Divinity can be easily expressed in certain ways. Yes, divinity can be easily expressed in certain ways like offering donations for a noble cause, performing divine discourses, performing marriages in the temples and singing divine songs in praise of the almighty.
DONATIONS
Let’s distribute plenty of rice bags to temples and to charitable institutions. Nowadays, afternoon Annadanam is being provided in most of the Hindu temples on a daily basis. We can distribute rice bags to temples like Arupadai Murugan Temples, Mantralayam, Shirdi Temple, Ayyappan Temples, Guruvayur Krishna Temple, Udupi Krishna Temple, T.T.D Temple and to the various small and big temples scattered all over India. Rice bags can also be distributed to charitable institutions, since donations made to orphanages, old aged homes and to special institutions are considered as a sacred activity.
In the holy Mantralayam Temple, daily about thousands of devotees are being provided with free food, and for that, they need large quantities of rice bags. The administration of the Mantralayam Temple is carried out in a nice manner, and even during the times of scarcity of food grains, they are able to manage it in a wonderful manner by utilising the interest amount derived from the Annadana Fixed Deposit Schemes. The great saint Guru Raghavendra, who was once suffered from starvation, gives his helping hands to all of his devotees, by the way of providing free food to all the pilgrims who visit the holy Mantralayam Temple.
During Guru Raghavendra Aradhana Festival days, devotees of Guru Raghavendra would donate rice bags in huge quantities to various branches of Raghavendra Mutts. For several years, I have also donated rice bags to Guru Raghavendra Swamy Temple, Ayanavaram and to the Perambur branch Temple.
Annam Parabrahma Swaroopam, food contains the features of the god. Food only relieves our hunger and gives more power to discharge our daily activities. Without having food, our mind would become dull, and in course of time, we would have to die out of starvation.
Rice is the main thing for cooking our food. Without taking rice, even for a single day, we would feel somewhat uneasy, and our stomach would ask us to provide food on it. Annam means rice, which denotes the food goddess, Ma Annapoorna. By worshipping Ma Annapoorna and by the way of donating rice bags for the noble cause, would keep our body and mind strong, and we would never suffer from any kind of diseases. Once if we keep donating rice bags, our holy mother, Annapurna would become very happy with us, and she would shower her permanent blessings on us.
LET’S SPEND SOME MONEY TOWARDS PURCHASE OF THE IDOLS OF THE DEITIES
Let’s spend some money towards purchasing the idols of the deities, since the idols are eagerly waiting for us to take them to our homes, like the child which cheerfully waits for its parent to take care of it! We can also keep the idols of the deities at our puja room, but we have to maintain it properly, by cleaning it frequently. Holy bath can be done to these deities, by considering them as our sweet babies. In my home, we have a small Annapurna Idol, Guru Raghavendra Swamy Idol, Vinayaka Idol and the Gomatha Idol. Daily we used to perform milk bath to those Idols in order to express our bhakti and love on them.
Some people are getting afraid of keeping the Shiva Lingam idol at their homes. We can also buy a nice small Shiva Lingam idol and we can also keep it in our puja room, but at the same time, we have to observe perfect cleanliness while handling those holy items. Nowadays, lot of people wore the Holy Rudrakshas on their neck, but, we don’t know, whether they would keep it clean! Some non-Brahmins are observing perfect cleanliness while handling the idols at their puja room, even than that of the Brahmins, due to their sincerity, purity and clarity. God is apart from caste, creed, gender and religion, and whoever is interested to worship him in any form, whether in the form of picture, idol or even in formless nature he would accept it wilfully, based on our bhakti!
Kings like Rajaraja Cholan and Rajendra Cholan were belonged to Kshatriya Caste and though they were born as Non-Brahmins, but their love and dedication on Lord Shiva is greater than that of the Brahmins. Even the Brahmin Priests and the Brahmin Scholars must have to bow their heads before these great Kings.
Most of the ancient kings used to worship the deities in the form of idols in their palaces, even though they used to worship the deities in the temples. It is also believed that those who keep the deities idols in their homes would be well-protected by the great almighty, and those people need not worry about any evil spirits or from black magic problems.
