The Temple -Goer's Guide

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Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

 

 

The Temple-Goer's Guide

 

The beauty of Tiruppavai is that apart from elucidating esoteric and complex

philosophical concepts, it also serves as a practical guide in matters of

devotion. Unlike other scriptural texts, which presume a basic level of

knowledge (which may or may not exist) on the part of the peruser, Tiruppavai

instructs us in the ABC of Bhakti and is hence a veritable manual of devotion.

 

The initial pasurams of Tiruppavai contain several tips to the uninitiated to

prepare themselves for the enlightenment of Bhagavat anubhavam. Everyone would

agree that it is extremely important to observe the preliminary and preparatory

steps, so that one gets into the proper frame of mind for worship. Such

groundwork is essential especially in the context of the extremely unconducive

and off-putting atmosphere obtaining today. The present day environment of

unmitigated materialism and Mammon-worship, apart from causing spiritual decay,

also prevents us from taking any steps, however little, towards emancipation.

Hence when we try our hand at devotion, we start with a terrific handicap, like

a person attempting a race with his feet chained to an iron weight. It is here

that the preparatory steps advocated by Tiruppavai come in handy; for they serve

to offset the handicaps we face and make us more inclined towards the spiritual

path.

 

First and foremost, Sri Andal stresses the importance of a purifying bath.

"SnAna moolA: KriyA: sarvE" says the Smriti, emphasizing that a bath is an

essential prerequisite for all action in the spiritual sphere. This Ablution

purifies not only the body but the mind too. All of us have experienced the

invigorating effect of a bath on the physique and the psyche. Sri Andal

specifies when we should bathe-"nAtkAlE neerAdi". We should bathe before

sunrise, preferably in cold water. While some people have the habit of finishing

off all their morning chores and then bathing leisurely, so that the feeling of

freshness and cleanliness lingers longer; some postpone bathing till the last

moment, out of sheer laziness. To the devotee, however, it is essential to bathe

early, so that it makes him feel clean in body and mind. While bathing, uttering

the mantras meant therefor would make the bath much more than a physical chore.

The aghamarshaNa sUkta is supposed to be recited during the ablution, praying

the Lord, as the antaryAmi of VaruNA, to rid one of all dirt, physical and

psychological, and to bestow on one the degree of purity essential for worship.

There is also a preliminary prArtthana to the holy rivers to bless us with their

purifying presence in the water we would be using for the bath-"GangE cha YamunE

chaiva GodAvari Sarasvati

 

NarmadE Sindhu KAvEri jalEsmin sannidhim kuru". If every measure

of water we pour on ourselves is accompanied by the chanting of the Lord's

haloed name, it has the effect of washing off not only the physical filth but

also the KArmic grime, which encrusts our soul.

 

After bath, how should we enhance our appearance? Sri Andal prohibits the use

of decorative and perfumed ingredients like mascara ("Mai ittu ezhudhOm"),

which incite the senses. By implication, this would preclude application of

cosmetics of whatever type and description. The only cosmetic we are supposed to

apply is the Urdhvapundram, the symbol of the Lord's tiruvadi, on our forehead.

A correctly applied Urdhvapundram, with the Srichoornam in the middle, enhances

our looks (such as they are) substantially, as many would have experienced.

Women too are supposed to wear the Srichoornam in the centre of their foreheads,

in the form of a "deepa rEkha". All other cosmetic adornments are made fun of as

"Puram suvar kOlam"(TirumAlai).

 

When we visit temples, Sri Andal has detailed guidelines to offer as to how we

should comport ourselves. "ThooyOmAi vandhOm" says She, telling us to go the

Lord with purity in body, thought, deed and word. How do we achieve purity of

thought? Is this not easier said than done? While a ceremonial bath does wash

off some unwanted thoughts, only continuous meditation on the Lord would endow

us with purity of thought.

