Namaste from Arizona

[anucarh]

Namaste,


My name is Edward. I live in Arizona in the United States. This year I realized that the Sanātana Dharma is what I’ve always been looking for. I always knew I would commit to a path that teaches compassion for all beings (dayā bhūteṣv) and nonviolence (ahiṁsā) toward all beings. I knew that it would include traditions of refraining from eating animals (śākāhāra), because veganism is an important spiritual practice to me and a way for me to help reduce the harm that I participate in. I knew that it would be a path not just of the heart, but also of the intellect, a Truth that I could embrace completely. I knew that it would be one of the spiritual traditions of India.


You might think that I should have found Sanātana Dharma long ago, but I had many misconceptions about it that kept me away. Suddenly, this year my misunderstandings kept falling away, one after another. Perhaps the grace and mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa helped me to begin to see clearly after all this time, just as he cleared away the misconceptions of Arjuna, if that makes any sense.


The philosophy that makes sense to me is the Advaita Vedānta of Śrī Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, but I respect the other great Vedānta ācāryas and continue to learn what I can about all schools of Vedānta. Swami Nikhilananda explains in his translation of the principal Upaniṣads that the Upaniṣads contain several different viewpoints about Brahman, jīvas, and the world (including dualism, qualified nondualism, and nondualism) to help individuals at different stages of understanding. [See Swami Nikhilananda, The Upanishads: A New Translation, vol. 1, 6th ed. (New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, 2003), pp. 13, 64-65.]


I’m still sorting things out. I only know what I’ve read. I hope to visit an advaita āśram this week. I hope to follow the bhakti mārga, the karma mārga, and finally the gyāna (jñāna) mārga.


I’m grateful for hindudharmaforums to help me on my journey. If I make a foolish comment or ask a foolish question, I hope that knowledgeable members will be patient with me. I’ll happily accept their kind correction. I’m so glad that I found this place. I look forward to learning from the members here.


sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ |
“May all be happy.”

praṇām



Terms Defined

Sanātana Dharma: “Eternal Truth,” commonly called “Hinduism” by people in the West.

Advaita Vedānta: “Non-dualistic” Vedānta, a philosophy that teaches that all that exists is ultimately impersonal Brahman beyond all dualities, words, and attributes.

Vedānta “the end or conclusion of the Veda(s).” This can refer to the Upaniṣads. Here it refers to a family of philosophical traditions that together form one of the six orthodox schools of Sanātana Dharma.

ācārya “teacher”

jīva “soul” or individual person

āśram “hermitage” or “monastery.” The residence of a monk or nun or a community of monks or nuns, where teachers and pupils can work toward the goal of the spiritual life, liberation.

bhakti mārga “path of love or devotion [to God]”

karma mārga “path of [selfless] action” in which one performs actions without attachment to or desire for the results of the actions, acting selflessly for God.

gyāna (jñāna) mārga “path of knowledge [of Brahman]”

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam anucarh: Welcome to these forums. I hope your exploration of Hinduism is fruitful for you.

Why not try visiting a Hindu temple in that area?

Aum Namasivaya

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

A most warm welcome! From which part of Arizona do you hail? Grew up in Tucson myself and miss the beauty of the state in many regards now that I am elsewhere. Enjoy your journey there, enjoy your journey here, and most importantly enjoy the journey within.

Om

[kumar_s]

Namaste Edward. Arizona is a nice state, Quiet warm up there unlike in Canada

I admire the advaita vedanta philosophy too. I think there is a lot of value to its teachings in the context of the world today and we can grow to appreciate others as well as our surroundings more if we meditate upon it.

Om shanti

[anucarh]

Vannakkam anucarh: Welcome to these forums. I hope your exploration of Hinduism is fruitful for you.

Why not try visiting a Hindu temple in that area?

Aum Namasivaya

Vannakkam, Eastern Mind.

I thought about your advice. That sounds like a great way to get started. I researched the six Hindu temples here in Phoenix. I will visit the Hindu Temple of Arizona tomorrow. It sounds wonderful, temple volunteers are helpful, there's a short waiting time to talk to the priests, and traditional Indian clothing is not required there. I hope to be doing pradakṣiṇā* tomorrow afternoon.

praṇām


*pradakṣiṇā "moving to the right" or "circumnambulation." Walking around a holy image, place, or person in a clockwise direction, keeping the holy to one's right, with a mind of devotion. It is one of the sixteen parts of worship.

[anucarh]

Hari Om!

A most warm welcome! From which part of Arizona do you hail? Grew up in Tucson myself and miss the beauty of the state in many regards now that I am elsewhere. Enjoy your journey there, enjoy your journey here, and most importantly enjoy the journey within.

Om

Namaste, c.smith.

I live in the greater Phoenix area, technically Anthem to the north. I've been to Tucson also. I love it here (well, apart from the summer heat).

Best regards.

[anucarh]

Namaste Edward. Arizona is a nice state, Quiet warm up there unlike in Canada

I admire the advaita vedanta philosophy too. I think there is a lot of value to its teachings in the context of the world today and we can grow to appreciate others as well as our surroundings more if we meditate upon it.

Om shanti

Namaste, kumar_s. I agree.

praṇām

[anucarh]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam, Eastern Mind.

I thought about your advice. That sounds like a great way to get started. I researched the six Hindu temples here in Phoenix. I will visit the Hindu Temple of Arizona tomorrow. It sounds wonderful, temple volunteers are helpful, there's a short waiting time to talk to the priests, and traditional Indian clothing is not required there. I hope to be doing pradakṣiṇā tomorrow afternoon.

praṇām

Vannakkam,

Please let us know how it went.

If I'm ever there, it will be the Maha Ganapati Society of Arizona, out to the southwest, I believe, that I'd go to.

Aum Namasivaya

[anucarh]

Vannakkam,

Please let us know how it went.

If I'm ever there, it will be the Maha Ganapati Society of Arizona, out to the southwest, I believe, that I'd go to.

Aum Namasivaya

Namaste, Eastern Mind.

I reached HTA around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday. It has a humble exterior, but it is very beautiful inside. My impression is that this temple must be one of the relatively smaller temples, because it has no foyer and it is apparently not designed for pradakṣiṇā. You step through the door directly into the temple. This is not a complaint at all. It is a wonderful place to visit and I can think of several advantages of a smaller temple.

The temple has mūrtis for Vaiṣṇavas and for Śaivas, although it is primarily Vaiṣṇava. There are familiar, beautiful pictures of Lord Kṛṣṇa on the wall and, I think, three mūrtis of forms of Lord Viṣṇu. There is a shrine at each end. For some reason it never occurred to me that I might not recognize some of the mūrtis. In fact, I did not recognize most of them, but I felt a strong sense of divine presence throughout the temple. The beautiful mūrti of Lord Gaṇeśa has remained with me, partly because I recognized him instantly, but also because the mūrti seemed very, very much alive when I stood in front of him. It seemed as if the mūrti might begin to move at any moment. Perhaps he was also telling me something.

The worshipers present were apparently Śrī Vaiṣṇavas, if I understand correctly. I witnessed what must have been śatāri. I saw the priest touch what I believe was the silver crown to the tops of bowed heads. There was a marking of the forehead. I also noticed a prasāda offering of bananas. A worshiper received one, if I remember correctly.

I placed a donation into the box with my right hand and quietly exited. That was my first experience in a Hindu temple in brief. It was good. I'm very glad that I studied temple etiquette before going. I plan to visit Bharatiya Ekta Mandir next to experience what it is like to visit a large temple.

> If I'm ever there, it will be the Maha Ganapati Society
> of Arizona, out to the southwest, I believe, that I'd go to.

Their temple looks amazing. Some day I must visit, but it is extremely far from where I live.

praṇām



Terms Defined

pradakṣiṇā "moving to the right" or "circumnambulation." Walking around a holy image, place, or person in a clockwise direction, keeping the holy to one's right, with a mind of devotion. It is one of the sixteen parts of worship.

mūrti-image of a deity.

Vaiṣṇavas devotees of Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma.

Śaivas devotees of Śiva.

Śrī Vaiṣṇavas-Vaiṣṇavas who follow the practices and philosophy taught by Śrī Rāmānujācārya. The "Śrī" in Śrī Vaiṣṇava refers to Viṣṇu's consort Śrī or Lakṣmī.

śatāri "removal of wickedness." The Śrī Vaiṣṇava practice in which a priest touches a silver crown to the bowed heads of worshipers. It is seen as a way of asking for the removal of sin at the feet of the Lord. The crown bears impressions of feet on top, representing the feet of Lord Viṣṇu.

prasāda ("grace," "favor") offering-an offering of fruits, nuts, flowers, water, or prepared vegetarian food to the Lord. The offering is consecrated and endowed with God's grace. Small portions of the blessed food are later distributed to devotees.