Bhakthy and Temples.

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Hare Krishna,

 

My humble pranams to all Vaishnavas ,

 

As a humble servant of Sri Krishna , I am depending totally on the

chanting of Narayana-nama for everything and from it's strength

endeavor to follow Bhagavan 's advice :

• Do your duty, to the best of your abilities, for Me without

any selfish motive, and remember Me at all times - before starting a

work, at the completion of a task, and while inactive.

• Practice to look upon all creatures as Myself in thought,

word, and deed ; and mentally bow down to them.

• Although I the Supreme God, can never be captured by ordinary

sense perception, My devotees may use their intelligence and

perception (by bhakti-yoga) to directly search for Me through both

apparent and indirect symptoms.

• Awaken your dormant spiritual power (by bhakti-yoga)and

perceive through the activities of mind, senses, breathing, and

emotions that My power is within you at all times, and is constantly

doing all the work using you as a mere instrument " .

 

PRESENT REALITIES

 

In this age of cut throat competition and selfishness , modern India

( ex- Bharatakhanda) as a nation has practically replaced it's

sacred atmic approach with, selective anti-vedic secularism

(Godlessness) .

 

Social work and charity have become big business these days ; and

many of the related organizations fight each other to grab own scope

in the event of a natural calamity . In certain cases , even

spirituality is marketed cleverly to realize personal interests ;

and the same people advise their followers not to donate to other

institutions .

 

There is no accountability for the huge funds being collected by many

of the social organizations and many of such funds are being used to

destabilize this ancient country which is still a thorn in the flesh

of anti-vedic forces .

 

The temples remain as a ray of hope for the struggling vedic faith

and associated social well being .

 

DEITY WORSHIP IN TEMPLES

 

Bhagavan Krishna advises Uddhava ( Srimad Bhagavatam Chapter no.11 ) :

 

SB 11.27.15 : One should worship Me in My Deity forms by offering the

most excellent paraphernalia . But a devotee completely freed from

material desire may worship Me with whatever he is able to obtain,

and may even worship Me within his heart with mental paraphernalia.

 

SB 11.27.16-17 : In worshiping the temple Deity, my dear Uddhava,

bathing and decoration are the most pleasing offerings . For the

Deity traced on sacred ground, the process of tattva-viny & #257;sais most

dear. Oblations of sesame and barley soaked in ghee are the preferred

offering to the sacrificial fire, whereas worship consisting of

upasth & #257;na and arghya is preferred for the sun. One should worship Me

in the form of water by offering water itself. Actually, whatever is

offered to Me with faith by My devotee — even if only a little water —

is most dear to Me.

 

SB 11.27.18 : Even very opulent presentations do not satisfy Me if

they are offered by nondevotees . But I am pleased by any

insignificant offering made by My loving devotees, and I am certainly

most pleased when nice presentations of fragrant oil, incense,

flowers and palatable foods are offered with love.

 

SB 11.27.32 : My devotee should then lovingly decorate Me with

clothing, a brahmana thread, various ornaments, marks of tilaka and

garlands, and he should anoint My body with fragrant oils, all in the

prescribed manner.

 

SB 11.27.33 : The worshiper should faithfully present Me with water

for washing My feet and mouth, fragrant oils, flowers and unbroken

grains, along with incense, lamps and other offerings.

 

SB 11.27.34 : Within his means, the devotee should arrange to offer

Me sugar candy, sweet rice, ghee, rice-flour cakes, various sweet

cakes, steamed rice-flour dumplings filled with sweet coconut and

sugar , wheat cakes made with ghee and milk and covered with sugar

and spices], yogurt, vegetable soups and other palatable foods.

 

SB 11.27.35 : On special occasions, and daily if possible, the Deity

should be massaged with ointment, shown a mirror, offered a

eucalyptus stick for brushing His teeth, bathed with the five kinds

of nectar, offered all kinds of opulent foods, and entertained with

singing and dancing.

 

SB 11.27.44 : Singing along with others, chanting loudly and dancing,

acting out My transcendental pastimes, and hearing and telling

stories about Me, the devotee should for some time absorb himself in

such festivity.

 

SB 11.27.45 : The devotee should offer homage to the Lord with all

kinds of hymns and prayers, both from the Pur & #257;n & #803;as and from other

ancient scriptures, and also from ordinary traditions. Praying, " O

Lord, please be merciful to me! " he should fall down flat like a rod

to offer his obeisances.

