Guest guest Posted August 8, 2000 Report Share Posted August 8, 2000 Why do we all go to a temple....it is said ..the heart is the place of god...then why temple... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2000 Report Share Posted August 8, 2000 Sri: Srimathe Gopaladesika mahadesikaya Namah: Dear Smt Priya, I had heard in one upanyasam during my school days, an answer to this question: The cow's milk in nothing but the blood, that becomes milk at a particular part of the body which is drunk by calves (and us too, milking from that "madi"). Only there does one get milk.. That was the logic narrated that only in temples can we see Him, though He is everywhere. Even though the Almighty Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan manifests everywhere, it is the Divya MangaLa vigraham in five forms, namely, Param (Sri VaikunTa Paramapadha nAthan), vyUham (Vasudevan, Pradhyumnan, SankarshaNan, Aniruddhan), Vibhavam (various avtaars), Archai (temples and saaLigraaam at homes) and antharyaami (in ecah one of us) which also of Suddha satvam (pristinely puerest mdoe of Godness, with no contamination of other mdoes like passion (rajasam) and ignorance (thamasam). If you can visualise Him everywhere and everyone, (which is what we should be doing), and consider all as "he" in them, (Gita says: sunischaiva svapaakhEcha paNdithaa sama dharsina:) you are a "PaNdithai"- Though He exists in other four forms, it is "archA roopam that is easily accessible; seeable; enjoyable and we can drink his Divine Beauty with joy. That is the reason AzhwArs have lost themselves in the archA roopam and saw all other four forms in "archA roopam". Please read Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikan's tele upanyasam, in Jan 1999 translated by Sri SatakOpan available in Srikrishna Home page (by Sri Haresh Balasubramanian of Singapore) The url is : http://shrikrishna.homepage.com/worship.html Regards Narayana Narayana adiyEn Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan ----Original Message Follows---- priya5050 bhakti-list Need to know Wed, 09 Aug 2000 03:16:05 -0000 Why do we all go to a temple....it is said ..the heart is the place of god...then why temple... ----------------------------- - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list (AT) eGroups (DOT) com Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2000 Report Share Posted August 9, 2000 Hi! Priya: God, when worshipped in Archa rupa(in the form of idol) is very influential and easy to realize for all.That is the main reason behind going to temples. Of course, if you can realize God with in yourself,it is fine. Temples were built by kings in olden days to worship God through some specific code of rules, in order to inculcate discipline in people. Temples were also considered a place of protection for people of particular area during the time of flood or other natural disaster. Idols kept in temples,and worshipped with regular poojas have more pavithram. Hope this may answer atleast a part of your question. Dasan, Ramanan ---- On Wed, 09 Aug 2000, priya5050 (priya5050) wrote: > Why do we all go to a temple....it is said ..the heart is the place > of god...then why temple... > > > ----------------------------- > - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - > To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list (AT) eGroups (DOT) com > Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information > > > ______________ Get your own "800" number - Free Free voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2000 Report Share Posted August 9, 2000 Hi! Priya, Here are some examples from history which may help you in knowing the significance of worshipping God in temples. Even though Great saints have realized God with in self,they have poured out their Bhakti in worshipping God in Idol form in temples.Here are few instances that will be sound: Kulasekara Alwar has sung "Padiyay Kidanthu Un pavazha Vai Kanbebe", and also "TiruVenkata malaiyil ethenum avene" on Lord Venkatachalapathy. Tiruppanalwar has sung in praise of Lord Ranganatha longing for his Darshan from the opposite bank of kaveri. One of the nayanars in a Siva temple has sung for the darshn of Lord by asking the Nandhi to move a bit on one side so that ti does'nt block the Darshan. There are many instances from the Bhakti cult which clearly show the significance of worshipping God in temples. Hope this may help you. Dasan, Ramanan ---- On Wed, 09 Aug 2000, priya5050 (priya5050) wrote: > Why do we all go to a temple....it is said ..the heart is the place > of god...then why temple... > > > ----------------------------- > - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - > To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list (AT) eGroups (DOT) com > Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information > > > ______________ Get your own "800" number - Free Free voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2000 Report Share Posted August 9, 2000 At 03:16 AM 8/9/00 -0000, you wrote: >Why do we all go to a temple....it is said ..the heart is the place >of god...then why temple... > Dear Srimathi Priya: Srimans MadhavakkaNNan, Hari , Venkatesh Elayavalli have already given valuable inputs related to your question. They indicated that the Lord manifests Himself in 5 states and described the ease of acces of the Lord in His archA roopam at the temples. I will add a few more points on the important question that you asked. You referred to one of those five states : Haartha or AntharyAmi Roopam and asked about another(Archai), who is resident in Temples consecrated by Aagamic rules. The Isvaran in the heart cavity is present in His sookshma (most subtle) roopam . This is the AntharyAmi. The sacred text known as AntharyAmi BraahmaNam states the the Lord is present in all sentients and insentients (ChEthana -achEthanams).The upanishadic text in support of this anthryAmi savrUpan is: " Ya: Aathma thishtan , aathmAnam antharO yamayathi". The Sruthi Vaakhyam also explains the Lord being on top of an agni jwAlai with the dimension of the head of a wheat seed :" NeelathO yadhamadhyasthA--TasyA SikhAyA MadhyE ParamAthmA vyavasthitha:" Achaarya RaamAnujA and other AchAryAs have saluted this Sookshma SvarUpi residing inside our heart lotus : sEyam dahara PuNDarIka MadhyAkAsa VardhinI Vahni SkhA Svaantharnihitha NeelathOyadhApa PARAMAATHMA SVAROOPAA --(VedArhta Sangraham , AchArya RaamAnujA). The skills obtained from the practise of AshtAnga Yogam are indispensible for meditating upon and seeing this AntharyAmi Brahmam . After the success in Aathma (antharyAmi Brahma) SaakshAthkAram , One is qulaified to engage in Bhakthi Yogam. This is the most difficult route and only a very few upaasakAs can have this SvAthma-SaakshAthkAram thru AshtAnga Yogam after completing Karma Yogam and the Jn~Ana Yogam steps as a prerequisite .Great Yogis like Sri Ranga PriyA Swamigal can and have succeded in these difficult efforts in modern times. This route is not for us ,the simple folks , who do not have the qualifications to succeed in this effort to see the antharyAmi Brahmam and go on form there to practise Bhakthi Yogam to gain Moksha Sukham . Because of His infinite DayA for us , the Lord takes on an easily accessible state known as Archai or ArchAvathAram . "avatharathi " means that He descends from Sri Vaikuntam to this earth and stays with His dhivya ThirumEni in consecrated Vigrahams . The Para and VyUha Roopa Moorthy descends down to bless us and makes it easy for us to enjoy Him and perform AarAdhanai for Him. With His anugraham ,we get sadAchArya sambhandham and perform Prapatthi under their feet and qualify ourselves for Moksha Siddhi through an easier route (Prapatthi) than Bhakthi Yogam . This ArchAvathara PerumAL 's presence in consecrated images has been described by Sawmi Desikan as: "BhimbhAkruthyAthmanA BhimbhE SamAgathya avathishtathE ". His saanidhyam (presence )is there in these consecrated images made of Gold, Silver, Granite, Wood or Clay. He enters into them and is present in His Suddha Sathva ThirumEni.Once He responds to the AavAhanam (invocation ) and enters in to the PrAkruthic metal or wooden images , there is no difference anymore between this Suddha Sathva ThirumEni and the PrAkruthic material that He has entered. Those who worship and meditate on this ArchA Moorthy who is very visible to our maamsa Chakshus ( Flesh based eyes, Humna eyes) in contrast to AntharyAmi Svaroopan are blessed to attain sadAchAryan , perform prapatthi and gain Moksham. The ArchA svarUpi at the Temples is therefore not a metallic image or wodden image . Due to the power of PrathishtA VisEsha Manthrams , that earthy material gets transformed into Aprakruthic , Sudhda Sathva dhravyam and has the presence of Para VaasudEvan in Sri Vaikuntam. That which is beyond the speech and mind of the Yogis become accessible to our fleshy eyes as revealed by Swami Desikan in his commentary on Bhagavath Githai: " athra YoginAm