Does God dwell in Hindu temples.docx

Author- Dr Uday Dokras
1
Does God DWELL in Hindu Temples or Mandirs
Abstract:
This paper addresses interconnections between temple topography and architecture, ritual
practice, and cosmic symbolism. There is a substantial body of literature devoted to this topic,
from archaeological, textual, and theoretical perspectives in various different ancient cultures,
which suggests an excellent opportunity for interdisciplinary and cross-cultural analysis. The
importance of this topic is paramount not only to scholars of the ancient world, but also to the
study of religion, particularly the understanding and interpretation of ritual and sacred
architecture
Recent work illustrates the significance of this subject just as it illuminates the value of historical
and comparative perspectives. The arena can bring together archaeologists, art historians, and
philologists working all across the ancient world (Mesoamerica, Greece, Egypt, the Levant,
Mesopotamia, Iran, South Asia, and China) to facilitate communication between scholars of
different fields in order to share questions and methods which might provide new avenues of
research or enable the use of comparative data
There has been a lot of research into Hindu temple architecture, still many aspects of this subject
are still unexplored. This study attempts to collate some of the existing research that has been
undertaken in this field, and potentially contribute to the existing body of knowledge through a
structural analysis of Hindu Temple architecture.

2
To be precise, Gods vanished into the other realm around 1600 BC. Its been around 3600 years
that we are living without any Gods on earth. In most cultures, they left about the time people
learned to write. For example, the Greek historian Herodotus was very skeptical of the claim that
gods used to roam around Greece getting women pregnant with relative impunity, because the
Egyptians had written records of that period, and their “time of gods” was a little earlier.
The length of written records in Egypt is rather embarrassing for their neighbors. For example,
Egyptian records show that the Exodus is completely invented.
1. Today God’s are branded as aliens !
2. They are stopped by Space Agencies!
3. They are termed as mythology!
4. But their ways of progeny are infinite !
5. They (ancient Gods) are living in their kingdom in some dimensions (may be 2–5
kilometer away) and answer our prayer in Hindu temples .This is true for Hindus who
worship ancient or Vedic Gods like Shiva .
They are living in their lokas/abode.Nowthey live in other world or Realm. Whenever we pray or
enchant some verses, a door opens and they listen to us.
Why don’t the gods come to earth as they did in ancient time?
Because you never understood the meaning of their avatar. Neither you understood the concept
of God's incarnation.
Let's use the indological term for God since in India there is no such concept of God as
thought. Devas and Bhagwan are two terms people associate with God nowadays.
Devas(literally the shining one) are seen and observed in nature and are permanent. For
instance, Indra is seen in the Rains and thunder and sun. Agni in fire, temperature, hunger. Aditya
in Sun. Varuna in ocean.
Bhagwan is a tile for great personalities who are praiseworthy but not Devas. (though today's
puranic tales make them greater than Devas.)
To understand why gods don't come to earth you need to understand the concept of how lord
Vishnu is the ultimate Deva to incarnate again and again.

3
1. The term Vishnu means the all pervasive. (he who touches the three world viz. Earth,
atmosphere and sky.) You might be knowing that the colour and complexion of Vishnu as
depicted in the pictures is blue. The blue color is nothing but the representation of
the ozone layer of earth which protects us from the harmful rays of the sun.
2. Vishnu is that sun which covers the 3 world through his rays. Hence vishnu became the
protector and sustainer of life here on earth. Slowly as the time passed
the Upendra the helper of Indra of the Vedas became the helper and sustainer of human
civilization and hence became a title.
3. This title of vishnu was 1st used to express how the life started on earth by the concept
of Dashavatara. Dashavatara tries to explain the concept of a vedic verse which says life
began in water(Matsya) and then became a reptile(turtle) and then a Terrestrial being(here
wild bore).
4. Dashavatara works further to explain which Vedas quotes nothing : half
human(narasimha) to non perfect man(vamana) to axe man(parashu rama) to men with
bow(civilised - Lord Rama) and a cowheard (perfect normal human- Krishna).
Since the time of lord Rama the Vishnu has become a tile for great historic personalities. Rama
was a perfect man who brought the wisdom in complete India about following of Rules for
betterment of society. Then Krishna became Vishnu only because he rectified the concept of
Dharma and his teaching spread throughout India and brought positive change. You might
know it even Gautama Buddha is consider one of the avatar of Vishnu deva though he preaches
else the Vedas. It is only because Gautama did something irresistible.
We are living in a different realm from the God's realm. Per Vedas, the Human race started
worshipping god right from the time they saw light or fire. In the early Yuga's humans
worshipped only fire (Havan) and performed rituals (Yagnyas and Yagas) to offer to God via fire.
It is known that Fire God is the carrier of offerings to the heavens above. During the Vedic times
it was only one force Maha Chaitanyam (Supreme Soul or Paramathma). Later during Puranic
times departmentalisation of life cycle was defined. Creator (Brahma/ Sun), Protector (Vishnu)
and Destroyer or Moksha Karaka (Shiva). And further down the times of Ramayana and
Mahabharatha times Hero worship started with worship of Rama and Krishna. It is researched
and found that Ramayana times were between 10000 to 15000 years before Christ.
Mahabharatha times were between 5000 to 6000 years before Christ. Jesus and Prophet
Muhammad roamed the earth about 786BC. Corrections in datelines are expected..
A temple (from the Latin word templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual
rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. It is typically used for such buildings
belonging to all faiths where a more specific term such as church, mosque or synagogue
is not generally used in English. These include Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism among
religions with many modern followers, as well as other ancient religions such as Ancient
Egyptian religion. The temple, it is needless to say, is not an Indian invention.

4
The form and function of temples is thus very variable, though they are often considered
by believers to be in some sense the "house" of one or more deities. Typically offerings
of some sort are made to the deity, and other rituals enacted, and a special group
of clergy maintain, and operate the temple. The degree to which the whole population
of believers can access the building varies significantly; often parts or even the whole
main building can only be accessed by the clergy. Temples typically have a main
building and a larger precinct, which may contain many other buildings, or may be a
dome shaped structure, much like an igloo.
The word comes from Ancient Rome, where a temple constituted a sacred precinct as
defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template" a plan in
preparation of the building that was marked out on the ground by the augur.Templa
also became associated with the dwelling places of a god or gods. Despite the specific
set of meanings associated with the word, it has now become widely used to describe a
house of worship for any number of religions and is even used for time periods prior to
the Romans. Hindu temples, however, are known by many different names, varying on
region and language, including Aiayam, Mandir, Mandira, Gudi, Kavu, Koli, Kovil
Déul, Raul, Devasthana, Degul, Deva Mandiraya and Devalaya.
A Mandir or Hindu temple is a symbolic house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is
a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the
ideas and beliefs of Hinduism.
A Hindu temple can be a simple structure by the side of the road or a large complex including
many buildings. Temples serve as dwelling places for deities, surrounded by markets selling
offerings and flowers. The inner sanctuaries are small and intended for a few worshippers at a
time. What features are important in a mandir?
A Mandir or Hindu temple is a symbolic house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a
structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the
ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in
Vedic traditions, deploying circles and squares.[3]
It also represents recursion and equivalence of
the macrocosm and the microcosm by astronomical numbers, and by "specific alignments
related to the geography of the place and the presumed linkages of the deity and the patron".A
temple incorporates all elements of Hindu cosmos—presenting the good, the evil and the
human, as well as the elements of Hindu sense of cyclic time and the essence of life—
symbolically presenting dharma, kama, artha, moksa, and karma.
In a community Center this mandir, the shrine, where the murti are kept, is the central and
most important part. There is often a tower, which signifies the presence of the murti. Some
community mandir are dedicated to a particular Hindu god or goddess, whose murti takes pride
of place and is the main focus of worship.

