Hindus should restart worshipping Indra

[Vinayaka]

Now this leaves one wondering (an by one I mean me lol) what exactly ARE the deities? Creations of the divine to help us know the divine, basicly out own creations to help us realize there is no duality. Or are they kind if like the "duel part" of the divine. Like the divine manifested while we are not...."complete" almost like divine babysitters sort of. Or are they completely non exist any just figures of our imagination to help us add form to the formless.

If I didn't believe they were real, I wouldn't be off to the temple as much as I am, that's for sure. They are God and Gods, metaphysical beings in etheric bodies, who can see from the other side about 10 times clearer than you can see them. The metal or stone murthi temporarily holds these bodies of light. They hover in, around or above the murthi, in a sanctified space. Not our own creations, but emanations of God, except for God himself.

Of course this is just the mystical teaching of my mystical sampradaya. I predict a scholar will soon come along and inform me of my vivid imagination.

You read about the Milk miracle?

 

[Kalidas]

If I didn't believe they were real, I wouldn't be off to the temple as much as I am, that's for sure. They are God and Gods, metaphysical beings in etheric bodies, who can see from the other side about 10 times clearer than you can see them. The metal or stone murthi temporarily holds these bodies of light. They hover in, around or above the murthi, in a sanctified space. Not our own creations, but emanations of God, except for God himself.

Of course this is just the mystical teaching of my mystical sampradaya. I predict a scholar will soon come along and inform me of my vivid imagination.

You read about the Milk miracle?

So (according to you of course) we are part of the divine but the DEITIES are that divine embodied looking back at us through a bit of a looking glass? Am I kinda coming understand you correctly?

No, no I have not.

 

[Maya3]

Lemaster:

How do most advaitins view the deities? I have always wondered. I have my own ideas but the idea of us all being Brahman and yet worshipping deities still confuses my poor brain. Lol

If you don't mind me jumping in here?
I'm Advaitin, I view deities as symbols. I don't think they are real, but I think that they can be used as a way to focus your mind on what God really is.
I also think it is possible that energy gets focused in the Murti or around the altar because you have prayed so much there. I can feel it at the temple at the Ashram for example. Some pretty amazing things have occurred in this temple and I can only prescribe it to the chanting and the meditations that have been done there.

I go to a Smarta temple also and I enjoy it, but my real love is for God as formless and as the sound of AUM.

I'm probably not a very traditional Advaitin though.

SuryaDeva was a gift from God, and frankly. I wish we had more like him, because he makes you think. So do some others. Read, listen, make up your own mind, be open.

Very, very true. Yes it really got us thinking. I was really having to think about my beliefs there for a while.
But I don't wish for more people coming here and being as rude as he was. Challenging us in our beliefs and how we look at things is great, but he was too pushy.

Maya

 

[Kalidas]

Lemaster:

If you don't mind me jumping in here?
I'm Advaitin, I view deities as symbols. I don't think they are real, but I think that they can be used as a way to focus your mind on what God really is.
I also think it is possible that energy gets focused in the Murti or around the altar because you have prayed so much there. I can feel it at the temple at the Ashram for example. Some pretty amazing things have occurred in this temple and I can only prescribe it to the chanting and the meditations that have been done there.

I go to a Smarta temple also and I enjoy it, but my real love is for God as formless and as the sound of AUM.

I'm probably not a very traditional Advaitin though.



Very, very true. Yes it really got us thinking. I was really having to think about my beliefs there for a while.
But I don't wish for more people coming here and being as rude as he was. Challenging us in our beliefs and how we look at things is great, but he was too pushy.

Maya

Jump in when ever you want friend. I see , so to you there would just be imaginary symbols to give form to the formless... interesting but understandable.

 

[Maya3]

Jump in when ever you want friend. I see , so to you there would just be imaginary symbols to give form to the formless... interesting but understandable.

In a sense yes. I don't think that there are individual deities somewhere who actually are in this form.
I think it is us who cannot comprehend God that need these forms.
But using them can be very powerful and very intense, and I think it is a great way to focus if you feel connected to them.

But that said, today my husband and I had a really amazing day that could have been really bad, but things just turned out nice instead. And I feel that it might have had something to do with the fact that I carried my "Travel Ganesh" with me.



Maya

 

[Kalidas]

In a sense yes. I don't think that there are individual deities somewhere who actually are in this form.
I think it is us who cannot comprehend God that need these forms.
But using them can be very powerful and very intense, and I think it is a great way to focus if you feel connected to them.

But that said, today my husband and I had a really amazing day that could have been really bad, but things just turned out nice instead. And I feel that it might have had something to do with the fact that I carried my "Travel Ganesh" with me.



Maya

Yes it is hard to argue with what you feel. I am happy your day ended so well

 

[Sumit]

Or are they completely non exist any just figures of our imagination to help us add form to the formless.

Deities are 100% real. However I am still confused either some deities are different representation of same shakti and they change their form with the method applied by sadhak to worship them same as milk forms different product at different conditions or they have separate identity.

 

[Kalidas]

Deities are 100% real. However I am still confused either some deities are different representation of same shakti and they change their form with the method applied by sadhak to worship them same as milk forms different product at different conditions or they have separate identity.

Oh like the different forms of shakti? Yeah good question.

 

[Sumit]

Oh like the different forms of shakti? Yeah good question.

