Pls suggest. I'm a Brahmin girl, if it matters. I'm 23 and live alone in my place. I usually do Pooja everyday and chant Hanuman chalisa twice a day. But the thing is I'm still afraid.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=913117254821943

जय गुरुदेव, प्रिय गुरुभाइयों एवं गुरुबहनों, तथा जय माँ काली, प्रिय साधकजनों।

मेरे परमपूज्य गुरुदेव की असीम अनुकम्पा एवं कृपा से आज मैं आप सभी के समक्ष अपने गुरुधाम से प्राप्त कुछ साधना-प्रयोग सादर प्रस्तुत कर रहा हूँ। इच्छुक साधक इन साधनाओं को आगामी दिनों में निर्धारित साधना-नियमों के अनुसार संपन्न कर सकते हैं।

प्रस्तुत साधनाओं के नाम -

• सौम्य दक्षिण महाकाली साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• श्रीकृष्णाष्टकम्
• श्री राधा महाविद्या साधना
• श्रीकृष्णमय जीवन प्रेम-उमंग प्राप्ति साधना
• नारायणाक्षी प्रयोग
• अनंत चतुर्दशी साधना
• अनंत विष्णु साधना
• महाविद्या भुवनेश्वरी “ह्रीं” बीज साधना
• ऋण मोचनी भुवनेश्वरी महाविद्या साधना
• पितृ संतुष्टि साधना
• प्रिय वश्य साधना
• श्रीकृष्ण तंत्र सम्मोहन वशीकरण साधना
• पितृदोष मुक्ति - अष्टवसुगण साधना
• भुवनेश्वरी साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• राजराजेश्वरी दुर्गा शक्ति साधना
• पितरों को प्रसन्न करने की साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• भुवनेश्वरी प्रयोग
• सर्व पितृदोष निवारण साधना
• माँ दुर्गा के तीन स्वरूपों की साधना
• दिव्य लोक श्रद्धांजलि साधना
• श्वेतार्क गणपति साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• शिव अघोरेश्वर साधना
• अघोर रोग मुक्ति साधना
• विभिन्न गणपति प्रयोग (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)

टिप्पणी: हम जैसे दीक्षित साधकों को समस्त साधना-सामग्री गुरुधाम से प्राप्त हो जाती है। अन्य साधकगण साधना-सामग्री इंटरनेट के माध्यम से प्राप्त कर सकते हैं, अथवा सीधे गुरुधाम से संपर्क कर सकते हैं। यदि किसी के पास सामग्री उपलब्ध न हो, तो ऐसी स्थिति वे वर्तमान में केवल मंत्र-जप कर सकते हैं।

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Jai Gurudev, respected Guru brothers and Guru sisters, and Jai Maa Kali to all revered seekers.

By the boundless compassion and grace of my most revered Gurudev, today I am respectfully presenting before all of you some sadhana practices received from my Gurudham. Interested practitioners may undertake these sadhanas in the coming days in accordance with the prescribed sadhana rules.

Names of the sadhanas presented -

• Saumya Dakshina Mahakali Sadhana (English Version)
• Shri Krishnashtakam
• Shri Radha Mahavidya Sadhana
• Shri Krishnamaya Jeevan Prem-Umaṅg Prapti Sadhana
• Narayanakshi Prayoga
• Ananta Chaturdashi Sadhana
• Ananta Vishnu Sadhana
• Mahavidya Bhuvaneshwari “Hreem” Bija Sadhana
• Rina Mochani Bhuvaneshwari Mahavidya Sadhana
• Pitru Santushti Sadhana
• Priya Vashya Sadhana
• Shri Krishna Tantra Sammohana Vashikaran Sadhana
• Pitru Dosha Mukti – Ashtavasugana Sadhana
• Bhuvaneshwari Sadhana (English Version)
• Rajarajeshwari Durga Shakti Sadhana
• Alleviate Your Pitras (English Version)
• Bhuvaneshwari Prayoga
• Sarva Pitru Dosha Nivarana Sadhana
• Sadhana of the Three Forms of Maa Durga
• Divya Loka Shraddhanjali Sadhana
• Shwetarka Ganapati Sadhana (English Version)
• Shiva Aghoreshwara Sadhana
• Aghora Roga Mukti Sadhana
• Various Ganapati Prayogas (English Version)