Hence it is always highly recommended to keep some idols of the deities in our homes, apart from the colourful pictures of the deities, since by the way of doing like that we could express our pure bhakti before the almighty. If we are able to buy hundreds of unwanted articles in our home, then, why can’t we buy some useful articles like the idols of the deities, to decorate it in our homes?
We should always keep it in our mind that idols would always act as our best companion, especially during the times of loneliness!
DIVINE DISCOURSES MUST BE HEARD BY US AND WE MUST HAVE TO GIVE PROPER RECOGNITION TO IT
Divine discourses based on the life history of the Saints like Guru Raghavendra, Shirdi Saibaba, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Guru Ramana must be held at the temples in order to torch the spiritual light to the people. These divine saints have lighted lamps and still they are lighting lamps in the lives of their devotees.
Most of the people think that only by the way of reading the great epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavatham, they would get the blessings of the god. But, apart from reading these divine texts, we must also read the life history of the saints like Guru Raghavendra, Shirdi Saibaba, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Guru Ramana. Rich devotees and highly influential devotees must come forward to arrange spiritual discourses about saints in temples, social welfare institutions, hospitals, special institutions like orphanages, old age homes and physically and mentally challenged homes. These pious saints act as a mediator between us and the god. Guru Raghavendra still meditates from his Mantralayam shrine only for our welfare, the great Shirdi Saibaba still performs innumerable miracles in the lives of his devotees, Bhagavan Ramakrishna blesses his devotees by the way of removing their sins and diseases. Guru Ramana blesses us in the form of Lord Shiva himself, since he has merged with Lord Shiva after his death.
Lot of good things could be known, once if we hear the life history of the saints, by the way of hearing it in the form of discourses, and due to that, Devotees would be able to know about them well, and at least some of them, would be able to follow their foot-steps in order to climb up in the spiritual ladder. Young children must be motivated to read the life history of the saints, in order to shine well in their future life. Lot of YouTube Videos must be published in the Internet Platform about the life history of the saints. At the tough present situation, even if gods and goddesses didn’t come to rescue us from troubles, but, the kind saints would come fast to rescue us from troubles, and also would hug us, like our own affectionate mother.
PERFORMANCE OF MARRIAGES IN TEMPLES
It is a very good act to conduct marriages in the temples like Tirumala Temple, Mantralayam Temple, and in various other temples situated in India. Even the marriages can be conducted in small temples, based on the financial position of the bride and the groom. For performing marriages in big temples, some requirements need to be fulfilled such as filling the marriage application, paying the prescribed fee for booking marriage halls and also for procuring the holy things required for marriage purpose. But usually in most of the temples, the temple management would charge only a lesser amount for arranging the marriage ceremony by considering the financial status of the bride. Food is also being provided in most of the temples, for the visitors of the marriage function, at an affordable rate. The newly wedded couple would definitely have a pleasant feeling in their mind, and it would continue till their death, if they get married in the Holy places.
Some temples would also arrange the priest for conducting marriages to the poor people, whereas some temples would ask the marriage parties to fetch their own priest for doing marriage related services in the marriage hall. People can also conduct their auspicious marriage function at Mantralayam, since few marriage halls are also available at Mantralayam Temple at moderate rates, and they can also have a glimpse of our holy Guru Raghavendra Swamy.
In most of the marriages, lot of money are being spent, especially by the bride’s family. In order to avoid such things, the bride’s parents can approach any one of the temple management, and can pay the prescribed amount for performing their marriage. For poor people, some charitable institutions like the Navajeevan Blind Relief Centre in Tirupati are even sponsoring for the Holy Mangal Sutra expenses, and those who are economically backward, but willing to organise marriage for their children, can approach such kind of institutions, in order to get some monetary support during the time of their children’s marriages.
