Hello, Asteramellus, and Welcome to Wikipedia!

Thank you for your contributions to this free encyclopedia. If you decide that you need help, check out Getting Help below, ask at the help desk, or place ((Help me)) on your talk page and ask your question there. Please remember to sign your name on talk pages by clicking or by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your username and the date. Also, please do your best to always fill in the edit summary field. Below are some useful links to help you get started. Happy editing! Ahunt (talk) 14:01, 7 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Getting started
Finding your way around
Editing articles
Getting help
How you can help

BE CAREFUL[edit]

Why you only updated row for Cincinnati? [1] All datas in this table is connected so when you updated table with some new performance, you should done it completely, otherwise you make a confusion. Please don't do this in the future or make a complete update. In addition, I also saw you don't count well wins. In Paula Badosa case she was free in the first round, so it is not counted as a win. Also when you see w/o (walkover) it is not counted as a loss. You need to take care about this! JamesAndersoon (talk) 10:46, 21 August 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Hi James - thanks so much for pointing this out. I will definitely make sure about updating rest of the areas affected by the changes. Asteramellus (talk) 17:17, 22 August 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Hi JamesAndersoon - I just updated the complete career stats for Cameron Norrie. Just wanted to see if you can verify for me that it was done correctly. Asteramellus (talk) 19:00, 5 September 2022 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom 2022 Elections voter message[edit]

Hello! Voting in the 2022 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on Monday, 12 December 2022. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2022 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, you may add ((NoACEMM)) to your user talk page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:55, 29 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Nondualism & Advaita[edit]

I answer your question here, since the Nonduality-talkpage is already muddled: no, I don't recall which sources I had in mind the. But probably also Loy, and a number of neo-Advaita teachers. I've been studying this topic since I was 18 (I'm in my 50s now), looking for answers to the question "who am I?" Not the usual quest, but out of the insight that 'I do not exist'. Those nonduality teachers come closest to this insight, together with Zen and Dzogchen. Regards, Joshua Jonathan -Let's talk! 04:14, 28 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Joshua Jonathan Thanks. This is truly a long journey. I have yet to formally learn from teachers, but have been reading and understanding about liberation (moksha) and different philosophical traditions by reading scholarly work. It is vast knowledge and interconnected. Asteramellus (talk) 13:20, 30 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]
You may be interested in User:Joshua Jonathan/Ramana Maharshi and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Ramana Maharshi as my longtime favorite, but scepticism will never leave me. Regards, Joshua Jonathan - Let's talk! 14:36, 30 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Joshua Jonathan Thanks again for this link. Got some time to read the page. Lot of questions though in my mind - e.g. was reading on one of the link from the page, where it talks about Teacher (Guru) - e,g "that a Guru was necessary.", "The Guru will come to us when we are ready.", "no one can give us liberation" etc. Was wondering what would be the purpose of having a Teacher. And then, while reading about surrender etc, It made me think of bhakti concepts.. Do you recommend any one book to read more about Ramana Maharshi's teachings - maybe focusing something on different Interpretations? Also, was interested in reading any contemporary writings about his beliefs - would love to get any recommendations for that too. Asteramellus (talk) 21:57, 30 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]
"Talks with Ramana Maharshi" is very good with regard to his teachings; Eberhard's biography is a good overview of his life and background. Regards, Joshua Jonathan - Let's talk! 03:39, 31 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed deletion of List of tourist attractions in Delhi[edit]

Notice

The article List of tourist attractions in Delhi has been proposed for deletion because of the following concern:

WIkivoyage is the appropriate place for this content

While all constructive contributions to Wikipedia are appreciated, pages may be deleted for any of several reasons.

You may prevent the proposed deletion by removing the ((proposed deletion/dated)) notice, but please explain why in your edit summary or on the article's talk page.

Please consider improving the page to address the issues raised. Removing ((proposed deletion/dated)) will stop the proposed deletion process, but other deletion processes exist. In particular, the speedy deletion process can result in deletion without discussion, and articles for deletion allows discussion to reach consensus for deletion. Nkb 21 (talk) 13:04, 22 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

A barnstar for you![edit]

The Copyeditor's Barnstar
For your consistent improvement of Hinduism-related articles. You're doing great!

