WHOM TO WORSHIP SHIVA or KRISHNA ?

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by NoOne

Funny you should mention Ubud. I've been there, actually, even spent a few nights. Got terrible food poisoning though...

The thing about Ubud and Bali in general, is that it is really quite a spiritual place and the version of Hinduism they have there is truly authentic and beautiful. On the other hand, it has become a bit of a hippy commune and mass tourism, not least from Australia, has ruined it a bit in my eyes.

There is not much information about the branch of Hinduism that you belong to, but it does sound really intriguing. Looking at the links above, I did not know for instance that Durga had an aspect as Goddess of Death. Makes me wonder if that aspect is actually related to Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld in Sumer, who is Inanna's twin sister and not a particularly pleasant character to be around.

I noticed that in your earlier post you referred to yourself as evil and proud of it. I seriously doubt that is the case, though of course I don't know you that well. Good and evil are really such Christian concepts anyway, I find that trying to fit yourself into such narrowly defined categories of morality simply doesn't work, because either you are a saint (which let's face it, no living person is) or if you have any moral failings whatsoever (as everyone does) you are basically kin to the devil.

The world doesn't work that way and there is no such thing as absolute good or absolute evil, we are all a bit of both and I suspect that even applies to the gods. Just look at Inanna - Durga for instance, those weapons they're carrying and the Lion they ride on isn't just for show, they will slay the wicked when it is necessary and are both quite warlike. Shiva of course is terrifying in his destructive form, as is Kali. We must accept that there can't be light without darkness or good without evil and both most coexist in a state of harmony.

You are correct there. I am not really "evil" because if I am given just the tiniest bit of love and affection, this lioness will start purring like a pussycat..

I am really happy that you can engage me in conversation this way and not many do. This is all I am really looking for, just to have a pleasant chat, without judgments, without labels...Just two friends having a chin wag. I wonder what makes this so hard for most people?

I respond to love and kindness and I respond very well to it and give it in return, but I rarely can find anybody willing to dish it out...even people who say they are "spiritual" and "empathetic" and " love everybody" which always has me sorta perplexed.

As for Bali.....back in the 1970s and 1980s it wasn't THAT bad, as most tourists went there for a "surfing holiday" and just hung around the beaches.. However, this is when Australian tourism just started...With airlines offering return flights for $100. Wealthy families (as mine was) could afford to spend 6-8 months out of every year there...and being home schooled (mostly), this worked out very well...I fitted right in with the expats.

I returned to Bali with my mother, 5 years ago... didn't even recognise the place anymore...So sad. None of my childhood friends were even still alive and that's IF I could find them and Ubud has become so "touristy" and they have spoiled the whole "sacred vibration" of the place...but then I think to myself that either "sacred vibrations" are fast being destroyed EVERYWHERE on Earth just through the misuse of resources OR that the "sacred vibration" is a manifestation of the heart, which never CAN be destroyed.

They have erected a beautiful statue of Lord Shiva in Ubud now though..
https://pin.it/h3xqwkotxlq7nj

My parents ran an import/export business of Balinese goods into Australia (The Tropical Traders), so I was pretty much left to my own devices ALL the time...most times, I would be either at the local Wayang Kulit puppet show...or at the Dance School, or at Besakih Temple or catching the bus down to Mengwi to be instructed by the descendants of the Royal lineage. My name at that time was "Padma Sambhavi" given to me by the son of the king of the Mengwi province who took a shine to my willingness to fully immerse myself in the study of Balinese Hinduism...this was pretty much unheard of for a female and particularly a white female, but the exception was made and I was glad.

I basically had full and free reign and travel by myself throughout Bali from the age of 10 and often I would be gone for days, but my parents never worried...It was a different time back then.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[NoOne]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

You are correct there. I am not really "evil" because if I am given just the tiniest bit of love and affection, this lioness will start purring like a pussycat..

I am really happy that you can engage me in conversation this way and not many do. This is all I am really looking for, just to have a pleasant chat, without judgments, without labels...Just two friends having a chin wag. I wonder what makes this so hard for most people?

I respond to love and kindness and I respond very well to it and give it in return, but I rarely can find anybody willing to dish it out...even people who say they are "spiritual" and "empathetic" and " love everybody" which always has me sorta perplexed.

As for Bali.....back in the 1970s and 1980s it wasn't THAT bad, as most tourists went there for a "surfing holiday" and just hung around the beaches.. However, this is when Australian tourism just started...With airlines offering return flights for $100. Wealthy families (as mine was) could afford to spend 6-8 months out of every year there...and being home schooled (mostly), this worked out very well...I fitted right in with the expats.

