Shaivism - Discussion Thread

[Vinayaka]

Quite possible. "The presiding deity of lingam is 3.7m tall." (Wikipedia)


Does not the temple have floor covering? Carpets?

No carpets.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm surprised there are no folding chairs for the elderly. I would rather stand anyway. Even on a chair my leg and foot still go numb. I have to get up and move around. It will take a long time for the nerves to fully heal.

But anyway, I don't know if our floor is heated, I haven't been there in the winter yet. They might be heated, being granite tiles.

There are some benches along some walls for the elderly and disabled. People are free to stand if they wish. Lots of pillars. Most people (like me) are comfortable sitting on the hard floor tile.

 

[Aupmanyav]

And the temple management will not prefer a floor covering because it will cover the beauty of the floor. For such a situation, we have 'durries' in India. Use when required, fold and stack when not. But 'durries' may not be the answer for Alaskan cold.

 

[Jainarayan]

There are some benches along some walls for the elderly and disabled. People are free to stand if they wish. Lots of pillars. Most people (like me) are comfortable sitting on the hard floor tile.

That's what I thought. We have some folding chairs and stackable cafeteria type chairs along the wall facing the main sanctums.

 

[Vinayaka]

That's what I thought. We have some folding chairs and stackable cafeteria type chairs along the wall facing the main sanctums.

Ours aren't facing the main sanctums, but along the side wall. The board had to get 'tough' because people were dragging chairs from the cultural center/dining hall, and placing them all over. It was getting ridiculous, actually.

I've never been fond of carpets, partly because they get so dirty, and I'm a penance/make it arduous type of guy. Once you get used to the hard floor, it becomes easy. People complain about that too.

 

[Jainarayan]

Ours aren't facing the main sanctums, but along the side wall. The board had to get 'tough' because people were dragging chairs from the cultural center/dining hall, and placing them all over. It was getting ridiculous, actually.

I've never been fond of carpets, partly because they get so dirty, and I'm a penance/make it arduous type of guy. Once you get used to the hard floor, it becomes easy. People complain about that too.

Carpet is nasty. There is no carpet at all in the temple, all tile floors upstairs in the temple itself and downstairs in the community center. The entrance is on the ground floor, with an elevator that opens directly into the temple floor. There is a large staircase most people use. There is a big sign posted, no strollers permitted in the temple, and I have yet to see one. The young fathers carry the baby seat from the parking lot. The only thing people tend to disregard is the "no shorts" sign. I have not worn them, but I tend to think it refers to very short shorts and basketball and gym shorts, which I have seen occasionally. The shorts I see there are knee length "walking" shorts.

 

[Vinayaka]

The only thing people tend to disregard is the "no shorts" sign. I have not worn them, but I tend to think it refers to very short shorts and basketball and gym shorts, which I have seen occasionally. The shorts I see there are knee length "walking" shorts.

I wish we had that. It's not an evening of drinking beer at the cottage. Still, most of the guys wearing shorts are 'just passing through'.

How quiet is your temple? I mean quiet as in not allowing just ordinary sitting around conversation. Ours does fairly well with that, unless a 'new' crowd comes in, unfamiliar with the ordinary tone.

 

[Jainarayan]

How quiet is your temple? I mean quiet as in not allowing just ordinary sitting around conversation.

Ordinarily it's fairly quiet. There are discreet signs on the sanctums that say Silence Please. When it's a little busier then there's more of a murmuring. Of course we have the occasional shrieking child. Given the size of the temple, 17,500 sq. ft. and all hard surfaces, the shrieks can reverberate, which is to be expected (the shrieking and reverberating ).

 

[Aupmanyav]

The only thing people tend to disregard is the "no shorts" sign.

I see that as a disrespect to deities in adults. Temples in India are not very quiet. We dissociate ourselves with the noise around us.

 

[Jainarayan]

I see that as a disrespect to deities in adults. Temples in India are not very quiet. We dissociate ourselves with the noise around us.

Which, not wearing shorts or being quiet? I personally don't mind buzzing and hub-bub as long as it's not boisterous and rowdy. Imo the temple is not Chili's on a Sunday afternoon during football season. I think the no shorts request is also an "err on the side of caution", against the basketball and gym type shorts I mentioned. I've never worn shorts, though as I said, I don't see anything wrong with knee length, clean and neat shorts. Of course, the no shorts could refer to women not wearing them. I know Indians are more conservative and modest than to do that, but there's always the exception.

