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RobbH
11 May 2010, 02:09 AM
If someone wanted to follow the Sanatana Dharma, and in particular sought to worship Lord Shiva, where would be the best place to start.

I'm a complete novice to this vast subject, and so any help given would be greatly appreciated.

Darji
11 May 2010, 06:37 PM
Easy! speak to Eastern Mind, for a canuck he's not too bad and has been a loyal devotee to Siva ever since the ice age. :)

Eastern Mind
11 May 2010, 07:02 PM
Vannakam :

Darji: I must yap too much if you know that much about me and you've only been here a month. I know nothing really.

Aum Namasivaya

Ashvati
11 May 2010, 09:35 PM
Nonsense. Shall I foreward him the message you sent me about Saivism, with all the links?

Eastern Mind
11 May 2010, 10:07 PM
Vannakkam:

It's okay. If any seeker gets persistent, they can find answers. It is Ganesha's job to guide, so the signs come along. Ganesha is like a fisherman fishing for souls who are ready to take the bait. Some of us get hooked.

But in reality, I AM a fool, compared to some of the inner sages. They just operate on totally different levels. We try hard to go in, to meditate, to seek refuge from the chaos of the world deep within. We have to go to temples to see God. They just have to shut their eyes, and breathe. The mystic sages have to put that much effort into coming out into normal consciousness just in order to function. Imagine Ramana Maharshi trying to drive a car.

Aum Namasivaya

Darji
12 May 2010, 02:15 AM
Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut, problem with staying up many hours to meet deadlines is you don't really think. :doh:

Robb a choìre,
Fàilte gu HDF, tha mi airson Sanatana Dharma ionnsachadh, as well.
None the less, there is a tonne of info here, you just have to search for it. We must remember that a lot of new comers here trying to find the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, and the answer isn't always 42. So my apologizes to EM, I shouldn't have put you on the spot.

BUT! I think what would help this site is a beginners quick guide one for Vaishnava and one of Shaiva for those who have this incessant pounding of our Lords love in our ears. It's like being blind folded and beat like a piñata all whilst trying to navigate a maze. :banghead:

So instead of having to answer the same questions over and over again to each noob, let's make a sticky!

It doesn't have to be in depth, hell that's why it's called a journey.

Just a post with a general method of honouring Vishnu/Krisna, Shiva and Shakti. With perhaps a simple puja, aarti, their mantra and a couple of chants from a purana should be sufficient to kick start our journey. :feedback:

Le Meas
D

RobbH
12 May 2010, 04:17 AM
Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut, problem with staying up many hours to meet deadlines is you don't really think. :doh:

Robb a choìre,
Fàilte gu HDF, tha mi airson Sanatana Dharma ionnsachadh, as well.
None the less, there is a tonne of info here, you just have to search for it. We must remember that a lot of new comers here trying to find the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, and the answer isn't always 42. So my apologizes to EM, I shouldn't have put you on the spot.

BUT! I think what would help this site is a beginners quick guide one for Vaishnava and one of Shaiva for those who have this incessant pounding of our Lords love in our ears. It's like being blind folded and beat like a piñata all whilst trying to navigate a maze. :banghead:

So instead of having to answer the same questions over and over again to each noob, let's make a sticky!

It doesn't have to be in depth, hell that's why it's called a journey.

Just a post with a general method of honouring Vishnu/Krisna, Shiva and Shakti. With perhaps a simple puja, aarti, their mantra and a couple of chants from a purana should be sufficient to kick start our journey. :feedback:

Le Meas
D

Tapadh Leibh Darji,

As newbie, I think if you did put together a sticky it would be great. There is a rough guide to setting up an altar, etc in the back of most ISKCON books for the worship of Krishna, etc, but given that I feel more inclined (not inclined actually, at the mo, I feel compelled) to worship Lord Shiva then I am at a loss for a simple daily service. All I know is Om Namah Shivaya, and that's it worship wise!

NayaSurya
12 May 2010, 10:14 AM
The funny thing is Robb, that is all you need to start<3

But if you'd like to follow me down a bunny hole:p

Saivism has several streams to follow.

http://www.saivism.net/

This link has a place on the left that will give you the main branches of Saivism.

This is a link to my personal branch.
http://ikashmir.net/religion/index.html

As far as a sticky. I think the reason this has not been done because it is not simple to answer that question. It is a mountain of information.


It's not like...take for example...Christianity where they get up on one specific day, go to the place everyone worships then say the same things together.

That is the machete...cut wide paths and nondiscriminate of what it hits.

Every single person here worships in a very specific way for their soul's design.

Sanatana Dharma is the dentists drill...carefully fine tuned for each proceedure.

