Re: My dream of Shiva and Genash
Namaste Spiritualseeker.
You have rightly understood the play of Ego which some anachronistic beliefs, specially in the Abrahamic religions seek to strengthen. I think it is a divine privilege granted to you to have had such a dream at such an age. Since you also have the right perspective about Hinduism, especially the practice of worshipping many gods, you might do well to take up some kind of worship, because a personal god brings God closer to the person.
You are now, however, not unique in having Hindu connections: we had an aged Muslim colleage who had visions of God Ganesha in his dreams, so he always kept a portrait of the god on his desk. He said his senior Muslim friends appreciated it and were of the opinion that he was divinely privileged. In God Ranganatha's temple in Srirangam, Trichy, Tamilnadu, you can see Muslim women maintaining the lamps at the outer courtyard, supplementing oil and wicks. In the vicinity of our residence, there is a Muslim shop that specializes in selling Hindu religious items: the salesmen there know as much as we Hindus know about our rites and religious practice. During my boyhood days, the severity of ailments such as the jaundice, scorpion and snake bites were reduced by mantra and the practitioner was at times a Muslim who would use a needle and a pitcher of water for the jaundice cure, would chant some mantras for sometime at the end of which the water turned yellow. Of course, this treatment was supplemented by herbal medicine. In Tamilnadu, several Muslims learn Sanskrit and study Hinduism and Hindu history in schools and colleagues.
Since the Vedic religion was prevalent the world over in the ancient days, it is not very surprising that roots of Hinduism sprout up in the soil of good minds; if they are carefully nourished, the world could be a much better place to live.
Unfortunately, my experiences with my Christian friends or acquaintances are not the same: with them I find an exclusive religious preference. Although they might not criticize Hindu religious practices, they wouldn't appreciate them either. To give an example, we had a pair of Christian colleagues who would contribute to the Ayudha Puja celebrations in the office, but would not partake them: instead, they would have their 'prasAdams' reserved for them before the puja began, so they received it unsullied by Pagan worship.
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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