 

[Aupmanyav]

That reminds me of a couple (perhaps newly married) who came to us asking information on US universities. The lady, from top to bottom was wearing lace clothes.

 

[Jainarayan]

The lady, from top to bottom was wearing lace clothes.

 

[Bhadr]

Ardra Darshana of Sri Nataraja Bhagavan and Goddess Sri Sivakama Sundari Devi

Mylapore Sri Kapalishwara Swami Temple

Tiruvannamalai Sri Arunachaleshwara Swami Temple

 

[Bhadr]

Upcoming Festivals:
August 30th '16 is gurupuja day of

Sri Kirti Sakha Nayanar ( Pukazththunaiyar ) and
- http://www.dlshq.org/download/nayanar.htm#_VPID_57
- http://shaivam.org/napukazt.html

Sri Ati Bhakta Nayanar ( Adhipaththar )
- http://www.dlshq.org/download/nayanar.htm#_VPID_45
- http://shaivam.org/naadhipa.html

Sri Kirtisakha Svami Nayanar

Sri Atibhakta Svami Nayanar

http://shaivam.org/hindu-shaivaite-festivals-and-vratas/hindu-festivals-calendar

 

[Bhadr]

If you built your house on a mountain,
why do you have fear of wild beasts?
If you built your house on the coast,
why are you worried of the waves and foam?
If you have built your house in midst of the market,
why do you get stressed by the noise?
O Lord Chennamallikarjuna,
when a jiva is born in this samsara it receives both praise and blame,
but one mustn't generate anger,one should develop a balanced mind.

Gyana is like the Sun,
Bhakti is the Sun rays,
Without the Sun there are no rays,
And without the rays there is no Sun.
O Chennamallikarjuna,
How can there exist Bhakti without Gyana
and Gyana without Bhakti?

Like the peacock that dances on a hill,
Like the swan that splashes around a lake,
Like the cuckoo that sings when the mango tree bursts into bloom,
Like the bee that enjoys only the fragrant flower,
I will enjoy only my Lord Chennamallikarjuna.

For hunger, there is the village rice in the begging bowl,
For thirst, there are tanks and streams and wells
For sleep temple ruins do well
For the company of the soul I have you, Chenna Mallikarjuna.

Like treasure hidden in the ground,
Like flavor in the fruit,
Like gold in the rock and
Like oil in the seed,
the Absolute is hidden in the heart.

-Sri Akka Mahadevi

Sri Chenna Mallikarjuna Mahadeva- an epithet of Lord Shiva,meaning - the Lord who is pure like the white mallika (jasmine) flowers.

Maha Sivasharani Sri Akka Mahadevi

 

[Bhadr]

Scorch the gathering karmas
And exhaust them;
There is One who annihilates them
And the city where He does it.
He fashioned the body,
He pervades everywhere.
He placed the mind and cognate tattva group besides,
He gave us wisdom ample to discriminate.

He is within you yet you know Him not
He is the One within;
He is the Light within;
He moves not a wee bit from within
He and your heart are thus together,
Though, the heart His form knows not.

The Lord is the light of our eyes
He loves us
He is the Primal One
Male, Female and Neuter is He;

Lord! Your Form fills all the worlds
Yet You are invisible;
How my eyes long to see You!
My senses clamor aloud
In desire contending;
Save me, my Lord;
And bless me with Your grace inscrutable.

I held my Lord in me concealed,
I adored Him in my heart's depths,
Lo! He revealed Himself unto me
And blessed me--here below,
Well may you adore Him
Revealing the rapture abounding and love endearing
That too pleases Him far.

- Sri Mantramala (Tirumantram)

 

[DeviChaaya]

I have in my hands a banalingam. Now, I do not have a Pitha (was that the alternate name for a yoni?) for Him. But I have seen some very nice crystal candle holders that could potentially be pressed into such service or would it be insulting? Halp please.

 

[Aupmanyav]

IMHO, they can do till you are able to arrange for something better. A beautiful lingam.

 

[Vinayaka]

You can also do sand, or clay, then fired. I use my lather to make wooden ones. Not sure about esoterics though.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Now, I do not have a Pitha (was that the alternate name for a yoni?) for Him.

Make a cuboid of kneeded clay, station the lingam in it and try to give it the shape of a yoni or ask someone with some sculpting aptitude to do for you. Ask someone going to India to get one for you. You will need to get it fired.