Secrets of a Hindu Temple SEA TEMPLE AT BALI, INDONESIA Agama Shastra And Temple Worship -Every facet of a traditional Agamic temple is rich in mystical significanc The Hindu temples are complex institutions. They represent the culmination of social and religious aspirations of a society. Temple is the focal point in the life of a community and often represents its pride, identity and unity. It is also the index of the community’s well-being. It draws into its fold people from its various segments and denominations; and binds them together. In smaller communities the temple apart from being a source of spiritual or religious comfort, also serves as centre for education and recreation. Introduction of Saiva Agamas Found in South India,the Saiva Agamas are some of the earliest books in te Sanskrit language on Saiva religion and philosophy, written over a period of several centuries before the Christian era. The Vedas have always been a source of fascinating study for orientalists of the West. Innumerable are the translations and critical studies; papers and books written on the Vedas, Upanishads and the Advaita philosophy of Sankara. ( It is now recognised that the Vedas as they are available today are only the compilation of Vyasa of a later day and that their original forms 1 are not available. Vyasa is known as Veda Vyasa; Vyasa-‘compiler’) Agamas, though they constitute an equally large body of ancient Sanskrit source material for a different concept of the same advaita philosophy of Vedanta, have not been studied by any orientalist; indeed they have not been studied at all or in depth even by any Indian scholar except perhaps Dr.Surendranata Das Gupta ( Oct 1885- Dec 1952) of Calcutta,even under te great grantha script. Rules were laid down for the building of the temples and for the installation of images therein. Temples had been growing in importance since the days of the Saiva Samayacharyas. It is well known that most temples follow the Kamika or the Karana agama for practices of day to day worship, while the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram follows Makutagama; the Thiruvengadu temple follows three agamas, Kamika, Makuta and Karana agamas, Thirueengoimalai follows Vatulagama; Thirunallam temple follows Karana agama and Sukshuma agama; Thirunallar temple follows Makudagama. The Makutagama seem to occupy a unique place among the agamas. It is quoted as the authority in temples where Lord Nadaraja is said to perform one of His Cosmic dances, In such shrines His Ardha Darisanam ( Thiruvathirai ) festival is considered to be of special significance. They have special dance halls called Pancha sabha which is Kanakasabha ( Gold-Chidambaram ); Rajata sabha ( Silver – Madurai ); Tambira sabha ( Copper- Thirunelveli); Ratna sabha ( RubyThiruvalangadu) and Chitra sabha The Agamas had existed mostly in South India, in the Tamil Nadu in palm leaf manuscript book form in the homes of Sivacharyas who had been entrusted with the duty of organizing and performing pooja in Siva temples for over two and a half millennium. All the agama manuscript are available only in the granta script, one which had been invented by the Tamil people for writing their Sanskrit scriptures, more than 1500 years ago. These Agamas are not available in the North. Dr Das Gupta has stated “...no agama manuscript of any importance is found even in Varanasi, the greatest centre of Hindu religion, Sanskrit studies and culture.” Agamas had the greatest revival in the days of the Chola Emperors of Tamil Nadu from 9th Century. This was the period immediately after Sankara. The Smarthas who adopted the 2 philosophy of Sankara somehow deemed the agams to be ‘alien’ to themselves just because Sankara did not deal with them. The Agamas very strictly laid down that only the Sivacharya class, the Siva Brahmins, were competent to enter the main sanctum or garbha graham and perform the worship in the Siva temples and that the Brahmins as such ( i.e the smartha Brahmin) shall not enter the sanctum, touch the Sivalinga or perform the worship. A parallel in the domination of the Sanskrit influence of Sanskrit may be noticed in Vashnavism in the work of Ramanuja; a great acharya who gave his whole life to the establishment of Vaishnavism as a separate and independent cult in Tamil Nadu. He called his philosophy, Vasisthadvaitha. But it is only the Saiva religion that held up the torch of Tamil culture by producing its own original basic scriptures in Tamil, without recourse to Sanskrit through Meykandar in the 12th century. A distinctive Saiva Advaita philosophy began to take shape from the days of Thirumoolar and Karaikal Ammaiyar. This was given a fresh life and a new direction in the Tamil language by the Saiva Nayamars such as Saint Sambanthar, Appar, Sundarar and Manikkavasagar In the period of these saints, the essence of agamas flourished into temple building and temple worship from 9th to 13th century. Although the agama study and practice in Sanskrit was now revived, the whole Saiva cult of this period was Tamil based. The philosophy of Sankara was Sanskrit based and couldn’t combine itself into the new revival in Tamil Nadu in the Tamil language. The greatest exponent of this revival, Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, was though the Saiva himself a Brahmin. Occasionally in the modern day the smarta Brahmin comes forward to