Posted by Padma on December 1, 2010 at 3:12pm in Krishna
as per manu samhita chapter 5 verse 66, a women is not pure during her menstrual cycle....and they don't go to temple during that period. my question is can one do japa using japa beads? read scriptures like SB and BG? can one associate...means attend BG classes? what is iskcon standards?
You need to be a member of ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT to add comments!
This Answere from Vaisnava Etiquette Manual under cleanliness and Hygiene
1. Mataji During menstrual may visit the temple but they may not perform any items of deity worship ( Arathi, dressing, cooking, garlands etc..)
2. Should be avioded physical contact with devotee who is involved in deity worship
3. They may attend Tulasi Puja but may not offer Water to Tulasi Plant
4. Under All Circumstance chanting on one's Japa bead should continue. there can not be no material impediment to the chanting of the holy name.
5. In house Mataji can avoid cooking for the lord if no one is available in the house to take care the cooking than to full fill their domestic obligation they can cook and should not offer to krishna lieu they can mix the dry prasadam or tulasi offered to krishna previouly.
6. They can read the Books and attend the classes also.
according to our vedas, the reason for women being "untouchable" or "unfit for religious activities" is explained in various scriptures and Srimad Bhagawatam as well.
the reason stated is that Indra, the king of demigods commits Guru-hati and brahmana-hati (hati = killing) and because of this dosh he is not allowed to rule the demigods anymore. so he calls upon four categories of beings to accept the dosh on his behalf so he could go back to ruling the indralok. the four are:
mother earth - as barren land
rivers - as foam on the water surface
trees - as bark (i am not sure of this)
women - as menstruation
the above four are considered as untouchable or unusable. the four days of menstrual period are called "rajasvala yagna" during which we are to follow certain rules and regulations. (it is considered as a yagna!)
according to garuda puran, women who follow the regulations are considered eligible to bear 'pious souls' as their children. the rules include - not performing puja rituals, not cooking (as whatever is cooked must be offered to the LORD), sleeping on the floor, not touching other people in the house, not touching other cloth objects in the house, taking a full bath (including washing hair) on the 1st, 4th and 5th day of periods.
Srila prabhupada had mentioned that the only 'puja' that a woman can perform during this time is chanting. i am not clear if we can use the japa beads or not.
may Radhe KRISHNA bless u always!
all glories to Srila prabhupada!!
JAI SRI RADHA GOPINATH!
hari bole, during menstrual cycle a lady can't go to temple , can't made bhog for thakurji n she can't study scriptures until she take full bath(wash her hairs wash) on 2 or 3 day.she can't do japa beads at ashan but can do japa of mahamantra witout ashan.after menstrual cycle she has to wash her beads through panchamrita or through Radhakund jal ,ganga or yamuna jal
Can do all above accept deity seva & also keep away from those who do deity seva.
Srila Prabhupada states:
"According to smarta viddhi, a women in her period cannot touch the Deity. However, according to Goswami viddhi, 'she can, but better she doesn't.'
According to the smarta vidhi, women cannot touch deity during menstrual period but the goswami viddhi allows. But it is better not to do it. One thing is that the seva can never be stopped for any reason. This also for the cooking."
(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Letter to Amsu. Vrindavan August 13th 1974.)
As chanting of harinaam is concerned one can chant it in any state weather pure or un-pure there are no prohibition for that in shastras. one can cook food but it should not be offered to lord. only dried prasad of earlier days should be mixed to it before consuming.
What is most important is not the bodily contamination but contamination of consciousness. Nothing can come in our way of purification of our consciousness. Bhakti is above all. However, for the sake of society we need to follow some rules externally. Physically a mataji may be contaminated but our mind may be more contaminated then her physical contamination. It's possible she is in better consciousness then others who are "physically clean".
We have to work on our consciousness - Always think of KRISHNA!
Padma > ISKCON desire treeDecember 7, 2010 at 1:34pm
Replies
Jai gurudev !!! Jai Srilaprabhupda !!!
This Answere from Vaisnava Etiquette Manual under cleanliness and Hygiene
1. Mataji During menstrual may visit the temple but they may not perform any items of deity worship ( Arathi, dressing, cooking, garlands etc..)
2. Should be avioded physical contact with devotee who is involved in deity worship
3. They may attend Tulasi Puja but may not offer Water to Tulasi Plant
4. Under All Circumstance chanting on one's Japa bead should continue. there can not be no material impediment to the chanting of the holy name.
5. In house Mataji can avoid cooking for the lord if no one is available in the house to take care the cooking than to full fill their domestic obligation they can cook and should not offer to krishna lieu they can mix the dry prasadam or tulasi offered to krishna previouly.
6. They can read the Books and attend the classes also.
Hare krishna
Your servant
Rasika Govinda Das
this is the perfect answer to womens problem. i guess u are from sri sri radha gopinath temple
dandavat pranams mataji!
according to our vedas, the reason for women being "untouchable" or "unfit for religious activities" is explained in various scriptures and Srimad Bhagawatam as well.
the reason stated is that Indra, the king of demigods commits Guru-hati and brahmana-hati (hati = killing) and because of this dosh he is not allowed to rule the demigods anymore. so he calls upon four categories of beings to accept the dosh on his behalf so he could go back to ruling the indralok. the four are:
mother earth - as barren land
rivers - as foam on the water surface
trees - as bark (i am not sure of this)
women - as menstruation
the above four are considered as untouchable or unusable. the four days of menstrual period are called "rajasvala yagna" during which we are to follow certain rules and regulations. (it is considered as a yagna!)
according to garuda puran, women who follow the regulations are considered eligible to bear 'pious souls' as their children. the rules include - not performing puja rituals, not cooking (as whatever is cooked must be offered to the LORD), sleeping on the floor, not touching other people in the house, not touching other cloth objects in the house, taking a full bath (including washing hair) on the 1st, 4th and 5th day of periods.
Srila prabhupada had mentioned that the only 'puja' that a woman can perform during this time is chanting. i am not clear if we can use the japa beads or not.
may Radhe KRISHNA bless u always!
all glories to Srila prabhupada!!
JAI SRI RADHA GOPINATH!
if you are initiated by a spiritual master then japa has to done on beads only during those days also
who said so plz give a bonafide answer to this no a mentally concocted answer by anyone ...answers have to be authorised
Srila Prabhupada states:
"According to smarta viddhi, a women in her period cannot touch the Deity. However, according to Goswami viddhi, 'she can, but better she doesn't.'
According to the smarta vidhi, women cannot touch deity during menstrual period but the goswami viddhi allows. But it is better not to do it. One thing is that the seva can never be stopped for any reason. This also for the cooking."
(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Letter to Amsu. Vrindavan August 13th 1974.)
As chanting of harinaam is concerned one can chant it in any state weather pure or un-pure there are no prohibition for that in shastras. one can cook food but it should not be offered to lord. only dried prasad of earlier days should be mixed to it before consuming.
What is most important is not the bodily contamination but contamination of consciousness. Nothing can come in our way of purification of our consciousness. Bhakti is above all. However, for the sake of society we need to follow some rules externally. Physically a mataji may be contaminated but our mind may be more contaminated then her physical contamination. It's possible she is in better consciousness then others who are "physically clean".
We have to work on our consciousness - Always think of KRISHNA!