direction when bowing in temple

[Visitor 0]

|| Ram ||

 

I regularly visit the Soho street temple. A question i have, why don't devotees face the Deities when bowing?? They bow facing perpendicular to where the Deities are. Is there a reason for this?

 

I always thought the temple was centered around the lovely murtis of Radha Krishna, so why would anyone want to bow down in the direction of a wall instead?

[Kulapavana 0]

some traditional rules demand that one's left side should be facing the Deity in a bow. also, one should not point his feet towards anyone, so bowing sideways satisfies both demands.

[Visitor 0]

|| Ram ||

 

Why the left side? is there any scriptural sources stating this?

 

But some devotees have their right side facing the Deities! Theres pictures of different Avataras all the way round the temple so they would always be pointing their feet to someone! Plus god is Omni-present!

 

instead wouldnt it make sense to bow facing the deities because they are the 'local' point of focus at that location. They are the object of concentration during aartis etc. So why not bow facing them?

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

The Lord's associates such as Garuda and Hanuman are supposed to be situated opposite the deity having darshan of the Lord. Thus to avoid pointing one's feet towards them, the shastra states one should keep one's left side to the deity.

[Guest guest]

Yeah because hanuman and garuda face the sanctum we dont poit our feet to them. Yes God is everywhere so we face our feet to him all the time. but in the by doin dnadvat sideways we learn to be respectful to hanuman/Garuda as well as Krishna, because honour to Krishna's devotess is as important as Krishna. To offevt Garuda/hanuman is to offend krishna

 

[krsna 3]

 

 

Isn't Sri Krsna stunning? How about His really sweet and loving consort Srimati Radharani?

/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

http://www.krishna.se/Janmastami_2004/images/PICT7081.jpg

[Visitor 0]

|| Ram ||

 

I havent seen any pictures of garuda or Hanuman at the Soho street temple (london)!!!

[Guest guest]

Some mandirs have Vahana sanidhi (srine of vahana-Garuda/hanuman in vaishnava temples), some dont. Some have shrine of guru instead (like Bhaktivedanta manor). Never the less, we should always aknowlege the presence Garuda/hanuman anyway, regardelss of a shrine or not.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

 

I havent seen any pictures of garuda or Hanuman at the Soho street temple

 

 

Whether we see them or not, they are there with the Lord. The Lord is always with His devotees.

[Guest guest]

Hi I have also visit the Soho mandir regularly..

 

My thought is that at soho madir we have the glorius murti of Radhe krishna placed on the alter and opposite to the murti is the statue of guru prabhupada. Hence by directing dandvat at shree krishna we are directing our feet at the our guru. Which is considered very Disrespectful.

 

Therfore devotees do darshan sideways as a means of not disrespecting Prabupada.

 

my thoughts