Note: Initiated practitioners like us receive all the required sadhana materials from Gurudham. Other practitioners may obtain the materials through the internet or contact Gurudham directly. If the required materials are not available, they may, for the time being, perform only mantra-japa.

I was born into a Brahmin (by birth not profession) family, so I grew up surrounded by the fine details of our rituals and rites. Over time, I joined a few spiritual sects, researched the scriptures, and connected the science behind fasting with our traditional practices. Through trial, error, and personal experience, I’ve found a routine that works remarkably well.

My Annual Fasting Schedule:

24 Ekadashis

1 Janmashtami

1 Ram Navami / Swaminarayan Jayanti

1 Shivratri

4 Mondays of Shravan month: Practicing Ektana (eating only one normal meal a day, following the Amavasyant calendar used in Gujarat where the month ends on the No Moon day).

How I Fine-Tuned My Approach:

I used to try Nirjala (no food and no water) on Ekadashi, as it is often considered the ideal standard. However, I found it extremely difficult, especially when trying to fall asleep.

Now, I follow a system based on uncooked, unprocessed food and sensory restraint. On fasting days, I only eat uncooked items—mainly fresh fruits, peanuts, and milk or curd. I avoid all grains as well as fasting-permissible millets. If a fasting day falls on a weekend or holiday, I skip lunch entirely and eat only twice a day, keeping my overall intake much lower than usual.

The Spiritual & Mental Aspect:

Fasting isn't just about food; it's about inner discipline. On fasting days, I consciously practice restraint:

Avoiding anger, lustful thoughts, and greed.

Practicing non-violence (even avoiding killing mosquitoes).

Dedicating extra time to spiritual practices, scripture reading, and meditation.

The Results:

This routine keeps me fit and healthy. On Ekadashi and the day after, my senses feel remarkably sharp and my overall energy levels are high.

I really hope more Hindus move back toward the true spirit of fasting instead of consuming modern "Farali" alternatives like Farali pizza, paneer curry, or heavy fasting thalis. Overindulging in heavy "permitted" foods completely defeats the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of the vow.

I’d love to hear your perspectives, questions, or your own fasting routines!

This post I wrote draft by self and then gave to ai for Grammer fixes.

I have a genuine question about what Sanatana Dharma says regarding non-vegetarian food, particularly eggs.

I’ve heard different opinions about whether eating eggs is considered acceptable or not in Hinduism. Since a vegetarian diet can sometimes make it difficult to get enough protein, I was wondering how eggs are viewed traditionally.

Are eggs considered vegetarian or non-vegetarian according to Hindu traditions? Does Sanatana Dharma have any specific teachings about eating eggs, or does it depend on the particular tradition, sampradaya, or individual practice?

I was gifted a little card but there’s no information on the back. I don’t practice Hinduism so I don’t know who this could be? But I’m interested in knowing more!

I don’t know if it’s a God, please correct me if not!

Today, I went out to shop with some of my friends and saw a guy in his mid twenties carrying a real life baby sized kanha ji idol doll. I was amused so I kept looking at it, I'm glad he didn't take it negatively and he actually smiled at me as if inviting me to come and see the doll from close. I'm too shy so I smiled back and left. My mind is still stuck at that moment, it was so beautiful. I've seen somebody carry a similar kanha ji doll on Instagram as well. Can anyone tell me why are people carrying kanha ji baby toy/doll?

Attached image for reference, that doll was exactly like this, very beautiful. But less ornaments.

