Swamiji's Q & A session - Part 2.

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees,

 

This is second part of Q & A sessions. In this section, we have

discussed about 'temples', 'sannidhana' etc.

 

Shri Hari Priyatham,

B.Gopalakrishna

*********************************

 

Q.1) When God is omnipresent, why we need to go to temple and worship?

Is it not sufficient if we worship at our home?

 

SWAMIJI: It is true that GOD is omnipresent but God's 'sannidhana' is

not everywhere. 'Sannidhana' is different from existence. Though God

receives all our prayers and pooja everywhere, if we need his blessing

and 'anugraha', then we need to go to his 'sannidhana'. In general

'sannidhana' is like an authorized distribution center for God's

'anugraha'. We can get God's blessing very quickly in these special

places. These places are like radio / TV receivers. Though radio /

video waves/signals are present everywhere, we can not listen to music

directly. We need a radio receiver / TV receiver to capture those

signals and give them to us. Similarly we need God's 'sannidhana' to

get his 'anugraha' or special blessings. So though we worship Krishna

at home, we need to go to local Krishna Temple and also we need to

visit holy places like Udupi, Dwaraka, Mathura etc, though we pray the

same GOD in all these places. We can send post through any mailbox,

but we can receive mail only through designated mailbox. Similarly we

can offer prayer and pooja to GOD anywhere, but to receive his special

blessings we need to go to holy places and holy temples. God's

sannidhana is more in those places where great sages, Acharyas have

done 'tapas', worshipped God, installed God's icon, performed 'yajna'

etc.

 

Q. 2) But we, especially our kids get frustrated when we go temples

because of greediness, dirtiness etc. Also in many places people demand

money and we can't see even bit devotion there. How can we explain this

to our kids?

 

SWAMIJI: Those are man made mistakes. It has nothing to do with the

God's 'sannidhana'. There is no relation between the 'sannidhana' and

the management / establishment there. There are the mistakes of the

human beings. It is not God's mistake. Those people who do mistakes in

the name of God will definitely get punished later. Inspite of those

things, we should try to see God there and concentrate and pray God.

That's our duty. Those silly things should not perturb us. If we want

to offer prayer or pooja we can do at any place, but if we need

'anugraha' we need to go to those holy places. Even if we have our own

money in the bank, we can not get it anytime we want. (Forget about ATM

machines) We need to go to bank and fill up the forms and get money. So

though we can accumulate punya by worshipping God anywhere, we can get

God's 'anugraha' only through those special centers.

 

Q 3) Is it OK if we go to Pittsburgh alone and need not go to

Tirupathi?

SWAMIJI : There is difference in 'sannidhana' in each place. It

depends on the historical, mythological background of that place called

'sthala mahatme'. To have more 'sannidhana', we need to have the

'prana-prathista' of the icon by great saints or Acharyas. That's why

in Udupi we have much more 'sannidhana' of Krishna because it is

established and worshipped by Shri Acharya Madhwa. Thirupathi is having

more 'sannidhana' because it is self evolved icon and worshipped by

great saints like Shri Vyasaraja Theertha, Shri Vadiraja Theertha etc.

In Mantralaya we have more 'sannidhana' and our requests or desires

gets fulfilled quickly. Even if the same Shri Raghvendra swamiji is

present in the local 'vrandhavana', we don't get blessing so fast.

 

Q 4) Do we need to visit all temples? Does all temples have

'sannidhana'?

 

SWAMIJI: It depends on who established the temple and who is

worshipping there. While worshiping we need to 'avahana' of God from

our heart into the icon and at the end of the pooja, we need to get

'God' back into our heart. If the worshipper does not have 'God' in his

heart, then there will be no 'God' in the icon too. So it all depends

on the priest's spiritual level, spiritual practice and spiritual

accomplishments.

 

This is applicable to only to those temple recently established,

not for those temples in the holy places. In those temples, due to

worship of great people in the fast, 'sannidhana' is already

established there. So it need not depend upon who is worshipping

presently. So even if one feels that present priest at that temple is

not having any spiritual sadhana, we need not stop going to the temple.

God's sannidhana is already there in that icon due to those great

saints who worshiped fast. That's why we need to visit all the temples,

because of their previous history.

 

Q.5) Can we get God's sannidhana in our house also?

SWAMIJI: Yes. If we do more and more 'japa', 'tapa' we get

'sannidhana' in our house too depending upon our spiritual capacity.

That's why we need to do more pooja, homa and other good activities in

the home always. Also if more devotees come to our house and worship,

then there will be more 'sannidhana'. That's why we need to host poojas

and 'satsanga' so that more devotees come to the house and worship and

pray God. We get God's 'sannidhana' through those people's devotion.