 

SB 11.27.46 : Placing his head at the feet of the Deity, he should

then stand with folded hands before the Lord and pray, " O my Lord,

please protect me, who am surrendered unto You. I am most fearful of

this ocean of material existence, standing as I am in the mouth of

death. "

 

SB 11.27.47 : Praying in this way, the devotee should respectfully

place upon his head the remnants I offer to him. And if the

particular Deity is meant to be sent away at the end of the worship,

then this should be performed, the devotee once again placing the

light of the Deity's presence inside the light of the lotus within

his own heart.

 

SB 11.27.48 : Whenever one develops faith in Me — in My form as the

Deity or in other bona fide manifestations — one should worship Me in

that form. I certainly exist both within all created beings and also

separately in My original form, since I am the Supreme Soul of all.

 

SB 11.27.49 : By worshiping Me through the various methods prescribed

in the Vedas and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired

perfection in both this life and the next .

 

SB 11.27.50 : The devotee should more fully establish My Deity by

solidly constructing a temple, along with beautiful gardens. These

gardens should be set aside to provide flowers for the regular daily

worship, special Deity processions and holiday observances.

 

SB 11.27.51: One who offers the Deity gifts of land, markets, cities

and villages so that the regular daily worship and special festivals

of the Deity may go on continually will achieve opulence equal to My

own.

 

SB 11.27.52 : By installing the Deity of the Lord one becomes king of

the entire earth, by building a temple for the Lord one becomes ruler

of the three worlds, by worshiping and serving the Deity one goes to

the planet of Lord Brahma and by performing all three of these

activities one achieves a transcendental form like My own.

 

SB 11.27.53: But one who simply engages in devotional service with no

consideration of fruitive results attains Me . Thus whoever worships

Me according to the process I have described will ultimately attain

pure devotional service unto Me .

 

SB 11.27.54 : Anyone who steals the property of the Devas or the

brahmanas, whether originally given to them by himself or someone

else, must live as a worm in stool for one hundred million years.

 

SB 11.27.55 : Not only the performer of the theft but also anyone who

assists him, instigates the crime, or simply approves of it must also

share the reaction in the next life. According to their degree of

participation, they each must suffer a proportionate consequence.

 

MADHAVA SEVA IN TEMPLES ALSO BECOMES MANAVA SEVA

 

Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamy said :

 

" Every morning a handful of rice(uncooked) must be set apart for the

poor. All the families must do this without fail every day . The rice

thus kept must be collected from house to house, from quarter to

quarter, cooked offered to the Deity of the local temple

as " naivedya " and then distributed among the poor. With the handful

of rice set apart for the poor, keep just one Rupee also. The Rupees

collected from each family would be sufficient to buy salt, chilli

powder, etc, to mix with the rice to make it more palatable. It would

also serve to buy firewood and to pay the rent for the vessels. To

carry out such a scheme is to do a great service to the poor - and to

the Lord. Charity like this should encourage temple going, not to

speak of devotion. Since the food is first offered as " naivedya " , it

would mean that the poor will take it as prasadam which will impart

them inner purity.

 

" Annadan " or the gift of food is one kind of service of paropakara.

We talk of service to the poor, social service and so on. Today all

this is done with much fanfare and publicity. In the past the needy

were served naturally, without making any noise. Service comes

under " purta- dharma " and it includes digging wells and ponds for the

public, feeding the poor, building temples for the spiritual well-

being of people, laying our gardens. As we keep serving people in

this way we will obtain inward purity . "

 

Jagadguru K.K. Shankaracharya Swami wrote :

 

" We enjoy the good things in life such as house, food, clothing,

ornaments, music, dance, etc. We pay a tribute in the form of taxes

to the king or to the government, for making it possible for us to

enjoy them by giving us their protection. Even as we render homage to

the king for the enjoyment of these things, we are bound to render

our gratitude to God who has primarily given us the good things of

life.

 

We offer a part of these good things as a token of our gratitude to

Him in the temple. We first offer to the Lord all that He has given

to us in the shape of food, clothing, jewels, music, flowers, light,

incense, etc., with the grateful consciousness that they are His

gifts to us ; and we receive them back from Him as His PRASAAD. The

temple is the place where these offerings are made on behalf of the

collective community. Even if people do not go to the temple, it is

enough if these offerings are made to God on behalf of the community.

The duty of the people at the place is to see that these offerings

are made in the proper manner. "

 

CONCLUSION

 

In addition to bringing the devotees closer to the Bhagavan , Sri

Krishna's temples also help thousands of people by feeding them

directly or indirectly . It is the duty of all vedic followers to

contribute for the smooth running of temples ; and to remove

misunderstandings in the minds of people.

