27 replies to this topic

[Dementia]

[PsychicPenguin]

[Dementia]

Could be..but it would have been an awesome trip to come up with such a realistic description  

Btw...Carl Segan talks about how the pygmies in africa only cultivate Cannabis cause it helps them pass the longer hours that they have to wait while hunting for food. He goes on to say..primative man might have done the same..which would have led to cultivation of other crops too, and as an end..to civilization as we know it!

[PrettyAndCorrupt]

Number one,
I do not smoke pot. Never have, nor do I ever intend to.
Number two, I do not experiment with hallucinogens or any other significant mind altering drugs. I do not like anything that alters my perception of reality. I have had bad experiences with this in the past, and would not like to revisit them.

Number three...
The temple is in KATMANDU. That would be in NEPAL. Not in Jammu and Kazhmir.
The name of the temple is Shree Pashupatinath temple

Sorry if I sound rude in the least. But certain things that were typed make me feel as if I am a novice when it comes to Hinduism..and I most certainly am not that

[PrettyAndCorrupt]

The Holi that I did not play

The night before bhang-inebriated we sat round the embers of the tongues of fire that had reached for the skies but an hour ago. Some one inquired about the novel I was writing. Some one else asked me to narrate the story. I began enthusiastically and went on till somebody exclaimed: “Your heroine is too good to be true.” I stopped the narration as some odd apocalypse hit me. I went to the niche where I had placed the 2000 and odd pages written in long hand stored in some 20 notebooks got them out and returned to the embers and threw them all in and suddenly the tongues leapt briefly again to consume my work. As I looked at the winking red embers mocking at me, I felt the colours dry up within me. I walked into the darkness ignoring my worried friends and cried.

I never played Holi again.
– DN Moorty
March 2000

Holi Memoirs

[Dementia]

[PrettyAndCorrupt]

I have practiced Hinduism for about..hmm..two years now.
I cannot even BEGIN to imagine the corruption of Hinduism in India as India is the third most corrupt nation on the Asian continent (which breaks my heart because I love India dearly.)

I got into a conversation once with a self proclaimed Hindu who stated that the varnas indicated racial superiority..when anyone educated on Hinduism knows different..just goes to show that anything can be twisted and corrupted.

I dont think Hinduism is as corrupt as Islam..but if things like no education keep going on in India..it will get that way

There are so many things that can be taken out of context in Hinduism because it is so multifaceted...
From it, I personally have learned of peace. It has definatly been my savior.

[Dementia]

Im abit rusty on my history..but The Rig Veda does talk about the caste system. However it does not preach racial superiority.
The Indian society was too be divided into 4 general catagory's or castes which was decided according to the type of work the person did. This caste system was hierarchial in nature too.

Kshatriya's
This was the warrior class..all kings,generals,soldiers,etc..belonged to this, and their basic duty was protection. They were given the highest position because of the very basic function they preformed.

Brahmins
They were the custodian of hindu religion..duties included performing religious rites and ceremonies. They were the educated class and were the means for mere mortals and the gods.

Vaishaya's
The merchant class

Shudra's
They performed duties which included scavenging, disposing dead bodies, and agricultre

This caste system was not at all rigid, and one could move up in the oder..that is it wasnt heirdiatary in nature..one's job decided his caste.

But as time went by..this system became rigid..and the brahmins became the most powerful amoung all the 4. Scholars like Manu..came and made laws which maintained the brahmical supermacy and in talked about female insubordination..a pointed to be noted is..till now females were considered to be equal to men in every sense. Now the caste system became heirdiatry,..and you could not move out of your caste whatever duty you performed.

This was one of the major reasons for the degenration of Hinduism..Things seem really bad also cause of the way it has been politicised by politicians. They talk about Hindu superiority not because they believe in it..but because they know they can get the maximum number of votes by doing this.
The situation might sound bad..but India still remains one of the most secular country's in the true sense of the word.


Seems to me..i have hijacked this thread in a way..considering it began as a simple query about the dwarikanath temple in dwarka    

[buggyelfmaiden]

interesting though.

Hinduism's something I've read verry little on.  I know of the dieties and thheir roles but that's about it.  

Though I find Polytheastic religions more realistic in the long run than monotheastic ones.

Though I'm a warrior by heart and find it hard to think that God or the Gods would make woman (Which I am) weaker than man in order to make use servants to them..

I mean Women bring us into the world (mother) and I don't know about you, but I've learned from more women then men in my life which in Wiccan beliefs one of the ones you learn from is the crone (Elder woman).  

oops went ot.  Sorry.  *Sheepish grin*  

Though you have to admit, most of the art for Hindu gods and goddesses are beautiful.  it's hard to remember Shiva is the destroyer when he has such a pretty face.

[PsychicPenguin]

Shiva is only a destroyer in the trimurti point of view. For Shiva's devotees, he is pretty much teh God of everything. And we should remember that death and destruction in Hinduism is sacred. It is something hard to comprehend for westerners that is too familiar with Christian concept of Satan.

Hindu, just like any other relligion with such complexity, is vulnerable to corruption, and I found what you reported from India to be really sad.

About female, role, we should remember that the Gods of trimurti has no power without their female counterparts, namely Saraswati, Lakhsmi, and Parvati/Uma. Also Hindhu is not entirely polytheistic, as a lot of Hindus devote to mainly one God. Also the concept of the Ultimate makes it closer to monotheistic worldview.

[buggyelfmaiden]

True, but Hindu has many gods... that's why I said it that way... I didn't mean disrespect.

And so you know... I happen to try to follow more Native American views than the typical 'westerner'

*Grins*  

[PsychicPenguin]

I found something interesting... when we talk about Hindu, the discussion remains polite and civilized. The hard line atheists restrain from attacking posts. But if the subject is Christianity, the thread quickly turn into a heated debate and then locked ... an unexplained phenomena? Anyway.. I found this from a travel agent

[Vyxuex]

Krishna is a reincarnation of Vishnu.
Vishnu is father of Brahma.
Brahma rides a swan.

Sorry I'm going off the subject here!!!

This temple which holds Krishna is off the coast of Dwarka, right?

If you really want to know more about it, maybe you should go there and visit him yourself. ANd only one priest is allowed in twice a day? If he doesn't let you in, maybe you should ask him/her about it, I'm sure he/she'll tell you.

The cost of visiting this place?