 

Q 6) It is said that America is 'bhooga-bhuumi', meaning materialistic

land. Do we get 'sannidhana' here, if we establish a temple here?

 

SWAMIJI : Yes it is possible. It depends on the devotees, priest, the

devotion in the pooja. Normally in this land people give priority to

materialistic life and devotion towards God and spiritual life is less.

That's why this is called 'bhooga - bhuumi'. If we can develop more

devotion towards God and spiritual life, then this also can become

'karma - bhuumi'.

 

Generally India is known as 'punya bhuumi' or sacred land. But

there also not all places are equally sacred places. Places like

Bangalore, Hyderabad they are not that holy places compared to Udupi,

Thirupathi. Again for people in Udupi, Thirupathi is a sacred place

and for people in Thirupathi, Udupi is a sacred place. So each place

has got its own level of holiness and relative holiness too. That's why

our scripture recommends to all people, visiting all holy places even

for those who reside in the sacred places like Badari, Thirupathi etc.

 

Q. 7) How many times we need to visit temple and holy places? Is it not

sufficient if we visit Thirupathi once and then later on worship Lord

Venkatesh in our house itself?

 

SWAMIJI: It depends on your devotion and attachment towards God. We can

visit temples and holy places any number of times. It all depends on

what is your attitude towards those holy places. If you don't get any

devotion, then there is no use. If you become unhappy or angry because

of what is going on there or if you can not pray or worship God because

of the disturbance there, then there is not much use. Even for those

people, who live in the sacred place or sacred temple, if they don't

realize or understand the holiness of that place, temple then there is

no use for them. There is one good saying in Sanskrit. " Ganga thire

khupam khanathi dhurmathi: " meaning a wicked person digs a well near

the river Ganga and takes bath in that. If we don't get sacred thoughts

in the holy places, then there is no use. The fishes, crocodiles in the

river Ganga don't get liberation just because they take bath in Ganga.

We need to contemplate upon the holiness of the place, temple and God

and then we need to take bath, do worship and pooja. Then only we get

suitable reward or 'punya'.

 

Q 7) Can we ask God to bless us with some materialistic things?

 

SWAMIJI: No. We should not request God for any materialistic benefit.

We should ask for only 'Jnana' and 'bhakthi'.

 

Q. 8) We have seen people, pledging 'harake' in order to get some

benefit? Is it good to do?

SWAMIJI: We can pledge 'harake' for our own mental stability when we

get into some complexities. We regain our self-confidence by that.

Basically 'harake' or 'offering' is to show our devotion to God. It is

not for trading purpose. We should not exchange our offering with some

other benefits. Another thing is only those are real offerings from

which the devotee really becomes poor and those things will only please

God. Rest all is for our satisfaction. Suppose someone is having 10

crores Rs and if he 9.9999 crore then it is real 'dhana' or 'harake'.

If he gives only 10 or100 Rs it is not at all a 'dhana'.

 

Q. 9) But we have seen many people saying that they have succeeded by

pledging the 'harake'. Even many learned people suggest pledging

'harake' to get success in some cases. What is explanation for that?

 

SWAMIJI: It is not by 'harake'. It is by his/her devotion. By pledging

the 'harake', their faith, devotion solidifies and becomes more

concrete and they pray God more and more and do more do things and gain

punya. It is thus they get their requirement fulfilled. If the 'harake'

does not increase or improve his devotion or faith, then he will

succeed. Just by going around the temple mechanically, one does not get

any blessings.

 

 

(to be continued ...)

 

 

 

 

 

Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place.

Shopping:

[Guest guest]

> " GOPALAKRISHNA.B VARNA " <bgkvarna

>

>Dear Devotees,

>

>This is second part of Q & A sessions. In this section, we have

>discussed about 'temples', 'sannidhana' etc.

>

>Shri Hari Priyatham,

>B.Gopalakrishna

>*********************************

 

Namaskara,

 

At the outset let me express my great appreciation and thanks to

Sri Gopalakrishna B. Varna for his excellent write up of Sri Swamiji's

answers during Sri Swamiji's visit at his place. I kindly request that one

VMS member from each city where Sri Swamiji had visited and discussed

various issues, to post a summary of Sri Swamiji's talks and Q & A sessions.

Since these are discussed and written up in a simple understandable form,

these postings will be extreemly useful to our children to read, understand

and follow the messages of Sri Swamiji.

 

Once again thanking Sri Varna,

 

Gopal Krishna Potti