5
What are the essential components of a Hindu temple? For thousands of years Hindu temples
have been constructed, allowing people to immerse themselves in an atmosphere where they
can worship a particular form of God, gather with other devotees, and become more connected
to the Absolute. ... Temples are like homes of the Gods. When you enter, you are a guest in that
home.
The basic form of a Hindu structural temple consists of the following.
1. Garbhagriha: It literally means 'womb-house' and is a cave like a sanctum.
2. Mandapa: It is the entrance to the temple. ...
3. Shikhara or Vimana: ...
4. Amalaka:
5. Kalasha:
6. Antarala (vestibule):
7. Jagati:
8. Vahana:
Hindu temples typically consist of a prayer hall called a mandapa and a sanctuary, inner
sanctum, or central shrine called a garbhargriha . The sanctuary contains an icon of the
Hindu deity the temple is dedicated to and is off limits to everyone but priests at the temple.
We often worship in temples without knowing much about the significance of each of them.
But it is important to acquaint ourselves with the mythology behind a temple, its significance
and stories that relate to it. That would make our worship more meaningful, said M.V.
Anantapadmanabhachariar, in a discourse.
Often even the names of the temple towns have a story behind them. For example, there are
stories about why Naimisaranya got its name. Nemi in Sanskrit means a circle. It is said that
when celestial beings asked Brahma where they should do penance, Brahma flung his ring,
and told them that they should do penance in the place where the ring fell. It fell in the
place we now know a Naimisaranya. It acquired its name from Brahma’s ring. Another story
says that after Lord Narayana used His discus (Sudarsana) to slay demons, He told
Sudarsana to clean himself up in the place now called Naimisaranya. Because the discus
bathed there, it came to be called Naimisaranya.
In some temples, the Lord appeared of His own accord. Then there are other temples
where the image was installed by sages, celestial beings or human beings. Seven places are
said to be very holy — Ayodhya, Kasi, Mathura, Puri, Kanchi, Avantika and Dwaraka. It is
important to visit these places.
Mathura is the place where Ambarisha did penance. It was at Mathura that the young boy
Dhruva did penance. It used to be originally known as Madhu vanam. It was here that
Krishna was born. In Kanchipuram, there is a temple where the deity is known as Deepa
Prakasa. Vedanta Desika composed a Sanskrit work in praise of this deity. In one of the
verses, he points out that Narayana is worshipped in temples according to one of two
agamas — Pancharatra or Vaikhanasa. The Pancharatra was taught by the Lord Himself. As
for the Vaikhanasa agama, it was taught by the sage Vikhanasa. Although the celestial
beings worshipped the Lord on many occasions, their worship was invariably for a purpose.

6
They wanted to get back lost power, or they sought protection of their status. But when we
worship God, we must not seek such trivial things from Him. We should be motivated by
love for Him.
In Hinduism, deities and their icons may be hosted in a Hindu temple, within a home or as an
amulet. The worship performed by Hindus is known by a number of regional names, such as
Puja.
A Hindu temple is a symbolic house, the seat and dwelling of Hindu gods. It is a
structure designed to bring human beings and gods together according to Hindu faith.
Inside its Garbhagriha innermost sanctum, a Hindu temple contains a Murti or Hindu
god's image. Hindu temples are large and magnificent with a rich history. There is
evidence of use of sacred ground as far back as the Bronze Age and later during
the Indus Valley Civilization. Outside of the Indian subcontinent
(India, Bangladesh and Nepal), Hindu temples have been built in various countries
around the world. Either following the historic diffusion of Hinduism across Asia (e.g.
ancient stone temples of Cambodia and Indonesia), or following the migration of
the Indian Hindus' Diaspora; to Western Europe (esp. Great Britain), North America
(the United States and Canada), as well as Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, Mauritius
and South Africa.

7
Individual rather than communal
_____________________________________________________________________
Hindu worship is primarily an individual act rather than a communal one, as it involves
making personal offerings to the deity. Worshippers repeat the names of their favorite
gods and goddesses, and repeat mantras. Water, fruit, flowers and incense are offered
to god. Unlike other organized religions, in Hinduism, it is not mandatory for a person to
visit a temple. Since all Hindu home usually has a small shrine or ‘puja room’ for daily
prayers, Hindus generally go to temples only on auspicious occasions or during religious
festivals. Hindu temples also do not play a crucial role in marriages and funerals, but it is
often the meeting place for religious discourses as well as ‘bhajans’ and ‘kirtans’
(devotional songs and chants).
Puja
Hindu worship, or puja, involves images (murtis), prayers (mantras) and diagrams of the
universe (yantras).Central to Hindu worship is the image, or icon, which can be
worshipped either at home or in the temple.
Worship at home
The majority of Hindu homes have a shrine where offerings are made and prayers are
said. A shrine can be anything: a room, a small altar or simply pictures or statues of the
deity. Family members often worship together. Rituals should strictly speaking be
performed three times a day. Some Hindus, but not all, worship wearing the sacred
thread (over the left shoulder and hanging to the right hip). This is cotton for the
Brahmin (priest), hemp for the Kshatriya (ruler) and wool for the vaishya (merchants).
Temple worship
At a Hindu temple, different parts of the building have a different spiritual or symbolic
meaning.
 The central shrine is the heart of the worshipper
 The tower represents the flight of the spirit to heaven
 A priest may read, or more usually recite, the Vedas to the assembled worshippers,
but any "twice-born" Hindu can perform the reading of prayers and mantras
Religious rites
Hindu religious rites are classified into three categories:
 Nitya
 Nitya rituals are performed daily and consist in offerings made at the home shrine
or performing puja to the family deities.
 Naimittika
 Naimittika rituals are important but only occur at certain times during the year, such
as celebrations of the festivals, thanksgiving and so on.
 Kamya
 Kamya are rituals which are "optional" but highly desirable. Pilgrimage is one such.
Worship and pilgrimage

