Narayanasramam

[Guest guest]

Temple Worship and Beyond by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

 

God has never asked anyone to erect any temple for Him. In fact, the

word " God " is itself a concept of man, formed to fulfil his own

specific purpose and goal. Has the iron ore asked anyone to put up a

steel factory? Has the earth told anybody to process its minerals, salts and

deposits and make them into products? Is daily cooking done for the sake of the

food articles or the stove and the vessels?

 

So too is the case with Temples and Temple worship. No pursuit is taken up

except for the sake of those who pursue. Every act is, first and last, meant to

enrich and benefit the actor. Action is no other than an expression of the

actor. If you take food, it is for providing the nourishment, taste and

contentment you need and desire. Prepare good food in a good way, and take it

also in the best manner. The whole process stands to benefit you.

 

We erect a Temple and we maintain it so that those who feel like

worshipping in a place, which they cannot maintain or erect themselves, may make

use of it. They can come there, unload their heart and mind, and get relief.

They can tell the Deity erected there all their woes and wants, and feel the

hope and assurance they look for. As long as they are not able to outlive this

need, they will continue to go there and make use of the occasion and

facilities. And even today, we find some religious centres are inviting and

attracting countless devotees, for whom the practice has become almost

indispensable.

 

Thus they find an external focus. The actual focus is their own heart

and mind. But they do not straightaway understand this. What of it?

Whether you knowingly take milk or not, will not the intake have its

effect on your system? People drive a motor car, without knowing

automobile engineering. You travel in an aircraft, without knowing the

what and how of aerodynamics! Some others pursue the knowledge or

thinking part. They do so on your behalf, and offer the resultant

outcome for your benefit. It is like readymade food available in the

market. How many run for it!

 

Worship is always a pursuit of the worshiper himself, and it always

conduces to his own benefit and welfare.

 

Being so, is it not right that people take to worship? They will

continue to do so, until in the process they are able to discover the

greater truth and begin to turn to themselves directly. Of all the good and

noble ventures that man can do, the best is the effort he makes to provide a

public place of worship, where innocent people and even others can go and pour

out their heart and mind, to get some relief, hope or assurance they so much

need to sustain their life.