cook ‘food offering’ for the Sivalinga enshrined in Siva temples ( a service which according to agamas has to be done by the pachaka section of Sivacharyas); in such case he is given the first diksha – samaya diksha which makes him a Saiva and then allowed to cook the food. Thus keeping the Agamas as their own privileged preserve; the Sivacharyas have kept the wider studies of the Saivagamas within them. The agamas in consequence came to perish. Howerver there are a few Sivacharyas who 3 know the agams thoroughly and who have the agama texts at their finger tips. The Vedas were the preserve of the elite Aryans and never came down to the level of common man, nor did their thoughts and rites reached the common man. But on the other hand, Agamas concerned themselves with all society, with common man and his needs both social and spiritual. General assumption that agamas only deal with temple and temple worship rituals is wrong. The agamas deals with four parts, Sariyai, Kriyai, Yoga and Njanam. Here Kriya deals with temple construction and rituals and Njana deals with the highest philosophy that is none other than Saiva Siddhantham. The emphasis on the kriya part in the newly rising cult of Saivism in the era of Chola Emperors and because of the separate evolution of the Njana part independently in Tamil language, the agamas had come to be called a mere ritualistic code ( which is wrong) by the pro Tamil culture. The publication of Raurava Agama, Ajitha agama, Kalottara 1(sloka from Sata Ratna Sangraha) and Mrgendra agama in recent years by French Institute of Indology, Pondicherry under Dr Filliozat and Professor N.R Bhat had brought the agamas again in focus. As far Saivism is concerned, it is considered as originated from the South and not from the North. The Saivism of the Tamilians, was the growth of an unbroken tradition probably from the prehistoric past and this had three elements fused into it. These are an external worship of images as the manifest abode of God, both in shrines, throughout the land and in devotees own home; symbolism and the inward meditation and realization. These 3 elements are; 1. worship of images in the temples was “parartha pooja” for all mankind, for the welfare of the entire society and worship in homes was for individual and his family. Temple worship is done by a dedicated group of Sivachariyars for the welfare of community and worship at home is done by a person who had an initiation under a competent guru such as Vishesha Diksha for Sivapooja. 2. Second element is symbolism; the idol worshipped is not God; it is just a symbol intented to remind people of God and to direct their minds and hearts through the seen symbol to the Unseen One 4 Beyond or Supreme. 3. The third element is meditation. What cannot be perceived by the senses externally, may be realized in the heart, with of course His own grace. Without constant concentration and meditation, external worship alone will not result in realization. It is only this internal worship or atma pooja that lends meaning to external worship. These three are not separate compartments but basically one harmonious integrated whole in the ritual of worship. A temple that we see today is also a treasure house of art and architecture, designed according to the principle of Vaastu Shastra, characterized by their majesty, serenity and beauty of intricate sculpture and designs. Built according to the rules prescribed in the Agamasculmination of Hindu textual rules and advice.A temple evokes in the visitor a sense of beauty in art and in life as well. It lifts up his spirit, elevates him to a higher plane dissolving his little ego. At the same time, it awakens him to his insignificance in the grand design of the Creator. Collective Character: The most significant aspect of the temple worship is its collective character. Peoples’ participation is both the purpose and the means of a temple. The community is either actually or symbolically involved in temple worship. The rituals that dominate temple worship are therefore socio- religious in character. Temple worship marks a clear shift from the Vedic way of submitting prayers to the gods. The Yagas and Yajnas of the Vedic age were performed at various convenient sites or at the premises of their sponsor (Yajamana). They were not tied to a particular place or to a site. No idols were involved in such Vedic rituals. The oblations were submitted to various gods through the median of the formless Agni, the fire. A temple, in contrast, is a permanent structure established on a site that was well chosen and considered most proper after examining and verifying its suitability from various aspects. The life and the principal focus of a temple is the idol of the deity in the Garbhagriha, presiding over the entire temple complex. The worship practices also differ from the Vedic rituals. Here , a series of services (Upacharas) are submitted to the deity; flowers, water, incense and other adornments are submitted with great devotion to the image (Prathima), revered as the living 5 representation of the deity ; and, mantras, hymns and prayer verses are recited throughout the duration of the worship. Unlike in an Yajna, where it is performed for the benefit of a particular sponsor, the worship of the temple is conducted on behalf of the village-community as a whole ; and particularly for all those who attend and pray