8
Pilgrimage is an important aspect of Hinduism. It's an undertaking to see and be seen
by the deity. Popular pilgrimage places are rivers, but temples, mountains, and other
sacred sites in India are also destinations for pilgrimages, as sites where the gods may
have appeared or become manifest in the world.
History of Temples
In the Vedic period, there were no temples. The main object of worship was the fire that
stood for God. This holy fire was lit on a platform in the open air under the sky, and
oblations were offered to the fire. It is not certain when exactly the Indo-Aryans first
started building temples for worship. The scheme of building temples was perhaps a
concomitant of the idea of idol worship.
Locations of Temples
As the race progressed, temples became important because they served as a sacred
meeting place for the community to congregate and revitalize their spiritual energies.
Large temples were usually built at picturesque places, especially on river banks, on top
of hills, and on the seashore. Smaller temples or open-air shrines can crop up just about
anywhere - by the roadside or even under the tree.
Holy places in India are famous for its temples. Indian towns — from Amaranth to
Ayodhya, Brindavan to Banaras, and Kanchipuram to Kanya Kumari— are all known for
their wonderful temples.

9
The Biblical View
Temple Architecture
____________________________________________________________________
The architecture of Hindu temples evolved over a period of more than 2,000 years and
there is a great variety in this architecture. Hindu temples are of different shapes and
sizes — rectangular, octagonal, and semi-circular — with different types of domes and
gates. Temples in southern India have a different style than those in northern India.
Although the architecture of Hindu temples is varied, they mainly have many things in
common. The temples of ancient India have also received substantial treatment with
regard to their cosmic meaning, but the interpretation of sacred architecture in India has
been influenced by the significant body of ritual and architectural texts (sacute;ãstras),
which provide detailed rules and conventions for all aspects of planning and
construction and ritual practice. The use of these texts has not only supplemented
understanding of the symbolism of temple architecture, but encouraged research into
the meaning of plans, proportions, and architecture as science. The question of the
interrelationship between cosmos and architecture has also been investigated in ancient
Greece, where the use of proportion and geometry is considered vital to this topic. The
question of whether similar constraints existed in other cultures, such as the example of
Mesopotamia, also arises, with the possibility that they were perhaps articulated in the
form of metrological texts.1

10
The 6 Parts of a Hindu Temple
______________________________________________________________________
1. The Dome and Steeple: The steeple of the dome is called ‘shikhara’ (summit) that
represents the mythological ‘Meru’ or the highest mountain peak. The shape of the
dome varies from region to region and the steeple is often in the form of the trident of
Shiva.
2. The Inner Chamber: The inner chamber of the temple called ‘garbhagriha’ or ‘womb-
chamber’ is where the image or idol of the deity (‘murti’) is placed. In most temples, the
visitors cannot enter the garbhagriha, and only the temple priests are allowed inside.
3. The Temple Hall: Most large temples have a hall meant for the audience to sit. This is
also called the ‘nata-mandira’ (hall for temple-dancing) where, in days of yore, women
dancers or ‘devadasis’ used to perform dance rituals. Devotees use the hall to sit,
meditate, pray, chant or watch the priests perform the rituals. The hall is usually
decorated with paintings of gods and goddesses.
4. The Front Porch: This area of the temples usually has a big metallic bell that hangs
from the ceiling. Devotees entering and leaving the porch ring this bell to declare their
arrival and departure.
5. The Reservoir: If the temple is not in the vicinity of a natural water body, a reservoir
of fresh water is built on the temple premises. The water is used for rituals as well as to
keep the temple floor clean or even for a ritual bath before entering the holy abode.
6. The Walkway: Most temples have a walkway around the walls of the inner chamber
for circum-ambulation by devotees around the deity as a mark of respect to the temples
god or goddess.

11
Hindu temple is a symbolic house, seat and body of god. It is a structure designed to
bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and
beliefs of Hinduism. The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in Vedic
traditions, deploying circles and squares. It also represents recursion and equivalence of
the macrocosm and the microcosm by astronomical numbers, and by "specific
alignments related to the geography of the place and the presumed linkages of the
deity and the patron". A temple incorporates all elements of Hindu cosmos—presenting
the good, the evil and the human, as well as the elements of Hindu sense of cyclic time
and the essence of life—symbolically presenting dharma, kama, artha, moksa,
and karma.
The spiritual principles symbolically represented in Hindu temples are given in the
ancient Sanskrit texts of India (for example, Vedas and Upanishads), while their structural
rules are described in various ancient Sanskrit treatises on architecture (Brhat Samhita,
Vastu Sastras). The layout, the motifs, the plan and the building process recite ancient
rituals, geometric symbolisms, and reflect beliefs and values innate within various
schools of Hinduism. A Hindu temple is a spiritual destination for many Hindus, as well
as landmarks around which ancient arts, community celebrations and economy have
flourished.
Hindu temples come in many styles, are situated in diverse locations, deploy different
construction methods and are adapted to different deities and regional beliefs, yet

12
almost all of them share certain core ideas, symbolism and themes. They are found in
South Asia particularly India and Nepal, in southeast Asian countries such as Sri
Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, and islands of Indonesia and Malaysia, and countries such
as Canada, the Caribbean, Fiji, France, Guyana, Kenya, Mauritius, the Netherlands, South
Africa, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom,
the United States, and countries with a significant Hindu community. The current state
and outer appearance of Hindu temples reflect arts, materials and designs as they
evolved over two millennia; they also reflect the effect of conflicts between Hinduism
and Islamsince the 12th century. The Swaminarayanan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New
Jersey, United States, between the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas, was
inaugurated in 2014 as one of the world's largest Hindu temples.
Significance and meaning of a Hindu temple
A Hindu temple reflects a synthesis of arts, the ideals of dharma, beliefs, values, and the
way of life cherished under Hinduism. It is a link between man, deities, and the
Universal Purusa in a sacred space. It represents the triple-knowledge (trayi-vidya) of the
Vedic vision by mapping the relationships between the cosmos (brahmanda) and the
cell (pinda) by a unique plan that is based on astronomical numbers. Subhash Kak sees
the temple form and its iconography to be a natural expansion of Vedic ideology related
to recursion, change and equivalence.
The 9x9 (81) grid ‘’Parama Sayika’’ layout plan (above) found in large ceremonial Hindu
Temples. It is one of many grids used to build Hindu temples. In this structure of
symmetry, each concentric layer has significance. The outermost layers, Paisachika
padas, signify aspects of Asuras and evil; while inner Devika padas signify aspects of
Devas and good. In between the good and evil is the concentric layer of Manusha padas
signifying human life; All these layers surround Brahma padas, which signifies creative
energy and the site for temple’s primary idol for darsana. Finally at the very center of
Brahma padas is Grabhgriya (Purusa Space), signifying Universal Principle present in
everything and everyone.

