ways of wisdom

8/18/2019 Ways of Wisdom

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UPANISHAD SEVEN: SACRED CULTURE, MANDALA 18

Ways of Wisdom35

How Do We Overcome

Life’s Obstacles?Sloka 86: The past can confuse the pres-ent and hide our divinity, just like a smallleaf can obscure the sun when held beforeour eyes. With Vedic spiritual practices, weremove obstacles to reveal the ever-presentinner light .

What Are the Hindu’sDaily Yoga Practices?

Sloka 87: Devout Hindus perform dailyvigil, usually before dawn. This sacredperiod of puja, japa, chanting, singing,hatha yoga, meditation and scriptural studyis the foundation of personal life.

How Are Ayurvedaand Jyotisha Used?

Sloka 88: Ayurveda is the Hindu science oflife, a complete, holistic medical and healthsystem. Jyotisha, or Vedic astrology, is theknowledge of right timing and future pos-sibilities. Both are vital tools for happy, pro-ductive living.


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36UPANISHAD SEVEN: SACRED CULTURE, MANDALA 18

How Do HindusRegard Art and Culture?

Sloka 89: Hindus of every sect cherish artand culture as sacred. Music, art, dramaand the dance are expressions of spiritualexperience established in scripture by God-inspired sages as a natural outgrowth oftemple worship.

What Is the Hindu Outlookon Giving?

Sloka 90: Generous, selfless giving is one ofthe central virtues of dharma . Hospitality,charity and support of God’s work on Eartharises from the belief that the real purposeof life is spiritual, not material.


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Sacraments37

What Are HinduIsm’s Rites of

Passage?Sloka 91: Hindus celebrate life’s majorchanges by holy sacraments, or rites of pas-sage, called samskaras . These ceremoniesdeeply impress the mind, inspire sharingamong family and community and bringblessings from the Gods.

What Are the Sacraments ofChildhood?

Sloka 92 The essential religious sacramentsof childhood are name-giving, called nama-karana; head-shaving, or chudakarana; feed-ing of first solid food, or annaprasana; ear-piercing, or karnavedha; and the beginningof formal study, called vidyarambha.

What Are the Sacraments ofAdulthood?

Sloka 93: The most important sacramentof adulthood is the marriage ceremony, orvivaha samskara, which follows a formalengagement. A boy’s or girl’s coming of age isalso blessed through special ceremony in thehome.


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What are the Sacraments ForChild Birth?

Sloka 94: The essential child-bearing sam-skaras are the rite of conception, garbhad-hana; the third-month blessing, punsavana; the hair-parting ceremony, simantonnaya;and the rite welcoming the new-born child,

jatakarma .

Are There Rites for theWisdom Years?

Sloka 95: Special ceremonies may mark theentrance into the elder advisor stage at age48, renewal of marriage vows at age 60, andthe stage of renunciation at 72. Funeralrites, antyeshti samskara, honor the transi-

tion called death.


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Festivals39

What Are the Festival Days of

Saivism?Sloka 96: Festivals are special times for wor-ship of God and Gods, for family and com-munity sharing and for spiritual practices.Saivites observe many festivals, both in thetemple and the home. They also honor spe-cial holy days each week and month.

What Are the Primary Festivalsto Siva?

Sloka 97: On Mahasivaratri, Siva’s greatnight, we worship Parasiva. On KrittikaDipam we celebrate the infinite light ofParasakti. During Ardra Darshanam, weinvoke the blessing of Parameshvara—LordSiva Nataraja in His blissful Cosmic dance.

What Are the Major GaneshaFestivals?

Sloka 98: Ganesha Chaturthi is a joyous cel-ebration of Ganesha’s birthday. VinayakaVratam is twenty-one days of fasting anddaily temple worship. Pancha Ganapati is afive-day family festival of harmony and gift-giving.


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What are the Main KarttikeyaFestivals?

Sloka 99: Vaikasi Visakham celebrates theanniversary of Lord Karttikeya’s creation.Skanda Shashthi is a six-day festival honor-ing His conquest of light over darkness. TaiPusam is a time of spiritual practices, andof public penance, called kavadi .

What Are Other ImportantFestivals?

