Visit to the Mandir #4

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

In continuing -

There were days when I just entered the temple for a private stroll with the Gods and Goddesses, pausing at each altar to admire the ever blissful presence of the deities. The physical attraction apart, there is the aspect of worship, each devotee has his or her special place or altar of worship - each one is different yet they are all the same. At times baby Krshna, seated majestically on his throne calls, and you must stop and chat with him, once I just sat looking at him and was so overcome with joy and laughter that the tears ran from my eyes, yet, no audible words were spoken.It was during one of these quiet moments that the fire pit held me, my memory returned to the start, when the fire was lit for the first time and how it must have been and at that moment all I could think was that the fire pit is really my heart, the heart where my love resides. The yantra at its base is the external yantra that we place on our chest as we install the deities. The fire is the passion that we feel for the Divine, as we feed that passion with the good and bad that resides in this container. The fire roars and dances in acceptance as it purifies our offerings. After sometime of not feeding the fire, one can only see a steady stream of smoke, but the fire has not out. We have gone inside in our meditative mood giving the best we are able to Mother, in return She acknowledges with the outward `pop' as a grain of rise is consumed in the fire's embers.Looking around the temple again, each altar seems a representation of the 8 Durgas with the Cosmic Altar being the 9th Durga, Siddhidatri, that Perfect Goddess, the Goal of our worship. This brought home what Maa and Swamiji always says, "everyday is Navaratri at the Devi Mandir". Only through the Guru's grace are we able to walk this path. Jai Maa Jai Swamiji