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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00102 Jan 2005

 
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--- In tiruvenkatam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Sudarshan K Madabushi" 
<mksudarshan2002@xxxx> wrote:


Dear friends/members,

Here is a wrap-up note on the discussions we have all so far had on 
the subject. SrimAn Anbil Swamin has summed up the matter really well 
with the usual dash of delicate diplomacy.

But I say that all said and done, in the final analysis, as 
adherents of the Vedic/Agamic faith, we cannot absolve ourselves of 
guilt and responsibility for a certain kind of desecration of our age-
old temples. 

When a particular structure or precinct of an ancient temple is 
removed or re-located, we will all raise a hue and cry, we will call 
foul and lament from rooftops of how the "sAstra" is being brutally 
trampled and heritage being mutilated. But when a new "sannidhi" or a 
subsidiary shrine for some 'parivara' or 'anya-devata', is quietly 
constructed within the "prAkAra" of an ancient temple (in open 
defiance of Agamic "sAstra" and under so-called "modern pressure and 
compulsion"), we will simply look the other way. To ease our guilt, 
we will offer all sorts of specious rationalizations in support of 
such construction. And at the end, in the face of the "fait 
accompli", and in order to preserve public face and peace, (much like 
Sri Anbil Swamin) we will put forth "liberal-minded" arguments in 
support of our desecration... But, of course, we will be careful to 
couch our words in sweet reasonableness, gracious compromise and 
consummate diplomacy.

God save our temples and temple-builders in India and abroad!

On the Tiruvenktam list, let us treat this subject as closed and move 
on to other topics.

Regards,

dAsan,
Sudarshan  

                         ****************
--- In SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Ram Anbil" <Ramanbil@xxxx> wrote:
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
--- End forwarded message ---
--- End forwarded message ---









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