I returned to Bali with my mother, 5 years ago... didn't even recognise the place anymore...So sad. None of my childhood friends were even still alive and that's IF I could find them and Ubud has become so "touristy" and they have spoiled the whole "sacred vibration" of the place...but then I think to myself that either "sacred vibrations" are fast being destroyed EVERYWHERE on Earth just through the misuse of resources OR that the "sacred vibration" is a manifestation of the heart, which never CAN be destroyed.

They have erected a beautiful statue of Lord Shiva in Ubud now though..
https://pin.it/h3xqwkotxlq7nj

My parents ran an import/export business of Balinese goods into Australia (The Tropical Traders), so I was pretty much left to my own devices ALL the time...most times, I would be either at the local Wayang Kulit puppet show...or at the Dance School, or at Besakih Temple or catching the bus down to Mengwi to be instructed by the descendants of the Royal lineage. My name at that time was "Padma Sambhavi" given to me by the son of the king of the Mengwi province who took a shine to my willingness to fully immerse myself in the study of Balinese Hinduism...this was pretty much unheard of for a female and particularly a white female, but the exception was made and I was glad.

I basically had full and free reign and travel by myself throughout Bali from the age of 10 and often I would be gone for days, but my parents never worried...It was a different time back then.

Aum Namah Shivaya

That Shiva statue is interesting. I don't think I've seen a similar depiction before, must be unique to Bali. I wonder why he's mostly shown as grey-skinned, but sometimes he's blue? Presumably it is Vishnu's influence.

Your childhood in Bali must have been spectacular. Not many people were as fortunate as you. I spent most of my childhood in a Soviet-built industrial town in Eastern-Block Hungary, then I had a few years in India, which is a beautiful country, but the poverty was crushing. We were actually living it up with more or less an ex-pat lifestyle, but I don't think I've ever seen so much suffering around me in one place and in such a short time, anywhere else I've travelled to.

Padma Sambhavi is a really nice name, they must have really thought you were someone special if they gave you that name. I am quite partial to stories about Padmasambhava and the many miracles he performed. Some of them, such as his softening of stone with his bare hands and leaving his handprint in solid rock, can still be witnessed today. Apparently, he also flew around the sky with apparent ease. I suspect he wasn't from this planet...

Do you ever think about returning to Bali to study Hinduism? I mean, it may not be as idyllic as it used to be, but surely they'd recognise your past efforts and achievements? It doesn't sound to me that you're particularly happy where you are now. Sometimes it is best to get a complete change of scenery and challenge yourself to start a new life in a new environment. It is a roll of the dice, but usually it works out.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by NoOne

That Shiva statue is interesting. I don't think I've seen a similar depiction before, must be unique to Bali. I wonder why he's mostly shown as grey-skinned, but sometimes he's blue? Presumably it is Vishnu's influence.

Your childhood in Bali must have been spectacular. Not many people were as fortunate as you. I spent most of my childhood in a Soviet-built industrial town in Eastern-Block Hungary, then I had a few years in India, which is a beautiful country, but the poverty was crushing. We were actually living it up with more or less an ex-pat lifestyle, but I don't think I've ever seen so much suffering around me in one place and in such a short time, anywhere else I've travelled to.

Padma Sambhavi is a really nice name, they must have really thought you were someone special if they gave you that name. I am quite partial to stories about Padmasambhava and the many miracles he performed. Some of them, such as his softening of stone with his bare hands and leaving his handprint in solid rock, can still be witnessed today. Apparently, he also flew around the sky with apparent ease. I suspect he wasn't from this planet...

Do you ever think about returning to Bali to study Hinduism? I mean, it may not be as idyllic as it used to be, but surely they'd recognise your past efforts and achievements? It doesn't sound to me that you're particularly happy where you are now. Sometimes it is best to get a complete change of scenery and challenge yourself to start a new life in a new environment. It is a roll of the dice, but usually it works out.

When artists paint or sculpt Lord Shiva as being blue, they are taking artistic liberties.

According to the Scriptures, Lord Shiva's skin is actually white in colour, and Akka Mahadevi, a saint from the Lingayat Virashaiva movent calls Him "Chenna Mallikarjuna" which means "the Lord who is white as jasmine".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akka_Mahadevi

There is even a very powerful Mantra:

https://youtu.be/OiSmXifePOo

Karpura Gauram Karuna Avataram...