13
In ancient Indian texts, a temple is a place for Tirtha – pilgrimage. It is a sacred site
whose ambience and design attempts to symbolically condense the ideal tenets of
Hindu way of life. All the cosmic elements that create and sustain life are present in a
Hindu temple – from fire to water, from images of nature to deities, from the feminine
to the masculine, from the fleeting sounds and incense smells to the eternal
nothingness yet universality at the core of the temple.
Susan Lewandowski states that the underlying principle in a Hindu temple is built
around the belief that all things are one, everything is connected. The pilgrim is
welcomed through 64-grid or 81-grid mathematically structured spaces, a network of
art, pillars with carvings and statues that display and celebrate the four important and
necessary principles of human life – the pursuit of artha (prosperity, wealth), the pursuit
of kama (pleasure, sex), the pursuit of dharma (virtues, ethical life) and the pursuit
of moksha (release, self-knowledge). At the center of the temple, typically below and
sometimes above or next to the deity, is mere hollow space with no decoration,
symbolically representing Purusa, the Supreme Principle, the sacred Universal, one
without form, which is present everywhere, connects everything, and is the essence of
everyone. A Hindu temple is meant to encourage reflection, facilitate purification of
one’s mind, and trigger the process of inner realization within the devotee. The specific
process is left to the devotee’s school of belief. The primary deity of different Hindu
temples varies to reflect this spiritual spectrum.
In Hindu tradition, there is no dividing line between the secular and the sacred.[9]
In the
same spirit, Hindu temples are not just sacred spaces, they are also secular spaces. Their
meaning and purpose have extended beyond spiritual life to social rituals and daily life,
offering thus a social meaning. Some temples have served as a venue to mark festivals,
to celebrate arts through dance and music, to get married or commemorate
marriages, commemorate the birth of a child, other significant life events, or mark the
death of a loved one. In political and economic life, Hindu temples have served as a
venue for the succession within dynasties and landmarks around which economic
activity thrived.
A temple incorporates all elements of Hindu cosmos—presenting the good, the evil and the
human, as well as the elements of Hindu sense of cyclic time and the essence of life—
symbolically presenting dharma, kama, artha, moksa, and karma. What happens at a Hindu
temple during worship?

14
Mandir in Nepal
They may then walk around the shrine while singing, chanting or praying. They may also present
an offering, such as fruit, milk or money. The purpose of worship in the mandir is to 'have
darshan ' of (or see) the gods and goddesses. ... Prayers and hymns (such as bhajans) help the
devotee to experience the divine presence.
In the new temple’s sanctum the deities are there, but they’re just sculptures and the power
isn’t invoked in them yet waiting for the devotees to breathe life into them.Hindu Temple are
formally consecrated in a clangorous three-day ceremony . The devotees’ prayers travel through
the coconuts, up the threads and into the statues, animating them, to connect the worshiper to
the infinite, represented by the water vessel, and the infinite to its tangible, visible emissaries:
the statues of the gods.
The spiritual principles symbolically represented in Hindu temples are given in the ancient
Sanskrit texts of India (for example, Vedas and Upanishads), while their structural rules are
described in various ancient Sanskrit treatises on architecture (Brhat Samhita, Vastu Sastras). The
layout, the motifs, the plan and the building process recite ancient rituals, geometric
symbolisms, and reflect beliefs and values innate within various schools of Hinduism.[3]
A Hindu
temple is a spiritual destination for many Hindus, as well as landmarks around which ancient
arts, community celebrations and economy have flourished.

15
A Hindu temple is a symbolic reconstruction of the universe and universal principles that make
everything in it function. The temples reflect Hindu philosophy and its diverse views on cosmos
and Truths.
Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no
governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to
be polytheistic, pantheistic, monistic, or atheistic. A Hindu temple reflects these core beliefs. The
central core of almost all Hindu temples is not a large communal space; the temple is designed
for the individual, a couple or a family – a small, private space where he or she experiences
darsana- A glimpse of the Idol the dwelling God in the temple vicinity. Darsana is itself a
symbolic word. In ancient Hindu scripts, darsana is the name of six methods or alternate
viewpoints of understanding Truth. These are Nyaya, Vaisesika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and
Vedanta – each of which flowered into their own schools of Hinduism, each of which are
considered valid, alternate paths to understanding Truth and realizing Self in the Hindu way of
life.
From names to forms, from images to stories carved into the walls of a temple, symbolism is
everywhere in a Hindu temple. Life principles such as the pursuit of joy, sex, connection and
emotional pleasure (kama) are fused into mystical, erotic and architectural forms in Hindu
temples. These motifs and principles of human life are part of the sacred texts of Hindu, such as
its Upanishads; the temples express these same principles in a different form, through art and
spaces. For example,
Brihadaranyaka Upanisad at 4.3.21, recites:
In the embrace of his beloved a man forgets the whole world,
everything both within and without;
in the same way, he who embraces the Self,
knows neither within nor without.
— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 7th Century BC[69]
The architecture of Hindu temples is also symbolic. The whole structure fuses the daily life and
it surroundings with the divine concepts, through a structure that is open yet raised on a terrace,
transitioning from the secular towards the sacred, inviting the visitor inwards towards the