Hey

Im 20 yo

Im struggling acaedemically

And im not mentally strong enough to deal with the consequence of whats happening

I have been stuck in this situation for over a month now

Everyday i pray to god to rid me of it and im getting sinked in deeper and deeper

Today i tried my last pull and gave my best atleast at best of my capabilities

I have to wait for the result of what happens

Now not much is in gods hand but wtv is i want him to help me thru it

And genuinely i dont have anything to do now but wait

So i decided ill devote myself fully to god until the result is released and i really need it to be in my favour

Which god should i pray to
What prayer should i repeat
What am i possibly doing wrong
And how can my prayers be heard and desired result be achieved

I am not trying to offend anyone. The more I think of Advaita the more frightening and painful it feels to me. It's this fact that the particular individual I am, my personality, memories, relationships and history is ultimately not what I truly am and is just a misidentification. That I truly am just Brahman, that individuality is not real and just ignorance. That all these beautiful things around you, this whole world is just not real, it is like a dream or avidya/ignorance/mithya/unreal and only Brahman is real, even your individual identity is not real. Family, relationships, music, art, nature, food and ordinary experiences are ultimately something to be transcended because according to Advaita they aren't fulfilling and even cause more suffering, I find that extremely dark.

The individual that I consider myself will not continue, the answer that "I was never that individual in the first place, nothing is lost because you were always Brahman" seems even more sad to me.

I like being attached, I like plurality and the sheer variety and different colours this world has, I like the little fun things in life, the hobbies, games, sports, etc only to hear that worldly pleasures aren't fulfilling and need to be shed away and all of these things are unreal. I wish I hadn't read all this because then the thought that this game, job, this whole world is unfulfilling wouldn't even have come in my mind, plenty of people lead full lives engaged in their work and hobbies without thinking more about them, but now that I have come across this I cannot ever go back to that. This makes moksha especially frightening. If liberation means relinquishing identification with the body, mind, ego, desires, that this world is so painful that all you can do is let go and identify only with Brahman.

I also struggle deeply with maya / jagat mithya. I understand that “the world is mithya” does not simply mean nonexistent, but if Brahman alone is absolutely real, what is the ultimate status of the people I love, their lives, relationships, memories, human history, art, beauty and everything else that gives individual existence its content? The dream analogy doesn't help me: even if something is ultimately unreal, suffering within the experience can still be completely real to the one experiencing it.

I don't get what is the point of this great amount of suffering in this world, I don't find Advaita's answer satisfying, saying "who is actually suffering?" And "Brahman doesn't suffer" even if something is ultimately unreal, suffering within the experience can still be completely real to the one experiencing it. When I wake up from a nightmare, I feel bad about it even when awake. If suffering is because of avidya/ignorance then isn't there always someone that is in ignorance?

Ordinary life is built around relationships, family, work, creativity, knowledge, hobbies and building a future, yet the highest ideal seems to involve progressively relinquishing attachment to these things. If everyone reached complete liberation, would there even be a reason to continue reproduction, civilization, art, entertainment, ambition or ordinary human projects?

What frightens me is that Advaita may be offering exactly the opposite of what I desperately want from spirituality. I want reality to preserve consciousness, personhood, love, relationships and the particular lives of people. I want the person I am now, and the people I love, to be more than temporary appearances that are ultimately transcended.

Worldly pleasures, attachment, identification with the body are treated as things to overcome, while liberation is presented as the true purpose of human birth. Taken literally, this can make life, birth, desire, relationships and ordinary human happiness seem like things to escape rather than preserve. How is this any different from western philosophical pessimism which considers even birth a negative because that is the start of all sufferings.

I was born in a very traditional Indian Hindu family and as a child believed that I would go to heaven after death, meet all the different Gods and meet all my loved ones there. All that is shattered now. I wish I could believe in it again but I can't. No one is coming to save us. All of this has left me with a disturbing feeling that the universe is fundamentally not in favour of human beings and goes against nearly every instinct we have. We instinctively want to live, remain ourselves, love particular people, preserve memories and create things, yet the deepest philosophy I've encountered seems to tell me these instincts are based on a fundamental misunderstanding.

