KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH MARCH 2009

SRI RANGAM PART IV

Brahma questions the Lord: “ Oh Supreme Lord of mercy, the All Knower and All- powerful Being please be kind enough to explain how to worship such an archa ( vigraha) form of yours. Who should worship you? How does one worship you? How should one not worship you? Repository of compassion we wait for your answers”

Sri Ranganatha continues: “There are three forms of worship 1) agama 2) vaidika 3) Tantrika. Agama is the form of worship where the temple pooja is done either through paancharatra type or Vaikhanasa type.( In Tirumala the worship is vaikhanasa and in Sri rangam it is paancharatram). Vaidika form of worship is prevelant in temples and houses. Taantrika is prevelant in Kerala type temples. There is the fourth type followed by Vidura, Shabari, the gopis, aandal and many more such devotees. This form of worship is the Prema pooja. The Lord declares “ For a devotee with unflinching devotion I accept all his offerings and instead I give myself to him.”

“ I belong to all. I have no distinction of caste or creed. But my pooja has to be done by those who have the right to do so since several generations. However every person has his won share of service in my temple.

1) The archakas ( priests) worship.

2) The Kings build my temples.

3) Women decorate my temple with rangoli, prepare garlands, clean my campus

4) The sculptors prepare my vahanas

5) Potters mould mud pots for my food

6) Tailors stich my clothes, washermen wash them

7) Artists sing and dance in my temple

8) Farmers plough on my lands, cowherds graze my cows

9) Even barbers have their share of service in my temple. They shave my devotees head.

10) Hundreds of poor eat at my temple. I provide them with free food.

Lakhs of families earn their livelihood with my temple as their means”

( To be continued)