Page 3 of 8 FirstFirst 1234567 ... LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 77

Thread: Meditation on Lord Shiva

  1. #21
    Join Date
    June 2012
    Location
    Mumbai
    Age
    42
    Posts
    1,210
    Rep Power
    1364

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post

    yajvan , under whose guidance does this come from ? It comes via svāmī brahmānanda sarasvatī , Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmath (from 1941-1953). He was my teacher's teacher.
    Namaste Yajvan ji,

    Even SankarAcArya of Shringeri math, svAmI bhArtI tirtha also says the same.

    There is no ego problem or superiority complex. There is worry behind saying 'No' as Guru should see a seeker should be capable to meditate on OM, else it is the seeker who will suffer.

    Thank you for explanation.

    Pranams
    Only God Is Truth, Everything Else Is Illusion - Ramakrishna
    Total Surrender of Ego to SELF is Real Bhakti - Ramana Maharshi

    Silence is the study of the scruptures. Meditation is the continuous thinking of Brahman which is to be meditated upon. The complete negation of both by knowledge is the vision of truth – sadAcAra-14 of Adi SankarAcArya

    namah SivAya vishnurUpAya viShNave SivarUpiNe, MBh, vanaparva, 3.39.76

    Sanskrit Dict | MW Dict | Gita Super Site | Hindu Dharma

  2. #22
    Join Date
    December 2012
    Posts
    552
    Rep Power
    0

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namaste

    Here I would agree with the opinion of some members such as Amrut and Yajvan who said that mantra Om is not for everyone.

    It is said that chanting mantra Om is recommended only for persons who are Brahmanas.
    Thus, for example, it is said in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, canto IV, ch. LXXXIII, p. 405, text 49&f:
    http://www.archive.org/stream/brahma...e/405/mode/1up

    "If a person not being a Brahmin pronounces Om, he is degraded"

    It seems that only in the modern times it has become customary to advise everyone to practice chanting mantra Om.


    regards

  3. #23
    Join Date
    February 2012
    Posts
    1,525
    Rep Power
    2741

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namaste brahma jijnasa

    What are you saying? That only "Brahmanas" should say AUM and that, if I for example say AUM then I am degrading myself because I am not a Brahmin?

    I have never been so sad to read what I just read ....

    Please do not degrade Om this way, I humbly request that you do not say AUM. Thinking this way, they do not know the nature of Siva, Sadasiva.

    Om Namah Sivaya

  4. #24
    Join Date
    December 2012
    Posts
    552
    Rep Power
    0

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namaste ShivaFan
    Quote Originally Posted by ShivaFan View Post
    Namaste brahma jijnasa

    What are you saying? That only "Brahmanas" should say AUM and that, if I for example say AUM then I am degrading myself because I am not a Brahmin?

    I have never been so sad to read what I just read ....

    Please do not degrade Om this way, I humbly request that you do not say AUM. Thinking this way, they do not know the nature of Siva, Sadasiva.

    Om Namah Sivaya
    It seems that chanting mantra Om is a Vedic practice at which a certain condition is supposed, or a certain level of qualification in the person is required. Just as it is said that certain practices such as, for example, the worship of the deity in the temple, offering of food to the deities in the temple, recitation of Shruti Vedic mantras or texts, is not intended for unqualified people, uninitiated or Shudras, likewise practice of chanting mantra Om is not intended for unqualified people.
    This however does not mean that unqualified people should never say "Om", but it means that they are not allowed to practice chanting mantra Om as a continuous meditation, ie they are not allowed to practice Om as japa.
    Vedic or Brahminical practices always require a certain level of qualification, be it repetition of some Vedic mantras such as Gayatri mantra or Om, or some yogic meditation, etc.


    regards

  5. #25
    Join Date
    February 2014
    Location
    Bangalore
    Posts
    264
    Rep Power
    638

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Dear friends ,
    ' Om ' is a manthra , which can be done by any one , irrespective of caste , creed , religion , gender . By the constant meditation on' OM ' a sadhaka is said to attain Parabrahmam . There are no place , time or state constraints for that sadhana . It should go on like the breathing with out any conscious effort on the part of the sadhak . Where it is done as a ritual , there could be certain rules and restrictions . Any other manthra requires a guru and proper initiation . For some beejakshara manthras , there are restrictions conditions like yanthram , thanthram and manthram . But for ' OM ' there are no conditions what so ever .Then coming to the brahmana aspect , the reference is to karma brahmins and not to jathi brahmans .To day we come across very few brahmins who are true to that spirit .But what I heard is ,'' om'' makes a person detached to the core and if young people do that they become recluses . Naturally no parent wants his or her son becomes a recluse and go the way of Siddhartha ----Gowthama buddha .