at the temple; it is both congregational and individual, at once. The worship in a temple has to satisfy the needs of individuals as also of the community. The worships that take place in the sanctum and within the temple premises are important; so are the festivals and occasional processions that involve direct participation of the entire community. They complement each other. While the worship of the deity in the sanctum might be an individual’s spiritual or religious need ; the festival s are the expression of a community’s joy , exuberance , devotion , pride and are also an idiom of a community’s cohesiveness . The appointed priests carry out the worship in the temple on behalf of other devotees. It is hence parartha, a service conducted for the sake of others. Priests, generally, trained in ritual procedures, pursue the service at the temple as a profession. As someone remarked, “other people may view their work as worship, but for the priests worship is work.” They are trained in the branch of the Agama of a particular persuasion. The texts employed in this regard describe the procedural details of temple worship, elaborately and precisely. Agamas 6 Introduction: The are a collection of scriptures of several Hindu devotional schools. The term literally means tradition or “that which has come down”, and the Agama texts describe cosmology, epistemology, philosophical doctrines, precepts on meditation and practices, four kinds of yoga, mantras, temple construction, deity worship and ways to attain sixfold desires. These canonical texts are in Sanskrit . The three main branches of Agama texts are those of Shaivism (Shiva), Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaktism (Devi). The Agamic traditions are sometimes called Tantra, although the term “Tantra” is usually used specifically to refer to Shakta Agamas and sometimes Shaiva Agamas (Bhairava tradition). The Agama literature is voluminous, and includes 28 Saiva Agamas, 77 Shakta Agamas (also called Tantras), and 108 Vaishnava Agamas (also called Pancharatra Samhitas), and numerous Upa-Agamas. The origin and chronology of Agamas is unclear. Some are Vedic and others non-Vedic. Agama traditions include Yoga and Self Realization concepts, some include Kundalini Yoga, asceticism, and philosophies ranging from Dvaita (dualism) to Advaita(monism). Some suggest that these are post-Vedic texts, others as pre-Vedic compositions. Smartas recognize the Agamas, but don’t necessarily adhere to them, relying mainly on the smriti texts. Scholars note that some passages in the Hindu Agama texts appear to repudiate the authority of the Vedas, while other passages assert that their precepts reveal the true spirit of the Vedas. The Agamas literary genre may also be found in Śramaṇic traditions (i.e.Buddhist, Jaina etc.). Bali Hindu tradition is officially called Agama Hindu Dharma in Indonesia. Etymology: Agama is derived from the verb root (gam) meaning “to go” and the preposition (aa) meaning “toward” and refers to scriptures “that which has come down”. Agama literally means “tradition”, and refers to precepts and doctrines that have come down as tradition. Agama, states Dhavamony, is also a “generic name of religious texts which are at the 7 basis of Hinduism and which are divided into Vaishnava Agamas (also called Pancaratra Samhitas), Saiva Agamas, and Sakta Agamas (more often called Tantras). Significance: The means of worship in the Agamic religions differ from the Vedic form. While the Vedic form of yajna require no deity and shrines, the Agamic texts are based on deity worship. Symbols, icons and temples are a necessary part of the Agamic practice, while non-theistic paths are alternative means of Vedic practice. Each Agama consists of four parts: 1. Jnana pada, also called Vidya pada – consists of doctrine, the philosophical and spiritual knowledge, knowledge of reality and liberation. 2. Yoga pada – precepts on yoga, the physical and mental discipline. 3. Kriya pada – consists of rules for rituals, construction of temples (Mandir); design principles for sculpting, carving, and consecration of idols of deities for worship in temples; for different forms of initiations or diksha. This code is analogous to those in Puranas and in the Buddhist text of Sadhanamala. 4. Charya pada – lays down rules of conduct, of worship (puja), observances of religious rites, rituals, festivals and prayaschittas. The Agamas state three requirements for a place of pilgrimage – Sthala, Tirtha and Murti. Sthala refers to the place of the temple, Tīrtha is the temple tank, and Murti refers to the deity. Elaborate rules are laid out in the Agamas for Silpa (the art of sculpture) describing the quality requirements of the places where temples are to be built, the kind of images to be installed, the materials from which they are to be made, their dimensions, proportions, air circulation, lighting in the temple complex etc. The Manasara and Silpasara are some of the works dealing with these rules. The rituals followed in worship services each day at the temple also follow rules laid out in the Agamas. 