Bharath is a country known for many beautifully architected temples. What is the science behind these temples? Are they meant to feed priests, as some non-believers state? Is temple a structure for community gatherings that encourages a moral and ethical base? Is temple a structure that shows God’s miniature form to everyone? What is the actual purpose of a temple?
Temple is a place that encompasses the power of God in a Deity form so that we can all perceive, preserve, utilise, rejoice and serve Him!
What happens if we don’t have temples? Does the power of God cease to exist?
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With or without a temple, God’s power will continue to exist and protect us
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Without a temple, we will be limiting ourselves with mere bodily needs thereby failing to recognise our true potential. We will continue to take births in bodies that are limited and restricted in abilities. We will be succumbed into acts of ego that keep us away from the real and final supporter of life. We will think of ourselves to be superior or inferior to others forgetting that we are all equal in the eyes of God.
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With a temple in our neighbourhood, we open doors of wisdom and love that goes beyond this body. We will realise our true nature, subservience to God as we learn about the activities performed in a temple through an acharya. We will have easy access to the most powerful and compassionate one, God. We will have an opportunity to seek forgiveness, to rethink, to retrospect, to submit ourselves at the feet of the divine power. We can all put our material wealth, physical beauty or fitness, cultural differences, educational qualifications, political power all aside and feel one with everyone!
Back in those days, the greatness of God hosted in these temples was well preserved in our school books too. We were taught beautiful poems on God, thereby the respect and devotion are well-preserved. Here’s an example:
నీవే తల్లివి తండ్రివి [you are my mother, you are my father]
నీవే నా తోడు, నీడ – నీవే సఖుడవు [you are my companion and my friend]
నీవే గురుడవు దైవము [you are my teacher and my God]
నీవే నా పతియు, గతియు నిజముగ కృష్ణా ! [you are my partner/husband – this is the truth, Krishna!]
Unfortunately, such essence of knowledge is not given enough importance in today’s schoolbooks. Hopefully, we should know by now that no matter how carefully planned we are or however much intelligence we taught our systems artificially, they are all bound by a common ruling authority! Luckily, this ruling authority is surrounded by people full of compassion and love for us – hence, we can happily seek their refuge.
These are the people whom we see around God in every temple. For example: All the alwars and acharyas, and amma varu are all compassionate souls who are willing to listen to us and help us approach God in the right way.
Today, celebrating the union of Amma varu with God is therefore an important event in every temple. The shanti-kalyanam of the divine couple allows us to understand how greatly their union is supporting us in our endeavours, how their union is important to burn the impact of our past bad karma etc!
A temple gives us all an opportunity to participate in the events that describe the greatness and purpose of God are therefore considered ‘heart’ of a town/city/village.
Just like our heart beats 24 by 7 to keep our body functioning, a temple also works round the clock to keep our souls alive! Remember: there is no death to a soul. Keeping a soul alive means to maintain it’s complete and true state, without falling prey for ignorance or arrogance that prohibit a soul’s access to right knowledge!
– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji,
– 06 th June, Aatmakur, Warangal District
– Venu Gopala Swami temple punahprathishta, jeernodhaarana
