Why the chances of rebirth are less if one dies in a place of pilgrimage?

[suchandra 1]

Why the chances of rebirth are less if one dies in a place of pilgrimage?

 

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• 1. Guardian deity of a territory (kshetrapaldevata)

   

  • 1.1 Meaning
    
  • 1.2 Types
    
  • 1.3 Deity of a place of pilgrimage (tirthakshetradevata)
    
  • 1.4 Creation of deities of places of pilgrimage and associated deities
    
  • 1.5 Do locations of places of pilgrimages (tirthakshetras) change?
    
  • 1.6 Importance of a deity of a place of pilgrimage (tirthakshetradevata)
    
  • 1.7 To which sect does a place of pilgrimage belong?
    
  • 1.8 Importance of India with respect to deities of places of pilgrimage
    
  • 1.9 The five great places of pilgrimage
    
  • 1.10 Sub-places of pilgrimage (upatirthakshetras)
    
  • 1.11 Ancient and newly created places of pilgrimage
    
  • 1.12 The attitude while visiting places of pilgrimage
    
  • 1.13 How much time should one spend at a place of pilgrimage?
    
  • 1.14 Importance of maintaining sanctity of places of pilgrimage
    
  • 1.15 Guardian deity of a field
    
  • 1.16 Guardian deities of a higher spiritual level in India

<hr> 1. Guardian deity of a territory (kshetrapaldevata)

 

1.1 Meaning

 

 

Kshetra

means a small or large plot of land and

pal

means to nurture or protect. Thus the guardian deity of a territory is the one which nurtures or protects a particular area of land.

 

1.2 Types

 

 

Places of pilgrimages are of various kinds like

prayags

(places where there is a confluence of two rivers), four

dhams

(holy places), seven

puris

(small cities), fifty-one

shaktipiths

(seats of Divine Energy), twelve

jyotirlingas

(divine phalluses), eight seats of worship of Lord Ganapati (

ashtavinayak

), places of worship of Lord Datta and those of the Sun deity (

Bhaskar

).

 

A. According to the prevailing time (

kal

):

Some deities have been existing since times immemorial, for instance the seats of Divine Energy and the

jyotirlingas

. However some other deities have come into existence later. For instance

samadhis

(tombs) of saints. We shall refer to such a place where there is a

samadhi

of a saint as a deity of the place of pilgrimage (

tirthakshetradevata

).

 

B. Depending upon the amount of energy:

The energy in a seat of Divine Energy and a

jyotirlinga

is tremendous in comparison to the energy of a guardian deity of a field. We shall refer to such a deity as a guardian deity of a territory (

kshetrapal

or

kshetradevata

).

 

C. Depending on whether devotion is with expectation (

sakam

) or without expectation (

nishkam

):

Seats of Divine Energy,

jyotirlingas

, etc. existing since times immemorial are usually appropriate for devotion without expectation whereas guardian deities of territories, etc. having an origin are appropriate for devotion with expectation.

 

1.3 Deity of a place of pilgrimage (tirthakshetradevata)

 

 

The origin and meaning of the word

tirthakshetra

(तीर्थक्षेत्र), a place of pilgrimage is from two words -

tirtha

(तीर्थ) and

kshetra

(क्षेत्र). The word

tirtha

meaning a sacred place is said to be derived from the following concepts.

• ‘तीर्थं करोति इति ।’ means that which purifies is a
  tirtha
  .
  
  
• ‘तीर्यते स्‍थायते इति तीर्थ: ।’ means that which causes cessation of creation, sustenance and dissolution is a
  tirtha
  . Such a region (
  kshetra
  ) is called a place of pilgrimage (
  tirthakshetra
  ).
  
  
• ‘तरति पापादिकं यस्‍मात्‌ ।’ means that due to which one can be salvated from sins, etc. is a
  tirtha
  .
  
  
• ‘तीर्यते अनेन इति’ means a
  tirtha
  is a means of attaining salvation.

 

1.4 Creation of deities of places of pilgrimage and associated deities

 

 

A. Narayan and Vishnu:

The

Tantra

text,

Ganeshyamal

states that each of the twenty-seven frequencies emanating from the twenty-seven lunar asterisms reaches the

ajanaj

region (

ajanajlok

) from the region of the lunar asterisms (

nakshatralok

/

karmadevlok

) and divides into four sections (

charans

). Thus 27 x 4 = 108 frequencies reach the earth. (Refer ‘Science of Spirituality: Chapter 25 - Composition of the Universe’.) These frequencies reach the earth through the media of absolute ether (

akash

), Aditya or Mitra (sun), clouds and air. Hence all these are considered as representatives of the

dyu

region (

dyulok

). These 108 frequencies are referred to as

narayan

. They divide further into four -

yama

,

surya

,

prajapati

and conjoint frequencies. They are identical in all aspects, that is with respect to speed, purity and spiritual knowledge and in combination are known as

vishnu

.

Vishnu

frequencies descend onto the earth and impregnate it. As a result, the earth gives birth to several offsprings. These four frequencies are referred to as providers of food (‘चतुर्महाभागा: ओषधं ददाति ।’) where ओषध means food. Hence Lord Vishnu is known as the ‘deity of nourishment (

annarasadevata

)’. Thus since the entire world is created from these four frequencies it is composed of Vishnu Himself.

 

 

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