Chronikhiles (talk) 13:49, 31 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. Sorry for late acknowledgement...I am just a small part in so much contribution being done by others. Hinduism, and particularly Hindu Philosophy is really vast, and what I am reading and contributing is minimal I guess. Each book I read, gives me something more to read and research... Asteramellus (talk) 19:58, 3 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom 2023 Elections voter message[edit]

Hello! Voting in the 2023 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on Monday, 11 December 2023. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2023 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, you may add ((NoACEMM)) to your user talk page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:54, 28 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Calling Swaminarayan Sect as "Swaminarayanism" and not Vaishnavism[edit]

Hello.. I hope I have not annoyed you alot. Regarding the Swaminarayan Sect, if you see the bhasya published by them, the bhasya trys to justify the five eternal entities through the Prasthanatrayi. According to their bhasya, their belief is solely Sahajanand Swami/aka. Swaminarayan is the only Purshottam (the others are his manifestation) The bhasya is not published in English. Only the Sanskrit version is published.[2]https://research.baps.org/swaminarayanbhashyam/brahmasutra_bhashyam/

The Akshar-Purshottam Darshan presented can be accepted by Vaishnavas if the Purshottam is either Lord Vishnu or any of his avatars mentioned in the Puranas. The bhasyakar presents his Darshan but concludes the Purshottam as Sahajanand Swami and not Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna. Sahajanand Swami's mention is not found in any Hindu scripture like Puranas or Vedas. Thus, even if Vaishnavas want to accept, it makes it tough for them to accept Sahajanand even as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu or Krishna.

Members of the sect also claim the abode of Sahajanand known as Akshar-dham higher than that of the Vaishnavas known as Vaikuntha. For every Vaishnava, Vaikuntha is the highest eternal heavenly realm, but for Swaminarayans, they claim Vaikuntha at a much lower level than Akshar-dham. What to talk of other gods like Shiva & Brahma whom the sect considers not fit to meditate upon as they cannot lift aspirants, but only worthy of respect. An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism (by Raymond Brady Williams) - The Structure of Swaminarayan Theology (The Cosmological Scheme) Pg. 83

The original sampradaya was known as the Uddhava-Sampradaya where the centre of worship was Lord Krishna. This we may call as a Vaishnava Sampradaya, since Krishna was believed as the supreme purshottam. Now the sect is known as the Swaminarayan/Sahajanand Sampradaya. The word Swaminarayan no longer means Vishnu/Krishna but Sahajanand.

The rituals or festivals of the Swaminarayan Sect maybe similar to those of Vaishnavas but the teachings differ alot. Many books published by the sect consider Swaminarayan as supreme and all other Hindu gods including Lord Vishnu & Lord Krishna as servants of Sahajanand Swami. [3]https://www.swaminarayangadi.com/publications/books/scriptures/shree-swaminarayan-bhagwan-sarvopari

According to the Padma Purāṇa, one of the eighteen main Purāṇas, there are four Vaishnava sampradāyas, which preserve the fruitful mantras. The Four Vaishnava Sampradayas according to the Padma Purana are: (1) Sri (2) Brahma (3) Rudra (4) Kumara/Sanaka. [4]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampradaya#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Padma%20Pur%C4%81%E1%B9%87a,be%20four%20bona%2Dfide%20Samprad%C4%81yas. For these four sampradayas; Vishnu or his Avatars mentioned in the Puranas are the supreme of all.

The Swaminarayan mantra is also not a mantra coming from the Hindu Scriptures or a Vaishnava mantra. According to the sect; "The mantra is composed of two words - 'Swami' and 'Narayan', which respectively signify Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami and Purna Purushottam Sahajanand Swami. [5]https://www.baps.org/Article/2011/Swaminarayan-Mantra-2177.aspx [6]https://gunatitjyot.org/about/swaminarayan/the-swaminarayan-mantra-2/ The meaning of the sects mantra totally differs from the meanings of mantras of Vaishnavism.

