Epoch making temples

[Guest guest]

Namah Shivaya,

Can someone explain:

 

"The shrine depicts the images of Shiva's Divine family: Shiva, Devi,

Ganesha and a Serpent (representing the Kundalini power, Rahu and

Murugan)".

 

Are Rahu and Murugan somehow connected?

 

Amme Sharanam,

ota

 

http://www.amritapuri.org/cultural/temple/brahmasthan.htm

 

Epoch making temples

 

On the 21st of April 1988, Amma consecrated the first Brahmasthanam

(abode of the Absolute) temple at Kodungallur, which was constructed

according to Her instructions. Amma's Brahmasthanam temples are so

different from the common temples of India today, it can be said that

they are the hallmarks of a new epoch in temple worship.

 

Unity in Diversity

 

While many temples have shrines to more than one deity, each deity is

represented by a separate murthi (idol). Amma's temples have only one

murthi. But in a revolutionary move, She instructed that the stone

murthi be carved with four faces, one on each side. The shrine

depicts the images of Shiva's Divine family: Shiva, Devi, Ganesha and

a Serpent (representing the Kundalini power, Rahu and Murugan). This

clearly points to the underlying unity inherent in the myriad deities

of the Hindu pantheon: the One with many faces.

 

 

The four faces of the shrine: (from left) Devi, Ganesha, Shiva, Rahu

 

An Atmosphere of Devotion

 

At a typical temple festival in today's India, there are no satsangs,

no spiritual words of wisdom, no bhajans. If there is a puja at all,

it will be in a corner of the temple and ignored by most in favour of

the dramas and other entertainment, which are no different from what

one might see at a cinema. Generally the temple authorities allow

this to go on because it seems to be the only way to draw people to

the temple at all. But Amma has "driven the money changers out of the

temple." Or rather, in Her infinitely gentle fashion, She built Her

own temples and never invited them in. At Her three- and four-day

festivals, the Sri Lalita Sahasranama is chanted five times daily in

a call-and-response fashion to allow everyone to participate. Amma

Herself sings bhajans twice daily, and the swamis and others sing

continuously as long as She is giving darshan, which She does for the

better part of the day and night. Sannyasis, brahmacharis, and

spiritually-minded devotees give satsang both in the morning and the

evening. At Amma's Brahmasthanam festivals, scarcely a moment passes

when the Names of God are not being chanted—broadcast on dozens of

speakers up to a kilometre away so that all in the darshan queue can

hear—and each attendee has the opportunity to see, hear, touch, and

share their sorrows with the Goddess.

 

Everyone is Welcome

 

The temples are kept in pristine purity through daily pujas that

regenerate the atmosphere of pure devotion, and kindle a sense of

unity among the devotees. Everyone, irrespective of gender, caste or

religion is welcome to worship. The serenity of the temple atmosphere

is maintained throughout the year by allowing only activities with

direct spiritual bearing to be held in the temple premises.

 

A Direct, Personal Connection to God

 

Traditionally, if you wanted the benefits of a particular puja, you

had to pay a priest to perform the puja for you. But Amma reasoned

that if you are the person who is suffering, you must perform the

puja yourself. "If you are hungry," She said, "It's not enough that

someone else eats." After so many years of listening to people's

problems, Amma determined that, generally, people experience sorrow

or difficulties when their lives are under the influence of Saturn,

Mars, or Rahu.

 

In another revolutionary move, Amma initiated mass pujas, guided by

Herself or one of Her monastic disciples, in which each participant

performs the puja for him- or herself. Amma asked everyone to join in

these pujas, without any distinction of caste, religion, age or

gender. Amma wanted to removed the oft-misused authority of the

priesthood, letting the people connect with God directly.

 

See the links above right for more on the ways Amma's temples are

changing the way India worships.

[Guest guest]

OTA:

 

My 2c

 

Rahu is sometimes represented as a serpent; in fact all afflictions

due to the curse of the nagas(sarpa dosha) somehow shows up as a

badly positioned Rahu(vedic astrologers in this group can correct me

if I am wrong). Murugan is supposed to rule over Mars but at least in

several parts of India(esp. south), Murugan is also supposed to

preside over nagas; snake pits are worshipped as Murugan's abode and

Murugan is the last resort for all afflictions due to sarpa dosha; so

yes peripherally there is a connection.

 

Aum Namasivaya

-yogaman

 

Ammachi, "one_tiny_atom" <one_tiny_atom>

wrote:

> Namah Shivaya,

> Can someone explain:

>

> "The shrine depicts the images of Shiva's Divine family: Shiva,

Devi,

> Ganesha and a Serpent (representing the Kundalini power, Rahu and

> Murugan)".

