Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

Hybrid View

  1. #1

    Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Hi all,

    Thank you for reading this thread, and I apologise in advance for any mistakes I may inadvertently make - I'm new to this spiritual path and still trying to find my feet.

    In a nutshell, I have been reading the Bhagavad Gita and several books from different viewpoints (ISKCON, Yogananda, Ramakrishna) and I think I've managed to confuse myself even more than when I started

    Whilst I have gained a lot from the books of ISKCON and Yogananda there are a few points of philosophy or practice that don't really stick with me and many that do. What I have found is that the teachings of Ramakrishna resonate most strongly with me for several reasons.

    I was wondering if there is anyone on the forums associated with the Ramakrishna Mission or a similar Vedanta organisation who would be willing to answer some questions I have? I've contacted the UK centre but as I'm in Scotland it's not really possible for me to get there, and the contact they gave me to speak with seems to have dropped out of touch.

    Any help would be very much appreciate.

  2. #2

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Namaste Kameron

    I was wondering if there is anyone on the forums associated with the Ramakrishna Mission or a similar Vedanta organisation who would be willing to answer some questions I have
    It would be best to just ask your question, to different degrees most people here have interest in Vedanta. Vedanta is not exclusively belonging to Ramakrishna mission. So we can deal with the subject of Vedanta as presented by different authors and groups and bring it into our own understanding for reflection and practice. Its important to understand that Vedanta starts with athato brahma jijnasa direct inquiry into Brahman or the Absolute Reality. This maybe a bit tricky as Brahman is ineffable to the mind and senses, so to jump straight to Vedanta maybe difficult, it maybe like trying to holster sky hooks in the clouds.

    Vedanta is the final part of the conscious evolution within the shad darshana or 6 systems of awakening. I am sure Ramakrishna Mission will cover all the systems and is embedded in their teachings. Its quite important to at least get the feel and understanding of the 6 systems shad darshana and how they support and work within each other for final inquiry into Brahman~Vedanta.

    In a nutshell, I have been reading the Bhagavad Gita and several books from different viewpoints (ISKCON, Yogananda, Ramakrishna) and I think I've managed to confuse myself even more than when I started

    This is quite common, especially in today's world where we have access to all the teachings from all around the world, from all traditions and timelines, so we can have a mass of information, information and Knowledge Vidya is not the same. Usually the best way to deal with this is to stick with what interests and inspires and follow those leads and increase the understanding of what resonates and leave things that are either confusing or hard to understand, certain parts where there is confusion maybe answered at a later date if it becomes important to Self Realization.

  3. #3

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Namaste Kameron

    One of our friends here at HDF is a devotee and follower of RamaKrishNa ParamhaMsa. He is also an avid writer and blogger and will not rest until he has explained adhyAtmic principles clearly.

    Here is his blog : https://indiaspirituality.blogspot.com/
    (Ramakrishna teachings, Advaita, shastra topics with Ramakrishna quote references)

    Ramakrishna KathAmRut (Biography) : http://www.kathamrita.org/kathamrita
    Last edited by ameyAtmA; 09 September 2018 at 08:53 AM. Reason: removed irrelevant links
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  4. #4
    Join Date
    July 2010
    Location
    The Holy Land - Bharat
    Posts
    2,842
    Rep Power
    5499

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Namaste,

    I abhore the gross misconceptions that some of these owners of Hindu sites dish our in the name of "Indiaspirituality".

    Describing the different types of marriage, they tell you that Krishanji married Rukmini as a rakshas would marry his bride.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7. rakshasa
    In the raksasa form the groom battles with the girl's family, overcomes them and carries her away. It was in this manner that krsna Paramatman married Rukmani.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Nothing could be farther from the truth.

    Rukmani is the principal wife and queen of the God Krishna, the king of Dwaraka. Krishna heroically carried her away at her request to prevent her unwanted marriage to evil Shishupala (described in the Bhagavata Purana).

    There is a lot of difference between fighting and overcoming a girl's parents/family and 'stealing' a bride; and saving a girl from being forced into an unsavory marriage, all at the girl's request.

    Before various links on Sanatan Dharma are provided for reading, one must vet them and make sure they don't list some nonsense that denigrates our most revered deities. I see no value in pointing people new to Sanatan Dharma to write-ups or Blogs which are baseless, demeaning and misinformed. If someone writes and propagates garbage in the name of Hinduism, he is no devotee. He is a rakshasa. Please refrain from dragging Hinduism down into the gutter.

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 09 September 2018 at 12:55 AM.

  5. #5

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    I removed the irrelevant links. Should have stuck to Ramakrishna topic.
    It is very critical to explain the context, especially in case of the selfless bhakta-vatsal (nourishing devotees with parental Love) karuNAsAgar (ocean of compassion) paramAtmA, Lord KRshNa. I shall try to notify the site - they should either remove that or explain that RukmiNi wrote a letter to KRshNa asking Him to kidnap Her, otherwise her brother would have made her marry ShishupAl.

    I think the original writer was presuming an Indian audience who know the background of RukmiNi vivAha.
    Last edited by ameyAtmA; 09 September 2018 at 11:21 AM.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  6. #6

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Quote Originally Posted by ameyAtmA View Post
    I think the writer was presuming an Indian audience who know the background of RukmiNi vivAha
    This is confirmed from the fact that the article was taken from a Kanchi Paramacharya website. While swamigal may have said that in context to his close disciples who knew the whole story, in desh-kaal-pAtra relevance, pasting it on the internet can bring it out of context.