Some deities are individual souls and they achieved this status due to their karmas whereas the reality of major deities is really confusing. If we go to scriptures than Vedas declare them as different aspects of Brahman (not sure) but if we go to tantric texts we see different description. Some tantric texts such as Gayatri Rahasya, Shri Vidhya Rahasya, Mahakali Tantra, Mantra Mahodahi define them as Same i.e. Brahman while other define them as Prakriti. I wish I could ask these deities, may be in future.

 

[Vinayaka]

Deities are 100% real. However I am still confused either some deities are different representation of same shakti

For what it's worth, I feel different shakti from different deities.

 

[Vinayaka]

But I don't wish for more people coming here and being as rude as he was. Challenging us in our beliefs and how we look at things is great, but he was too pushy.

Maya

Neither do I. But mostly I read without responding. But I think we mistakenly jump to the conclusion that if you're rude, you're wrong. I know I do sometimes. I'm just so trained in being polite. Sometimes there are other factors. For example, out priest seem bossy in busy pujas, but it's the busy that's the problem. They're feeling, "Look, I don't have time to explain it to you politely."

Then there is the cultural and personality factors. Some cultures are just less polite, and some people (Asperger's, Sheldon on Big Bang) come across as rude because they don't get it.

 

[Maya3]

Neither do I. But mostly I read without responding. But I think we mistakenly jump to the conclusion that if you're rude, you're wrong. I know I do sometimes. I'm just so trained in being polite. Sometimes there are other factors. For example, out priest seem bossy in busy pujas, but it's the busy that's the problem. They're feeling, "Look, I don't have time to explain it to you politely."

Then there is the cultural and personality factors. Some cultures are just less polite, and some people (Asperger's, Sheldon on Big Bang) come across as rude because they don't get it.

Yup, I have a lot to learn about not getting rude back to rude people. I'm not very good at it.

Maya

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Neither do I. But mostly I read without responding. But I think we mistakenly jump to the conclusion that if you're rude, you're wrong. I know I do sometimes. I'm just so trained in being polite. Sometimes there are other factors. For example, out priest seem bossy in busy pujas, but it's the busy that's the problem. They're feeling, "Look, I don't have time to explain it to you politely."

Then there is the cultural and personality factors. Some cultures are just less polite, and some people (Asperger's, Sheldon on Big Bang) come across as rude because they don't get it.

I know when it comes to rudeness it makes it difficult for me to respect a person's viewpoint. Sometimes I don't even hear what they say because I'm so insulted. You're right though - rude people still have something to teach us. Even if what they are saying is wrong, we can learn how not to behave, or how to have patience.


Shanti :camp:

 

[Sumit]

For what it's worth, I feel different shakti from different deities.

May be different aspects of the same powers.

 

[Jainarayan]

Yup, I have a lot to learn about not getting rude back to rude people. I'm not very good at it.

Maya

You and me both. On the flip side, I always feel a need to respond to any comment with a little acknowledgment, though I know it's usually not necessary. For example, I say something that one of you agrees with or adds to. I feel the need to acknowledge your response, lest you think I'm ignoring you, being rude or didn't like what you said. But that's not the case. In face to face, sitting around the dining room table a smile and nod of the head with a "yup" acknowledges. But on the internet, there is no such ability except those little acknowledgments with or without smilies, which gets to be overkill.

 

[Jainarayan]

Now this leaves one wondering (an by one I mean me lol) what exactly ARE the deities? Creations of the divine to help us know the divine, basicly out own creations to help us realize there is no duality. Or are they kind if like the "duel part" of the divine. Like the divine manifested while we are not...."complete" almost like divine babysitters sort of. Or are they completely non exist any just figures of our imagination to help us add form to the formless.

I think they are real. I think they are emanations of God for specific reasons; they are forms the Supreme One takes or images the Supreme One projects for our limited and simple minds. For example while I don't worship Maa Saraswati as Supreme Goddess, I do venerate Her as my patroness for music and learning; I don't worship Sri Hanuman as Supreme but I venerate Him as my patron of strength; the same goes for Sri Ganesha, Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Lord Kartikeya, Shanidev, whom I venerate especially on Saturdays by keeping a candle lit all day and saying His mantra. He's been good to me (He can be somewhat unpredictable), especially because I venerate Sri Hanuman; that pleases Shanidev. But ultimately Narayana controls all this and gives the blessings. I believe the buddhas and bodhisattvas are also helper beings, though not emanations or forms of God. They are enlightened beings whom I venerate, who help us also.

 

[Jainarayan]

...they change their form with the method applied by sadhak to worship them same as milk forms different product at different conditions...

:yes: I'm of that opinion, which is a good way to put it.

 

[Ashoka]

I believe the buddhas and bodhisattvas are also helper beings, though not emanations or forms of God. They are enlightened beings whom I venerate, who help us also.

I love Tara, Kuan Yin, and the Medicine Buddha.

 

[Viraja]

I love Tara, Kuan Yin, and the Medicine Buddha.

I think they are similar to Danvantari, the Ashwini Kumaras, Garuda, the Nandi and so forth. They are not Brahman but worshiped by many people for specific reasons such as personal health and welfare and give out results. I wonder if Dasamahavidyas also belong to this category. I have not seen anyone describe the Mahavidyas as 'Shakti' or 'Parvathi' but they are worshiped specifically for certain spiritual goals guided by a trained astrologer/pundit.

 

[Jainarayan]

I have Green Tārā, White Tārā, Manjushri, Kuan Yin, and Medicine Buddha on my altar. I also have tiny ones on my Buddhist altar. On rare occasions I say (well, I read because it's so long) the Praises to the Twenty-One Tārās. I recite the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī and Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāranī, both in Sanskrit.