16
Brahma pada and temple's central core, as well as lifting him upwards into a symbolic space
marked by its spire (shikhara, vimana). The ancient temples had grand intricately carved
entrances but no doors, and lacked a boundary wall. In most cultures, suggests Edmund Leach, a
boundary and gateway separates the secular and the sacred, and this gateway door is grand. In
Hindu tradition, this is discarded in favor of an open and diffusive architecture, where the secular
world was not separated from the sacred, but transitioned and flowed into the sacred.[71]
The
Hindu temple has structural walls, which were patterned usually within the 64 grid, or other
geometric layouts. Yet the layout was open on all sides, except for the core space which had just
one opening for darsana. The temple space is laid out in a series of courts (mandappas). The
outermost regions may incorporate the negative and suffering side of life with symbolism of
evil, asuras and rakshashas (demons); but in small temples this layer is dispensed with. When
present, this outer region diffuse into the next inner layer that bridges as human space, followed
by another inner Devika padas space and symbolic arts incorporating the positive and joyful side
of life about the good and the gods. This divine space then concentrically diffuses inwards and
lifts the guest to the core of the temple, where resides the main idol as well as the space for the
Purusa and ideas held to be most sacred principles in Hindu tradition. The symbolism in the arts
and temples of Hinduism, suggests Edmund Leach, is similar to those in Christianity and other
major religions of the world.
Darśana (Sanskrit: दर्शन, lit. 'view, sight') is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person. The
term also refers to six traditional schools of Hindu philosophy and their literature on spirituality
and soteriology.The word, also in the forms of darśana or darshanam, comes from Sanskrit दर्शन,
from dṛś, "to see", vision, apparition or glimpse.Darśana is described as an "auspicious sight" of
a holy person, which bestows merit on the person who is seen. "Sight" here means seeing or
beholding, and/or being seen or beheld.It is most commonly used for theophany, "manifestation
/ visions of the divine", in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity (especially in image form), or a very holy
person or artifact. One can receive darśana or a glimpse of the deity in the temple, or from a
great saintly person, such as a great guru
The term darśana also refers to the six systems of thought, called darśanam, that comprise
classical Hindu philosophy. The term therein implies how each of these six systems distinctively
look at things and the scriptures in Indian philosophies. The six orthodox
Hindu darśana are Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mīmāṃsā, and Vedanta. Buddhism and
Jainism are examples of non-Hindu darśanas.
Hindu temples served as nuclei of important social, economic, artistic and intellectual
functions in ancient and medieval India. Burton Stein states that South Indian temples
managed regional development function, such as irrigation projects, land reclamation, post-
disaster relief and recovery. These activities were paid for by the donations (melvarum) they
collected from devotees. According to James Heitzman, these donations came from a wide
spectrum of the Indian society, ranging from kings, queens, officials in the kingdom to
merchants, priests and shepherds Temples also managed lands endowed to it by its devotees
upon their death. They would provide employment to the poorest. Some temples had large
treasury, with gold and silver coins, and these temples served as banks]

17
The Golden Temple at Vellore is gilded with 1500 kg of pure gold.
Hindu temples over time became wealthy from grants and donations from royal patrons as
well as private individuals. Major temples became employers and patrons of economic activity.
They sponsored land reclamation and infrastructure improvements, states Michell, including
building facilities such as water tanks, irrigation canals and new roads. A very detailed early
record from 1101 lists over 600 employees (excluding the priests) of the Brihadisvara Temple,
Thanjavur, still one of the largest temples in Tamil Nadu. Most worked part-time and received
the use of temple farmland as reward. For those thus employed by the temple, according to
Michell, "some gratuitous services were usually considered obligatory, such as dragging the
temple chariots on festival occasions and helping when a large building project was
undertaken".Temples also acted as refuge during times of political unrest and danger.
In contemporary times, the process of building a Hindu temple by emigrants and diasporas from
South Asia has also served as a process of building a community, a social venue to network,
reduce prejudice and seek civil rights together.
Library of manuscripts
Types of Hindu temples
Cave temple
Forest temple

18
Mountain temple Seashore temple
Learning : John Guy and Jorrit Britschgi state Hindu temples served as centers where ancient
manuscripts were routinely used for learning and where the texts were copied when they wore
out. In South India, temples and associated mutts served custodial functions, and a large number
of manuscripts on Hindu philosophy, poetry, grammar and other subjects were written,
multiplied and preserved inside the temples. Archaeological and epigraphical evidenceindicates
existence of libraries called Sarasvati-bhandara, dated possibly to early 12th-century and
employing librarians, attached to Hindu temples.
Palm-leaf manuscripts called lontar in dedicated stone libraries have been discovered by
archaeologists at Hindu temples in Bali Indonesia and in 10th century Cambodian temples such
as Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei.
Temple schools
Inscriptions from the 4th century AD suggest the existence of schools around Hindu temples,
called Ghatikas or Mathas, where the Vedas were studied. In south India, 9th century Vedic
schools attached to Hindu temples were called Calai or Salai, and these provided free boarding
and lodging to students and scholars. The temples linked to Bhakti movement in the early 2nd
millennium, were dominated by non-Brahmins. These assumed many educational functions,
including the exposition, recitation and public discourses of Sanskrit and Vedic texts. Some
temple schools offered wide range of studies, ranging from Hindu scriptures to Buddhist texts,
grammar, philosophy, martial arts, music and painting. By the 8th century, Hindu temples also
served as the social venue for tests, debates, team competition and Vedic recitals
called Anyonyam.
Social functions of Hindu temples
Hindu temples served as nuclei of important social, economic, artistic and intellectual
functions in ancient and medieval India.Burton Stein states that South Indian temples
managed regional development function, such as irrigation projects, land reclamation,
post-disaster relief and recovery. These activities were paid for by the donations
(melvarum) they collected from devotees.According to James Heitzman, these donations
came from a wide spectrum of the Indian society, ranging from kings, queens, officials in
the kingdom to merchants, priests and shepherds Temples also managed lands
endowed to it by its devotees upon their death. They would provide employment to the
poorest. Some temples had large treasury, with gold and silver coins, and these temples
served as banks.
Hindu temples over time became wealthy from grants and donations from royal patrons
as well as private individuals. Major temples became employers and patrons of
economic activity. They sponsored land reclamation and infrastructure improvements,
states Michell, including building facilities such as water tanks, irrigation canals and new
roads. A very detailed early record from 1101 lists over 600 employees (excluding the

19
priests) of the Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur, still one of the largest temples in Tamil
Nadu. Most worked part-time and received the use of temple farmland as reward. For
those thus employed by the temple, according to Michell, "some gratuitous services
were usually considered obligatory, such as dragging the temple chariots on festival
occasions and helping when a large building project was undertaken". Temples also
acted as refuge during times of political unrest and danger.
In contemporary times, the process of building a Hindu temple by emigrants and
diasporas from South Asia has also served as a process of building a community, a social
venue to network, reduce prejudice and seek civil rights together.
Library of manuscript
______________________________________________________________________
Cave temple
Forest temple
Mountain temple
Seashore temple
John Guy and Jorrit Britschgi state Hindu temples served as centers where ancient
manuscripts were routinely used for learning and where the texts were copied when
they wore out. In South India, temples and associated mutts served custodial functions,
and a large number of manuscripts on Hindu philosophy, poetry, grammar and other
subjects were written, multiplied and preserved inside the temples. Archaeological and
epigraphical evidence indicates existence of libraries called Sarasvati-bhandara, dated
possibly to early 12th-century and employing librarians, attached to Hindu temples.
Palm-leaf manuscripts called lontar in dedicated stone libraries have been discovered by
archaeologists at Hindu temples in Bali Indonesia and in 10th century Cambodian
temples such as Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei.
Temple schools
_____________________________________________________________________
Inscriptions from the 4th century AD suggest the existence of schools around Hindu
temples, called Ghatikas or Mathas, where the Vedas were studied. In south India, 9th
century Vedic schools attached to Hindu temples were called Calai or Salai, and these