    Speaking of the internet : I was maun for years and now back to maun.
    Last edited by ameyAtmA; 09 September 2018 at 09:35 AM.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  7. #7
    Join Date
    July 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Age
    68
    Posts
    338
    Rep Power
    570

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Namaste

    In the raksasa form the groom battles with the girl's family, overcomes them and carries her away. It was in this manner that krsna Paramatman married Rukmani.

    I cannot see any fault in this statement.
    There are eight value-free types of marriage and I too would say only Rakshasa Vivaha matches. Rakshasa Vivaha does not depend on the bride’s or groom’s motivation. Which type would you suggest, Believer?

    1. Brahma Vivah
    Brahma vivah is considered the best marriage. In this the boy and girl belonging to good families and the same varna get married. The boy should have completed his Brahmacharya Ashram (studenthood). There is no dowry involved and the girl enters the boy’s house with two sets of clothes and some ornaments. In this marriage, the boy’s family approaches the girl’s family. “Kanyadaan”, which is the handing of the bride by her father to the groom, is an important ritual of the Brahma Vivah.
    2. Daiva Vivah
    In this type of Hindu marriage, the girl’s family looks for a groom. If a girl has not been able to get a suitable husband for a period of time, her family look to marry her to a priest who officiates over sacrifices.
    3. Arsha Vivah
    Here the groom gives a gift (a cow and a pair of bulls) to the girl’s family. This usually takes place when the girl’s parents can not afford to meet the expense of the marriage. This is not considered an ideal marriage because there is a monetary consideration involved in this wedding.
    4. Prajapatya Vivah
    Somewhat similar to the Brahma Vivah, except in this case the girl’s family looks for a groom and the ritual of Kanyadaan is not followed. Instead of “Kanyadaan”, the bride’s father hands over protection of his daughter to the groom during the “Panigrahan” ritual. The actual wedding takes place after “Panigrahan”.
    5. Gandharva Vivah
    This is a love marriage, where the bride and groom marry of their own free will. Usually the consent of the parents is not taken or is not available because either or both parents are against the marriage.
    6. Asura Vivah
    Somewhat similar to the “Arsha Vivah” where the groom gives presents to the bride’s family in order to get their approval for the marrige. Usually the groom is not of the same stature as the bride.
    7. Rakshasa Vivah
    In this Hindu wedding, the bride is ready to marry groom, but the bride’s family is against the marriage. In such cases, if the groom’s family forcibly takes away the bride, it is a “Rakshasa Vivah”.
    8. Paishacha Vivah
    This type of marriage is not allowed. In this marriage, a girl, who is not in her senses (she may not be of sound mind or intoxicated or drugged, etc) is forcibly married off. The girl has not consented to this marriage.

    Source https://mymarriagewebsite.com/8-types-of-hindu-marriages-according-to-manusmriti

    Rakshasa Vivaah: This is essentially marriage by abduction. In cases where the girl is willing to marry the boy but her family is against the alliance, the girl may be abducted and married. It is essential that the girl be willing, because otherwise, the puranas and shastras in The Scripture treat the incident of abduction as rape with consequent cosmic vengeance and retribution. Instances of such marriages include Krishna-Rukmini and Arjuna-Subhadra, in all of which cases the girl was willing and the results were good.

    Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivaah

    Pranam

    Dance with Shiva - live with Shiva - merge with Shiva

  8. #8

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Quote Originally Posted by ameyAtmA View Post
    Namaste Kameron

    One of our friends here at HDF is a devotee and follower of RamaKrishNa ParamhaMsa. He is also an avid writer and blogger and will not rest until he has explained adhyAtmic principles clearly.

    Here is his blog : https://indiaspirituality.blogspot.com/
    (Ramakrishna teachings, Advaita, shastra topics with Ramakrishna quote references)

    Ramakrishna KathAmRut (Biography) : http://www.kathamrita.org/kathamrita
    Thank you for this, I'm having a look at it right now.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    July 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Age
    68
    Posts
    338
    Rep Power
    570

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Dear Kameron

    3 - Are there any English copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam with explanations of the verses that could be recommended? I have the ISKCON version already. Is this scripture highly thought of in circles outside of that organisation?

    Not exactly what you are looking for but inspiring ...

    http://www.ramakrishnamath.in/e-lectures/?cat=6

    Enjoy!
    Dance with Shiva - live with Shiva - merge with Shiva

  10. #10
    Join Date
    December 2007
    Age
    63
    Posts
    3,218
    Rep Power
    4728

    Re: Ramakrishna and some very newbie questions

    Namaste Kameron,

    Quote Originally Posted by Kameron View Post
    I was wondering if there is anyone on the forums associated with the Ramakrishna Mission or a similar Vedanta organisation who would be willing to answer some questions I have? I've contacted the UK centre but as I'm in Scotland it's not really possible for me to get there, and the contact they gave me to speak with seems to have dropped out of touch.

    Any help would be very much appreciate.
    If you have any questions on VedAnta, I may be able answer most of your questions even though I am not from Ramkrishna school. Actually, Ramkrishna School is also Advaita VedAntic school from Adi Guru Shankaracharya's order, so I don't think there should be any problem.

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Online
    By SuryaVedanta754 in forum Shaiva
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 24 July 2013, 10:35 AM
  2. Newbie Questions
    By NormalName in forum Bhagavad Gita
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 10 April 2011, 12:40 PM
  3. Vedanta and Sri Ramakrishna
    By pineblossom in forum Canteen
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 07 April 2011, 10:27 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
  •