Bbrhaspati's 4th pilgrimage to india blog
This blog by brhaspati, who is a follower of Advaita Vedanta philosophy. He wrote to me recently telling me of his blog. He has travelled extensively in India and this blog is about his pilgrimage in 2010.
I have added his blog to my page listing blogs by Western converts to Hinduism.
Other news in blogs by Westerners Following Hinduism
I have removed the “inactive” flag from the Shatkona blog. There are several new posts, one of which explains his break from blogging.
Western Hindu 
The list keeps growing!
Thank u tandav ji
another very interesting blog.
@Br. Jay , Yes , People are waking up now and not deceived by Jesus myth. Hope in another 100 yrs there is no more Jesus and only Hindu Vedanta will be in this world.
It is a bad thing to wish, What wrong has Jesus done, it is the surrounding myth and other philosophies propagated aggressively by his followers. I think one can regard him as Rishi or Sadhu. He was a compassionate man after all.
I think it all depends on what “S” means by the Jesus myth. If the “myth” is that people can only be saved by being Christians, and therefore lies, deceit, threats, or anything is justified in making people convert then I think it would be good if people were no longer deceived.
As you say, if people think of Jesus as a rsihi with a message for his followers, only then there is no harm in that.
Do you know of any organisations besides Himalayan Academy that provide education and conversion to Hinduism? I have seen some in the past but now cannot find them. Thanks.
There isn’t really conversion to Hinduism, what organisations offer is acceptance into a school or tradition. There are many organisations that offer education into Hinduism include Chinmaya Mission West, the Ramakrishna Math, the Divine Life Society, and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
There are many more, you might find it useful to look at some of the other blogs by converts to Hinduism and see their experiences with their path.
Aum
@tandav ji please don’t reccomend Ramakrishna math, especially outside India,. They have very much degenerated. A well known Brahmin scientist in US was confused by them , teachng brahman=jehova, he is now a regular visitor of pentacostal-evangelical church and believes the authentic non-political Madvacharya Math of Gokarna and Kasi to be ‘knowledgeless’. He says he is advaitist. When asked about missionary he says about their charity, blah blah conversion tricks. And says our madva math are useless ,for him.
The basic truth is that, Kasi math never boasts, publicity stunt for the charity it does.
So Rk math is useless now. They even distribute tinned meat.
One of their devotees also turnd non-veg coz they taught Vivekananda supports it using excerpt of article – all vegetarian arent hindus.
I had to explain it in full and cautioned him from going to the Rk math.
Thanks syamukamath ji,
I should have made clear that these are not recommendations, the only organisations that I have experience with are the Himalayan Academy and the Chinmaya Mission West. Both of these I could recommend. The others are just organisations that I know have education for and accept converts to Hinduism.
I don’t know whether Ramakrishna endorses criticism of other Maths, encourages meat eating, or supports Christian missionaries. I will invite a follower of the Ramakrishna Math, Art from the Bamboo Thoughts blog, to reply. After all one devotee preaching these things might just mean that there is one very spiritually confused devotee.
Syamukamath,
From my experience as an initiated member of the Ramakrishna movement, and from numerous Google searches, your comments are biased and misleading.
People convert to other religions sometimes, even Brahmins, and without coercion. If your friend were taken in by the Ramakrishna Mission, would he not have joined a Vedanta Society rather than a Pentecostal church?
I like to visit a local Christian monastery, where I meditate and pray to Lord Jesus, who is non-different from Sri Ramakrishna.
From the standpoint of the Vedas, Jehovah and Brahman are equivalent, as are Allah and Krishna, Nibbana and Siva, and so on. Sri Ramakrishna’s experience is, for his devotees, proof of this, and several highly-respected pandits of his time stated that everything in his teachings could be found in the scriptures.
I have heard numerous lectures from numerous Ramakrishna Order monks. Not once have I heard one disparage any other monastery or religious tradition.
Millions of Hindus in India eat meat, especially fish. There are numerous references to eating meat in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, and the two senior Swamis with whom I’ve eaten a meal have both eaten some meat. According to a recent article in “Hinduism Today,” the Hindus of Bali will even sacrifice a cow on occasion.
I think Ramakrishna Mission is far from useless. Dogmatism and intolerance, however, we could certainly do without.
I am sorry. I do respect christ.
But personal god, Jehova, Krishna, Allah as per respective belief aren’t same as Nirguna Parabrahman of Advaita Vedanta. You better learn Works of Adi Sankaracharya b4 lecturing me on Advaita Vedanta.