20
provided free boarding and lodging to students and scholars. The temples linked
to Bhakti movementin the early 2nd millennium, were dominated by non-
Brahmins. These assumed many educational functions, including the exposition,
recitation and public discourses of Sanskrit and Vedic texts. Some temple schools
offered wide range of studies, ranging from Hindu scriptures to Buddhist texts,
grammar, philosophy, martial arts, music and painting. By the 8th century, Hindu
temples also served as the social venue for tests, debates, team competition and Vedic
recitals called Anyonyam.
Hospitals, community kitchen, monasteries
______________________________________________________________________
According to Kenneth G. Zysk – a professor specializing in Indology and ancient
medicine, Hindu mathas and temples had by the 10th-century attached medical care
along with their religious and educational roles. This is evidenced by various inscriptions
found in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere. An inscription dated to about AD 930
states the provision of a physician to two math to care for the sick and destitute.
Another inscription dated to 1069 at a Vishnu temple in Tamil Nadu describes a hospital
attached to the temple, listing the nurses, physicians, medicines and beds for patients.
Similarly, a stone inscription in Andhra Pradesh dated to about 1262 mentions the
provision of a prasutishala (maternity house), vaidya (physician), an arogyashala (health
house) and a viprasattra (hospice, kitchen) with the religious center where people from
all social backgrounds could be fed and cared for. According to Zysk, both Buddhist
monasteries and Hindu religious centers provided facilities to care for the sick and
needy in the 1st millennium, but with the destruction of Buddhist centers after the 12th
century, the Hindu religious institutions assumed these social responsibilities. According
to George Michell, Hindu temples in South India were active charity centers and they
provided free meal for wayfarers, pilgrims and devotees, as well as boarding facilities for
students and hospitals for the sick.
The 15th and 16th century Hindu temples at Hampi featured storage spaces (temple
granary, kottara), water tanks and kitchens. Many major pilgrimage sites have
featured dharmashalas since early times. These were attached to Hindu temples,
particularly in South India, providing a bed and meal to pilgrims. They relied on any
voluntary donation the visitor may leave and to land grants from local rulers. Some
temples have operated their kitchens on daily basis to serve the visitor and the needy,
while others during major community gatherings or festivals. Examples include the
major kitchens run by Hindu temples in Udupi (Karnataka), Puri (Odisha)
and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh). The tradition of sharing food in smaller temple is
typically called prasada.
Ancient Hindu temple has a profusion of arts – from paintings to sculpture, from
symbolic icons to engravings, from thoughtful layout of space to fusion of mathematical
principles with Hindu sense of time and cardinality.

21
Ancient Sanskrit texts classify idols and images in number of ways. For example, one
method of classification is the dimensionality of completion
 Chitra – images that are 3-dimensional and completely formed,
 Chitrardha – images that are engraved in half relief,
 Chitrabhasa – images that are 2-dimensional such as paintings on walls and cloths.
Images and idols inside Hindu temples vary widely in their expression. Raudra or ugra
images express destruction, fear and violence, such as Kali image on left. Shanta or
saumya images express joy, knowledge and harmony, such as Saraswati image on right.
Saumya images are most common in Hindu temples.
Another way of classification is by the expressive state of the image:
 Raudra or ugra – are images that were meant to terrify, induce fear. These typically
have wide, circular eyes, carry weapons, and have skulls and bones as adornment.
These idols were worshiped by soldiers before going to war, or by people in times of
distress or terrors. Raudra deity temples were not set up inside villages or towns, but
invariably outside and in remote areas of a kingdom.[110]
 Shanta and saumya – are images that were pacific, peaceful and expressive of love,
compassion, kindness and other virtues in Hindu pantheon. These images would
carry symbolic icons of peace, knowledge, music, wealth, flowers, sensuality among
other things. In ancient India, these temples were predominant inside villages and
towns.
A Hindu temple may or may not include an idol or images, but larger temples usually
do. Personal Hindu temples at home or a hermitage may have a pada for yoga or
meditation, but be devoid of anthropomorphic representations of god. Nature or others
arts may surround him or her. To a Hindu yogin, states Gopinath Rao, one who has
realised self and the Universal Principle within himself, there is no need for any temple
or divine image for worship. However, for those who have yet to reach this height of
realization, various symbolic manifestations through images, idols and icons as well as
mental modes of worship are offered as one of the spiritual paths in the Hindu way of
life. This belief is repeated in ancient Hindu scriptures. For example, the Jabaladarshana
Upanishad states:
A yogin perceives god (Siva) within himself,
images are for those who have not reached this knowledge. (Verse 59)
— Jabaladarsana Upanishad,
Historical development and destruction
How and when the first temple took its birth is to anybody’s guess. Temples did not
seem to exist during Vedic period. The main object of worship was fire that stood for
God. This holy fire was lit on a platform in the open air under the sky, and oblations
were offered to the fire. It is not certain when exactly the Indo Aryans first started

22
building temples for worship. The scheme of building temples was perhaps a
concomitant idea of idol worship. God can be malevolent as well as benevolent in
nature. It is important that the temple sight symbolize is one that will exhilarate him. The
Puranas state the “The God always play near the rivers and mountains and springs”.
Sacred sites in India therefore, are usually associated with water. Shades of trees and
lakes of India are often considered to be sacred and they have heeling and purifying
powers.2
Evolution of Temples In the early ages temples were not constructed but only huts
were provided which later on got evolution till it become a solid structure. During the
inclination towards Brahmanism, the Hindu Gods needed a place for exhibition. They
thus provided simple solid structure to shelter the sacred place for worship. During
Gupta time the solid stone blocks were used to construct the temple. After this stage
the rituals became more complex. Hence it required more deities and sculptures
because of which the temple became larger in size with more elements. Evolution of
Temples in Tamil Nadu The primitive Tamil was a believer in totems. Ancestral worship
and totemic worship were insepararable and worship of the dead hero was the phase of
ancestor-worship. But these belong to a period very much anterior to the Sangam
period. Later the ideas of Godhead and modes of worship had reached a mature stage
with most of the Tamils. The aborigines believed in Gods who were supposed to reside
in the hollow of trees. The snake which resided in such hollows was a special object of
worship. The Kantu, a piece of planted log of wood was an object of worship. It served
as God and it was preferably stationed in the shade of the Banyan tree. The trees
themselves, being totems developed into religious institutions and particular trees came
to be associated with particular gods and their temples, became local trees later.
The Sangam cult centers like Kottam, Koyil and Nagar had no institutional character and
even in the transitional phase they are described as centers which people are advised to
visit for the worship of a particular deity. The references in the late and post Sangam
works to Brahmanical forms, in which bloody sacrifices of animals and birds were made
and belong to the transitional stage. The universalization of the Tinai (Land Division)
deities and the institutionalization of the cult centre as a temple with Brahmanical forms
of worship as the chief focus achieved its fruition in the early medieval period that is, in
a totally transformed socio-political context.
Bhakti was a crucial element in the evolution and spread of Puranic religion, which
emerged by the Sixth Century A.D., as a universal and formal system in the Indian
subcontinent as a whole. Bhakti Movement in the Tamil region the expansion of Vedic
religion was intrinsically linked with local and popular traditions and their interaction
with Brahmanical religion is a two way process. It was a synchronic and at times,
diachronic evolution. It would be too simplistic or facile to explain it as an interaction
between the ‘Great’ and ‘Little’ traditions. The major impact of Bhatia ideology was more
significant and it led to the expansion of the role of the temple in restructuring society

