Shiva Vishnu Temple

[Guest guest]

the word 'Hinduism' for convenience," he says. Theirs is the most ancient faith

still practiced, with extensive scriptures, but as Swamy says, "We don't have a

religion; we have a way of life." A central concept is, he says, "All is

one, and one is all." While they believe in one supreme creator whose divine

intelligence pervades all beings, the many gods and goddesses of their faith

represent aspects of this great presence. "We give him different names and

occasions to make him easy to worship. We give the form. God is formless. It is

our human way of picturing." Swamy humbly refuses to accept accolades for his

exceptional memorization of prayers. "In the approach to that oneness you can

meditate, pray in your own mind, you can also sing songs," he says. "People

like me don't know any better, so we chant mantras. It gives us peace." A

recent visit: The Shiva Vishnu Temple's worship area is a large, light-filled

room. In stylized alcoves around three sides of the room are elaborate shrines

to many deities, with the major shrines of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva and Lord

Vishnu at the front of the room. The first devotees

to arrive for this Sunday morning service, known as a puja, are a father and his

preschool son who hurry to be present at the invocation to Lord Ganesha. The

child follows his father's actions - kneeling low, accepting a sprinkling of

holy water, holding his hands together in devotion. Plaques with scripture from

the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism, hang nearby. Over the child's head

it reads, "For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never

lost, nor is he ever lost to Me." Gita 6:30 Others arrive throughout the

morning, some bringing symbolic offerings such as flowers, fruit or other

foods. After the worship service, these foods may be consumed. The divine

blessing they bestow is called prasada. Priests chant mantras and prayers in

Sanskrit. A few devotees join in. Swamy chants throughout the 2½-hour service.

The repeated tones, the ritualized devotions, the smell of incense and ghee and

the compelling presence of the richly

adorned shrines create a potent ceremony. Near the end of the service, members

of the congregation - beginning with a talented young girl - offer songs in

Hindi. At the puja's close, the priests use a devotional lamp to perform a

ritual called aarti, which is dedicated to the highest love of God. Many

children are here today with their families, taking part in the rich traditions

and wisdom of this faith. The youngest child dances joyously around his

grandmother as sacred prayers bless the path all are on, the path to

enlightenment. Weldon is a free-lance writer in Litchfield Township.

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