R: Re: Bhakti

[Ivano Alessandro Elia]

----- Original Message -----
From: T Swaminarayan <tvswaminarayan at YAHOO.COM>
To: <ADVAITA-L at advaita-vedanta.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2000 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: Bhakti


> --- Ivano Alessandro Elia <eliavit at UNINA.IT> wrote:
> > Namaste
> >
> > Until now my research for the jnana as been very
> > chaotic: I had several moments of  dejection because
> > I was never sure of  my
> > understandings about what I had to do. I just jumped
> > from an idea to another keeping me in a merely
> > intellectual point of view.
> > While I was reading the commentary of the
> > bhagavad-gItA by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta
> > Swami Prabhupada, as I mentioned in
> > my first posting, I tried to experienced the bhakti
> > by chanting the mantra HARE KRISHNA  HARE KRISHNA
> > KRISHNA KRISHNA  HARE HARE /
> > HARE RAMA  HARE RAMA  RAMA RAMA  HARE HARE. It was
> > surely an improvement to me but I'm not totally
> > happy about it.
> > Later I abandoned that commentary because it was
> > more religious than philosophical.
> >
> > Now I'm quite sure that my first step should be the
> > bhaktiyoga; So I'd be very grateful to you if you
> > would advice me about the
> > deity for my devotion (I'm slightly oriented towards
> > Siva) and the way to worship it.
> >
> >
> > Thanks and Regards
> > Ivano
> >
> Bhakti Marga is the same whether it is Bhati for Lord
> Krishna, Lord Rama or Lord Shiva. It is the intensity
> of your Bhakti for the LORD of your choice that counts
> in the upliftment of your spiritual understanding. In
> case you wish to follow the gyana marga in preferance
> to the bhakti marga  you may  start investigating
> about  YOURSELF for SELF KNOWLEDGE.A good starting
> point could be the Mandukya Upanishad which is the
> smallest of all Upanishads and contains only twelve
> Mantras or Slokas.I am sure you can get hold of a
> publication on this very important Upanishad which has
> the very essence of VEDANTA in it.There is always
> however a great mental satisfacation and peace of mind
> that can and will be derived by Bhakti or Devotion to
> the Lord of your choice.Never waver in your choice
> after you have made your decision on the same.
>
> Hari Om !
>
> Swaminarayan

Namaste

I think to understand that the important is the intensity of my bhakti and not the particular Lord I'm voted to.
But my problem is that I don't know which are the practical ways to worship my Deity, the prayers to be said, what sacrifices I
should do and what are the appropriate rituals.
So my question could be reformulated as this:
What should I do to become a devotee of Lord Siva?


Thanks and Regards

Ivano.

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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