23
and economy. The temple based Bhatia was capable of developing into a transcendental
norm. 3
The societal change visible from the Sixth Century A.D., was the establishment of the
varna hierarchy, in which the Kshatriya status was assigned to the new ruling families
and the traditional ruling families, by the fabrication of impressive genealogies in the
prasastis which were composed by the Brahmanas in return for royal patronage and
land grants, with the kshatriya and the Brahman at the apex of the power structure. The
rest of society was places at the lower levels of the stratified order, with a ritual ranking
around the temple. The temple was not only the major institutional base for mobilizing
and redistributing economic resources, but also an integrative force and orbit for social
organization and the ranking of all the other occupational groups’ tribal and ethnic
groups of forests and hills. The land distribution and control through such institutions
represented by brahmadeyas and temple-nucleated settlements, to oust the so called
heterodox faiths. Brahmanical religions achieved this change through a process of
acculturation by incorporating popular and folk elements in worship and ritual, and by
assimilating tribal and ethnic groups into the social order through the temple.
The practices and traditions of temples exist not only in history but also in present time
which greatly influence the socio-cultural life of its people and gives continuity to
traditional Indian values. The evolution of Indian temple architecture is marked by a
strict adherence to the original ancient models that were derived from religious
consideration- and that continued over many centuries.4
Temples built today also adhere
to ancient principles.The fact is it will continue on this course for times to come.
Hospitals, community kitchen, monasteries
According to Kenneth G. Zysk – a professor specializing in Indology and ancient medicine,
Hindu mathas and temples had by the 10th-century attached medical care along with their
religious and educational roles. This is evidenced by various inscriptions found in Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh and elsewhere. An inscription dated to about AD 930 states the provision of a physician
to two matha to care for the sick and destitute. Another inscription dated to 1069 at a Vishnu
temple in Tamil Nadu describes a hospital attached to the temple, listing the nurses, physicians,
medicines and beds for patients. Similarly, a stone inscription in Andhra Pradesh dated to about
1262 mentions the provision of a prasutishala (maternity house), vaidya (physician),
an arogyashala (health house) and a viprasattra (hospice, kitchen) with the religious center
where people from all social backgrounds could be fed and cared for. According to Zysk, both
Buddhist monasteries and Hindu religious centers provided facilities to care for the sick and
needy in the 1st millennium, but with the destruction of Buddhist centers after the 12th century,
the Hindu religious institutions assumed these social responsibilities. According to George
Michell, Hindu temples in South India were active charity centers and they provided free meal
for wayfarers, pilgrims and devotees, as well as boarding facilities for students and hospitals for
the sick
The 15th and 16th century Hindu temples at Hampi featured storage spaces (temple
granary, kottara), water tanks and kitchens. Many major pilgrimage sites have
featured dharmashalas since early times. These were attached to Hindu temples, particularly in

24
South India, providing a bed and meal to pilgrims. They relied on any voluntary donation the
visitor may leave and to land grants from local rulers. Some temples have operated their
kitchens on daily basis to serve the visitor and the needy, while others during major community
gatherings or festivals. Examples include the major kitchens run by Hindu temples
in Udupi (Karnataka), Puri (Odisha) and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh). The tradition of sharing food
in smaller temple is typically called prasada.
5things toknow aboutvisitinga Hindutemple,Syama Allard
1) Temple etiquette
For thousands of years Hindu temples have been constructed, allowing people to immerse
themselves in an atmosphere where they can worship a particular form of God, gather with
other devotees, and become more connected to the Absolute.
Though most Hindu temples are usually open to the public, it is important to enter each one
with the understanding that it is a sacred space. Being conscious of certain etiquettes can help
one navigate the hallowed grounds of a temple respectfully.
Before entering a temple, it is generally recommended to be clean and modestly dressed. For
both men and women, this generally means not wearing shorts and keeping the shoulders
covered. Traditions can vary, however, from temple to temple. Some place a greater emphasis
on dressing simply, requiring men to be shirtless and to wear only unsewn cloth.
HOME OF THE GODS

25
Temples are like homes of the Gods. When you enter, you are a guest in that home. Before
entering a temple everyone is required to remove shoes. Sometimes this is entirely outside the
temple complex and other times at a designated space inside the complex, but before entering
the temple proper. If it’s not obvious where to do so (racks for shoes, informational signs) just
ask where to leave your shoes. Removing dirty shoes makes you cleaner, and is a sign of respect
for the proprietor whose house you are about to spend time in.
Many temples have a brass bell hanging near the entrance, which devotees ring before entering.
Like knocking on the door of a person’s home to notify them of your arrival, ringing the bell
informs the deities you’ve come to seek their association.
Paying obeisances comes next. The act of bowing down and touching the head to the ground
demonstrates and instills humility and helps to cultivate the consciousness of respect a person
should have while in a temple room.
As when visiting a friend’s home you might bring a token gift, it is common practice for Hindus
to bring a flower, fruit, or some other item as an offering to the God of the temple they’re
visiting. Though it is not required, presenting an offering is an act of service that can deepen
one’s sincere devotion.
2) Deity worship
Upon entering a temple room, one of the first things you’ll probably notice is the presence of
one or multiple statues of deities, known as murti. These deities are central to all temple
activities. Hindus believe that truly worshiping a certain God is more than just visiting the temple
once a week to atone for misdeeds and ask forgiveness. Real worship is immersive, it’s about
daily engagement of all the senses in the service of the Supreme. Though true Divinity is in
everything, and can therefore be meditated on at any time in any place, having a physical form
to worship is vital in helping employ the five senses in worship.
Murtis are made following specific scriptural guidelines, handed down through generations by
trained lineages of skilled artisans. These forms can then be installed in a temple where they are
worshipped through puja, in which a priest generally offers flowers, water, incense, some food,
and a lamp. Puja rituals are varied depending on the place. At the Jagannatha temple in Puri, for
example, skilled dancers perform for the deity as part of the offering; and at the Meenakshi
temple, where forms of Parvati and Shiva are worshipped, a fire sacrifice, in which oblations of
various grains are offered, is usually performed. The puja items are then passed around the
congregation as mercy or a blessed gift, also called prasadam.
In a temple, the deity’s form can be seen; the offered flowers and incense can be smelled; the
water and light can be felt; the food can be tasted; and the sound of the bell that is rung as puja
is being performed can be heard. In this way, all of a person’s senses can become spiritually
enlivened.

