for your avatara here you can change it , ....DJ to Dhananjaya , .....usualy the Guru chooses an auspicious name begining with the same initial letter as your birth name (this if you were born Sanatana Dharmi would be chosen by your bith date ) , ...Dhananjaya is one of the names given to Arjuna in the Mahabarata , ...one who brings prosperity , ...(think of prosperity in terms of auspiciousness and spiritual wealth ), .....



I am biased , ....Visnu in his many forms , ....



jai jai

Bankibihari Lal sends blessings and Welcome , .....

Greetings, ratikala! What I basically believe is five-fold:

1) that the seemingly countless different gods and goddesses are emanations from a single source, though I worship one as the major one.

2) this source constitutes the only Reality in the universe, and everything else is illusory.

3) all beings are trapped in the illusion, and need to be free.

4) karma and reincarnation are the two-part operating system in the universe.

5) there are different ways of achieving ultimate liberation.