Even this post could be answered 1000 ways.:p

But let me show you what it's like when you begin to narrow it down.

-The best place to start is to find the deity of you heart...the one of past times...the one that speaks to you instantly.
In my case it was most beloved Siva.

Siva

Then read of each philosophy every stream of thought upon this deity.

Find the one that speaks to you.

For me this took a long time the texts involved in Kasmiri Saivism are hidden to the dog, I had to prove I was worth the knowledge.
Eventually, thank goodness these words were revealed and so I know the name of this smaller dileniation-

Kasmiri Saivism

-The you will learn of different schools of thought inside of this larger grouping. You may again find yourself in the position to choose. In my case, again it took much much reading. Constant learning to deliniate the different schools of Kasmiri Saivism. But eventually I learn my place.

Pratyabhij&#241;a

-Then from this even smaller classification, you will learn of ways to pray, worship and even find temples specifically for that practice. There are specific texts to read.


It narrows and narrows as you make each decision.

Each decision will bring you down to a tiny spot of Sanatana Dharma.


At first seeing the unsurmountable task set before me, I almost gave up. There is much to learn to read and to decide.

But once you have your course set. When God allows you to know His name. Then you began to find your way.

I truly hope I helped<3

Ashvati
12 May 2010, 10:59 AM
We must remember that a lot of new comers here trying to find the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, and the answer isn't always 42.


Of course not, the answer is 108 :p

speaking of which, one of the simplest places to start is with Japa. Gather together 108 beads and a slightly larger bead, string them together to make a mala (or just buy one if that's what you would prefer and you know where to look) and use them to count repitions of a mantra, lets say Om Namah Shivaaya to start. That's pronounced Om Nah-mah She-vie (assuming the swaminarayan satsangi who told me I was pronouncing it right was himself right).

Ashvati
12 May 2010, 11:02 AM
Oh, and don't forget meditation.

RobbH
12 May 2010, 11:12 AM
Many thanks guys,

I know there is a bit of an uphill struggle. I do feel that Saivism is the way forward for me, so as you say it is reading and study! We do not have any choice of temples, etc here in Scotland - there is only one temple in Glasgow and I don't think it is Saivite.

It looks like therefore for the time being I will be a lone practitioner.

Om Namah Shaviya,

Robb

Darji
12 May 2010, 11:15 AM
The funny thing is Robb, that is all you need to start<3


sìn agad è mo caraìd!

Also take a look at the http://www.himalayanacademy.com/ and their magazine http://www.hinduismtoday.com/ tonnes of goodies there.

For Shiva you need to get you some rudraksha beads http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/dispProductlist.php?rosaries-for-japa-%28chanting-mantras%29&subcatId=102

Chant Om Namah Shivaya (I've seen it spelled 20 different ways sorry if misspelled).

le meas


obh, Càit' a bheil thu a' fuireach?

NayaSurya
12 May 2010, 12:26 PM
Namaste and you're welcome my friend!

You are not alone<3

Eastern Mind
12 May 2010, 01:34 PM
Many thanks guys,

I know there is a bit of an uphill struggle. I do feel that Saivism is the way forward for me, so as you say it is reading and study! We do not have any choice of temples, etc here in Scotland - there is only one temple in Glasgow and I don't think it is Saivite.

It looks like therefore for the time being I will be a lone practitioner.

Om Namah Shaviya,

Robb

Vannakkam:
We're all lone practitioners. There is little congregational worship in Saivism. You, God, the communication between. Other souls come around once in a while like books to be studied to advance your understanding, or just for company. But it is not at all like some western faiths. If you want to confess, for example, you do it directly to God. Even at a Hindu temple filled with people, if its being run correctly, everyone is silent, except for the priests Sanskrit invoking of His divine presence. And what happens. The energy in itself silences you.

Aum Namasivaya

RobbH
12 May 2010, 03:08 PM
Again, thanks guys for the pointers.

I feel a bit more confident that I can put together a daily (however small to begin with) practice now and be secure in the knowledge that I'm not going to go too far wrong!

Thanks again,

Om Namah Shivaya

Sahasranama
12 May 2010, 03:59 PM
So instead of having to answer the same questions over and over again to each noob, let's make a sticky!

It doesn't have to be in depth, hell that's why it's called a journey.

Just a post with a general method of honouring Vishnu/Krisna, Shiva and Shakti. With perhaps a simple puja, aarti, their mantra and a couple of chants from a purana should be sufficient to kick start our journey.Here is some information on puja vidhis. Most are not meant for daily pooja though:

http://satsangh.tripod.com/pujatexts/index.html
http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_1_index.html