Sloka 100: Besides the temple festivals, thereare many home, community and nationalcelebrations, most importantly Dipavali,Hindu New Year, Tai Pongal, guru puja days, kumbha melas, Guru Jayanti and Guru

Purnima.


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UPANISHAD EIGHT: SACRED WORSHIP, MANDALA 21

Siva Temples41

What Is the Nature of

the Siva Temple?

Sloka 101: The Siva temple is the home ofGod Siva and the Gods, the place in whichthe three worlds can most easily commu-nicate. It is especially holy, having a ray ofspiritual energy connecting it to the heavenworlds.

How Are TemplesFounded and Built?

Sloka 102: Siva temples are founded by GodHimself, often beginning with a vision ordream of a devout Saivite, then built bytemple craftsmen, usually following therules found in the Agama texts. In such aholy place, holiness itself can reside.

When Should WeAttend the Temple?

Sloka 103: We attend the temple to be closeto God Siva, Karttikeya or Ganesha at leastonce each week. We also go on auspiciousdays of the month, on yearly festival daysand on the holiest day of the year, Mahasiv-aratri.


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42UPANISHAD EIGHT: SACRED WORSHIP, MANDALA 21

How Does OneAttend a Siva Temple?

What Occurs Withinthe Siva Temple?

Sloka 104: Approaching with deep rever-ence, we begin our worship with Ganesha,walk all the way around the temple and goto the main shrine for puja . After receivingthe holy ash and other blessed items, we sitquietly for awhile before leaving.

Sloka 105: Activities within a Siva temple varyfrom the daily cycle of pujas to the elaboratecelebrations on annual festival days. Even inlarge crowds, our worship is personal andindividual, rather than group oriented.


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Temple Rites43

What Is the Inner Importance of

Puja?Sloka 106: The traditional ceremony of wor-ship, called puja , is a sacred act of the high-est importance for the Hindu. It is how wecall on God Siva and the Gods and expressour heartfelt love, devotion and surrender.

What Is the Special Rite CalledArchana?

Sloka 107: Archana is a shortened formof temple puja in which the name, birthstar and spiritual lineage of a devotee arechanted to the God by the priest to ask forspecial, individual, family or group blessingsand assistance.

What Is the Nature of ImageWorship?

Sloka 108: Through the ceremony of puja, weworship and draw close to God Siva and theGods, who by their infinite powers spirituallyhover over and dwell within the image, ormurti . We revere the holy image in the templeor shrine as their temporary body.


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Who Are the Priestsof Siva Temples?

Sloka 109: Holy priests, called Adisaivas,are the hereditary pujaris who care for thetemple and conduct its varied rites and ritu-als as humble servants of God Siva. They aretrained in the complex arts of worship, gener-ally from a young age.

What Does the Pujari DoDuring Puja?

Sloka 110: During the puja , through chants,hand gestures and mystical ritual, the priestcalls upon the Deity. All observances are pre-cisely detailed in the Agama texts. Every act,every spoken syllable is rich in secret mean-

ing.


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Love of God45

Is Temple Worship

Only for Beginners?Sloka 111: Temple worship is for all men andwomen at every level of spiritual develop-ment. Our understanding and experience of itdeepens as we grow and mature through thefour stages of service, devotion, meditationand enlightened wisdom.

How Do DevoteesPrepare for Worship?

Sloka 112: We visit a Siva temple after bath-ing, dressing in clean clothes and preparingan offering. This offering can be as simpleas a few flowers or fruits. We bring the mindto the holy feet of the Deity even whilepreparations begin.

How Do Our PrayersReach the Gods?

Sloka 113: Through temple worship, thethree worlds become open to one another,and the beings within them are able to com-municate. Through the mystical practice of

puja , the three worlds work together, andprayers are received.


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Do Saivites WorshipOnly in Temples?

Sloka 114: One can worship God anywhereand be in contact with the inner worlds—inthe temple, in the home shrine and in the

yogi’s meditation. But it is in the holy Sivatemple that the three worlds most perfectlycommunicate.

What Is the Home Shrine’sSignificance?

Sloka 115: Every Saivite has a shrine,which ideally is the most beautiful roomin the house. An extension of the temple,it is a special room for Deities and devas ,and for us it is a holy, quiet place for daily

worship and meditation.

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