Lazy Sewadar

As long as people work together for universal good (i.e. dharm), then the external form (aesthetic) that motivates them to move towards it is always a welcome development. May you be of assistance to all.

For those of you yet to become acquainted with it, i though i should post this video that was recently featured on Punjabi TV: It introduces Prabh Aasra, universal humanitarian welfare organisation, and the exemplary work being performed by them in Punjab. The organisation is headed by the most genuinely selfless man that i personally have ever met, Baba Shamsher Singh ji. Babaji was formerly a pharmacist with a few pharmacies around the outskirts of Chandigarh, but moved by the suffering of those he saw around him, one day sold all his businesses and bought some land to house and care for the destitute, orphans and helpless. He now devotes his life to the protection, care and benefit of those who have nobody else.

Aha! I obviously mistakenly took your previous comment to mean that Sant ji does not believe a BrahmGyani should perform external rituals, when in fact what he conveyed to you was that external rituals are fine so long as they are accompanied by an internal sincerity and corresponding internal shift? Accordingly Baba Deep Singh may have performed both an external/physical havan whilst simultaneously performing an internal havan of the mind? That's perfectly in line with Santji's narration of the actions of his Murshid.

I was unaware that people had difficulty with the interchangeability of the terms "qawm" and "panth".

A bit of a delay in responding... but i thought this was an interesting post; because if true it stands directly opposed to what Sant ji wrote in his book, The Society of Saints, where at p.16 he wrote As far as i know Sant ji considers his own teacher (i.e. the above-mentioned "Baba Jawala Singh") to be a puran BrahmGyani. I wonder why he would be undermining his own teacher in private?

I personally would think so. It's no great secret that one can observe such an attitude in the behaviour of certain people in the Gurdwara who come, prostrate before Maharaj, present some small offering, and then depart. Such activity undoubtedly is identical to that which could be observed everyday before an idol/murti in Varanasi, Vrindavan, or any rural Indian town. Interestingly, one great soul recently asked me: "if you had a science exam to prepare for would you bring your science book home, place it on a palki with reverence and then bow to it, and thereby think that you are sure of passing the exam? Bhakti and pyar are not devoid of value, but external bhakti alone is very definately incomplete."

Apologies ji, i should have been a bit more careful about terminology..... where you were quoting from i was using the English term "idol worship" in the pejorative- i.e. insincere and superstitious worship of a form devoid of any real connection to God. That was supposed to be taken in contrast to Sargun bhakti puja/sadhana, which is focusing on attributes or form (be it physical or mental) as a tool/doorway to receive Hari Darshan.

This.

Nowadays in hindu temples throughout India all one finds is idol-worship, pure and simple. As quoted above, this is merely drowning people in thoughtless, spiritual impotence and subservience to Pandits that steal their time and finances. However when a murti pran pratishtha is performed, the idea is to invite Parabrahm's energy (in the form of the deity invoked) into the physical item that is the focus of the ceremony (i.e. the murti). The idea is not to imprison God in a small pot, as is so often unfortunately the case, but rather create a doorway to His mercy (i.e. a Haridwar/Gurudwar). When Guruji says some legitimacy is given (by an unquestionable source) to worship performed before a murti vis-a-vis worship performed without one. It is undoubtedly a bit of a conundrum, which could not fail to produce difference of opinion. The best that anyone could hope for is that people be sincere to what Guruji tells them in their meditation, and that other people in turn then respect that we are all on an individual and personal spiritual journey as directed by SatGuruji.

Tisarpanth is an Indian website, right? At least the articles appear to be written by authors who are non-native English speakers; given the unrelenting use of the dictionary/thesarus and the not-quite-successful attempts at overly formal/academic English. At times the writing is rendered completely incomprehensible by such efforts, but to give an example that can be easily fixed: "Kali has gained intensive synonymity with demise and it's subsequent aftermath." could easily and more fluidly be said "Kali represents Death and its subsequent aftermath". One or two slip ups is fine, but reading an entire article where the above sentence is one of the more intelligible really isnt ideal. If anyone here knows anyone at Tisarpanth, please pass on the suggestion that they should try tone things down a little. God bless

I've ordered from them before, and was really happy that i did

For Udasis, there is a dera in Birmingham called Shree Chandra Darbar. One Mahant Kasar Dass is in charge of it. For Nirmalay, Tirth Singh Nirmala seems to be the only person here in the West. Daljeet Singh is a sikh Shishya of Swami Paramananda ji, who is a Dashnami Vedantin rather than a Nirmala, though the differences arent huge. Daljeet Singh ji's brother, however, is a Nirmala, though he resides in Tarn Taran and doesnt speak english.

Bit off topic (as not the same individual and subject matter is 100% unconnected) but an interesting case report nonetheless.

Dragging up an ancient post..... This was confirmed this year at the 2013 Maha Kumbha Mela, when Baba Ramdev took his place in the Udasi procession for Shahi Ishnan.... though, interestingly, is apparently not a very highly rated or regarded member of the akhara (as evident by his placement towards the back of the procession).

For official headquarters of the udasin akharas that take part in the procession at the Kumbha Mela Udasin Bara Akhara is based in Krishna Nagar Allahabad, and the Udasin Naya Akhara is based in Khankal district of Haridwar