 

Our mind is a dynamic mechanism, never still for a second, always thinking of

something or the other-even the focussed Arjuna finds it so ("Chanchalam hi

mana: Krishna! ..vAyOriva sudushkaram"). And more often than not, the mind tends

to wander off into frivolous and unproductive by- lanes, and fill itself with

thoughts that are neither uplifting nor inspiring. The mind behaves much like an

unruly child, dwelling at length on subjects we specifically forbid it to think

of, and even if we order it to refrain from this, it still continues to be

wayward, uncontrolled and uncontrollable.

 

The Mind is a truly terrifying creature, for its damage potential is immense.

Even the Shruti considers it to be so-"BhIshmO hi mana:". This is why Yogis try

hard to keep their minds blank, to rid it of all thoughts, so that it ceases to

be a raging battlefield of conflicting ideas and resembles more a calm pond than

a choppy sea. This however is beyond ordinary mortals like us. Since it is

difficult to keep the horse still, we should ride it in the right direction.

Thus instead of trying to keep our mind blank, if we fill it with thoughts of

the Lord, it automatically gets purified. This is also the fun-way to attain

purity, for thinking of the Lord is extremely pleasurable. This is what Sri

Andal means when She talks about "ThooyOmAi vandOm" and "manatthinAl chintikka".

Thus when we go to a temple, we should prepare ourselves for the mangalasasanam

by emptying our minds of all accumulated rubbish and spraying it with the

perfume of bhagavat guNa anubhavam.

 

"VAyinAl pAdi" says Sri Andal, advising us as to how we should use our tongue.

At least while we are in temples, only the Lord's holy names should be uttered

by our tongue, which should refrain from social interaction with friends,

acquaintances etc. Chanting the Lord's tirunamam is equal to the exalted

chanting of the essence of the VedAs, avers an Azhwar-"MAdhavan pEr solluvadE

Otthin surukku". "Pottri yAm vandhOm pugazhndu" reiterates Sri Goda Piratti,

emphasizing the importance of confining our speech to utterance of the divine

names. Another important aspect is that more than the Lord's names, we should

sing the praise of His holy feet which traversed all the worlds during the

Trivikramavatara, touching and purifying everyone and everything without

exception-"Paraman adi pAdi" says Sri Andal, repeating the idea for good measure

with "un pottrAmarai adiyE pOttrum poruL" and "andru ivvulagam aLandhAi adi

pOttri".

 

The sort of worship that is to be performed at the temple is described by Sri

Andal thus-"thoo malar thoovi thozhudu".

 

Pure and beautiful flowers should be acquired for adorning the Lord's tiruvadi.

The flowers offered should be befitting the Lord's stature and our own station

in life. If we can afford to offer Him a lotus, we should not be content with a

cheap, nondescript bloom plucked from a neighbour's hedge. And whatever be the

flower, it should be offered with sincerity and devotion: only then does it

become "thoo malar". Further, the greatest floral tribute we could offer the

Lord is our Atma guNAs like ahimsa, shoucham, indriya nigraham, dayA, etc., for

acquiring which we do not have to spend a cent.

 

The word "thoovi" indicates that the flowers should not be just thrown at the

Lord's tiruvadi, but showered gently with bhakti, with the consciousness that

these are no ordinary feet, but extremely tender ones which redden even at the

touch of the soft and supple palms of Tirumagal and Manmagal, who endeavour

constantly to relieve them of the strain of traversing the three worlds during

Trivikramavatara and of roaming barefoot constantly in the course jungles,

during Krishnavatara.

 

The next time we visit the Lord's abode, if the aforesaid lines from Tiruppavai

run through our minds, it would transform our experience from its current

prosaic and unremarkable form into a delectably divine one. We should then be

able to get a whiff and a taste of the incredibly intense devotion which Sri

Prahlada, Sri Dhruva, Sri Sabhari, Sri Uddhava, Azhwars and our Poorvacharyas

were blessed with.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

Dasan, sadagopan