  6. #26
    Join Date
    June 2012
    Location
    Mumbai
    Age
    42
    Posts
    1,210
    Rep Power
    1364

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Quote Originally Posted by ShivaFan View Post
    Namaste brahma jijnasa

    What are you saying? That only "Brahmanas" should say AUM and that, if I for example say AUM then I am degrading myself because I am not a Brahmin?

    I have never been so sad to read what I just read ....

    Please do not degrade Om this way, I humbly request that you do not say AUM. Thinking this way, they do not know the nature of Siva, Sadasiva.

    Om Namah Sivaya
    Namaste SF ji

    There is no question of degradation.

    Ideal BrAhmin living ensures us of gaining certain level of inner purity, which is gained by sincere performance of vedic karma kANDa. Most of this life is washed away.

    Keeping varNa issue aside, we can say that certain level of inner purity is needed.

    The negative statements are not actually negative. They are said for the good of all. Sometimes not practising is better than wrongly practising.

    One of my friend is in contact with shringeri Shankaracharya. He says that OM is only for sanyAsin. sanyAsa is a mental state and not a way of life. After sanyAsa, ther is no caste barrier, but not qualify to take sanyAsa.

    If still there is nay problem in understanding, I will simply say that - Is the masses ready for renouncing everything for Siva / rAma?

    I have been meditating on OM since 8-10 years. What I have earlier told is from my personal experience and info passed onto me.

    Saswathy ji, Lord Buddha even dis-regarded vedA-s, varNa dharma and even sanskrit language. Do you agree with this too.

    Again, the statements are made to a certain class of people. Answer depends upon mental make-up of questioner. If adhikAra-bheda is not considered, then ...

    Please understand, there is no superiority complex.

    If you still think, SAstra-s, vedA-s and upanishads are free pick, what can I say.

    Quoting Post #8

    I know that Siva is connected with OM, still I would not recommend anyone to chant OM. OM will neutralize everything in your mind, be it positive or negative and will directly take meditator to the 4th state, which is above guNa-s. OM represents nirAkAra brahman.

    If you have some desires left andare not ready to renounce them mentally, AND if you chant OM, then life will become hell. In meditation, OM will try to uproot that desire, and in practical life, you will try to achieve your dream.

    I will not recommend chanting OM to anyone.
    Only God Is Truth, Everything Else Is Illusion - Ramakrishna
    Total Surrender of Ego to SELF is Real Bhakti - Ramana Maharshi

    Silence is the study of the scruptures. Meditation is the continuous thinking of Brahman which is to be meditated upon. The complete negation of both by knowledge is the vision of truth – sadAcAra-14 of Adi SankarAcArya

    namah SivAya vishnurUpAya viShNave SivarUpiNe, MBh, vanaparva, 3.39.76

    Sanskrit Dict | MW Dict | Gita Super Site | Hindu Dharma

  7. #27
    Join Date
    February 2012
    Posts
    1,525
    Rep Power
    2741

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namaste

    I honestly do not personallly know, even among Sanyasas, of Hindus simply "chanting AUM" (by itself) for hours on end - but I do know of and have observed Buddhists doing so, and in a couple of rare cases I saw a Sadhu in Varanasi doing this.

    Chanting AUM alone, without "Shiva" or "Narayana" or in praise of Adityas etc., seems to me to be a Buddhist practice and not Vaidika.

    I am not saying there are no Hindus who do so, obviously it seems some here say they do that. But from my teaching and observation, AUM is the gateway or door to the mantra or meditation, to the vital sloka, to a scripture, to the praise or offering of the middle followed by the end, and to the prana.

    Buddhists like this, because many sects of Buddhism do not like Shiva. They humm AUM for hours on end, because they want to take Siva out of the meditation.

    That is why, though I believe from what I have been taught of the purity and power of AUM which cannot degrade anyone, yes I agree and would not recommend simply chanting or humming AUM alone for hours on end, my words however are "not recommend" and never use the word "not allowed" based on the illusions of birth rights and not character. That is an abomination.

    I would not recommend a Hindu, especially a householder, doing what seems to me a Buddhist practice, nor do I smile upon some sects of Advaitans turning Hindu or Vaidik rites and stripping away the rite and turning things into "Buddhism lite". Especially, when it comes to rewriting their own Veda to change Saivism.