It means; "Pure as camphor...of fair complexion.."

The reason why he looks grey-ish is because he smears his whole body with sacred ash called Vibhuti. This has a lot of benefits...to protect the skin and insulate it against extremes in temperature...to stop biting insects...and of course, for aesthetic purposes...burnt cow dung also has antiseptic properties and the ash from the crematorium, means you have gone beyond life and death and have renounced worldly things.

In this way, Lord Shiva is greyish-white.

I may go back to Bali...There is a joint government incentive to get elderly Australians to retire there, but it is very expensive...You need to buy a house and hire one local to work for you...However, going back for a "holiday" would be good...but when I said that my family is well off, doesn't mean that I am...and to ask for a loan? forget it (they are stingy).

What I should be doing, is visiting my two "local" Shiva temples...and when I say "local" that is 200kms away "local"...It is almost like a yatra to get there, but a necessary one, I feel...to be more in my "element".

Nan Tien Buddhist temple is like a five minute drive away....it's nice there...I may go over the next few days and watch the koi carp swimming around in the huge lake they have there...this is quite soothing for me.

Yep, I require some serious GROUNDING more than anything else at the moment...I've even been thinking about getting myself a puppy, because the love of an animal seems to be inferior to the love of human beings...but it will suffice...Bhairava is also "Lord of the Hounds"..

I should write Lord Shiva's biography one day....I know Him so well. LOL

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Just by the way...

I live in New South Wales...in a place called Wollongong (just south of there).

Now, in a place called Minto NSW, there is not one, but TWO Shiva temples immediately side by side, constantly trying to outdo each other.

The statue of Shiva at Sri Shiva Mandir in Minto is almost an exact replica of the one in Ubud...or vice versa.

There is Sri Shiva Mandir, which is more traditional and mostly caters to the Fiji Indian crowd...then there is the Multi Gupteshwar Mandir.."Home of the 13th Jyotir Lingam"...I mean c'mon guys... SERIOUSLY!

The Multi Gupteshwar Mandir is more catered for the Tamil community.

Now, I learned there was only 12 Jyotir Lingams...So while Ajay is busy talking about Lingams, I am busy wondering just HOW there can be 13 of them and not 12.

Suffice to say, I prefer the "old world ambience" of Sri Shiva Mandir over the polished modernity of its neighbour.

However, I have only ever been there a few times because every time I have, NOBODY has been there to talk to...Just me and Shiva... and I don't have to go to a temple NOT to see another living soul...I missed my opportunity on Monday...looks like I have to wait another year to meet some Shiva devotees...It could be worse...I could be in Haridwar waiting for the next Maha Kumbh.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[neil]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

When artists paint or sculpt Lord Shiva as being blue, they are taking artistic liberties.

According to the Scriptures, Lord Shiva's skin is actually white in colour, and Akka Mahadevi, a saint from the Lingayat Virashaiva movent calls Him "Chenna Mallikarjuna" which means "the Lord who is white as jasmine".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akka_Mahadevi

There is even a very powerful Mantra:

https://youtu.be/OiSmXifePOo

Karpura Gauram Karuna Avataram...

It means; "Pure as camphor...of fair complexion.."

The reason why he looks grey-ish is because he smears his whole body with sacred ash called Vibhuti. This has a lot of benefits...to protect the skin and insulate it against extremes in temperature...to stop biting insects...and of course, for aesthetic purposes...burnt cow dung also has antiseptic properties and the ash from the crematorium, means you have gone beyond life and death and have renounced worldly things.

In this way, Lord Shiva is greyish-white.

I may go back to Bali...There is a joint government incentive to get elderly Australians to retire there, but it is very expensive...You need to buy a house and hire one local to work for you...However, going back for a "holiday" would be good...but when I said that my family is well off, doesn't mean that I am...and to ask for a loan? forget it (they are stingy).

What I should be doing, is visiting my two "local" Shiva temples...and when I say "local" that is 200kms away "local"...It is almost like a yatra to get there, but a necessary one, I feel...to be more in my "element".

Nan Tien Buddhist temple is like a five minute drive away....it's nice there...I may go over the next few days and watch the koi carp swimming around in the huge lake they have there...this is quite soothing for me.

Yep, I require some serious GROUNDING more than anything else at the moment...I've even been thinking about getting myself a puppy, because the love of an animal seems to be inferior to the love of human beings...but it will suffice...Bhairava is also "Lord of the Hounds"..