26
3) Mantra meditation and congregational chanting
Much of Hindu temple worship, the pujas and various rituals, are not usually congregational in
nature. There are no sermons or talks by a priest to those people attending the service, as you
find in other religious traditions.
However, in some temples and communities, there is one important aspect of worship that is
congregational in nature.
According to Vedic teachings, sound is the first and most subtle layer of Creation. Because of
this, mantra meditation is considered an extremely powerful way in which a person can
positively transform his or her consciousness.
The Sanskrit word “mantra,” from the roots “man” (mind) and “tra” (to deliver), can be defined as
deliverance of the mind from material suffering. As a result, mantra meditation is commonly
practiced in Hindu temples throughout the entire world. Usually counted on beads made of a
natural substance, devotees chant the names of the God they worship as a way of purifying their
thoughts, words, and actions, as well as ultimately, connecting to the Supreme.
Mantra meditation can also be applied in music. This type of chanting is called kirtan and is
practiced in a call and response fashion, having one person lead, while the rest of the
congregation follow. Through song, not only can a person call out to the Divine with even more
feeling, that person also gets the opportunity to sing in harmony with others. Sincerely crying
out to the Divine as a group creates a potent kinship that connects and uplifts people of all

27
backgrounds. If music is the universal language, then kirtan is the medium by which that
language can be powerfully utilized.
4) Temples in the home
Temples, while usually thought of as a place one has to travel to, can actually be constructed in
the home. Though community and relationships are important uplifters in one’s spiritual
development, spirituality in Hinduism is, ultimately, an individual experience. Temples can
accommodate communities, but they are meant for the individual, providing a space for a
person to take darshana or viewing of the deity in an intimate setting. This setting can be
created anywhere a person lives. All one has to do is designate a spare room, or even just a
spare space, as a place for prayer and meditation. This space can be further spiritualized by
setting up an altar — however big you like, and then placing a murti or divine image on that
altar.
The advantage of having a temple room in the house is that it provides an easily accessible
place to worship and meditate, helping one to live a more spiritually conscious life.
Remembering that God is situated in the home might also inspire a person to keep the house
clean, as well as maintain an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
5) Spiritual guidance
Daily spiritual practice, known in Hinduism as sadhana, is essential in making real progress on
the path of transcendence. Having a temple in the home might help keep one engaged, but
sometimes it can be hard to be self-disciplined. As experiencing the atmosphere of a gym where
others are working out can help inspire a person to work out, going to a temple where others
are focusing on their spiritual lives can help to inspire a person to focus more on his or her own
spiritual life.
Public temples are about more than just seeing the deity; it’s about getting the association of
people who are serious about their sadhana. Being around them motivates you to become more
serious about your sadhana as well. This association is referred to as satsang or to be in the
company of such like-minded people.
It is key to seek out someone you know is more advanced than you who is willing to impart
spiritual guidance. Instructions from advanced transcendentalists are considered invaluable on
the path of divinity. In fact, it is common practice for gurus or teachers to regularly give lectures
in temples. If you happen to step into a temple when a guru is giving a public talk, consider
sitting for a few minutes to listen. Something you hear could have a profound effect on you.
Mount Olympus: At the center of Greek mythology is the pantheon of deities who were said to
live on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. From their perch, they ruled every
aspect of human life.
Tibetan Himalayas:Tranquil-yet-ferocious according to Hindu mythology, Shiva is said to reside
at Mount Kailasa, now in the Tibetan Himalayas.. God resides in everyone! He is present in
every atom in this universe as per Hindu Mythology. Lord Vishnu is said to living in Vaikunth
Dham on The Shesh Naag in Ksheersagar (ocean of milk).

28
puruṣhaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tvananyayā
yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
The Supreme Divine Personality is greater than all that exists. Although He is all-
pervading and all living beings are situated in Him, yet He can be known only through
devotion.
GOD is un-manifest, NIRGUNA devoid of qualities and that is empty - SUNYA symbol-⊙. He is
everywhere as consciousness-energy-sound-vibrations at all Hz
Hindus worship attribute less God-⊙ with quasi-numerical attributes: ⊙-1–5–3, in three forms:
Mantra, Yantra, and Vigraha, and ordinarily believe that some of them live in their respective
abodes.
Satyaloka or Brahmaloka is the heavenly abode of Brahma and his consort Saraswati.
Yamaloka literally means ‘the world of Yama’, or Naraka is the Hindu equivalent of Hell, where
sinners are tormented after death, is also the abode of Yama, the god of Death. It is described as
located in the south of the universe and beneath the earth.
Mount Kailash (6,714 metres) is the heavenly abode of Lord Shiva, who shares this lofty peak
with his consort goddess Parvati.
Vaikuntha is an abode of Vishnu accompaniedalways by his consort goddess Lakshmi. It is the
highest state beyond all worlds and nothing else beyond it. It is guarded by the twin deities,
Jaya and Vijaya (guardians of Vishnu's realm).
Amarāvati, the capital of Indraloka (Indra's world) in Svarga, Trāyastriṃśa (Heaven of the 33),
Mount Meru;
The six most sacred abodes of Murugan are mentioned in Tamil sangam literature,
"Thirumurugatrupadai", written by Nakkeerar and in "Thiruppugazh", written by Arunagirinathar.
The abodes are Palani, Thiruthani, Swamimalai, Pazhamudircholai, Thirupparankunram and
Thiruchendur. The core concept of God in Hinduism would be brahman which is pantheism or
panentheism(depending on the school of thought). Both of these concepts make the idea of a
‘place’ for God to ‘live’ irrelevant.
The God is viewed as the universe itself transcending space and time or the universe is viewed
as a mere projection of the God. In the end, only God or brahman remains.
SO WHERE DOES GOD LIVE? In the TEMPLE?
The answer for it SWARGA, God's according to their duty live in different lokas which are all
situated in SWARGA, such are SURYA LOK, INDRA LOK, KAILASHA, VAIKUNTHA etc

29
But who really worships gods from open heart, then god will always rest in your heart, in your
opinions, in your ideas, and in your everything.
God in COVID TIMES

30
Vaikuntha Current address of Hindu Gods

Does God dwell in Hindu temples.docx

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Does God dwell in Hindu temples.docx

Similar to Does God dwell in Hindu temples.docx (20)

More from uday lokras

More from uday lokras (10)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Does God dwell in Hindu temples.docx