 

OM NAMO NARAYANAYA!!!

 

Krishnadaya

 

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Dear Krishnadaya,

 

It is quite some time that you hv not been heard in this Group.Here

the question is not that of how the temples are administered or how

the offerings of devotees are utilised or what interests the devotees

to make such offerings.As said that depends on individual choices and

there is no need to interfere.But regarding the amounts collected by

way of vazhipadus and how they are utilised nobody knows and that is

also not our concern.The point is how such things can be correlated

to the Bakthy concept?Do you wish to say that by offerings even

though with full heart could be construed as Bhakthy?There are

hundreds of people who just dump money in the hundi which has become

a custom and not a way of expressing Bhakthy.I hv seen in all the big

temples .big bundles of notes are deposited in the hundi and do you

think that can be termed as bhakthy?or is it some type of bargaining?

There are hundreds of people who never bother to contribute even

token amounts to many deserving cases like the Deaf and Dumb

society,Blind society,Charitable institutions who run providing

succour to the orphans but they are prepared to put waddles of

currencies in the hundis and as offerings as if God is in need of

that.Why this change in their minds?Instead of dumping money in the

hundis if they spend at least a portion to the needy,distressed

people will not that bring them the Grace of God as all are His

children and due to karma effects they hv born to suffer and giving

them a helping hand,will not that please the God?It is said

Manavaseva is Madhavaseva-when that is eloquently drummed up in

platforms are all practicing the same?By dumping money for the sake

of upliftment of temples which are already very rich what purpose

does it serve when the teeming millions suffer in desolation and

despair?Do you not think that have nots shuld be protected by those

who hv the money power in the interest of God as all are His

creatures?

 

Due to good karmas in the earlier births one may possess lot of

wealth but shuld not the person think that the same shuld be

distributed at least a portion to the needy?

 

I am not a preacher but I say from practical point of view and not

to offend anybody.I know you hv enough knowledge to understand what I

mean?You are also doing a great service and that too I know in your

own way which is surely laudable.As a Krishna bhaktha you shuld hv

the compassion to the down trodden also.Of course the whole world

can't be made into a paradise overnight by doling out to the needy

people but those who do even a bit will surely enjoy great peace and

the Grace of God as He is not for the rich and vainglorious people

but for the poor,unsung people as He has demonstrated in the case of

Kuchela.If the devotee is the instrument of Bhagawan Krishna whyshuld

He make him to be a slave to the material gains without thinking abt

His own brothers and sisters who are also the instruments of Him.So

that argument carries no weight.It s because there is an element of

ego in the minds of His instruments also which even He finds it

difficult to dilute.Again you say that Bhagawan will take care of

running the temples.In what way?Is He the chairman of the

administrative board?or is He giving directions?In your estimate how

many temples come under the purview of GVR and Sabarimala temples?Are

all the temples properly taken care of by the Boards of the GVR and

Sabarimala?

 

Another fun is your advice not to worry and be happy.There is no

dearth for happiness in me as I always possess equanimity of mind

never bothering abt accolades or derisions as I know that is all part

of the game.By chanting Narayana with full faith will all the ills of

the people automatically vanish?Then why shuld one go to the temple

and make offerings instead of keeping quiet at home and chanting

Narayana all the time.Since you and I know that the same is not

practical as the same won't make the world move as even Krishna has

said do your duty without expecting rewards simply chanting won't

lead anybody anywhere unless the same is also accompanied by the

duty,love and devotion and compassion to the fellow beings.That is

the only way to get the Mercy and Grace OF God and this what all the

scriptures also enunciate.Even Vasudeva Krishna also reiterates the

same thing.

 

Krishnadaya,don't get upset over what I hv said as it is not my

intention to wound your feelings.You hv said what you think to be a

method and I just said what I felt.That is all.As I know you are a

great Krishna bhaktha and doing good services in your own humble way

I hv just taken some liberty to bring to your attention that there

are many things beyond our control as Hamlet used to say in

Othello,'Horatio,there are many wonders in this world than what you

imagine'.

 

In essence what I mean by Bhakthy has nothing to do with the so

called offerings and vazhipadus though the same are left to the

choice of the devotees as I myself don't know whether I am a devotee

or not and to what extent I hv progressed in this field as it is an

ocean and only God is the arbiter in such things.God Bless..

 

Hare Krishna,

Agraman

 

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Hare Krishna,

 

A devotee is an instrument of the Bhagavan Sri Krishna ; and it is

the Lord's power that is acting through him/her. It is quite natural

that , a devotee is grateful to the Bhagavan for His kindness ; and

is always pleased to offer something in return.