I should write Lord Shiva's biography one day....I know Him so well. LOL

Aum Namah Shivaya

If lord shiva was/is as he was depicted to be....
Quote..
Shaktipati, Shiva is Super powerful, the mightiest force of the world.
At the highest level, Shiva is attributeless Nirakara.
Adidev, Maheshwara is the Lord of strength, wisdom, and skill.
Shiva is omniscient, eternal and complete in himself.

...then one ought to dicsern that he would not need to smear himself with "sacred ash" or any other contaminants in order to protect the skin and insulate it against extremes in temperature...and or to stop biting insects.
And if one has gone beyond life and death one does not need cow dung nor crematorium ash to show it allegorically or not.

Because any being who is so ascended, enlightened and all powerfull, needs only to use their mind to utilize the invisible magical matter of the spiritual universe, to set in continuous play, a protective barrier to protect them from insects and or harmful effects of the environment that they are currently in, Earthly or elsewhere.

And believe it or not, the magical spiritual matter of the universe, coupled with the mind, can create a barrier for Earthlings and or said god beings, that can withstand a blast and or the harmful fallout that is far greater than of any nuclear energies.
One could be standing near or at ground zero at the momen't of the detonation, and not be harmed or dislodged in any form, and all air nessesary for survival that would be contaminated, can indeed be filtered via manipulation of said invisible magical spiritual matter.

And so if you were being serious with your statements and not being allegorical or anything else, then I would say that one might do well to study some what more...
I have had proof through experience that my statements are indeed a true reality.

And of course all of the above is for anyones considerations..And the humblest of SMILES from myself once again.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by neil

If lord shiva was/is as he was depicted to be....
Quote..
Shaktipati, Shiva is Super powerful, the mightiest force of the world.
At the highest level, Shiva is attributeless Nirakara.
Adidev, Maheshwara is the Lord of strength, wisdom, and skill.
Shiva is omniscient, eternal and complete in himself.

...then one ought to dicsern that he would not need to smear himself with "sacred ash" or any other contaminants in order to protect the skin and insulate it against extremes in temperature...and or to stop biting insects.
And if one has gone beyond life and death one does not need cow dung nor crematorium ash to show it allegorically or not.

Because any being who is so ascended, enlightened and all powerfull, needs only to use their mind to utilize the invisible magical matter of the spiritual universe, to set in continuous play, a protective barrier to protect them from insects and or harmful effects of the environment that they are currently in, Earthly or elsewhere.

And believe it or not, the magical spiritual matter of the universe, coupled with the mind, can create a barrier for Earthlings and or said god beings, that can withstand a blast and or the harmful fallout that is far greater than of any nuclear energies.
One could be standing near or at ground zero at the momen't of the detonation, and not be harmed or dislodged in any form, and all air nessesary for survival that would be contaminated, can indeed be filtered via manipulation of said invisible magical spiritual matter.

And so if you were being serious with your statements and not being allegorical or anything else, then I would say that one might do well to study some what more...
I have had proof through experience that my statements are indeed a true reality.

And of course all of the above is for anyones considerations..And the humblest of SMILES from myself once again.

There are also some people who will say that Lord Shiva also smokes hashish...who knows?

There are some people who will say that you ARE Shiva, but you will still put a jumper on when you feel cold won't you? Why put a jumper on when you ARE Shiva? What would a God, like you, need a jumper for?...or even make association with your own mortality in any case?

There is NO "rationality" as far as Lord Shiva is concerned. NOTHING He does is meant to please people, silence His critics or live up to their expectations of what a "high and mighty being" SHOULD be doing (because how would a mere mortal even know)? Lord Shiva doesn't WANT anybody to love Him or follow Him, but they do ANYWAY.

So, if you are looking for a God to conform to the way you think/believe (according to your religious conditioning and biases) a God SHOULD act, then Lord Shiva is definitely NOT for you.

It is as simple as that.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[neil]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

There are also some people who will say that Lord Shiva also smokes hashish...who knows?

There are some people who will say that you ARE Shiva, but you will still put a jumper on when you feel cold won't you? Why put a jumper on when you ARE Shiva? What would a God, like you, need a jumper for?...or even make association with your own mortality in any case?

There is NO "rationality" as far as Lord Shiva is concerned. NOTHING He does is meant to please people, silence His critics or live up to their expectations of what a "high and mighty being" SHOULD be doing (because how would a mere mortal even know)? Lord Shiva doesn't WANT anybody to love Him or follow Him, but they do ANYWAY.

