[Advaita-l] Isavasya Upanisad 9th Mantra

[Jaldhar H. Vyas via Advaita-l]

On Fri, 23 May 2014, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l wrote:

> If we say Nitya Karma should be done before Devatopasana there will be a
> problem. Firstly Deva Pooja is also Nitya Karma only.

One can propitiate a deity for many reasons; tamasika ones such as 
fear of something bad happening, rajasika ones such as for personal gain 
such as siddhis or wealth etc. and sattvika ones such as out of a sense 
of duty as in nitya karma.  But sattvika puja can also be done at any time 
out of pure love for ones ishtadevata.  That is also different from the 
nitya puja.

> In Deva Pooja we have
> to do Devata Dhyana, Avaahana Adi Upacharas. Some people say Deva Pooja is
> Devatopasana. Is Deva Pooja same as Devatopasana?

No.  mantra japa, nama sankirtana, various yogic practices etc. are also 
upasana.

> Secondly some people like Stree and Sudraas have no Adhikaara to do Nitya
> Karma like Sandhyaa Vandana. If they do only Devata Pooja without Veda
> Mantras they are going to Greater Darkness?

They have no adhikara for _vedokta_ karmas but even many of the Brahmanas 
practices are based on smrti and shishtachara.  dharmashastras like 
shudrakamalakara etc. give instructions for sandhya, puja, etc. for 
non-dvijas based on smrti plus from their own ancestors they have 
inherited customs which are also dharma.  When a shudra performs his 
svadharma diligently he gets more punya than a Brahmana who does not 
perform his vedokta duties adequately.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>