8 Philosophy: The Agama texts present a diverse range of philosophies, ranging from theistic dualism to absolute monism for different people of different qualifications and samskaras based on their mode(Goodness , Passion , Ignorance). In Shaivism alone, there are ten dualistic (dvaita) Agama texts, eighteen qualified monism-cumdualism (bhedabheda) Agama texts and sixty four monism (advaita) Agama texts. The Bhairava Shastras are monistic, while Shiva Shastras are dualistic. Sakta agamas worship Devi as the Moola Prakriti and is ultimately Impersonal Vaishnava Agamas are purely Non Advaita and talks about Personal God as the Supreme Brahman situated in his abode along with his eternal associates. The Agama texts of Shaiva and Vaishnava schools are premised on existence of Atman (soul, self) and the existence of an Ultimate Reality .. The texts differ in the relation between the two. Some assert the dualistic philosophy of the individual soul and Ultimate Reality being different, while others state a Oneness between the two. Kashmir Shaiva Agamas states absolute oneness, that is God (Shiva) is within man, God is within every being, God is present everywhere in the world including all non-living being, and there is no spiritual difference between life, matter, man and God. In Bhairava sadhana one becomes Bhairav and his partner becomes Bhairavi. Ultimately Both Saiva and Sakta agamas / tantras are impersonal in its epitome except some agamas which are dualistic (dvaita). Only Vaishnava agamas are purely Non Advaita. So in a nutshell two types of liberation is talked about in the agamas. Personal Liberation(Vaishnava) and Impersonal Liberation (Others) The Vaishnava Agamas clarifies both the similarity and difference between the Atma and Parmatma and His detailed description. Agama scriptures: Saiva Agamas The Shaiva Agama traces its origins from Shiva as, 9 “Shivena devya datham, Devya dathamthu Nandhine, Nandhina Brahmana Datham, Brahmana Rishi Dhathakam, Rishinaam Maanusha Datham, Athyethe agamodhbavam” From Shiva to Devi, From Devi to Nandhi, From Nandhi to Brahma, From Brahma to Rishi, From Rishi to human beings. — Shaiva Agama, The Saiva Agamas are found in four main schools – Kapala, Kalamukha, Pashupata and Shaiva—and number 28 in total as follows: Kamikam Yogajam Chintyam Karanam Ajitham Deeptham Sukskmam Sahasram Ashuman Suprabedham Vijayam Nishwasam Swayambhuvam Analam Veeram Rouravam Makutam Vimalam Chandragnanam Bimbam Prodgeetham Lalitham 10 Sidham Santhanam Sarvoktham Parameshwaram Kiranam Vathulam Shakta Agamas: The Shakta Agamas deploy Shiva and Shakti, and a unified view as the foundation for spiritual knowledge. The Shakta Agamas are commonly known as Tantras, and they are imbued with reverence for the feminine, representing goddess as the focus and treating the female as equal and essential part of the cosmic existence.The feminine Shakti (literally, energy and power) concept is found in the Vedic literature, but it flowers into extensive textual details only in the Shakta Agamas. These texts emphasize the feminine as the creative aspect of a male divinity, cosmogonic power and all pervasive divine essence. The theosophy presents the masculine and feminine principle in a “state of primordial, transcendent, blissful unity”. The feminine is the will, the knowing and the activity, she is not only the matrix of creation, she is creation. Unified with the male principle, in these Hindu sect’s Tantra texts, the female is the Absolute. The Shakta Agamas are related to the Shaiva Agamas, with their respective focus on Shakti with Shiva in Shakta Tantra and on Shiva in Shaiva texts.The Shakta Agamas or Shakta tantras are 64 in number. Some of the older Tantra texts in this genre are called Yamalas, which literally denotes, states Teun Goudriaan, the “primeval blissful state of non-duality of Shiva and Shakti, the ultimate goal for the Tantric Sadhaka”. Vaishnava Agamas : The Vaishnava Agamas are found into two main schools — Pancharatra and Vaikhanasas. While Vaikhanasa Agamas were transmitted from Vikhanasa Rishi to his disciples Brighu, Marichi, Atri and Kashyapa, the Pancharatra Agamas are classified into three: Divya (from 11 Vishnu), Munibhaashita (from Muni, sages), and Aaptamanujaprokta (from writings of trustworthy men). Vaikhanasa Agama: Maharishi Vikhanasa is considered to have guided in the compilation of a set of Agamas named Vaikhānasa Agama. Sage Vikhanasa is conceptualized as a mind-born creation, i.e., Maanaseeka Utbhavar of Lord Narayana. Originally Vikhanasa passed on the knowledge to nine disciples in the first manvantara — Atri, Bhrigu, Marichi, Kashyapa,Vasishta, Pulaha, Pulasthya, Krathu and Angiras. Pancharatra Agama Like the Vaikhanasa Agama, the Pancharatra Agama is centered around the worship of Lord Vishnu. While the Vaikhansa deals primarily with Vaidhi Bhakti, the Pancaratra Agama teaches both vaidhi and Raganuga bhakti. Details about Pancharatra Agamas https://raganugaprembhakti.wordpress.com/pancharatra/ Other Agamas: The Soura or Saura Agamas comprise one of the six popular agama-based religions of Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shakta, Ganapatya, Kaumara and Soura. The Saura Tantras are dedicated to the sun (Surya) and Soura Agamas are in use in temples of Sun worship. One of the earliest agamic texts of Jains, the Jaina Souraseni, is said to have derived from the Soura tantric element. The Paramanada Tantra mentions the number of tantras as 6000 for Vaishnava, 10000 for Shaiva, 100000 for Shakta, 1000 for Ganapatya, 2000 for Saura, 7000 for Bhairava, and 2000 for Yaksha-bhutadi-sadhana. Secracy and Mysticism: It is not widely known that a traditional Hindu temple is a secret mystical marvel. Its ornate architecture, dimensions, stones, the carved images and motifs, surrounding halls, even the gardens and the lay of the land are all full of metaphysical meaning and purpose, so much so that the temple itself is revered as a form of God. Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati, the traditional architect who designed Iraivan Temple, in Honolulu,Hawaii which is a 12 modern day temple noted, "The parts of the temple are so integrated that they become a living organism worthy of worship." The Upanishads say, "Look upon the temple building as embodied energy and worship Him with Vedic mantras." The Agamas and the Vastu Shastras, Hinduism's scriptural authorities on temple architecture, give precise details and formulas prescribing how to design, carve and assemble a temple. The resulting structure and its relationship with its surroundings create a subtle, sublime atmosphere in which ceremonies performed by priests easily lift the veil between this world and the world of the Gods and devas so their blessings can pour forth to gathered devotees. Every step has been taken to ensure that Iraivan Temple in Hawaii is built according to exacting scriptural standards, which is not common in modern times when finances and fast-track schedules govern the outcome of most activities. One thing that makes Iraivan Temple so special is that it was inspired by a God-Realized satguru's personal vision of God. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva, also added insights from his own mystical experiences to the many shastric rules and reasons behind the temple design and construction methods. One example is the fact that there are no depictions of other Deities in the temple, only Siva, a return to an ancient temple tradition not seen today. Another example is that Gurudeva ordered that Iraivan Temple be completely free of electricity. Why no watts? Through his well-developed clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities, Gurudeva sometimes saw and communicated with inner-world beings. In one exchange, the devas conveyed that the presence of electrical energy fields makes it more difficult for the Gods and devas to see into and send blessings to those in the physical world, much like static on a telephone line makes it difficult to converse with the person on the other end. The Deity's power and blessings projected through the veil between this world and that world are stronger, clearer and more sublime if not affected by electromagnetic fields. Another of Gurudeva's accomplishments was finding such an idyllic, mystically serene location for the Temple. Visitors are awed by the view of the temple on the banks of the sacred Wailua River near the foot of Mount Waialeale in one of the most lush areas of this tropical island of Kauai. From the proportions of the inner sanctum to the motifs carved into the pillars, the traditional temple takes its first form on the master sthapati's drawing board. The architect initially 13 determines the fundamental unit of measurement using a formula called ayadhi. This formula, which comes from jyotisha, or Vedic astrology, uses the nakshatra (birth star) of the founder, the nakshatra of the village in which the temple is being erected matching the first syllable of the name of the village with the seed sounds mystically associated with each nakshatra and the nakshatra of the main Deity of the temple. In the case of Iraivan Temple, the unit is 11' 7". This measurement, called danda, is the dimension of the inside of the sanctum and the distance between the pillars. The whole space of the temple is defined in multiples and fractions of this basic unit. Ganapati Sthapati : Western science has brought many good things to the world, but traditional temple architects like Ganapati Sthapati assert that there is much to be learned from the sciences of the East, which have been around far longer. Sthapati had to judge whether or not such modern methods as using dynamite to break granite out of the earth and using pneumatic tools to quickly sculpt stone are in tune with vastu principles. According to vastu, there are good reasons why stone is quarried and sculpted by hand. 14 Gurudeva and Ganapati Sthapati felt that building in the most traditional way would result in a temple that has the same potency as India's most renowned edifices built in ancient times. The silpi who quarries the stone must be sensitive to the nature of the stone and get a feeling for how it will break in order to determine how to place his chisels. Likewise, the sculptors must strive to understand the stone's nature and blend their mind with it to bring out the best image, be it a wall embellishment or a Deity icon. The involvement of machines gets brutally in the way of this sensitive attunement. The quality of the carvings is representative of the silpi and his state of mind. This is why the workers at the Iraivan Temple stone carving site in Bangalore and the monastery where the temple is being built are required to live a pure and disciplined life. 15 Metal_GOLD: The Shastras are strict about the use of metals in the temple structure. You won't find any iron rebar in Iraivan Temple's 4-foot-thick foundation, or anywhere else in the temple compound, not only because it would rust away in a few decades (Subramuniyaswami ordained that Iraivan Temple