Representationally Hinduism is polytheistic; with this state of
affairs it is hard to see that Hinduism is monotheistic. Also the
modern Hindu communities developing the in the alien land cannot
afford to have a specific deity in every street corner. Thus we have
all different facets of the One God concentrated in one Super temple
in each major city these days. If only we could teach people that
there is only One God living as the antharyAmi despite all the
outward differences, we would have successfully portrayed the true
aspects of the upanishadic truths. But the practical situation is
quite different! The wishes of the people as well as the Agamas have
complicated the matter way too much. Probably we can choose to a
different sannidhi each time we visit the temple, and experience the
anubavam of the Lord in the specific at the specific visit. When the
gyana matures, we can all the One God through the Vishnu tatvam.
dAsan
Rajan
--- In SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Sudarshan K Madabushi"
<mksudarshan2002@xxxx> wrote:
>
>
> --- In SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "rvv21" <ranjanvv@xxxx> wrote:
> >> I think it's unlikely you'll find a "Vishnu-only" temple
in
> the > UK (apart from ISKCON temples) - but I could be wrong.
> However, the > sizeable Sri Lankan Tamil community in many parts
of
> London have > retained their Shaiva temple culture to a relatively
> high degree and > have constructed many 'south-indian' style
temples,
> if you were > interested in seeing them for interest. Many have a
> sannidhi for > Lakshmi/Naaraayana as well.
>
> ****************
> Dear members,
>
> This is a very interesting thread of discussion and I like your
> exchanges.
>
> One of the odd things I have noticed about Hindu temples abroad is
> this: they are designed to accommodate and built to serve the
> sentiments of all denominations of Hindu religous society. Such
> design and architecture is no doubt well-intentioned but the
results
> are sometimes a mixed bag.
>
> I toured parts of USA East Coast last year. My host was kind
enough
> to take me to a very beautiful temple in Maryland. It was called
> Shiva-Vishnu temple but inside I was surprised to see many more
> special "sannidhi-s" (shrines or sanctums) for a number of other
> deities in the Hindu pantheon -- Ganesha, Murugua, AmbAL, AyyappA,
> Venkateshwara, Krishna... I saw devotees come in throngs and each
> proceeded straight to that shrine he or she wanted to particularly
> worship. Thereafter he or she spent a few moments at other shrines
> before exiting. I couldn't help thinking it all vaguely resembled
the
> modern and convenient "multi-cuisine cafeteria" concept applied to
> temple architecture i.e. you come shuffling in a long queue with a
> plate in hand, go slowly around the table and help yourself
> generously to the dish you particularly like, and just a little
bit
> of everthing else in the spread.
>
> Don't get me wrong. It's not that I want to be critical of "Shiva-
> Vishnu" temples, I hasten to add. Who knows, perhaps the "Agama
> sAstras" themselves do, in fact, permit such "cafeteria" design of
> temples. But I must say this: I cannot help sometimes wondering if
> the presence of more than one Deity within a temple-precinct does
not
> go against the essentially monotheistic grain of Hindu religious
> thought and practice. My own personal experience is that when I am
in
> the presence of the main Deity inside a temple I'd rather fully
> concentrate on worshipping that one Divine Entity alone. But
instead,
> I often find that, at the back of my mind somewhere, I'm being
> distracted by the anxious thought of having to rush for "darshan"
to
> the "next crowded counter" -- viz. other satellite shrines
> or "sannidhi-s". The result is that a temple visit, far from
> affording one an opportunity for experiencing a certain sense of
> abiding One-ness with God, leaves the devotee with a strange
feeling,
> instead, he's just concluded a long and hectic series of business
> appointments.
>
> Let me confess to one more thing. I always come away from a temple
> feeling a little guilty and disappointed if, after I've
had "darshan"
> of the main Deity first, for some reason or other, I've been
unable
> to offer worship at subsidiary "sannidhi-s". I've never relished
such
> a feeling. It has always robbed the first experience a little of
its
> joy.
>
> An exclusively Vishnu temple (with His other divine forms serving
> perhaps as smaller satellite "sannidhi-s") seems to me OK. An
> exclusive Shiva temple too seems OK. An exclusive Devi or AmbAl
> temple is OK too. But a "Shiva-Vishnu temple", and many of
similarly
> newly-built, multi-themed, composite "designer temples" (in India
and
> abroad we come across these days) -- they all seem to me to be
> somehow straying far from the central monotheism of that very
Faith
> they are actually meant to reflect and enshrine.
>
> What do members think? I'd like to hear your learned comments.
>
> respectfully,
> dAsan,
> Sudarshan
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