vaangmanasAgOcharamapi chakshurAdhikaraNai: ithivachanAth ArchAvathAra RoopEapi PararoopathavAnusandhAnam darsitham ". That is why the AzhwArs lost themselves at the dhivya Desams and sang with ecstasy about the anantha kalyANa guNams of the Lord with His devis in their NaalAyira dhivya prabhandhams so movingly. That is why our AchAryAs pointed the way for us by creating a temple-focused code of conduct. The involvement of these AchAryAs at the temples of Srirangam , ThiruvEnkatam , Kaanchi et al are legendary. Here were born their Sri Sookthis . Some entered into sanyAsAsramam in fornt of these ArchA Moorthys. Others spent their lives in kaimkaryams to these ArchA moorthys , who talked some times to these AchAryAs by breaking their ArchA Samaadhi. When we stand before Sri RanganAthA and reflect upon the merger of Godhai and ThiruppANar with Him , when we reflect upon the daily Maalai Kaimkaryam of ThoNdardippodi AzhwAr , When we reflect upon the SaraNAgathi Gadhyam of AchArya RaamAnujA on a Panguni Uttharam day ,we are transported to another world .The thought of the sacredness of the dust from the holy feet of these AzhwArs and AchAryAs at our temples remind us of our links to this ancient tradition of temple-rooted culture. The palpable fruits of worshipping ArchAvathAra Moorthys , performing kaimkaryams to them , enjoying their many uthsavams and spending lives close to them have been well illustrated by our AchArya Paramparai. That is why we worship the consecrated Moorthys at the temples instead of traveling on the well nigh impossible route of experiencing and worshipping the antharyAmi Brahmam for our Moksham. Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2000 Report Share Posted August 11, 2000 Dear priya, you wrote :- Why do we all go to a temple....it is said ..the heart is the place of god...then why temple... Your question is good.Following are the different meanings i understood from the above statement,i will try to answer them to the best of my understanding:- 1.God is in our heart and not outside like a temple. 2.God in temple is in our heart,so why strain ourselves going to the temple?. 3.Be good at heart and develop god like qualities in ourselves which is on par with mere travelling to temples. The answers :- 1.God is in our heart and not outside like a temple. Surely God is in our heart,which means he is the center or core of our very existance,just like heart is the center of our biological body.But,God is not limited to the space within the heart alone,but is everywhere as proved by prahalada in narasimha avatara. Infact a Temple in the true sense means dwelling place of Lord.From the point of view of reality,everything including us is a temple as he is omnipresent.Limiting the meaning of a temple only to certain geographical locations or biological locations is only an offset in our understanding from the reality of God as all pervading.So,God is in the heart and temple too. 2.God in temple is in our heart,so why strain ourselves going to the temple?. On the contrary if god in my heart is also in the temple,then there is nothing wrong in going to a temple,which is a certified divine place(for the benefit of persons like me who cannot see his all pervading form) on the authority of scripures and revelations to saints. Moreover a temple is the place where there is more probability of meeting Bhagavathas and discussing with them about god.Infact from the worldly point of view,there is no place like a temple of God,which gives us a sense of holiness,blessedness and peace of mind.So,there is nothing wrong in going to a temple even if you are a realized soul ,but surely there is something wrong if you don't go to a temple. 3.Be good at heart and develop god like qualities in ourselves which is on par with mere travelling to temples. This is very much true because aslong as we don't clean our heart of evil tendencies and raise ourselves to become a good human being first followed by a higher realisation as a atman and the highest realisation as a sesa of Lord,any number of trips to temple will not help us.This does not degrade a temple,but merely points to lack of self effort to understand reality in the proper perspective. Hope the above answers satisfies your query and errors in analysis is mine and can be ignored as my ignorance. Sri krishnaarpanamasthu Suresh B.N. Kick off your party with Invites. http://invites./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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