*So, if you are looking for a God to conform to the way you think/believe (according to your religious conditioning and biases) a God SHOULD act, then Lord Shiva is definitely NOT for you.

It is as simple as that.

Aum Namah Shivaya

Your post has not so cleverly , side stepped, everything in regards to what you have quoted of mine.

Smoking hashish...shiva would be above it, and would not relish nor gain from consuming toxic Earthly low level drugs, because of his ascended and enlightened way of being...if said shiva, did he would so obviously be of a much lower form of Suul quality than even Jesus...shivas said way of being would far exceed anything that could be gained from consuming hash.

Some people may say that you or I am shiva, but I'm am sure that even you believe differently. And if I was of shiva's supposed all powerful way of being, I would not be affected by excessive coldness or heat, because I could alter the way that my body reacts to uncomfortable atmospheric conditions..any low level spiritual being can accomplish that.

And contrary to your beliefs, a person who is said to be so ascended and enlightened and all powerful, has reached that way of being because of the grace of the Creator of the universe, of which this said shiva entity resides in, and the Creator has set up his universe in such a way that makes it possible for a being such as this supposedly real and supposedly non fraudulent entity, to reach the kind of form that this said entity is said to have reached. And if the said shiva is of such a powerful quality of Soulself, then that being would be as The Heavenly Creator is (ALL HOLY, ALL LOVING AND ALL MERCIFUL) the said shiva could be no other way..because to progress in power and abundance is to be in harmony with the loving creators, LAWS OF LOVE...AND "RATIONALITY" IS ONE OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF SUCH A WAY OF BEING.

And as i have mentioned to you very recently, I do not subscribe to any religion and or religious conditioning, as you have described above where I have marked with this symbol *
However I do follow a path which is in harmony with creators way of love, to the best of my abilities, which has no reference with the bible, and is just simply a beautiful way of living in the creators creation.

Regards and happy SMILES from mee.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by neil

Your post has not so cleverly , side stepped, everything in regards to what you have quoted of mine.

Smoking hashish...shiva would be above it, and would not relish nor gain from consuming toxic Earthly low level drugs, because of his ascended and enlightened way of being...if said shiva, did he would so obviously be of a much lower form of Suul quality than even Jesus...shivas said way of being would far exceed anything that could be gained from consuming hash.

Some people may say that you or I am shiva, but I'm am sure that even you believe differently. And if I was of shiva's supposed all powerful way of being, I would not be affected by excessive coldness or heat, because I could alter the way that my body reacts to uncomfortable atmospheric conditions..any low level spiritual being can accomplish that.

And contrary to your beliefs, a person who is said to be so ascended and enlightened and all powerful, has reached that way of being because of the grace of the Creator of the universe, of which this said shiva entity resides in, and the Creator has set up his universe in such a way that makes it possible for a being such as this supposedly real and supposedly non fraudulent entity, to reach the kind of form that this said entity is said to have reached. And if the said shiva is of such a powerful quality of Soulself, then that being would be as The Heavenly Creator is (ALL HOLY, ALL LOVING AND ALL MERCIFUL) the said shiva could be no other way..because to progress in power and abundance is to be in harmony with the loving creators, LAWS OF LOVE...AND "RATIONALITY" IS ONE OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF SUCH A WAY OF BEING.

And as i have mentioned to you very recently, I do not subscribe to any religion and or religious conditioning, as you have described above where I have marked with this symbol *
However I do follow a path which is in harmony with creators way of love, to the best of my abilities, which has no reference with the bible, and is just simply a beautiful way of living in the creators creation.

Regards and happy SMILES from mee.

In my view, I have not "side stepped" your post...but in your view, I did. Whose view is more important?

That is what it is all about, isn't it? In your view, you are "right" and I am "wrong", but in my view, I don't give a damn WHO is "right" or "wrong"...I just know what I know, which isn't the same thing as what you know, isn't it?

Everybody thinks their truth is THE truth (like you mentioned in your previous post)...That your experience is YOUR truth, which is NOT the same as my experience being MY truth...and so, you are trying to get me to believe YOUR truth INSTEAD of MY truth...this is what all religions have done since time immemorial...It is why all the wars and strife has existed since the dawn of civilisation.