 

It is easy to criticise the Temple working systems in place , but

difficult to run it . There is no need for the devotee to worry about

the running of temple because Bhagavan is there to take care through

His own ways and means.

 

The religious institutions of non-Hindu religions don't have any

public accountabilty whereas the Devaswam Boards are accountable to

Government. Most of the small temples are run from the income of

Guruvayoor and Sabarimala.

 

So let us be positive in our approach . Don't worry, be happy!!!!

Just chant Om Namo Narayanaya and leave the rest to Bhagavan.

 

Krishnadaya

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GANAPATHY RAMAN <agraman62 wrote:

 

Of course for running the temple,paying salary etc money is required

but the point is who are the persons chalking out the various

vazhipadus and fixing rates?The temple authorities and not

God.If the temple authorities say that to run the temple money is

required and hence donate your might they won't get much but if they

exhibit in boards that such and such vazhipadus can bring this and

that benefit people are glad to contribute whether the same

materialises or not and so the authorities are trying to display a

long list to collect funds in this way which has nothing to do with

Bhakthy or God.This trend has become in vogue during the past decades

only.Centuries back there were no such things.

 

Temples like Guruvayur or Sabarimala or Tripati attract devotees in

millions and in this way the coffers also can overflow by the so

called vazhipadus.A devotee is happy iif he does some thulabharam

with sugar or plantain or anything by paying the rates fixed by the

administration thinking that God is pleased with his offering, and

the administration is happy that their bank balances increase which

can be utilised and misutilised for various things.This is actually

what is happening in big temples.On the otherhand there are

innumerable temples which don't hv any income even to offer neivedyam

to the Deity or having enough oil even to light the lamps.Why the

devotees don't flock to those temples also and do the vazhipadus so

that those temples too can see the light of the day.Is

Guruvayurappan sits only in Guruvayur or Sastha sits only in

Sabarimalai when the all pervading God is in every atom and every

idol why some temples flourish and some suffer?Does that mean that

people who go to those less fortunate temples are not devotees? In

Tripati there is a custom that everyday whatever money and other

offerings come will be accounted before the Deity in the night

but it is not known how the money is being spent and whether the

Deity gives permission for all the expenses?There was even an attempt

years back that the amounts collected shuld be invested in Govt bonds

thereby diverting the funds of the temple but due to the protest of

the devotees the idea was shelved.

 

There is noting wrong in collecting money for the administration of

temple by means like vazhipadus but that can't be connected with

Bhakthy as there is no sanction from the Deity for the same and it is

only the temple administration fixes the same.Years back in GVR

udayasthamana pooja was fixed at Rs.5000 but now I don't know the

amount but certainly it must be 50000 and what is the guidelines for

fixing such exhorbitant rates?The temple administration members enjoy

in all comforts from the so called collections and that too everybody

knows.Then how this collection can be linked to ardent Bhakthy?Did

the Deity of GVR or Sabarimala told the administration to collect so

much money?

 

So in the name of God all these are made.In a country like India with

more than a billion people there is always the tendency to resort to

superstitions in beliefs and the eagerness to know abt the future

thru astrology.If there is something wrong immediately it is decided

to conduct an ashtamangalya prasna is conducted.The astrologers say

that God is furious because the surroundings are polluted and the

devotees are not havig proper devotion,roads are not good and all

such things.When the same is said by media and people nobody bothers

and when the astrologers say that God is angry immedately steps are

taken to ward off evils supposed to happen if the same are not

one.Are they not looking funny?

 

My intention is not to fnd fault with anything that is going on which

everybody knows but the pertinent thing is that for a Bhaktha such

things appear to be superfluous and when so many temples ae

suffering for lack of funs why certain important temples alone take

the cakes when we accept that God is everywhere.There is no

explanation for this anamoly and the same will continue.

So by doing vazhipadus and offerings the temple coffers can be

filled up but not lead one to Real Bhakthy.Was there such a system

during the days of Bhattathiri and Poonthanam?Because those days they

had so much love and devotion to God and never bothered abt other

things..Now the trend has changed and money takes the upper hand over

Real Bhakthy.What a pity?

 

If anybody is offended by these comments I express regret as I hv

only stated what I felt and to enforce the fact that Bhakthy has

nothing to do with the so called offerings and the same depends on

individual choices and not on the choice of people running temple

administration.

 

Hare Krishna.

 

Agraman

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