Still now dowry issues are rising day by day, and though the governments and the judicial authorities are doing their level best to stop such kind of nuisances, yet, the issues are not being fully sorted out, due to the bad mentality of some people. The newly wedded bride and the bridegroom, before starting their family life, must first understand each other, be prepared to adjust, and they also must adopt the “GIVE AND TAKE POLICY”, in addition to that, they must read the Divine marriage functions of Indra-Indrani, Chandra-Rohini, Prahalada-Devi, Meenakshi-Sundareswarar and Srinivasa-Padmavati from the spiritual websites. Nobody is going to live for a thousand years, and by thinking about our short life span in our mind, we must lead a happy, adjustable and a peaceful married life.
Our life is short, hence, let us make it smart.
DIVINE SONGS IN PRAISE OF THE ALMIGHTY
Some of the verses from the Holy Text Thiruvasagam Songs are as follows:-
Lord Shiva who is the king of the entire universe, is adorned with flowers on his hair, adorns snakes on his neck, and he showers abundant love and affection on us. Let us joyfully dance and dance and praise him by the way of singing glorious Songs about him. Instead of cultivating bad habits, let us tightly hold the lotus feet of Lord Shiva, and let us think only about him. Let us get rid from worldly illusions in order to reach the holy feet of Lord Shiva.
We are all the servants of Lord Shiva, hence, let us leave enjoying the worldly pleasures, let us get rid from this perishable human body, and let us take a divine form in order to enter into the abode of Lord Shiva.
Let Lord Shiva removes our sins and diseases, and let him wilfully take us to his abode.
Those who are desirous of reaching the holy feet of Lord Shiva must have to cultivate lot of Shiva Bhakti, in order to get rid from the chain of repeated birth cycles in this difficult world.
Oh Lord Shiva, the five faced god, you are greater than Lord Shiva and Vishnu, who have not seen your full divine form. There is no word to express your wonderful features. You are the most powerful god and you used to perform your duties in an excellent manner.
Let us sanctify Lord Shiva by the way of offering flowers to his Shiva Lingam and let us do this holy act forever in our life.
Some of the songs in praise of Lord Muruga are as follows:-
Oh my Dear Muruga, Give your full support, Oh the holy consort of Valli and Devasena,
you are the chief among the gods, you are very merciful, compassionate and affectionate towards your devotees, your face appears similar to the full moon, and we want to listen to your honey dipped, sweetened speech again and again.
Oh my Dear Muruga, the great warrior god, whose beauty cannot be described even by your parent Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati, whose tender feet is always worshipped by the celestials like Kubera, Indra, Surya, Brahma, Chandra, Agni and Vayu, and your name and fame is spread throughout the world through Deva Rishi Narada.
Oh my Dear Muruga, you are the source of everything in the world, through your divine look, even the dreaded diseases and the sins of your devotees would be removed.
Oh my Dear Muruga, you contain the wonderful weapon spear on your hand, you are showing your utmost grace on your devotees, and your wonderful divine plays resemble to that of Lord Krishna.
Oh my Dear Muruga, you are the one who act as a best guardian to Lord Devendra,
and you have removed his sorrow, by killing the dreaded demon Surapadman.
Oh my Dear Muruga, you are wearing a diamond crown filled with full of pearls, and your ear rings glitters like that of fire, and your stunning beauty shakes everybody.
Oh my Dear Muruga, those chant your names and Mantras, would get all sorts of prosperity in their lives, those who takes bath on the holy pond of your temples, would be considered as taking bath in the Holy Ganges water itself, those who eat your wonderful Prasad in the temples, would get the same taste of the Holy divine nectar.
Oh my Dear Muruga, those who call you from any part of the world, would be protected by you immediately. Those who do charity work on your name, would live like the wealth god Kubera in their life.
Oh my Dear Muruga, those who keep you on their soul, would become your most favourite devotees. Those who grant flowers to you at your temples would be protected by you, those who dedicate their entire life on worshipping you, would become your true Devotees.
Oh my Dear Muruga, by worshipping you heartily, even the dumb would be able to speak, deaf would be able to hear, blind would be able to see, lame would be able to walk, poor would become rich, sorrows would turn into happiness, and totally, your devotees would lead a heavenly life in this earth itself.
“OM SRI VELMURUGA NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR