Jai Srimannarayana!
Since recieving the recent news, I decided it was time to change about the blog and make it more fitting to my life now and mould it to how I perceive for the future. I aim to make this a more comprehensive blog on my experiences not as a Western Hindu, but as a Bhagavata, a Sri Vaishnava. I hope this new aim and effort will be a learning tool for those who are interested in the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. Reading through some of the previous posts all I could say to myself was "What was I thinking?". So I have started by cutting some of the random ramblings and posts that were made out of either frustration or ignorance. I will also be editing posts to make them more relevant as well as more accurate. So I hope you enjoy the new blog.
Adiyen
Sunday 12 May 2013
Thursday 9 May 2013
Number 16!
I received a bit of unexpected yet wonderful news. Kyle at Lotus Sculpture, in order to expand readership of Hindu blogs has made a "top 40 Hindu blogs" list. I managed 16th, and while I was excited, it made me feel a little guilty for not keeping up with this blog. I honestly thought only a couple of people read this and I have been planning on cutting some fat and perhaps give the blog some focus. Now I have an excuse to do this as this is will be an annual award ;)
So a thank you goes out to Kyle and here is the link to his blog and list... I must say I am glad he did this as there are blogs I have yet to see myself on this list.
http://www.lotussculpture.com/blog/top-40-best-hindu-blogs/
So a thank you goes out to Kyle and here is the link to his blog and list... I must say I am glad he did this as there are blogs I have yet to see myself on this list.
http://www.lotussculpture.com/blog/top-40-best-hindu-blogs/
Thursday 3 November 2011
Join me on FB and new name!
Yup, finally decided to separate my mates from my spiritual life. So I have started a dedicated FB page to spread out and meet more Sri Vaishnavas from around the world. So please join me at MY NEW FB PAGE
You may also notice that there has been a name change as I have finally received a Sanskrit name. Keeping my name for spiritual purposes was ok, but when I took my samashrayanam I was reborn spiritually and for this purpose I have accepted the name Yathavan based upon my jyotish chart.
Yathavan is a name of Vishnu and means "One who possesses what is right, proper and correct" i.e. one who has those qualities.
I would also like to thank Krishnachandraji :D
Adiyen Yathavan Ramanuja Dasan
You may also notice that there has been a name change as I have finally received a Sanskrit name. Keeping my name for spiritual purposes was ok, but when I took my samashrayanam I was reborn spiritually and for this purpose I have accepted the name Yathavan based upon my jyotish chart.
Yathavan is a name of Vishnu and means "One who possesses what is right, proper and correct" i.e. one who has those qualities.
I would also like to thank Krishnachandraji :D
Adiyen Yathavan Ramanuja Dasan
Thursday 13 October 2011
Back to the mundane.
Well here it is, nearly a fortnight later and the itching of my healing brands give a constant reminder of what happened.
HH Swamiji said many profound things that day, one could only expect in such a momentous occasion. The one that sticks out for me was what he said in the very beginning. I do not speak telugu, but an older lady receiving the panchasamskarams with us motioned towards me and said something to Swamiji. Given the tone and the fact he said my name a couple of times I imagined that she asked why I was there. She didn't seem to be protesting, but you could tell the was concerned. After speaking with her Swamiji continued and addressed us all in English and said (I'm paraphrasing): That all of us, no matter what colour, caste, or origin of birth are all gods children and viewed equally by God as such. And he will accept anyone who comes to him.
He also spoke on "Hinduism". He explained, as we all know that Hinduism is a made up word with no real definition, and in the sense that it covers a group of people and area, this area is so small compared to the rest of the world. He said that today we are not Hindu's, but those who surrender to the feet of Vishnu and thus Sri Vaishnavas. So from now on, I will never refer to myself as a "Hindu" as I am not, I AM A SRI VAISHNAVA! The colour of my skin, my name and where I am from HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY JIVA as HH Swamiji states. When the body dies so does colour, nationality and name.
This leads me to my last reflection. During the naming section of the ceremony, I was thinking I was going to get some kick arse Vedic name attached to my Ramanuja Dasa form. Instead Swamiji said Jason is a good name, no need for us to change our names, the name we have came with the body, our parents named us this and there is no need for us to change it. So as you see, there is no reason for us westerners to only take as much of Indian culture than is necessary to uphold our sadhana.
Anyway, I'm now getting settled in to my new place and spiritual path and the last two weeks has been wonderful.
Lastly, I must thank my two Vadakalai friends who have sent me reading materials via email and given me the best support possible. Haresh especially has been my pillar and the person whom I can only thank so much for directing me towards the Sri Sampradaya. I also have a couple of light articles by him I will be reproducing here on my blog to help give more educational information and history as I progress.
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasa
HH Swamiji said many profound things that day, one could only expect in such a momentous occasion. The one that sticks out for me was what he said in the very beginning. I do not speak telugu, but an older lady receiving the panchasamskarams with us motioned towards me and said something to Swamiji. Given the tone and the fact he said my name a couple of times I imagined that she asked why I was there. She didn't seem to be protesting, but you could tell the was concerned. After speaking with her Swamiji continued and addressed us all in English and said (I'm paraphrasing): That all of us, no matter what colour, caste, or origin of birth are all gods children and viewed equally by God as such. And he will accept anyone who comes to him.
He also spoke on "Hinduism". He explained, as we all know that Hinduism is a made up word with no real definition, and in the sense that it covers a group of people and area, this area is so small compared to the rest of the world. He said that today we are not Hindu's, but those who surrender to the feet of Vishnu and thus Sri Vaishnavas. So from now on, I will never refer to myself as a "Hindu" as I am not, I AM A SRI VAISHNAVA! The colour of my skin, my name and where I am from HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY JIVA as HH Swamiji states. When the body dies so does colour, nationality and name.
This leads me to my last reflection. During the naming section of the ceremony, I was thinking I was going to get some kick arse Vedic name attached to my Ramanuja Dasa form. Instead Swamiji said Jason is a good name, no need for us to change our names, the name we have came with the body, our parents named us this and there is no need for us to change it. So as you see, there is no reason for us westerners to only take as much of Indian culture than is necessary to uphold our sadhana.
Anyway, I'm now getting settled in to my new place and spiritual path and the last two weeks has been wonderful.
Lastly, I must thank my two Vadakalai friends who have sent me reading materials via email and given me the best support possible. Haresh especially has been my pillar and the person whom I can only thank so much for directing me towards the Sri Sampradaya. I also have a couple of light articles by him I will be reproducing here on my blog to help give more educational information and history as I progress.
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasa
Sunday 2 October 2011
My new life starts today
Jai Srimannarayana!
Today at approximately 10:00 central time I received my pancha samskarams into the Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya. What a day it has been and well worth the 8 hour trip by car to meet HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. After it was over one of the Jet representatives asked for my name, number and email address and I could barely write. In fact I could barely talk and the gentleman said breathe, it's fine LOL
I am now going to go and let it all soak in, a very memorable day.
Adiyen Jason Ramanuja Dasa
Today at approximately 10:00 central time I received my pancha samskarams into the Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya. What a day it has been and well worth the 8 hour trip by car to meet HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. After it was over one of the Jet representatives asked for my name, number and email address and I could barely write. In fact I could barely talk and the gentleman said breathe, it's fine LOL
I am now going to go and let it all soak in, a very memorable day.
Adiyen Jason Ramanuja Dasa
Saturday 3 September 2011
Panchasamskarams
Hey everyone!
As you can see the coming samskarams has me excited and thus taking a little time in between my preparations to move to write what's on my mind.
Of the five initiations or rites, Sri Karalappakam Anantha Padhmanabhan writes in his excellent treatise on Samashrayanam that the most important is the fourth section or Mantram Samskaram. Tonight I was putting things up on youtube to listen to as I did my things and one that I played was the Dvayam Mantram. This is one of the mantras I will receive. Listening to it, it's beauty is as alluring as the most beautiful flower who's nectar overflows.
The Dvayam Mantram is described as the Gem among mantras and listing to how the words are strung together and the vibrations is produces (not to sound like a new age hippie) certainly has a power on its own. Sri Karalappakam Anantha Padhmanabhan says of the mantram:
"Dvaya Mantram consists of two lines... This helps one to perform SaranAgati unto Sriman NArAyanA. Once this mantrA is initiated by the AchAryA, it should be recited constantly within ourselves. It can be recited by the sishyA without bothering about time, place etc. Infact Dvayam should be dancing in the lips of all the SriVaishnavAs all the time. It is infact an instruction from BhagavAn Ramanuja that Dvayam should be chanted for maximum time possible.
Please, hit play and close your eyes and listen and then feel. How the whole world is not falling to the lotus feet of the Lord is beyond me, enjoy.
As you can see the coming samskarams has me excited and thus taking a little time in between my preparations to move to write what's on my mind.
Of the five initiations or rites, Sri Karalappakam Anantha Padhmanabhan writes in his excellent treatise on Samashrayanam that the most important is the fourth section or Mantram Samskaram. Tonight I was putting things up on youtube to listen to as I did my things and one that I played was the Dvayam Mantram. This is one of the mantras I will receive. Listening to it, it's beauty is as alluring as the most beautiful flower who's nectar overflows.
The Dvayam Mantram is described as the Gem among mantras and listing to how the words are strung together and the vibrations is produces (not to sound like a new age hippie) certainly has a power on its own. Sri Karalappakam Anantha Padhmanabhan says of the mantram:
"Dvaya Mantram consists of two lines... This helps one to perform SaranAgati unto Sriman NArAyanA. Once this mantrA is initiated by the AchAryA, it should be recited constantly within ourselves. It can be recited by the sishyA without bothering about time, place etc. Infact Dvayam should be dancing in the lips of all the SriVaishnavAs all the time. It is infact an instruction from BhagavAn Ramanuja that Dvayam should be chanted for maximum time possible.
Please, hit play and close your eyes and listen and then feel. How the whole world is not falling to the lotus feet of the Lord is beyond me, enjoy.
Friday 2 September 2011
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