SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA. No no, No superstition is involved. It is about the basic power of what thought can do. What you think, so you become is what modern psychologists say. The same thing is the basis of the repeated version of upanishadic essence that in whatever way/form the Brahman is meditated upon, in those ways/forms, It is attained. We can produce numerous pramanas to substantiate this vakhyam. The same principle operates in what ever way we think and think intensely. That is also the basis on which Gitacharyan's assertion that He dooms the wrong doer to further doom and lifts the right one to lofty areas works. (That is also the reason why adiyal does not agree to the view recently doing rounds in this list that inspite of the wrong deeds, if a person is a staunch devotee, god would not mind. The options that God will have for one doing wrong karma is different / limited, as can be best understood from the hitopadesham by Hanuman to RAvana in Sundhara khnadam) Coming to garuda purana, the description about the sojourn of the soul is too extensive, that it is possible for the reader's sub- conscious level to linger on to it long after reading. The effect of karma apart, it is possible for the soul to unconsciously vie for reaching those places. That is why the prohibition. Similarly, reading of Mahabharatha at home is forbidden, on the pretext that family unity, particularly brotherly unity would be affected. But it can be read at a temple, because whatever impulse or emotion is created, that would be absorbed by the consecrated deities. To substantiate this let us look at some NDP paasurams. If one studies the content of those paasurams earmarked as koil paasuramas, one would find the powerful influence that they can weild on the mind which need to be nutralised at the earliest.Two examples for immediate reference are 'azhiyezha' and the last 10 'muniye'of Thiruvaomozhi. An emotional raeding/rendering of these with full knowledge of their meaning would certainly bring thoughts on pralaya (in the former) and a wish to discard this body in the case of latter. The aim of all devotion is not leaving the body, but doing what god expects us to do in this body. Our entire Hindu philosophy is based on what mind can do. So, this restriction on reading Garuda purana at times other than when death has taken place in a house. Even here I have heard elders say that the departed soul listens to the reading and this helps in reaching its destination. regards, jayasree saranathan. --- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, <purohit@xxxx> wrote: > > Dear Bhagavattotamas > There seems to be an incredible amount of superstition regarding the Garuda > Purana. The G.P. is a sacred text which takes the form of a dialogue between > Srikrisna and Garuda on the nature of life and death. It is a book of > knowledge. How can the aquiring of knowledge about universal matters which > affect us all create negative effects? Negative effects in our life arise as > a result of karma phalam not because we kept a book in our house! This is > what we call animistic superstition and is incompatable with the lofty > doctrines of Srivaishnavam. > > Adiyen > > Sriram ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $4.98 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/Q7_YsB/neXJAA/yQLSAA/.itolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ramanuja/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ramanuja-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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