And Bible which says, ALL OTHER PATH GO HELL/UNSAVED ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO HINDUS.
And MAJORITY ARE CONVERTED WITH COERCION,
READ VIVEKANANDA COMPLETE WORKS AND OTHER ARTICLES BY SWAMI VIVEKANANDA IN RAMAKRISHNA MATH MAGAZINE PRABUDH BHARAT(AWAKENING INDIA) AGAINST conversion.
AND NO RK MATH MONASTRY IN INDIA TAKES MEAT IT IS PROHIBITED.
As CASTE SYSTEM, SATI etc ENTERED HINDUISM COW SLAUGHTER RITUAL MAY HAVE ENTERED HINDU CUSTOMS IN BALI.
The same man came to Rk math Advaita Ashrama here to remove wrong concepts.
Thanks Art,
Whereas there are some practices that you describe that I personally see as “not best”, I think that you have clarified the beliefs so that people can understand the teachings and decide for themselves.
One thing that I would like to clarify, Syamukamath implied that Ramakrishnan encouraged people who are already vegetarian Hindus to eat meat. Is this true? Whereas I understand that some branches of Hinduism do not encourage vegetarianism, and many will initially accept non-vegetarians into the “outer circles”, I see a big difference between this and encouraging vegetarians to eat meat.
Aum
Lol. You got me wrong Ramakrishna Paramahamsa never encouraged meat eating.
EVEN WHILE PRACTISING LEFT HAND TANTRA RAMAKRISHNA TOOK ALTERNATIVES.
IN MY STATE, KERALA(and mamy southern states) ‘ATLEAST’ 95% HINDUS ARE NON VEG. 80% eat even beef in kerala, due to early Western influence.. BUT TEMPLE AND MATH/ASHRAM NEVER TAKE MEAT-NON VEG.
The Great Vedantist & Social reformer SRI NARAYANA GURU, who was born in a Discriminated Dalit family, prohibited meat in the Math and shiva temple He established in Shivagiri, varkala.
MY POINT IS DISTRIBUTING TINNED MEAT INSIDE MATH ENCOURAGING/DISCRIMINATING NON-veg.
I AM AGAINST FORCING VEGETARIANISM ON THEM.
I don’t recall Sri Ramakrishna taking a stance on it one way or another, but then the Gospel is a very long book.
Someone on another forum quoted Swami Vivekananda thusly. I have not verified these quotes.
———————
About vegetarian diet I have to say this – first, my Master was a vegetarian; but if he was given meat offered to the Goddess, he used to hold it up to his head. The taking of life is undoubtedly sinful; but so long as vegetable food is not made suitable to the human system through progress in chemistry, there is no other alternative but meat-eating. So long as man shall have to live a Rajasika (active) life under circumstances like the present, there is no other way except through meat-eating. It is true that the Emperor Asoka saved the lives of millions of animals, by the threat of the sword; but is not the slavery of a thousand years more dreadful than that? Taking the life of a few goats as against the inability to protect the honour of one’s own wife and daughter, and to save the morsels for one’s children from robbing hands – which of these is more sinful? Rather let those belonging to the upper ten, who do not earn their livelihood by manual labour, not take meat; but the forcing of vegetarianism upon those who have to earn their bread by labouring day and night is one of the causes of the loss of our national freedom.
(Complete Works, 4.486-7)
All liking for fish and meat disappears when pure Sattva is highly developed, and these are the signs of its manifestation in a soul: sacrifice of everything for others, perfect non-attachment to lust and wealth, want of pride and egotism. The desire for animal food goes when these things are seen in a man. And where such indications are absent, and yet you find men siding with the non killing party, know it for a certainty that here there is either hypocrisy or a show of religion.
Complete works, 5.403)
Art,
the same is said in Complete works too. HINDUISM DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE IT, doesn’t mean it is Great.
RAJASIKA ISN’T JUST FROM MEAT, THATS WRONG NOTION.
Read the stanza
“KATWAMLA LAVANATHYUSHNA….” in Gita – Gunatryavibhaga yoga.
AND YOU MAY See the story Of KAUSHIKA and BUTCHER in my blog, which says BUTCHER DHARMAVYADHA IS REAL BRAHMIN, NOT BRAHMIN BORN SAGE KAUSIKA.
But Butcher is DOING HIS DHARMA WHILE SANYASIs THEIR.
SO USING TINNED MEAT IN ASHRAM IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY SWAMIJI’s Words.
THIS IS WHAT I SAID, OVERDOING/MISUSING VIVEKANANDA’s statement.
