"Let (US) All Say Aum"

Lisa Miller wrote an article in the Newsweek titled "We are all Hindus now". The article talks about the change in mindset among the Americans regarding religion. Looks like its time for US.... I mean United States to say Aum. Excerpts from the article are below:

America is not a Christian nation. We are, it is true, a nation founded by Christians, and according to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as Christian (still, that's the lowest percentage in American history). A million-plus Hindus live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth.

A Hindu believes there are many paths to God.The most traditional, conservative Christians have not been taught to think like this. They learn in Sunday school that their religion is true, and others are false. According to a 2008 Pew Forum survey, 65 percent of us believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life"-including 37 percent of white evangelicals, the group most likely to believe that salvation is theirs alone!

Thirty percent of Americans call themselves "spiritual, not religious," according to a 2009 NEWSWEEK Poll, up from 24 percent in 2005. Says Stephen Prothero, religion professor at Boston University "It isn't about orthodoxy. It's about whatever works. If going to yoga works, great-and if going to Catholic mass works, great. And if going to Catholic mass plus the yoga plus the Buddhist retreat works, that's great, too."

24 percent of Americans say they believe in reincarnation, according to a 2008 Harris poll. So agnostic are we about the ultimate fates of our bodies that we're burning them-like Hindus-after death. More than a third of Americans now choose cremation, according to the Cremation Association of North America, up from 6
percent in 1975.

So let us all say "Om."

Source: Newsweek

Fete de Ganesh in Paris

Taking place on August 30th, Fete de Ganesh is Paris' version of the Notting Hill Carnival and is a colourful and entertaining celebration of the arts. The event centres around the Sri Manicka Vinayakar Alayam Temple, in the Little India district of the city.

Spectators can expect to hear Indian music and see costumed dancers and street entertainers, who traditionally carry an arch made of peacock feathers and flowers above their heads. Dancers also carry terracotta pots filled with burning camphor.

Thousands of coconuts are smashed on the streets during the procession, which, according to festival organisers, is an offering to the gods and symbolises the world and human egos. Sweets, cold drinks and blessed gifts are distributed to spectators as the statue of Ganesha is carried through the city.

Source: www.pr-inside.com

Someone to Fight the Pseudo Secular Media

A video of Narendra Modi talking about the unparalleled development of Gujarat and slams the pseudo secular media. Dont miss the 4th and the 5th for sure where the Q&A session is shown. Worth a watch!

Its Ganesha all the way!

SAN DIEGO, CA.- Ganeshmobile — A 2008 Prius decorated with the design of a nineteenth century Indian paisley shawl, enhanced by images of the Remover of All Obstacles, Ganesha, India’s elephant-headed god. The hood ornament is a bronze sculpture of Ganesha dancing at the front of the car to remove obstacles from its path.

The owner is Stephen Huyler, Ph.D. cultural anthropologist, art historian, photographer and author, who has spent much of the past 33 years traveling in Indian villages documenting craftsmanship and contemporary traditions. Dr. Huyler is the Curator of SONABAI – Another Way of Seeing, an exhibition opening at Mingei International in Balboa Park on July 26.

Venture Advertising of Rockport, Maine created a vinyl wrap for the car using as a design a nineteenth century Indian shawl owned by Huyler’s grandmother, then superimposed Ganesha on the passenger doors.

Source: artdaily.org

Know More About Hindu Temples

"Sin or no sin depends on purpose, intention & circumstance"

Question:Is it not a sin to kill silkworms for silk cloth, or to kill deers for making deer skin meditation mats?

The answer is that it is a sin if we do it for trading purposes.Sin is not a substance associated with a particular activity. The same activity can result in either sin or no sin depending upon the purpose, intention and circumstance. For example, killing in general is a sin, but killing a demon or murderer is not a sin. Similarly if we kill animals to avoid being killed, it is not a sin. As said earlier, every creature in this world is here for doing "sadhana". In this world the priority is for those who are doing greater "sadhana". To accomplish that, if others have to sacrifice their "sadhana", there is no harm in that.

For example, assume that there are two students in a house. One is preparing for second grade and the other is preparing for a college medical exam. Though both are preparing for their exams, we consider that the medical exam is more important and give preference to him. If needed, we may ask the other student to sacrifice his preparation, because he will not lose much.

Similarly, in this world, the living entity who is doing a higher level of sadhana, gets preference. So for the benefit of the higher sadhana, others performing lesser sadhana may be sacrificed without any sin. If we are preparing silk for God's pooja, then it is not a sin. But if we are preparing silk for decorating ourselves, then it is a sin. So we need to understand what is the purpose of the action, and what is going to be achieved finally.

Source: indiadivine.org

"Nobel prize is not at all a yardstick"

Question:If non vegetarian food does not improve the mind, how do you explain so many Nobel laureates who are meat eaters?

Answer: Getting a noble prize is not at all a yardstick to measure the peace and purity, stability and concentration of someone's mind. It is known that the suicide rate is high in scientists as well. Actually scientists are more disturbed in their mind. Due to this, they get activated and get involved deeply in something and come out with some new concepts or ideas. For their success, the basic reason is not the peaceful mind, but their disturbed mind.

Generally brahmanas who are "supposed" to have the mental capacity to understand "brahman" (God), need to have a very good concentration power for performing "japa" (mantra chanting) and "tapa" (austerities). They are supposed to be people who are not mentally disturbed.

In olden days even if they consumed meat, they used to keep up their mental stability and peace of mind due to their yogic power or "tapas" (severe austerity). But now in the present age of kali-yuga, our mental powers and concentration powers are getting reduced. We are loosing our purity and peace of mind due to various reasons. As such, the sattvic atmosphere and sattvic qualities are reducing because we are not doing enough japa, tapa, etc.

So if we start consuming meat we will loose all our good mental qualities very quickly. In kaliyuga, meat is strictly prohibited for brahmanas. It is also sinful for all people, as mentioned in the previous answers.

Source: indiadivine.org