>

> Are Rahu and Murugan somehow connected?

>

> Amme Sharanam,

> ota

>

> http://www.amritapuri.org/cultural/temple/brahmasthan.htm

>

> Epoch making temples

>

> On the 21st of April 1988, Amma consecrated the first Brahmasthanam

> (abode of the Absolute) temple at Kodungallur, which was

constructed

> according to Her instructions. Amma's Brahmasthanam temples are so

> different from the common temples of India today, it can be said

that

> they are the hallmarks of a new epoch in temple worship.

>

> Unity in Diversity

>

> While many temples have shrines to more than one deity, each deity

is

> represented by a separate murthi (idol). Amma's temples have only

one

> murthi. But in a revolutionary move, She instructed that the stone

> murthi be carved with four faces, one on each side. The shrine

> depicts the images of Shiva's Divine family: Shiva, Devi, Ganesha

and

> a Serpent (representing the Kundalini power, Rahu and Murugan).

This

> clearly points to the underlying unity inherent in the myriad

deities

> of the Hindu pantheon: the One with many faces.

>

>

> The four faces of the shrine: (from left) Devi, Ganesha, Shiva,

Rahu

>

> An Atmosphere of Devotion

>

> At a typical temple festival in today's India, there are no

satsangs,

> no spiritual words of wisdom, no bhajans. If there is a puja at

all,

> it will be in a corner of the temple and ignored by most in favour

of

> the dramas and other entertainment, which are no different from

what

> one might see at a cinema. Generally the temple authorities allow

> this to go on because it seems to be the only way to draw people to

> the temple at all. But Amma has "driven the money changers out of

the

> temple." Or rather, in Her infinitely gentle fashion, She built Her

> own temples and never invited them in. At Her three- and four-day

> festivals, the Sri Lalita Sahasranama is chanted five times daily

in

> a call-and-response fashion to allow everyone to participate. Amma

> Herself sings bhajans twice daily, and the swamis and others sing

> continuously as long as She is giving darshan, which She does for

the

> better part of the day and night. Sannyasis, brahmacharis, and

> spiritually-minded devotees give satsang both in the morning and

the

> evening. At Amma's Brahmasthanam festivals, scarcely a moment

passes

> when the Names of God are not being chanted—broadcast on dozens of

> speakers up to a kilometre away so that all in the darshan queue

can

> hear—and each attendee has the opportunity to see, hear, touch, and

> share their sorrows with the Goddess.

>

> Everyone is Welcome

>

> The temples are kept in pristine purity through daily pujas that

> regenerate the atmosphere of pure devotion, and kindle a sense of

> unity among the devotees. Everyone, irrespective of gender, caste

or

> religion is welcome to worship. The serenity of the temple

atmosphere

> is maintained throughout the year by allowing only activities with

> direct spiritual bearing to be held in the temple premises.

>

> A Direct, Personal Connection to God

>

> Traditionally, if you wanted the benefits of a particular puja, you

> had to pay a priest to perform the puja for you. But Amma reasoned

> that if you are the person who is suffering, you must perform the

> puja yourself. "If you are hungry," She said, "It's not enough that

> someone else eats." After so many years of listening to people's

> problems, Amma determined that, generally, people experience sorrow

> or difficulties when their lives are under the influence of Saturn,

> Mars, or Rahu.

>

> In another revolutionary move, Amma initiated mass pujas, guided by

> Herself or one of Her monastic disciples, in which each participant

> performs the puja for him- or herself. Amma asked everyone to join

in

> these pujas, without any distinction of caste, religion, age or

> gender. Amma wanted to removed the oft-misused authority of the

> priesthood, letting the people connect with God directly.

>

> See the links above right for more on the ways Amma's temples are

> changing the way India worships.

[Guest guest]

Dear Yogamanji,

Thank you!

 

Amme Sharanam,

ota

 

Ammachi, "childofdevi" <childofdevi>

wrote:

> OTA:

>

> My 2c

>

> Rahu is sometimes represented as a serpent; in fact all afflictions

> due to the curse of the nagas(sarpa dosha) somehow shows up as a

> badly positioned Rahu(vedic astrologers in this group can correct

me

> if I am wrong). Murugan is supposed to rule over Mars but at least

in

> several parts of India(esp. south), Murugan is also supposed to

> preside over nagas; snake pits are worshipped as Murugan's abode

and

> Murugan is the last resort for all afflictions due to sarpa dosha;

so

> yes peripherally there is a connection.