would last a thousand years), but because iron is mystically the crudest, most impure of metals. The presence of iron, the sthapatis explain, could attract lower, impure forces. Only gold the purest metal of all, and of the highest vibration silver and copper are used in the structure, so that only the most sublime forces are invoked during the pujas. At especially significant stages in the temple construction (such as ground-breaking and placement of the sanctum door frame), pieces of gold, silver and copper, as well as precious gems, are ceremoniously embedded in small interstices between the stones, adding to the temple's innerworld magnetism. These elements are said to glow in the inner worlds and, like holy ash, are prominently visible to the Gods and devas. For millennia, Hindu temples built according to the instructions in the Agamas have channeled the darshan of the Deities in a powerful way and captured the hearts of devotees who have come to worship in them. Such temples are truly the embodiment of religion, and there is much more to tell of the myriad mystical and metaphysical qualities that make them so special. Vastu Creates Harmonious Spaces to Unify Man and God: It is said that an Agamic temple like Iraivan is God Siva. He would sometimes say you hardly have to do pujas to invoke Him because "He's already there." The Vastu Shastras describe the inner sanctum and main tower as a human form, structurally conceived in human proportions based on the mystical number eight. Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati explains: "The vibration of the space-consciousness which is called time is the creative element, since it is this vibratory force that causes the energetic space to turn into spatial forms. Therefore, time is said to be the primordial element for the creation of the entire universe and all its material forms. When these vibrations occur rhythmically, the resultant product will be an orderly spatial form. This rhythm of the time unit is traditionally called talam or layam. "Since every unit of time vibration produces a corresponding unit of space measure, vastu science derives that time is equal to space. This rhythm of time and space vibrations is quantified 16 as eight and multiples of eight, the fundamental and universal unit of measure in the vastu silpa tradition." This theory carries over to the fundamental adi talam (eight beats) of classical Indian music and dance. Sthapati continues, "Applying this in the creation of a human form, it is found that a human form is also composed of rhythmic spatial units. According to the Vastu Shastras, at the subtle level the human form is a structure of eight spatial units devoid of the minor parts like the hair, neck, kneecap and feet, each of which measures one-quarter of the basic measure of the body and, when added on to the body's eight units, increases the height of the total form to nine units. Traditionally these nine units are applied in making sculptures of Gods. "Since the subtle space within our body is part of universal space, it is logical to say that the talam of our inner space should be the same as that of the universe. But in reality, it is very rare to find this consonance between an individual's and the universal rhythm. When this consonance occurs, the person is in harmony with the Universal Being and enjoys spiritual strength, peace and bliss. Therefore, when designing a building according to vastu, the architect aims at creating a space that will elevate the vibration of the individual to resonate with the vibration of the built space, which in turn is in tune with universal space. Vastu architecture transmutes the individual rhythm of the indweller to the rhythm of the Universal Being." Introduction: The Agamas (Sanskrit: आगम) are a collection of scriptures of several Hindu devotional schools. The term literally means tradition or “that which has come down”, and the Agama texts 17 describe cosmology, epistemology, philosophical doctrines, precepts on meditation and practices, four kinds of yoga, mantras, temple construction, deity worship and ways to attain sixfold desires. These canonical texts are in Sanskrit . Pilgrimage: The Agamas state three requirements for a place of pilgrimage – Sthala, Tirtha and Murti. Sthala refers to the place of the temple, Tīrtha is the temple tank, and Murti refers to the deity. Sculpture: Elaborate rules are laid out in the Agamas for Silpa (the art of sculpture) describing the quality requirements of the places where temples are to be built, the kind of images to be installed, the materials from which they are to be made, their dimensions, proportions, air circulation, lighting in the temple complex etc. The Manasara and Silpasara are some of the works dealing with these rules. The rituals followed in worship services each day at the temple also follow rules laid out in the Agamas. Philosophy: The Agama texts present a diverse range of philosophies, ranging from theistic dualism to absolute monism for different people of different qualifications and samskaras based on their mode(Goodness , Passion , Ignorance). 