More questions!

[Kirran]

And in the interest of maintaining my heroic status...

I present to you Tanileer Tivan the...

Oh wait, wrong story...

I loooove this. It's good for getting the rhythm of the Sanskrit.

I've chanted it enough that the rhythm is stuck solidly in my head At Soma Skanda Ashram it's chanted every day.

Different accent to the video though

 

[TravisJC]

Yes, I would see Shivashtakam as an invocation. SriRudram is followed by Chamakam. What mantras a person will recite depends on him. I generally talk to the Lord in plain English. (He-hee)

I see, since all I speak is english and spanish it will be nice to just talk to Lord Shiva in english as well!

I've seen elaborate pujas done beautifully with no heart, and simple pujas done in a loving way.

This means so much, I think, for me at least, I see these elaborate puja and I just assume that there is more devotion and love in one. I think it's just a barrier I have to break. Thank you for this though.

Of course, I don't understand what you do if you mispronounce a prayer asking for forgiveness for mispronunciation.

I will simply ask the Lord for forgiveness in English: that is until I find one in Sanskrit.

OK, I'll throw in the Lingashtikam as a bonus to make up for it

Now I have seen the Lingashtikam, is these just another mantra that one could recite in puja?

Thank you for all of your responses friends, much appreciated as always!

 

[Kirran]

Now I have seen the Lingashtikam, is these just another mantra that one could recite in puja?

The Lingashtikam is just a hymn in praise of Shiva, I guess

As for the English and Sanskrit stuff - dude, just talk to God every day. The whole thing of people kneeling by their bed and praying every night is a very legit custom.

 

[Vinayaka]

God understands all languages. He's God. It's the intent. Although I chant my puja in Sanskrit, I still think in English. Only well trained priests think in Sanskrit.

 

[Kirran]

God understands all languages. He's God. It's the intent. Although I chant my puja in Sanskrit, I still think in English. Only well trained priests think in Sanskrit.

And these folks - This village speaks gods language - Times of India

 

[Vinayaka]

And these folks - This village speaks gods language - Times of India

Yes, its still a conversational language in places.

 

[Kirran]

Yes, its still a conversational language in places.

More a revival kinda thing, I think. Back in the day it wouldn't have been conversational really, that would have been Prakrits.

 

[TravisJC]

The Lingashtikam is just a hymn in praise of Shiva, I guess

As for the English and Sanskrit stuff - dude, just talk to God every day. The whole thing of people kneeling by their bed and praying every night is a very legit custom.

Thank you.

As for Lord Kartikeya, does he present a more wrathful deity? I am curious because of my idea that the whole God of War sounds kinda of brute "ish".

 

[Kirran]

Thank you.

As for Lord Kartikeya, does he present a more wrathful deity? I am curious because of my idea that the whole God of War sounds kinda of brute "ish".

I've never experienced Him as wrathful, exactly, no. Just absolutely uncompromising. But you may experience him differently.

 

[Aupmanyav]

One of the stories about Kartikeya (Murugan) if you have not read it:
There was a demon named Tarakasura. He worshiped Lord Brahma and extracted a boon from him that none else but the son of Lord Shiva would be able to kill him. Shiva at that time was deeply engaged in his meditation which had continued for eons. Tarak thought that he was invincible since Shiva would not father a son. He went on to defeat all people in the world including the lesser Gods lead by Indra.

So now, Gods had a problem. how to break Shiva's meditation. They enlisted the help of Cupid (Kamadeva). To create a congenial atmosphere, Kamadeva creates an untimely spring (akāla-vasanta). He evades Shiva's guard, Nandin, the bull, by taking the form of the fragrant southern breeze, and enters Shiva's abode. Kamadeva shot his arrow, decorated with five fragrant flowers with bow made of sugarcane and which had a string of honeybees.

The five flowers are Ashoka tree flowers, white and blue lotus flowers, Mallika plant (Jasmine) and Mango tree flowers (Kamadeva - Wikipedia). Shiva's meditation is broken but he is mightily displeased. He burns Kamadeva to ground with his third eye. At the request of Kamadeva' wife (Rati - engagement), he is revived later as Lord Krishna's son, Pradyumna.

But then what was done was one, meditation broken, Shiva went to cohabit with Parvati engendering Kartikeya. Kartikeya, later led the army of Gods and killed Tarakasura, Indra, in gratitude, got his daughter, Devasena, married with him. That is one story. The other does not involve any marriage, and shows him as an ascetic and celibate.

