To Nanda about Shivaratri at the Mandir - Satyeshwar,Yajneshwar,Napeshwar

[Guest guest]

Dear Nandaji ~ I am going to respond to your post a bit differently

than I usually do, so there will be comments or questions

interspersed between the passages I am bringing from your wondrous

description of Mahashivaratri at the Mandir. I'll try to do it so

it's now hard to differentiate between your posts and what I am

writing. Pranams

Nanda wrote:

>> Here it is (a bit late) the scoop on the Shivaratri proceedings at

the Mandir.>> The evening revolved around the three Shiva Lingams at

the Mandir. Satyeshwar - the

>> Shiva Lingam on Maa's altar, Yajneshwar - the Shiva Lingam at the Havan Kund and

>> Napeshwar - the Shiva Lingam that has its own pride of place/altar

separate from the main >> temple.

Question: Nanda, could you explain the meanings and/or functions of

the three Shiva Lingams ~ the Satyeshwar, the Yajneshwar, and the

Napeshwar. These are new to me, and I am interested in what the name

designations have to do with the different altars and the different

Shiva Lingams.

Nanda wrote:

>> ...Out of compassion, or maybe to get rid of my hovering presence, he would

>> occassionally ask me to take his coat/hat and cane, as he walked between the main

>> temple and Napeshwar.

Question: From the above, it sounds like at least one of the altars

was outside the main temple. Does this outside constitute the inside

of a larger building, where the main temple is the "inside" and the

other altars are "outside," but still within the overall structure of

the building? I have seen it thus in the one Hindu temple I was ever

fortunate enough to visit. Nanda wrote:

>> ...At about 7pm, Maa started her Kirtan. The assembled crowd went

wild - dancing to her >> songs. Maa asked twice - "More?" and we

cheered her to go on!

Comment: Oh, to have been a fly on the wall, or better yet, a bee

drawn to the honey, but one that would never sting. Just the thought

of Maa doing Kirtan makes me happy, and tonight, that is actually a

pretty powerful thing.

Nanda wrote:

>> ...At midnight, we did the third puja and offered ghee. We then sat down for the

>> Rudrashtadhyayi at about 1 am. Even though this is my favorite text for chanting, and I

>> was sitting right behind Maa, perhaps it was the fasting that I had

done that day, or the >> lateness of the hour ... but I promptly dozed

off during the Chamakam. I came to a few >> mins later and resumed

where I left off - but I was wondering why I could not keep up my >>

resolution to stay awake. >> When I walked back with Swamiji, I

mentioned it to him and asked "When the body really >> needs the

rest,how does one keep going on at the Sadhana?" And then Swamiji

said (and >> I paraphrase)," That is when Tapasya begins! When

everything is fine, and we are able to >> keep at the sankalpa, then

its just a good party to be in. Its when the body is crying for >>

sleep, its when we are so tired that we cant go on, and we need the

food... and YET we >> keep going at our sadhana... that tapasya

starts".

Comment: Swamiji's answer to you, like all his answers, seems perfect,

and even for me, for whom this level of involvement would currently be

impossible, I am now able to do the Shiva Puja Beginner, and so I

understand the value and truth of what Swamiji is saying. Even though

it gets a bit tough, and we are participating, "according to our

capacities," we grow when we stretch that, for me, little bit extra.

I am in love with Swamiji's words ~ they are like nectar to me. (And,

I might add, I feel just the slightest bit embarrassed saying this to

the whole group.) >> ...At 3 am, we finished the final puja, the

assembled devotees performed Arati again and >> formed a line to get

Maa and Swamiji's blessings...And then everyone went to the kitchen

>> (at 4 am) for a hearty Shivaratri dinner/breakfast! We cleaned up

and then some of us

>> went to bed and the others stayed up to keep at their sadhanas.

>> ...You were all fondly remembered when I did each of the

offerings. I took it as a sign of >> blessing for the entire group,

when one of our group members that specifically came for >> the

event, was asked to offered a coconut to the fire at the end of the

puja.

This all sounds so wonderful, and thank you a hundred thousand million

times, Nanda, for remembering us on this beautiful night. Jai Maa ,

Jai Swamiji ~ Linda