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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00098 Jan 2005

 
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Dear Bhagavatas,

DESIGNER TEMPLES
It is a recognized as an inalienable dictum that Mumukshus (those desirous of 
mOksham) should not engage in Anya Devata worship. It is also a recognized and 
indisputable fact of life that in the USA (with the solitary exception of the 
Sri Ranganatha Temple at Pomona) a mixed bag of deities have been installed in 
the various temples. In India also, too much of this mixing up has come up and 
keeps coming up - a mix up of Sannidhis for Bhagavaan and Anya Devatas. In 
fact, this trend has come to stay with newer additions in the recent past 
(including Sannidhis for Ayyappa and other Devatas). In Buffalo, one can see 
Sannidhis for Buddha and Jaina, both of whom were naastikas who repudiated the 
Vedas! Once, I have seen even Jesus Christ being displayed in the Hare Krishna 
temple at Wheeling!.  

All these may be due to societal compulsions.

THE PROBLEM
The problem, however, is nothing new. Even among Divya Desams such mixing up
is seen. For example, in Thiruchitrkootam (sung by many Azhwars like Periya 
Azhwar, Kulasekara Azhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar), Sannidhis of Govindaraja and 
Nataraja are seen side by side from the very beginning. (Let us not delude 
ourselves by the claim by some overzealous Srivaishnavas that Nataraja came to 
be superimposed by some Shaivite Sthala Puranam subsequently!)

Similarly, in Kanchipuram, the Sannidhi of Nilaa Thingal Thunda Perumal 
otherwise known as Chandrachooda Perumal (sung by Thirumangai Azhwar) is 
enshrined within the Sannidhi of Ekambareswarar.

THE SOLUTION
The solution can be gleaned from what these Azhwars did under similar 
circumstances. They seem to have been obviously oblivious of this factual mix 
up.

Like Arjuna who saw only the bird perched on the branch of the tree and not 
either the branch or the tree, these Azhwars had their concentration riveted on
Bhagavaan and nothing else. They saw Bhagavaan and sang His praise; they 
were practically blind and deaf-mute about who stood at the various other 
Sannidhis and what obtained in their surroundings.

AGAMAS:
I raised this question during the Agama conference held in Madras University  
as to which Aagama sanctioned such mixing up of temples. I was told by the 
Aagama experts there that there was absolutely no sanction in any Aagama for 
this practice. But, other devatas can be installed as Parivara devatas around 
the Pradakshina praakaarams and elsewhere. That is why we find images of these 
deavatas in VishNu temples, like Ganesa at the entrance of Tiruvallikkeni 
Parthasarathi temple. 

I do not know if the converse practice is in vogue wherein VishNu is installed 
as a Parivara devata in the temples dedicated to other devatas and if so under 
what scriptural basis. 

WHAT WE CAN DO?
The mixed temples have become the "fait accompli" and perhaps, we can do 
nothing about it. All that we can do as "Paramikantins" is to ignore these 
other Sannidhis and offer our worship to ONLY Bhagavaan and Bhagavaan ONLY. 

By "ignore" I do not mean "showing disrespect".
- As all beings are the Sareeram of Bhagavaan, as much as we ourselves are, we 
cannot disrespect any of them. Will you keep quite if somebody hurts your body?
- As all beings are the children of Bhagavaan, as much as we ourselves are, we 
cannot disrespect any of them. Will you tolerate anyone who abuses your 
children?
- As some of them may be VishNu bhaktas, we should not indulge in Bhaagavata 
apachaaram which is considered to be more heinous than Bhagavad apachaaram.
In fact, there can be no greater VisNubhakta than Lord Siva (when he is 
dominated by Sattva guNa)

A prapanna while offering obeisance to Bhagavaan will not take cognizance of 
other Devatas any more than of a mannequin in a departmental store, before 
which no one would stand and pray for "Moksha". 

Since Bhagavaan can grant all the other wishes also as a bonus (anushangikam), 
Paramaikantins have NO NEED to pray to other devtas. 

So, if you are a "Paramaikanti", go straight to the PerumaaL Sannidhi, offer 
prayers and come away. You need not feel guilty for not visiting devatantara 
sannidhis. This is the way our Azhwars have shown us and let us follow their 
example.

IT IS IN THE BEHOLDER'S EYE!
Ultimately, it is in the beholder's eye that these Vaishamyams seem to loom
large or fade into nothingness, as the case may be. This vanishing trick was
remarkably pronounced in the case of the Azhwars. And, we have to draw a 
lesson from this.

Let us develop the right attitude and enjoy the worship of our Lord wherever
He is enshrined.

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy







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