I personally know a Ex-head of Vedanta society of Usa, who was from banglore and many of his devotees. I know the how un-‘sanyasi’ they were. I don’t know who is Art’s Acharya-he may be great.
My Family is associated with RKmath frm 60-70years ago. Even today we are associated with Ramakrishna Math cochin, the Advaita Ashram, Kolathur, and my relative is state secretary of Ramakrishna Mission- the one 4 householders.
Even THE MISSION STATE COMMITTEE HAS 2-3 Non veg, vegan members, BUT NONE OF OUR OLDAGE HOMES, ASHRAM, TEMPLE OR HOSTELS HAVE EGG, MEAT OR FISH.
This is the Discipline followd by Mission, Bt never seen in USA.
He didnt convert, he was a top member in Vedanta society.
Being A staunch devotee of Ramakrishna and ardent follower of Vivekananda, ADVAITA IS NOT SAME AS CHRISTIANITY. AIM OF BIBLE IS HEAVEN, AND AS PER VEDAS HEAVEN IS A LOWER WORLD, INFERIOR DESTINATION. And there is Death in Heaven, and one may return to earth.
CHRISTIANITY, SAYS PEOPLE AFTER DEATH R.I.P TILL JUDGEMENT DAY.
While Vedanta says they take Rebirth, till they reach Self realization.
The cosmic cycle explained by Vedas is also not in christianity.
I NEVER SAY BIBLE IS INFERIOR TO VEDA, BUT BOTH AREN’T SAME IN ANY CASE.
MY WAY IS MUTUAL RESPECT ACCEPTING THE DIFFERENCE, NOT CREATING FAKE SIMILARiTIES.
The Jesus Christ of Christian bible is Far away from Jesus of Vivekananda-which i believe.
WHAT BHAGWAN RAMAKRISHNA MEANT IS PURE DEVOTION TO LORD, IN ANY FORM- CHRIST/KRISHNA/JEHOVA/RAMAKRISHNA OR ANYFORM LEADS TO BHAKTI MARGA.
The unconditional love towards whatever form is same.
HE NEVER SAID
BHAGAVAD GITA= BIBLE
NOR DID HE SAY
VAIDIKA DHARMA/VEDIC WAY = BIBLICAL RELIGIÖN.
JEEVA CAN’T SIMULTANEOUSLY REST IN PEACE FOR J. Day and re-Birth.
NOR DO THEY HAVE UPPER WORLD TO HEAVEN, while Hindu has Brahmaloka, Vaikunta & shivaloka.
SO ALL IS NÖt SAME.<3
syamukamath,
I agree with you here. Many Hindus who say that Jesus is a guru, a swami or an avatar think that this means that Christianity is fundamentally the same as Hinduism. What they forget is that their belief in Jesus is not the same as a Christian’s belief, indeed every major Christian denomination would say that it is wrong to view Jesus in this way.
There is a case to be made that Jesus was originally a guru with a message for his disciples within Judaism, after all he was surrounded by polytheistic Romans and Greeks and never once spoke against their beliefs. However this is not what Christians believe today, they take Jesus’s words to be exclusive and be “the only way”.
Believing that Jesus was a guru is not contradictory to Hinduism, but it is not Christianity either.
Aum
Yes. Thats what Swami Vivekananda said,.
Most of the Christian Appostles condemn idol worship and order to demolish idols, while Sri Ramakrishna was the Priest of Dakshineshwar Kali Temple.
Abrahamic religion teaches to humble the wife, While Ramakrishna Worshipped his wife Sarada Devi seating her in Kali ma’s seat.
So Diversity is there and ALL AREN’T SAME as Swami Dayananda Saraswati says.
Secularism isn’t hiding diversity but respect despite of differences.
@syamukamath, //I am sorry. I do respect christ// see,you GAVE IN. you don’t have to accept /knowledge Jesus, Because , We all know what is his teaching and what Christians believe “what is his teaching.” It is very much felt in India. That is why we need to oppose it till our last breath.
//
My respects to all the reasers,
It’s very important discussion on meat eating – a Hindu perspective. Some people has justified it and pointed it out that since ancient times many of the Hindus have consumed meat and it should be considered as optional in Hinduism whether one consumes meat. I request the propagaters of these opinions to understand the basics of Hinduism/ Sanatan Dharma as enshrined in the Vedas, Upanishads, Geeta etc. It doesn’t matter, who says what. Please go to the bascs. See the following captivating Video on the topic:
http://agniveer.com/6853/no-beef-in-vedas-film/
My regards to all.