clay pinda

[Guest guest]

Dear Family

A special thank you to Sankarrukku for your very helpful answer to my last

question. I agree that Bhakthi is of primary importance. Thank you again.

Now then, a query for everyone:

Near where I live there is an area of wilderness with a walking trail through it

that leads to the edge of a large lake. I like to walk in these woods and

sometimes I do japa sitting by the water. Now I have seen some information on a

thing called a " pinda " which is a cone shaped little mound of clay that

represents Maa Kaali. The information I read says this pinda is set up at the

base of a tree with a small trishul/trident near it and people offer flowers to

it. A sort of outdoor shrine. I would like to set up one of these pindas near

the lake in the woods so that i can make little " pilgrimages " to it and worship

Maa in the lovely natural setting. I've already made a little metal trident for

it. I would like to know more about this pinda roop from anyone who knows. Can I

just make one and treat it like I would a brass moorthy? Or is there something

missing from the above description, such as placing something special inside the

clay or burying something under it? I think they are common in eastern Uttar

Pradesh.

Jai Maa Kaali

Loladas

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

The question of Pinda Roopa needs some explanation. The temples or

any Murthi or Pinda we worship are sources of power.

 

The Murthis/Pindas can arise in two ways.

 

1. There is an already existing source of power and you erect a

Murthi or Pinda over it. Temples like Kamakhya, Vaishno Devi,

Jwalamukhi and others fall under this category. In most of these

cases it is in Pinda Roopa. In places like Gatwal the whole place is

so holy that people claim that every stone is a Murthi.

 

2. You erect a Pinda or Murthi, do Pranapradhishta and infuse power

into the Pinda or Murthi. Most of the temples in the South of India

fall under this category. The temple is constructed as a Yantra and

the Murthi is placed in the centre of the Yantra. Here the power is

dependant on the Pranapradhishta ceremonies. The power of the Deity

increases when more devotees offer prayer in the temple. It works

both ways. As the power of the temple increases more and more people

are attracted to it. And the power increases when more and more

people pray.

 

In such temples it happens that some times the power is lost due to

various reasons. Then the devotees stop coming. In such cases a

Punaruddharana or reinstallation of the Murthi is done. This brings

back the power and the devotees.

 

3. Again there are Pindas erected in the open space or under trees

that the village people worship.

These are mainly for MAA in her various forms and other village

deities. These shrines become very powerful because of the prayer of

the Bhakthas. This was also done in the past because of the

reprehensible caste system, which did not allow certain castes to

enter the temples. But this is not always so. We have DharmaSastha in

Pinda Roopa in the middle of our paddy (rice) fields. This was

erected to protect our crops. Though our family does not own the rice

fields now, we continue to own that piece of land where the Deity is.

We pray to the Deity whenever we visit our ancestral village.

 

With this back ground let us come to your question. You can erect a

stone or mud Pinda in your favourite spot and pray. Many of our now

famous shrines started this way when a Bhaktha erected a Pinda and

started praying to it. Of course you could do Pranapradhishta of the

Pinda or install a Yantra if you know how to. But it really does not

matter. Bhakthi is what is important. You think MAA is there and she

will be there. So go ahead and do it. Do not bother about rituals.

Let your heart lead you.

 

Jai MAA KAALI !!!

 

Sankar

[Guest guest]

An excellent response. Brings to mind the story of Eklavya (?) and Drona from

the Mahabharata. frank

 

 

 

 

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