You said that I should educate myself more, but have you even read the Vedas? The Agamas? The Upanishads? The Shiva Purana? I mean, how can you even have a view on this subject if you have not? It is like me rubbishing the Bible and Jesus if I haven't even read it.

You only THINK you know, based on your own experiences, just like I only THINK I know, based on mine.

I mean, certainly I could fully go into the Saguna (attributed) and Nirguna (attributeless) aspects of Brahman (the Absolute), but for me, that is better done in Sanskrit as there isn't really any English equivalent...and you can't read Sanskrit but I can, so what can I do?

I mean, I would LOVE to discuss the Vimarsha of Purusha expressed through Kriya and Jnana Shakti, but I would totally lose you after the first few words.

Although, about my conditioning...

I will always do the OPPOSITE of what anybody tells me or advises me...I look at their lives and say to myself "I don't want to end up like THEM" and this goes back to my childhood, when I would never do what my parents told me to do, because they were the most pathetic, miserable creatures God ever put breath into.

So, to assert my individuality and my own "person", I will do the opposite of what anybody else says or does...and I don't want to be any different. So, you are really wasting your time with me...and take a leaf from "NoOne's" book... approaching me as a friend and not as an advisor or accuser when speaking to me will get you further with me, or else yep, I will just clam up or tell you to eff off...get it?

[NoOne]

One of the more cryptic messages I was given by the gods, is that they do have physical bodies like ours, just not in a point of space-time that dissects ours. What I infer from that, is that their physical bodies, are from our perspective, in a different time (either far in the past or far into the future) as well as on another planet, who knows where.

They interact with us in their light-bodies which is basically projected into our reality from a faraway point in space and time, through dimensional barriers. Since they are higher-dimensional, they do not perceive time and space like we do, all their future and past selves exist to them simultaneously and can be accessed any time.

Regarding finding a Shiva temple, I did look online, but there are none anywhere near I live. There are a couple of ISKCON temples, but also at a considerable distance. The last time I was in a Shiva temple, was over a decade ago in Varanasi. If I ever come into serious money, however unlikely that is, I shall make sure to build one right where I live.

Shivani, I think it is a great idea to move to Bali for a while, but I understand the Visa situation is not ideal. Have you considered Malaysia? They have a substantial Hindu population and the retirement visas are quite generous, I hear. I actually prefer it to Indonesia, if I'm honest.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by NoOne

One of the more cryptic messages I was given by the gods, is that they do have physical bodies like ours, just not in a point of space-time that dissects ours. What I infer from that, is that their physical bodies, are from our perspective, in a different time (either far in the past or far into the future) as well as on another planet, who knows where.

They interact with us in their light-bodies which is basically projected into our reality from a faraway point in space and time, through dimensional barriers. Since they are higher-dimensional, they do not perceive time and space like we do, all their future and past selves exist to them simultaneously and can be accessed any time.

Regarding finding a Shiva temple, I did look online, but there are none anywhere near I live. There are a couple of ISKCON temples, but also at a considerable distance. The last time I was in a Shiva temple, was over a decade ago in Varanasi. If I ever come into serious money, however unlikely that is, I shall make sure to build one right where I live.

Shivani, I think it is a great idea to move to Bali for a while, but I understand the Visa situation is not ideal. Have you considered Malaysia? They have a substantial Hindu population and the retirement visas are quite generous, I hear. I actually prefer it to Indonesia, if I'm honest.

What I understand is that Brahman is the Absolute Reality.

However, because the mind and heart cannot reach there without an "intermediary", the Devas, like Shiva, Krishna etc just exist for this purpose.

Yes, they are beings of Light (as what Deva and Elohim actually and literally means), but they are also shapeshifters... existing in whatever form it takes to lead the seeker TO that ultimate realisation of Brahman.

It is where Shiva becomes SADAshiva...where Vishnu becomes Narayana...where even Brahman becomes PARABRAHMAN and where Jivatman becomes Paramatman.

I don't confine Shiva to just being Shankar...OR to JUST being Dakshinamurthy..He is all of that and much, much MORE..but I can't put the cart before the horse... especially when the cart is totally unfathomable and non conceptual...It is like trying to use the mind to go beyond the mind...trying to get the eye to see itself.

I also love Malaysia and I will think about that too...It was at Batu Caves I first saw Thaipusam and lost myself in a full on Bhakti trance which had a very profound influence on my life.

I really don't know though...It is something that I shall give serious consideration to, but I have the words of Shankaracharya in my mind...

http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2...shiva.html?m=1

Aum Namah Shivaya