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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00101 Jan 2005

 
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Dear Bhagavatas,

Anbil has done a lot of study and painstaking work in this. Thanks.

Mixed temple concept is one of convenience in the modern age. Basically it
is an offer of a comprehensive menu from which the customer makes his own
choice. Agamas are a mirror of the society in which they evolve. Previously
there were communal concentrations in living areas, For examle there were
exclusive Iyer territories resulting in exclusive Shiva temples there and
similarly Iyengar territories giving rise to Vishnu temples. People also
tended to migrate to areas containing temples of their favourite gods. Such
a thing is not possible in the current socio-economic climate where
professional skills / jobs / rewards tend to be the main drivers for where
people live. So mixed temples are the only solution and these also help
different sects to come together at least physically if not emotionally and
spiritually.


Dasan,
Balaji


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ram Anbil" <Ramanbil@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <Srirangasri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 5:44 AM
Subject: [SriRangaSri] DESIGNER TEMPLES


>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>






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