The Guru lineage of the Swaminarayan Sect does not come through an authorised Vaishnava guru. The sect claims it's founder as Sahajanand and Sahajanand was given initiation (Diksha) from Ramanand Swami (Sahajanand's Guru) who the sect claims to have received initiation (diksha) from Ramanujacharya of Sri-Vaishnava Sampradaya. Ramanand Swami was born during 1795, whereas Ramanujacharya was born during 1077. A huge difference of 718 years. How then is this even possible? The Swaminarayan sect to this claims that Ramanand Swami was initiated by Ramanujacharya in his Dream. This sounds totally illogical and Ramanujacharya is simply used by the Swaminarayan Sect inorder to gain itself acceptance amongst the Hindu society of the four Vaishnava Sampradayas mentioned in the Padma Purana.

For Ramanujacharya, Lord Vishnu is the supreme Lord, but for the Swaminarayan Sect it is Sahajanand. The meaning of the mantra is also different. According to the Samaveda, the Ashtakshara (eight syllables) or the Narayan(Vishnu) mantra is Om Namo Narayanaya which solely means an invocation to Lord Vishnu. This is the mantra chanted by all Ramanujacharaya Sampradaya Sri Vaishnavas.

Ramanand Swami said that Ramanuja gave him (initiation) in a dream and appointed him in his line as an acharya. Which Vaishnava Sampradaya accepts such initiation system or which Hindu scripture allows such kind 'dream-initiations'. Anyone tomorrow could can claim themselves as direct disciples of Ramanujacharaya or Maadhavacharya, which could lead to beginning of many unauthorised hindu vaishnava sampradayas.

Ramanand Swami can only be considered as a Vaishnava as he was doing worship of lord Krishna but cannot be considered as a "vaishnava-dikshit-guru" (authorised initiator in the vaishnava tradition) The Wikipedia may consider it as a vaishnava branch due to its connections with Uddhava Sampradaya, to which I have countered above, that the Sahajanand sect does not come under the four authorised Vaishnava Sampradayas mentioned in the Padma Puran. The guru-lineage also not being logical (dream-guru)

The word "Swaminarayanism" is used by the sect also. [7]https://www.baps.org/About-BAPS/TheFounder%E2%80%93BhagwanSwaminarayan/IntheirEyes%E2%80%A6.aspx

[8]https://chutneynco.com/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-swaminarayan-diet/

[9]https://www.swaminarayanbooks.com/supreme-lord-shri-swaminarayan-and-the-world-religion/ (26. Distinctive Features of Swaminarayanism)

[10]https://www.rajkotgurukul.org/activity-details/what-who-why-swaminarayan/a-MTA0Nw==

[11]https://medium.com/bapssatsang/how-i-came-into-satsang-857da59f7360

[12]https://swaminarayanglory.com/2021/07/02/why-did-some-saints-get-charged-with-rape-if-swaminarayanism-prohibits-saints-from-seeing-touching-and-interacting-with-women-also-why-is-bhramacharya-broken-in-both-gadis/

The above are a few links which I came across that used the word Swaminarayanism. They could also use the word Vaishnavism but differed themselves. Books of their sampradaya also don't use Vaishnavism, they consider their sampradaya at a higher level than Vaishnavism.

If you personally see the ground reality or visit their temples the members are very clear enough that they are not Vaishnavas but sole worshipers of Swaminarayan/Sahajanand, only respect other Hindu gods including Lord Vishnu as servants of Sahajanand.

Siddheshmane900 (talk) 18:59, 27 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

@Siddheshmane900 Thanks so much for taking the time to write all these details - it's also important to keep in mind that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia and not a blog/forum - I found it helpful to refer to pages like this. Regarding the discussion, it's known that each of the acharyas have propounded their own theological beliefs, philosophical understandings, and interpretations of the Brahma Sutras and other texts, and who they consider as Supreme-Being. So, i think the question for influence is complicated. Regarding the Brahma Sutras page's commentaries table, the column heading in which this information is being added is themes/influence. Initially, it already had such detail and then you updated the column by adding detail (Shaivism, Vaishnavism etc) - to basically broader influence on the development of each of the unique texts (of each acharyas), rather than which denomination their work represents (which is already in the Sampradaya column before that). So, e.g. for Vallabhacharya or Rambhadracharya, the broader influence is Vaishnavism, not Pusti Marg or Ramanandi (which is their Sampradaya noted in that column). And same for the rest of the acharyas. So, the broader influence for Bhadreshdas is Vaishnavism, while Sampradaya column has specified the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Hope this helps, and welcome to Wikipedia. We can discuss our thought here as time permits. Asteramellus (talk) 00:49, 29 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]