18 The ancients interweaved every aspect of life with science, logic, and a deep reverence for life. Some aspects could be interpreted differently, but what is the truth? Bharath Gyan, a passionate research initiative, is painstakingly dotting the pieces together, foraging amongst lost remnants to keep the glorious past alive and known. Here are a few nuggets about India’s incredible temple tradition, the science of namaste, and the concept of karma and dharma: 19 Idol worship and temples Have you ever wondered why does the Indian civilization have so many Gods, so many kinds of idols, so many temples? As per the Indian philosophy, the Supreme one has manifested into different forms to represent various forces, principles and functions of the cosmos classified into: The Indian temples that were built as a sanctorum to worship these forces were also designed to act as a community activity center. • The tall temples which had a deep foundation, could survive natural calamities. • With copper on top and earthing of the sanctum sanctorum with a copper wire, the temple could also withstand lightning bolts from the skies. • The alcoves of the tall temple towers were used for the safekeeping of seeds, grains and other life essentials for survival of the people during mass disaster. • The underground vaults were used for securing gold and other precious artifacts for revival of the village in case of any major calamity. 20 • Every temple had one or more natural spring-based water tanks attached to it called pushkarni for harnessing water. Pushkaram means to make fertile. Other than helping people cleanse themselves before congregating, these tanks were harbingers of fertility to the land as they helped increase the water table in the village. • The temples also served as a community kitchen and dining where food offered to the deity was shared as prasad - a community meal. Thus, the village community grew around the temple and the temple tank. The temple pattern, design and architecture from India was also replicated all over South East Asia due to the spread of Indian influence to these areas. Some of the renowned ones being Prambanan in Java, Indonesia; Angkor Wat in Cambodia; The Candis in South East Asia; the temples of Bali. There is a similarity between Indian temples and tradition of Egypt, ancient Turkey, Azerbaijan, Central Asia as well as with that of Central and South America. Eugene Emmanuel Viollet De Luc, the celebrated French architect and art historian of the 1800s, said: “The Mayans who travelled from ancient India to ancient central America were great builders by profession. When they travelled over the seas, they took their skills of building large monuments along with the basic measurement systems because the base measure and the square grid methodology of vastu, is common between the structures of India and that of the Mayan Civilization of Central America.” True meaning of karma In a recent research by Pew Research Center, they came to the startling find that about 60 percent of Americans today believe in karma. Karma originates from the Sanskrit root kr, kar meaning “to do”, “to act” which is why hands are called karam. Krishna says to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita, Karmanyevadhikarasthe ma phaleshu kadachana Ma karmaphalaheturbhurma te sangostvakarmani i.e 21 You only have the right to do your duty, you are not entitled to the fruits of your action. You are not the cause for the results of your actions. But do not shy away from action in doing your duty. Most Amazing Mysteries of Hindu Temples in India India is an ancient country with its rich history of Vedic civilization. Following the history, there are many temples can be found at every step of the way. Hence, there are a certain number of temples in India that have astonishing mysteries connected to it. Such, that some are amazing to just read about and some, that not even science could solve them. Each, having their own amazing tales , here are 10 most amazing mysteries of hindu temples in India that are lesser known. On this Article • 1. A Musical Staircase • 2. Sa-re-ga-ma Musical Pillars • 3. A Hanging Pillar • 4. The Temple of Granite • 5. Temple with 22 Billion Dollar vault • 6. Flag that waves opposite to the direction of wind • 7. 1000 Years Old Mummified body • 8. Idol Ejecting Water with an unknown source • 9. Temple that predicts Rain • 10. Temples of Shiva aligned in the same line 22 1. A Musical Staircase The musical steps in Airavatesvara temple, Dharasuram is one of the great mysteries of all time. This Lord Shiva temple is said to be built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE. This temple is located near Kumbakonam, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India and recognized as UNESCO World Heritage monument. The entrance of the temple has steps made of stones, which produces seven different sounds on tapping. One can hear all the seven swaras at different points. 23 2. Sa-re-ga-ma Musical Pillars Sri Vijaya Vittala temple is located in the historical town of Hampi, Karnataka, and is dedicated to Lord Vitthala. Situated at the end of the ruined Vittala Bazaar, tourists can reach this beautiful temple from all parts of Hampi. This temple is historical in a sense that the construction dates back to 15th century. The temple is also famous for Ranga Mantapa which has 56 musical pillars, known as Sa-re-ga-ma pillars. As one taps the pillars, musical notes are emitted by them in the form of western do re mi sa…. 