>

> Aum Namasivaya

> -yogaman

>

> Ammachi, "one_tiny_atom"

<one_tiny_atom>

> wrote:

> > Namah Shivaya,

> > Can someone explain:

> >

> > "The shrine depicts the images of Shiva's Divine family: Shiva,

> Devi,

> > Ganesha and a Serpent (representing the Kundalini power, Rahu and

> > Murugan)".

> >

> > Are Rahu and Murugan somehow connected?

> >

> > Amme Sharanam,

> > ota

> >

> > http://www.amritapuri.org/cultural/temple/brahmasthan.htm

> >

> > Epoch making temples

> >

> > On the 21st of April 1988, Amma consecrated the first

Brahmasthanam

> > (abode of the Absolute) temple at Kodungallur, which was

> constructed

> > according to Her instructions. Amma's Brahmasthanam temples are

so

> > different from the common temples of India today, it can be said

> that

> > they are the hallmarks of a new epoch in temple worship.

> >

> > Unity in Diversity

> >

> > While many temples have shrines to more than one deity, each

deity

> is

> > represented by a separate murthi (idol). Amma's temples have only

> one

> > murthi. But in a revolutionary move, She instructed that the

stone

> > murthi be carved with four faces, one on each side. The shrine

> > depicts the images of Shiva's Divine family: Shiva, Devi, Ganesha

> and

> > a Serpent (representing the Kundalini power, Rahu and Murugan).

> This

> > clearly points to the underlying unity inherent in the myriad

> deities

> > of the Hindu pantheon: the One with many faces.

> >

> >

> > The four faces of the shrine: (from left) Devi, Ganesha, Shiva,

> Rahu

> >

> > An Atmosphere of Devotion

> >

> > At a typical temple festival in today's India, there are no

> satsangs,

> > no spiritual words of wisdom, no bhajans. If there is a puja at

> all,

> > it will be in a corner of the temple and ignored by most in

favour

> of

> > the dramas and other entertainment, which are no different from

> what

> > one might see at a cinema. Generally the temple authorities allow

> > this to go on because it seems to be the only way to draw people

to

> > the temple at all. But Amma has "driven the money changers out of

> the

> > temple." Or rather, in Her infinitely gentle fashion, She built

Her

> > own temples and never invited them in. At Her three- and four-day

> > festivals, the Sri Lalita Sahasranama is chanted five times daily

> in

> > a call-and-response fashion to allow everyone to participate.

Amma

> > Herself sings bhajans twice daily, and the swamis and others sing

> > continuously as long as She is giving darshan, which She does for

> the

> > better part of the day and night. Sannyasis, brahmacharis, and

> > spiritually-minded devotees give satsang both in the morning and

> the

> > evening. At Amma's Brahmasthanam festivals, scarcely a moment

> passes

> > when the Names of God are not being chanted—broadcast on dozens

of

> > speakers up to a kilometre away so that all in the darshan queue

> can

> > hear—and each attendee has the opportunity to see, hear, touch,

and

> > share their sorrows with the Goddess.

> >

> > Everyone is Welcome

> >

> > The temples are kept in pristine purity through daily pujas that

> > regenerate the atmosphere of pure devotion, and kindle a sense of

> > unity among the devotees. Everyone, irrespective of gender, caste

> or

> > religion is welcome to worship. The serenity of the temple

> atmosphere

> > is maintained throughout the year by allowing only activities

with

> > direct spiritual bearing to be held in the temple premises.

> >

> > A Direct, Personal Connection to God

> >

> > Traditionally, if you wanted the benefits of a particular puja,

you

> > had to pay a priest to perform the puja for you. But Amma

reasoned

> > that if you are the person who is suffering, you must perform the

> > puja yourself. "If you are hungry," She said, "It's not enough

that

> > someone else eats." After so many years of listening to people's

> > problems, Amma determined that, generally, people experience

sorrow

> > or difficulties when their lives are under the influence of

Saturn,

> > Mars, or Rahu.

> >

> > In another revolutionary move, Amma initiated mass pujas, guided

by

> > Herself or one of Her monastic disciples, in which each

participant

> > performs the puja for him- or herself. Amma asked everyone to

join

> in

> > these pujas, without any distinction of caste, religion, age or

> > gender. Amma wanted to removed the oft-misused authority of the

> > priesthood, letting the people connect with God directly.

> >

> > See the links above right for more on the ways Amma's temples are

> > changing the way India worships.