    This is a valid path for some sects of Sadhus, but not even Tantrics and not Saiva or Vaishnav or in worship of forefathers or Surya or Shakta and so on.

    Not even for Sanyasa, though there might be historical reasons to see the influence of Buddhism among some since Buddha was born a Hindu.

    This is a practice for some Sadhus and Devatas Themself in some cases and not Hindus in general, not for temple priests and so on. Those who insist such practice however and cover it in the sheath of birth restrictions and a "religion" of "not allowed" ironically simply create more new adherents to Buddhism in reaction. And perhaps this was the very agenda of such by Boddisatvas and Buddhists in the first place as a form of "practical joke", where they simply watch and wait for the result, where their patience is as long and broad as the naked sky.

    Om Namah Sivaya

  8. #28
    Join Date
    June 2012
    Location
    Mumbai
    Age
    42
    Posts
    1,210
    Rep Power
    1364

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namaste ShivaFan ji,

    I do not understand why are you dragging Buddhism here. I simply cannot understand why you do not believe that simply chanting OM is not enough.

    An entire upanishad, Mandukya Up. is dedicated to explaining OM. OM is found in almost all major upanishads and many more upanishads of muktika cannon.

    OM is Hindu mantra, it is chanted by Advaitins, as OM is a form of nirAkAra brahman. It is also chanted by yogis.

    I know you are never going to accept varNa system. Caste is different issue. I do not want to discuss it either. Even if you say that varNa is by character, still there is classification on the basis of inner purity.

    I am not talking of any other mantra. I never said that one cannot chant OM Namah Shivaya. Still if anyone wishes to chant, I am no one to stop them.

    I think that things are taken negatively.

    First you dragged Buddhism, then tried to say advaita is non vedic, connected advaita with buddism implying that it is covered buddhism (though you said some sects - am I among these sects?) then tried to screw smArta.

    Do you know that Adi Sankara didnt established any sect.

    Unlike vaishnava sects, there is no conversion process to practice advaita. If you are not officially converted to Sri Vaishnavism by an acharya, then you do not belong to that particular sect. Same is true for other authentic sampradAya-s. What will you call this system??

    The only official system is that of upnayana, where a student is initiated into the gAyatrI mantra. Other than this there is no such conversion process found in veda-s or in dharma smriti-s says kAnchI paramAcArya (ya, you can accuse the entire math)

    And do you know that humming OM is only done initially. Later we hear it. OM goes on by itself. It is primordial sound. Yogis can hear this sound.

    I do not understand what made you to write all these. Did you met any shankaracharya or his direct disciples. Did you enquire about this? Do you know any one who is not practising advaita or yoga chants OM. I have heard of none.

    Whenever there is any issue of something not recommended for someone, even on basis of mental purity, then you will not agree with it and would keep fighting against it.

    It is quite unfortunate that you do not hesitate to the extend that you went this time.

    I humbly request you to please please re-read your last reply, and contemplate on it.

    Hari OM
    Only God Is Truth, Everything Else Is Illusion - Ramakrishna
    Total Surrender of Ego to SELF is Real Bhakti - Ramana Maharshi

    Silence is the study of the scruptures. Meditation is the continuous thinking of Brahman which is to be meditated upon. The complete negation of both by knowledge is the vision of truth – sadAcAra-14 of Adi SankarAcArya

    namah SivAya vishnurUpAya viShNave SivarUpiNe, MBh, vanaparva, 3.39.76

    Sanskrit Dict | MW Dict | Gita Super Site | Hindu Dharma

  9. #29
    Join Date
    February 2012
    Posts
    1,525
    Rep Power
    2741

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namaste Amrut

    I think my reply was clear, but perhaps it is misunderstood. Nor is this "my position" (I do not make "positions", I listen from teachers - largely Saiva obviously, but everyone knows that I am a simple village type Hindu and a householder so I also go to many temples, especially Shakta but also Vaishnav), I am mentioning a consideration that is held by many Hindus and sects and it is not my "personal opinion" but "general opinion" and observation, and is not an abberation from standards or traditions longstanding by many Hindus. I am not anti-advaita, obviously Saiva Siddhanta is heavily Advaitic (e.g. Sada Shiva) and I agree in almost in all part with the expression of the Supreme Brahman as noted by Vaishnav HLK. But in practice I am a Bhakta and practice Karma and Bhakti Yoga and am not yet a Jnani. But I revere Trailanga Swami of Varanasi Who has a very clear instruction of Oneness and certainly He is not anti-Advaita. I never mentioned varna (let us not go there) but caste, and only in reply to the idea of another and not you, that Om (by itself, repeated for hours on end without Siv or Narayana or Ganesha and so on) is not allowed to someone who is not a Brahmin, and I am addressing those who think this "restriction" is birth based and anyone who violates the "restriction" DEGRADES themself by saying AUM.