24 3. A Hanging Pillar The Veerabhadra temple, also known as Lepakshi temple, is located in the Lipakshi district of Andra Pradesh. The temple is known for its architectural beauty, however, what catches hold of most of the visitors is the hanging pillar of the temple. Although, there are 70 pillars in the temple, one pillar which lies hanging in the premises of temple is the real piece of wonder. Thus, many people who visits the temple passes a piece of cloth through the bottom of the pillar, to test its reality. The mystery behind how this pillar stays intact without any support remains a unknown till date. 25 4. The Temple of Granite The Brihadeeswarar Temple is located in Thanjavur, TamilNadu, which is hailed for its architectural beauty. Most of the temple is carved out of pure granite which is astonishing in itself as there were no granite sources found anywhere within 60Kms of the temple. The temple’s apex, called the ‘Gopuram’ is found to be made out of a single stone now weighing 80 tons. Considering the granite reserves were so far away, how they managed to mount it in place has no practical explanations so far. 26 5. Temple with 22 Billion Dollar vault Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The temple has what seem to be seven secret vaults. On the supreme court’s request, the committee overseeing the temple has opened 6 of those vaults unveiling ornaments of gold estimated to be worth over 22 billion dollars. Now, the 7th vault has steel doors with no latches or bolts. It has carvings depicting 2 cobras. It is believed that the door is opened only by a secret chant and any other means would bring catastrophes. It is considered both a mystery and highly dangerous. 27 6. Flag that waves opposite to the direction of wind Famous Jagannath temple of Puri is a very important place for Hindu devotees. It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimages in India. It is quite amazing that the flag on top of the Sikhara of the temple always floats in opposite direction of the wind. Everyday a priest climbs the dome of the temple which is as tall as a 45 story building and changes the flag. This ritual has been continuing since 1800 years. The ritual says if it is not changed any day, the temple must be shut for the next 18 years. 28 7. 1000 Years Old Mummified body Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is shrine dedicated to Sri Ramanujacharya who is also known as Ramanuja. It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India rich in legend and history. What follows is amazing, there is a 1000 Years old mummified body of Sri Ramanujacharya preserved in Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. His original body is kept in normal sitting position and open to all for viewing. The body being solidified just at it is, even the eyes are clearly visible and on a closer look, also the nails can be noted. 29 8. Idol Ejecting Water with an unknown source The Kadu Malleshwara Temple is a 17th-century A.D. Hindu temple dedicated to the Shiva located in the Malleshwaram locality of Bengaluru. In the year 1997, during some construction process near the temple the workers found another temple of ‘Nandi ‘ (a statue of bull which is called the vehicle of Lord Shiva) buried. As they further dug out the temple, a small pool of water was found inside the temple and even the Nandi was ejecting clean water from its mouth which flows to the Shiva Linga. However the source of water for both of them is yet unknown. 30 9. Temple that predicts Rain This Jagannath Temple from Kanpur, is also known as ‘Rain Temple’ or ‘Monsoon Temple’ and is more than hundreds of years old. Here, it is believed that the water droplets accumulated on the ceiling of Lord Jagannath temple predits, whether upcoming monsoon season would be good or bad. If the size of water droplets is big, it is believed that there will be good rainfall and if it is small, then drought may occur. It is believed that the prediction is not just a day or two in advance, in fact, it predicts the onset of monsoon a good fortnight in advance. The roof of the temple starts dripping 15 days before the start of the rainy season and it is the trickle that reveals the type of showers that should be expected. A thin volume of the trickle indicates scanty rainfall, while a good volume indicates heavy showers. Thus, on the basis of the predictions, the farmers nearby put an estimate to their harvest accordingly. 31 10. Temples of Shiva aligned in the same line The collection of five temples known as Pancha Bhoota Stalam lies in South India which is held in reverence for centuries. These temples are considered to be Shiva Lingam representing various elements such as Air, Earth, Water, Fire and Space. It is a striking fact that all these temples are geographically placed in almost a straight line. Among the five temples, three temples, which are Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, Srikalahasti Temples lie exactly aligned at 79 degrees, 41 minutes, East in longitude. Furthermore, the other two temples, Thiruvanaikkaval is located at around 3 degrees to the south and 1 degree to the west of the northern tip exactly of this divine axis, while Thiruvannamalai is around midway at 1.5 degrees to the south and 0.5 degrees to the west. In the era where there were no scientific tools, three temples were built in the exact same longitudes. The fact that it was built thousands of years ago where there were no scientific tools to measure the point on Earth leaves many people in dismay. 32