I don't find “it's the ego that is afraid,” “don't be attached,” or “you are already Brahman” sufficient answers. Whenever I think about all of this I feel a very sharp dread, an existential crisis. My days are spent in this existential malaise, distracting myself with things to not look at the scary truth.

I wasn't very well this year, but I did get some time to visit the temple and participate in the Krishna janamashtami.

I don't know how to explain it, but sometimes you don't need anything extraordinary. Just being there, listening to the kirtan, seeing the decorations, participating in the celebrations, and spending a little time away from everything feels enough.

Sometimes, you just want to live the higher way, and perhaps the only way to do that is to surrender your ego and everything else to God. And when I say God, I mean the Supreme One, Lord Vishnu, who took the incarnation of Gopala, or Krishna—whatever name you choose to call Him.

The Lord of Janmashtami makes so much sense because the aesthetics, décor, scriptures, and the entire environment seem to dance to the rhythm of Krishna Kanhaiya and the Gopis. I did a little arrangement at home with flowers, sweets, butter, diyas, and a few other things, and it just feels so fulfilling, a little reminder of a higher purpose in life, in its own way.

Happy Janmashtami to each one of you. May Lord Krishna bless your life with abundance, prosperity, and peace.

I've been thinking about something regarding God, creation, and renunciation, and I'd genuinely like to hear different perspectives

If everything in existence is ultimately a creation of God, why do many saints, sadhus, and spiritual seekers renounce worldly desires and attachments to get closer to God?

Wouldn't getting closer to God's creation loving people, experiencing nature, appreciating life, forming relationships, etc also be a way of getting closer to God?

I understand the distinction between love and attachment: loving someone while respecting their individuality is different from seeing them as "mine" or depending on them for your happiness. So I'm not necessarily arguing that we should be attached to worldly things

Basically title

जय गुरुदेव, प्रिय गुरुभाइयों एवं गुरुबहनों, तथा जय माँ काली, प्रिय साधकजनों।

मेरे परमपूज्य गुरुदेव की असीम अनुकम्पा एवं कृपा से आज मैं आप सभी के समक्ष अपने गुरुधाम से प्राप्त कुछ साधना-प्रयोग सादर प्रस्तुत कर रहा हूँ। इच्छुक साधक इन साधनाओं को आगामी दिनों में निर्धारित साधना-नियमों के अनुसार संपन्न कर सकते हैं।

प्रस्तुत साधनाओं के नाम -

• सौम्य दक्षिण महाकाली साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• श्रीकृष्णाष्टकम्
• श्री राधा महाविद्या साधना
• श्रीकृष्णमय जीवन प्रेम-उमंग प्राप्ति साधना
• नारायणाक्षी प्रयोग
• अनंत चतुर्दशी साधना
• अनंत विष्णु साधना
• महाविद्या भुवनेश्वरी “ह्रीं” बीज साधना
• ऋण मोचनी भुवनेश्वरी महाविद्या साधना
• पितृ संतुष्टि साधना
• प्रिय वश्य साधना
• श्रीकृष्ण तंत्र सम्मोहन वशीकरण साधना
• पितृदोष मुक्ति - अष्टवसुगण साधना
• भुवनेश्वरी साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• राजराजेश्वरी दुर्गा शक्ति साधना
• पितरों को प्रसन्न करने की साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• भुवनेश्वरी प्रयोग
• सर्व पितृदोष निवारण साधना
• माँ दुर्गा के तीन स्वरूपों की साधना
• दिव्य लोक श्रद्धांजलि साधना
• श्वेतार्क गणपति साधना (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)
• शिव अघोरेश्वर साधना
• अघोर रोग मुक्ति साधना
• विभिन्न गणपति प्रयोग (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण)