 

[Aupmanyav]

More a revival kinda thing, I think. Back in the day it wouldn't have been conversational really, that would have been Prakrits.

That is true, but did you note, even the Muslims of the village! Learning Sanskrit is not difficult. What is difficult is to start talking in Sanskrit. My Sanskrit guru asked me to start that, and that is where I failed.

 

[TravisJC]

He went on to defeat all people in the world including the lesser Gods lead by Indra.

Who is Indra? I have heard this name but I'm not sure who she or he is?

how to break Shiva's meditation.

Is this his long state of meditation after the death of Sati?

Kartikeya, later led the army of Gods and killed Tarakasura

So, Lord Karikeya is revered to have helped basically save the world from Tarakasura?

Thank you telling me about Kartikeya, quite lovely!

 

[Aupmanyav]

Shiva, Nataraja (the king of dancers)

 

[Aupmanyav]

Travis, I wrote answers to all three of your questions, but as it happens, in adding the image above I accidentally deleted the answers. Not to worry. In such case, we say 'Prabhu Ichha' (as the God desires) and carry on. So I will try to create the answers, but you know the first answers are the best, since they arise straight out of one's heart. This time I will start from your last question.

3. Yes, Lord Kartikeya (Murugan in South India) saved the earth, the Lesser Gods and humans from oppression of Tarakasura. Tarakasura had become uncontrollable because of his boon and was terrorizing/dominating all.

2. No. By that time, Mother Sati had been reborn in the House of the King of mountains, Himalaya, as Mother Parvati. She had completed her austerities and had been able to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva as her husband. But Shiva being Shiva, would go in meditation when he so desired. As you know the time scale of Gods and humans is different. What is one minute for Gods is an eon for humans. So, (suffice i to say that) Shiva had been in meditation for a long time.

Oh, it happened once again and part of the answer about Indra was wiped out. So I am writing it on Notepad and will transfer it to the post when it I complete it. Sure, that is a bit irritating.

This is mythology. One may believe it or not, but the fact is that the universe is a reflection of the dance of Lord Shiva. I think Indra deserve a separate post. So I would conclude this post here.

 

[Vinayaka]

Thank you.

As for Lord Kartikeya, does he present a more wrathful deity? I am curious because of my idea that the whole God of War sounds kinda of brute "ish".

I'm a Murugan bhaktar, and although it varies from sect to sect, in my sect we consider Him to be the God of advanced yoga. So for the inner stuff, the meditations, we beseech him. The asuras is metaphoric. He pierces our own ignorance with his Vel, the light of refined energy and wisdom.

But, yeah, in Puranic Hinduism, this can be taken more literally.

Rather than read, I'd encourage you to try to find a Murugan focused temple, sit for awhile, try to tune into Him. I think you'll find the energy incredibly peaceful, yet scintillating, electric.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Vel - a spear. That is what Murugan carried in his hand. It can be used in war as well as in piercing the veil of ignorance in his devotees.

 

[TravisJC]

Travis, I wrote answers to all three of your questions, but as it happens, in adding the image above I accidentally deleted the answers.

I read your post last night before I went to bed and woke up and realized it deleted again.
Thank you for rewriting the answers and being patient enough to do it twice ahha

This is mythology. One may believe it or not, but the fact is that the universe is a reflection of the dance of Lord Shiva. I think Indra deserve a separate post. So I would conclude this post here.

There is just so much history that it is sometimes very overwhelming!

Rather than read, I'd encourage you to try to find a Murugan focused temple, sit for awhile, try to tune into Him. I think you'll find the energy incredibly peaceful, yet scintillating, electric.

I live in Southern California, so this might be difficult. At the moment I'm trying to come in contact with a local temple so I can start coming and just simply learning and picking things up.

 

[Vinayaka]

I live in Southern California, so this might be difficult. At the moment I'm trying to come in contact with a local temple so I can start coming and just simply learning and picking things up.

Lots of temples there. One way to find them is with google maps. No Murugan specific ones though as far as I know,

 

[TravisJC]

Lots of temples there. One way to find them is with google maps. No Murugan specific ones though as far as I know,

I know there is a Santana Dharma temple, hopefully I can find a Saivite that wouldn't mind helping me.

 

[Vinayaka]

I know there is a Santana Dharma temple, hopefully I can find a Saivite that wouldn't mind helping me.

Temples vary a ton just because Hinduism is so vast. If I was there I'd take you around.