In ancient Hellenic religion, it was understood that the Gods reside in an eternal state of happiness. This eternal bliss is one of the many unique features distinguishing the Gods from mortal-kind. Thus, happiness should be seen as an integral part of humanity’s service to the divine as the most appropriate attitude one should have when providing the Gods with worship. In this essay, I will argue that, similar to Judaism, happiness is key to receiving the presence of divinity in Hellenic religion, being a vital component of Roman concept of the Pax Deorum. Not only is a happy state of mind seen as something mortals need to maintain a healthy relationship with the Gods, but in line with the reciprocal nature of Hellenic religion often denoted as do ut des, it is something, in turn, gifted to humanity by the divine. I will argue this by addressing two primary points: first, the nature of divine happiness in ancient Graeco-Roman religion. Second, the consequences of how divine happiness influenced spectacle in the Roman world. I will conclude by discussing its implications for contemporary Hellenic religion, and how happiness is an essential value in how we approach the divine in worship.

https://hellenicfaith.com/2021/08/09/the-divine-are-happy-appropriate-attitudes-to-worshipping-divinity/

In the Narada-pancharatra it is said:
"The three Vedas, six Vedangas, poetry, demigods, words, and everything else, are all situated in the eight-syllable mantra."

"The eight-syllable mantra is the essence of all Vedanta philosophy. It is a boat to cross the ocean of repeated birth and death. It is the path followed by they who wish never to be born again."

"A country that honors a person perfect in chanting the eight-syllable mantra will not be touched by disease, poverty, or theft."

"The demigods, demons, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, and others respectfully bow before a person exalted with knowledge of the eight-syllable mantra."

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Näräyaëa, personally appears in the mouth as the eight-syllable mantra."

Consciousness is all the seeds transforming in various ways, through mutual influence producing the many conceptualizations.

Vasubandhu

Kali Ma is neither a demon or a feminist icon. Kali Ma is an Avatar of the Goddess Durga. She is a protector and the destroyer of evil. Jai Kali Ma.

"Kama is the root of the world's existence. All that is born originates from Kama, it is by Kama also that primordial matter and all beings eventually dissolve away. Without [passion of] Shiva and Shakti, creation would be nothing but a figment, nothing from birth to death occurs without activation of Kama. Shiva is manifest as the great linga, Shakti essential form is the yoni, by their interaction, the entire world comes into being; this is called the activity of Kama. Canonical erotic art is an extensive subject in authoritative noscriptures, as they say, a place devoid of erotic imagery is a place to be shunned. By Tantric authority, such places are considered inferior and to be avoided, as if tantamount to the lair of death, of impenetrable darkness."

— Shilpa-prakasha 2.498–503

Never allow THIS type of person to infiltrate your religious organization.

“There is an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed. Were there not, this unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed, there would be no escape from the world of the born, originated, created, formed.

Since, there is an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed, therefore is there an escape from the born, originated, created, formed”.

“O que é proibido ao brahmācārin não são as práticas sexuais, são os vínculos e particularmente os atos reprodutores, que, por suas conseqüências, o ligam à sociedade, privando-o da sua liberdade.

“O brahmacarin não deve ter relacionamentos que impliquem riscos de concepção. Deve ser, de qualquer modo, econômico com seu sêmen, consagrando-se ao estudo”.

Alain Daniélou, Śiva e Dionisos, p. 98.

[The soul] loves then to be quiet, having closed its eyes to thoughts that go downward, having become speechless and silent in internal silence. For how else could it attach itself to the most ineffable of all things than by putting to sleep the chatter in it? Let it therefore become one, so that it may see the One, or rather not see the One. For by seeing, the soul will see an intelligible object and not what is beyond intellect, and it will think something that is one, not the One itself. … Thus, my friend, when someone actualises what really is the most divine activity of the soul, and entrusts himself only to the ‘flower of the intellect’ and brings himself to rest not only from the external motions, but also from the internal, he will become a god as far as this is possible for a soul, and will know only in the way the gods know everything in an ineffable manner, each according to their proper one.

Proclus, On Providence 31 & 32

Devotee: As far as I can see it is impossible to realize the Self until one has succeeded in preventing the rushing thoughts. Am I right?

Bhagavan: Not exactly. You need not prevent other thoughts. The wisest thing for one to do is catch hold of the leading 'I-thought', giving no chance for the other thoughts to distract one. There lies the true value of vichara and its efficacy in mind control.

~From: Guru Ramana

🌷@ramanamaharishi🌷
🌻@ramana_maharishi🌻