    Positions:

    * AUM never degrades. There is no "birth restriction" to chanting Om. As in ANY practice, including the examples of renown Gurus who then "fell down", and not just the use of AUM or in yoga but also in Bhakti, in all aspects of Hinduism, the frailty of the devotee or practitioner can cause an issue, and even demons can use mantras and divine weapons to try and conquer Indra's Heaven. So saying that, my next point is:

    * Chanting only AUM by itself for hours on end is not Vedic, and in addition yes I am saying this is Buddhist in influence. Apparently there are some Hindus who chant or hum Om (rejecting the Fire of sacrifice, not saying Shiva or Narayana and so on, never seeing Agni nor Surya and so on), they do not practice Saivism according to my understanding but some form of "Buddhism lite". I am sorry if some feelings are hurt, forgive me, but I will not change this idea. I respect Sadhus who only chant only AUM, but the others are, even to my personal obsevation, either rather ignorant "westerners" who are mixing New Age, or they are Buddhists. I am sorry, but I would not recommend Hindus in general to do this. Perhaps you only chant AUM and nothing else, then perhaps you are like a Sadhu. But honestly, I do not see it often, when I do, they are Buddhists who do not like Shiva and will not say His Name or that of Ram, Narayana, etc..

    * Yes, I am saying I have observed some (not many, but some) Advaitans who are actually preaching and practicing Buddhism without Buddha.

    * Despite my understanding by others example and teaching that chanting AUM by itself all day long or hours on end like a Tibetan Buddhist is not normal Hinduism, I do not say "not allowed" but "do not recommend". Yes, anyone can chant AUM all day long if they like. It does not degrade, humans degrade themself doing many things and that is their own problem. I say AUM a lot - obviously in terms of opening to a mantra, reading and hearing, bhajans etc.. OM Saravanabhava, I can give many, many examples. I also stand by what I said, that those who go overboard telling others they cannot chant AUM are creating many new Buddhists in the process, that in fact it is exactly the vision of Buddhists for their future and they know precisely the purpose and effect.

    Om Namah Sivaya

  10. #30
    Join Date
    February 2014
    Location
    Bangalore
    Posts
    264
    Rep Power
    638

    Re: Meditation on Lord Shiva

    Namasthe ,
    It is very strange to know , that Buddhists do ' om' only and it is a news to me. When once ' om ' is started initially that can be done for 108 times . Slowly it goes on repeated continuously .Any other manthras need proper initiation and proper ritualistic sadhana . To all it is not possible to do that . Especially when they have so much of pressure in mundane life ,they can't spare either time or energy to spend for that . Om is primordial sound and it does not have any such stings attached to it which are expressed by many here .The only thing is it makes the devotee to become detached to the life in general and to the family in particular .That is the reason why it is not encouraged . But people who crossed certain age can do that with out any inhibitions or misgivings .When I referred to Buddha it is not because I am buddhist or I know that practicing OM is a buddhist tradition . I just want to say that a person becomes a real sanyasi when it is done with so much of devotion and concentration .Many manthras are just mere words because they are all locked .To day it is very rare to find a real guru who wants to illuminate a disciple .If some get any siddhi that is because of their trust and faith and single minded concentration .For them it is immaterial whether it is ' om' or siva manthra or Vishnu manthra or any other manthra.It is a wrong notion to entertain that ' pranavopasana' is buddhist practice . OM is Rudra swarupam .

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 2 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Sita is Sri Kamakshi Amman..
    By Viraja in forum Vaishnava
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 01 February 2016, 07:02 AM
  2. Suffering?
    By satay in forum God in Hindu Dharma
    Replies: 53
    Last Post: 27 May 2014, 12:41 AM
  3. Shri Rudra - Sankarshana Moorti Swaroopo ??
    By giridhar in forum Shaiva
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10 July 2011, 06:27 AM
  4. Sanatana Dharma for Kids: Hindu Trinity: Shiva - Parvati
    By saidevo in forum God in Hindu Dharma
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 30 August 2006, 01:01 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •