Required clarifications - Page 4

1. Not attending religious functions, visiting temples and not touching menstruating women

a woman who experienced severe pain after being present at a chanting session during her period, organized by her Indian friends. She later asked about why this happens and this is what she learnt. She wrote .. "the energy during menstruation goes downwards into the earth, (at the puja table, offerings, altar), the energy is going upwards. This can bring discomfort in the body".In conversation with Guruji

To further understand the aspect of not visiting temples during menstruation, a team travelled to Devipuram, in Andhra Pradesh. They found unique answers from Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati (Guruji), founder of Devipuram, a temple in Andhra Pradesh which is dedicated to the Devi. While interacting with him, he told us how in his temple, most of the priests are women, who are free to be at the temple during their period (though it is not forced). There is aKamakhya Peetham at this temple, which is a natural formation in the shape of a Yoni (vagina) and worshippers gather here whether or not they have their period. What Guruji told us about the reasons behind menstruating women not visiting the temple was fascinating and turns all our silly assumptions of impurity upside down! Here is an excerpt from his interaction with us:

He said "What is pure, we don't touch. And what we don't touch, we call it a Taboo. She (a menstruating woman) was so pure, that she was worshipped as a Goddess. The reason for not having a woman go into a temple is precisely this. She is a living Goddess at that time. The energy of the God or Goddess which is there in the murthi (idol) will move over to her, and that (the idol) becomes lifeless, while this (the menstruating woman) is life. So that's why they were prevented from entering the temple. So it is exactly the opposite of what we think".

@jayvenk thank you so much. You have given such rational answers to lot of questions. Especially the mensurating part. I have heard that the women in pregnancy post her 5th month is not supposed to go to temple. Reason being god has to stand up in front of her.

@Jayvenk: Beautiful Jayashree. Thanks for the info.
In temples the shrudh kumkum is the one which has turmeric powder in it. This curcumin is very essential for our human body. There are so many research articles on this component curcumin which forms the main component in turmeric. Our ancestors were really brilliant to use this in daily needs.
In most of the parvathi temple, we can see neem trees. We know the organic components present in neem are antiseptic.
Tulsi is required to activate the function of taste buds. Amino acids are responsible for identifying the taste and it requires activation.

All these proves that unknowingly, we followed good practice. Its better to know.

@Ramya it is good to know the rational. Then we know why we are doing it than blindly following it.

We must keep in mind when these temples came up and in which places. Shabari malai in in there middle of dense forest, with a fast flowing river to. Plus the forests used to have wild animals. Not a place for women.

Thought i will share this insight on

AYYAPPAN SITTING POSTURE..

India is the land of deities and temples are constructed in a peculiar style. Most of them have their unique style of presentation. Now take a look at the idol postures. There is specific concept for the posters of deities that we worship. The idols that we worship are mainly in 3 positions, of sitting, standing or laying. The images of the gods or goddesses are usually carved in four types, viz. Patmasana Siddhasana, Vajrasana, and Gomukhasana.

But when we see Lord Ayyappa, the state of sitting may be called Arddhasana, Yogapadasana or Yogarudha Siddhasana. This status of sitting reveals the mood of asceticism, the Tapobhava.

There is a binding of knees with a cloth in the style of sitting of Lord Ayyappa while he is holding the Yogamudra. The feet of a yogi who is in tapovrutti (in the ascetic calmness) will never let move away his legs. There is a very silent secrecy.

When a man or a woman bends his or her legs whether it is on the right or left, there is a hidden meaning which is worldly related. A man God if he is seen holding his left leg folded, may be considered that he is willing or expecting to sit his lady over it.The left side is considered for wife. The wife is imagined to be sat on the left thy of her husband. You can see the examples in Lakshmi Narasimha. Suppose if it is the right leg folded it may be considered as for the son or the daughter. Lord Narasimha with Prahlata can be taken as example.

The idols for goddesses are carved, taking into consideration of our devata sankalpa. Most of them are seen sitting with the imagination of saparivara (having spouse and offsprings on both sides).

Lord Ayyappa yoga posture is similar to Yoga Narasimha posture where the deity's legs are crossed. But when we compare this with Lord Ayyappa,the legs are not crossed. But here, the concept of Lord Ayyappa is considered Naishtika Brahmachari. Thus he has no need to fold his legs because he has no wife or offsprings. The sitting stage in the form of folded legs in either side will be made only on the idols of gods having family. Since Lord Ayyappa is a brahmachari and an ascetic, his idol is made in the form of sitting but the legs have been risen a little and it reveals that his legs has been given to nobody to sit aside. He has also bound his two knees and his back with Yogapatta.

There are more to say about the posture of Lord Ayyappa. In images almost all the gods and goddess are seen sitting on simhasanas. But Lord Ayyappa is sitting on a pita. There is a difference in sitting on a chair and a pita on the feet. The man who sits on a chair feels comfortable that his hips are in safety to keep the whole body in balance. That kind of sitting, is in one way, a bhogarupa (enjoyful). But the man who is sitting on his feet is not in a joyful way but in a Yogabhava (in the mood of asceticism or dhyana). Ayyappan in the sitting posture means the observing state. This state gets one to the conscious-awareness (observing) state which is called Sat-Chit-Ananda or meditative state.

Meditation is not just simply closing eyes, crossed legged for many minutes or hours. We should be in this meditative state when we are awake. The belt Ayyappan wears signifies the territory of the observance. So instead of getting in the lying posture (totally inactive) in which we cannot experience anything (Samadhi), it is best for experience to be in this consciousness-awareness state. This is the sitting posture of Ayyappan.

@Jayvenk: Thanks for the info on ayyappan sitting posture.

There is a temple in thiruneermalai (outer region of chennai) which is one of the divya desams, where people can see lord Vishnu in all four forms i.e. Ninran-Standing Posture, Nadanthaan - in walking posture, Kidanthaan - in reclining posture and Irundhaan - sitting posture.

Try and read stala puranam . I will see if I can read it online. I am sure there will some deep history behind it.

Originally posted by: jayvenk

Try and read stala puranam . I will see if I can read it online. I am sure there will some deep history behind it.

Our temples ancient ones have deep meanings and symbolism.

The symbolism of God's are lost, changed distorted by new breed of writers.

Ram siya . romance. I find that funny actually.

He loved siya. But not love as the present generation sees it. Looking into each other's eyes. Holding hands etc etc

Love between ran siya was

divine.

Pure

Connectivity

Having no expectation

Simply following the path of drama.

Yes, Jaishree. I have gone to that temple long before. Beautiful one and I heard that area is much affected in recent floods. Yet to know the details of the temple as u said.

@bold: If they dramatize the divine affection, then it will lose its beauty. Hope CV's wont exaggerate it.

Ramya somehow I feel it will be. From what I have seen so far. Nikil is doing a la Dkdm. Mandirakshi outfit looks like sati. Her entry the running promo looks like parvati entry. And ram entry yesterday was almost exactly same as mahadev entry in Dkdm.