[Advaita-l] Wearing religious marks

[Ravisankar Mayavaram]

I think wearing tripundra etc. are mandatory only when doing sandhya
vandana and puja. vaidyanAtha dIxitiyam quotes verses which say (also
found in devii bhagavatam) that doing sandhyavandana without wearing
these marks, is as good as not doing it.  But these are not a must for
other secular activities.

Having said that I always wear kumkumam wherever and whenever I go
out. Even I went to my job interview in Austin with that. I dont have
a shika, after meeting with Ganesh Prasad  (of shrouta list)in B'lore
recently, I am determined to keep one like that. It should not be a
big deal. The only thing that was stopping me was, for person like me
who is a follower of adharma, it will serve only as a show and may
give a bogus impression. But again, even that is a must for doing
nitya karma.


I have friends who go to school/work etc. with nAmam (vaishhNava
marks). If more of us do that, it will become a norm.

Ravi