टिप्पणी: हम जैसे दीक्षित साधकों को समस्त साधना-सामग्री गुरुधाम से प्राप्त हो जाती है। अन्य साधकगण साधना-सामग्री इंटरनेट के माध्यम से प्राप्त कर सकते हैं, अथवा सीधे गुरुधाम से संपर्क कर सकते हैं। यदि किसी के पास सामग्री उपलब्ध न हो, तो ऐसी स्थिति वे वर्तमान में केवल मंत्र-जप कर सकते हैं।

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Jai Gurudev, respected Guru brothers and Guru sisters, and Jai Maa Kali to all revered seekers.

By the boundless compassion and grace of my most revered Gurudev, today I am respectfully presenting before all of you some sadhana practices received from my Gurudham. Interested practitioners may undertake these sadhanas in the coming days in accordance with the prescribed sadhana rules.

Names of the sadhanas presented -

• Saumya Dakshina Mahakali Sadhana (English Version)
• Shri Krishnashtakam
• Shri Radha Mahavidya Sadhana
• Shri Krishnamaya Jeevan Prem-Umaṅg Prapti Sadhana
• Narayanakshi Prayoga
• Ananta Chaturdashi Sadhana
• Ananta Vishnu Sadhana
• Mahavidya Bhuvaneshwari “Hreem” Bija Sadhana
• Rina Mochani Bhuvaneshwari Mahavidya Sadhana
• Pitru Santushti Sadhana
• Priya Vashya Sadhana
• Shri Krishna Tantra Sammohana Vashikaran Sadhana
• Pitru Dosha Mukti – Ashtavasugana Sadhana
• Bhuvaneshwari Sadhana (English Version)
• Rajarajeshwari Durga Shakti Sadhana
• Alleviate Your Pitras (English Version)
• Bhuvaneshwari Prayoga
• Sarva Pitru Dosha Nivarana Sadhana
• Sadhana of the Three Forms of Maa Durga
• Divya Loka Shraddhanjali Sadhana
• Shwetarka Ganapati Sadhana (English Version)
• Shiva Aghoreshwara Sadhana
• Aghora Roga Mukti Sadhana
• Various Ganapati Prayogas (English Version)

Note: Initiated practitioners like us receive all the required sadhana materials from Gurudham. Other practitioners may obtain the materials through the internet or contact Gurudham directly. If the required materials are not available, they may, for the time being, perform only mantra-japa.

I started fasting for Ekadashi last year for my father’s soul after he passed away. I mainly kept the fast for his peace, happiness and wellbeing.

For Nirjala Ekadashi last year, I observed the fast very strictly and did not eat or drink any water for the full fasting period. For the other Ekadashi days, I remained vegetarian and ate only one meal. I also completely avoided sweets and chocolate, which was especially meaningful for me because I normally love them.

I usually do my prayers in the morning before work and again in the evening. I also recite the mantra “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” 21 times.

I understand that Hinduism is not simply about restricting yourself, but about devotion, intention and doing what you are genuinely able to do. I therefore hope that I have been observing Ekadashi in the right spirit and that what I did last year was meaningful for my father’s soul.

This year, my approach feels slightly different. I am simply surrendering everything to God without asking for anything in particular, other than happiness, peace and blessings.

I am originally from Mauritius but now live in the UK, so observing Ekadashi in the same way that I might have done back home is not always easy. I try to follow it as sincerely and faithfully as I can within my circumstances.

We seriously need to teach the next generation better.

I’m not against Garba, dressing up, meeting people, dating or having fun during Navratri. Do whatever you want. But when “fun, dating, Garba nights” becomes the whole festival and Devi bhakti is barely even there, that’s where I have a problem.

Navratri is for the Devi first. Everything else is secondary.

‼️If someone wants all the partying and dating without the worship and bhakti, make a separate party‼️

Why take a religious festival and turn it into something else?
And honestly, this isn’t just about Navratri.

Half our religion is being represented by blind faith and fake babas, while the other half is busy westernising our festivals. We’re just stuck in the middle. We need to do better, actually understand our own festivals, and make sure the next generation knows that Navratri is about the Devi first not just nine nights of Garba, outfits and dating.

💗Hope our future generations actually know why we celebrate Navratri and don’t grow up seeing it as just a dressing-up, Garba and dating festival. There’s nothing wrong with having fun, but I really hope the bhakti never becomes the part we forget.

Hello everyone,

I have been searching for a long time, since I was a teenager. I was very interested in Hinduism, and like a lot of Westerners, the most accessible form for me was Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Thus, I feel attached to Krishna. But I was also very drawn to the Divine Mother, and thus I feel attached to Devi too.

I also love the Bengali language and baul music and through my interest in Bengali and in Hinduism, I have discovered a deity called Krishnakali, the combined form of Krishna and Kali.

I feel that discovering Krishnakali feels like coming home some how, as I type this I am listening to songs in praise of Krishnakali, but I can't quite articulate what I am feeling. It feels right somehow though.

I suppose my question is, is it okay for me to worship Krishnakali? I guess because Krishnakali seems quite tied into Bengali folk culture and I am not Bengali, so I kind of want to be sure I'm not being disrespectful or something?

If it is okay, how may I worship Krishnakali?

Thanks everyone :)

In my family, it is a long held tradition that in the month of Sravana, we worship Sri Maha Vishnu in his Avatara of Sri Venkateshwara on a Saturday and invite family and friends home for food. This year, we performed Shodasopachara Puja and had Bhajans in the evening.

Pls share your personal experience how dhyaan or naam jaap helped you, what are the changes you noticed in yourself and your surroundings?

Might sound dumb, but I thought a large majority would just be indians, but I've seen a lot of posts by nris or people from other countries on the sub. I'm not complaining at all btw, it feels great seeing our community is stronger and larger than I thought.

I want to share an incident that happened with me recently. Please bear with the long and detailed post.
To begin with, I am a huge Hanuman Ji devotee. I chant the Hanuman chalisa daily 7 times along with other Shlokas.
I live in a society where there are different blocks/towers. On the night of 4th September around 10:30 pm, i was coming home and while entering my block which directly leads to my house on the ground floor, i saw a flying Hanuman ji idol( Gada in one hand and mountain on the other) tied to the block entrance. I was stunned as i had never seen it before. I came home, felt extremely blessed and protected and cried for quite some time. I saw this even till the night of 5th September. But on the morning of 6th September i was very disappointed to not find it there. I couldn’t understand who took it away or what exactly happened.
Now i have many questions in my mind which remain unanswered. Who came and tied it there? Who took it away and why? What did Hanuman Ji want to tell me? Why did He go away?
I had also told my parents about this incident but my father denied seeing it on 5th September whereas i clearly remember seeing it even till the night of 5th September.
It is also pertinent to mention at this point that i had been thinking of this same idol since a few days to keep in my car.
Please share your insights, thoughts and similar experiences if any. It may give me some clarity.

There are people with no hands or legs, and there are people who are so poor that they sleep on the roads, just like street dogs. There are also people who drink alcohol and torment their wives and children.

People pray and hope for something good to happen, but the despair continues.

If something happens to you tomorrow and you do not have enough money to afford hospitalization, you could die.

People who are fortunate in life may feel that they can see God and believe in Him.

But what about those who try every day and get nothing in return, while sadness seems like a never-ending night? Can they still believe in God after seeing so much cruelty and suffering in the world?

Hello everyone, I had been diligently following the Solah Somwar vrat since Sawan. Today was supposed to be my fasting Monday but I accidentally ate a salted biscuit when I not being mindful and was in a hurry due to office travel.

I feel terrible about it and feel like my entire month of vrats have become wasted now.

Please do tell me what to do? Has my vrat been khandit? Do I need to start again?

I feel absolutely disappoint in myself right now.