Message from DrTPS for Sri Ganesh Mandir – Groundbreaking
Planning and Making a temple with all the
rituals in it is part of the process of self-learning and realizing the
importance of Hinduism to ourselves, friends and relatives at large to our
community apart from sharing the experience with the coming generations who are
to take it forward. Temple and the activities around it – like puja, festivals,
religious and spiritual classes, and discussions, art, culture, etc are
important for all around us in a culturally shifted community like American
Indians as that is the way to receive, experience, learn and transfer the
age-old tradition of sanathana dharma. Not compromising on the spiritual values
and the significance we are here to follow ritual experiences from the
ground-breaking to the long-anticipated follow-up and maintenance of the temple
for the next many generations to come. When one has to take pride, let this
American community think of this Sri Ganesh Mandir as not just a temple but
tradition that is brought from native to this new world of each of the
Hindu-Indians and followers to follow the heritage and use it in this modern
life to be in bliss. I hope to see the Traditional Steps are followed in the
making of the Temple, as this will be lessons for the community and all the
generations to come.
Ground Breaking of a HINDU Temple
-AMERICANISED
– Bhumi Puja Vidhi (Prescription)
www.drtps-shiksha.in
[First part of this article is made on 28th
July 2019 on Srikanth’s request and posted to Vijaygopal for the 3rd
August 2019 Groundbreaking as tri-leaf distribution for the proposed Sri Ganesh
Mandir. Guessing - that the Gharbhakudi Puja as Sasthra Prescription is not
being done as the NE corner for the House / Shed Bhumi Puja is done and not at
the Brahmasthana. Thought of writing this edited/added version on this day
2nd August 2019, as an answer to those who were asking me the
details of Groundbreaking. It could be modified for the American way.]
Hinduism has approximately 1.1 billion adherents worldwide
(15–16% of world's population). Nepal (81.3%) and India(79.8%) are countries with Hindus being the majority of their respective
populations. There are an estimated
over 60 to 70 million Hindus who
lived outside India. In USA there are around 2,300,000 (2017) Hindus, that is
0.7% of the U.S. population.
Hinduism is by BIRTH and not adapted. Many Hindus are callow and are yet to be
schooled in the noble religion they had been born into. Hinduism is existing in
this world for past millions of years and is still relevant because of its
Values and Virtues, called SANATHANA DHARMA (meaning Chirapurathana –
Oldest of the oldest; and Most Modern – Nithya Noothana). Hindus live with the
concept of Vasudhaiva kutumbakam, "The whole world is one family"
with The Virtue of Nonviolence, The Wisdom of Tolerance, and Effective Forms of
Worship.
HINDU Gods are omnipresent as is in our Mind which
can reach-out anywhere, it is symbolic to place God in a Room, in a
Temple in shape as God is indescribable. But to permeate the concept and religious
practices to the Generations from the past, temples installed.
Hindu temples in every corner of the world offer Hindus an achievable way to
experience God's sacred presence. Divinity's presence uplifts those attending
the temple, inspiring them to bring forth and perpetuate traditional Hindu
culture in the form of sacred music, art and dance. As such, the temple becomes
the hub of religious life in the surrounding Hindu community and thus is
undeniably relevant to modern life.
Hinduism has tools, maps and guidelines for
reaching every space of human goals. Through Purusharthas (4-fold stages in
life achievements) explained in steps of Kama (desire), attaining Artha
(wealth) through Dharma (Values) to attain Moksha (Happiness) is lessons from
Temples.
First and
MOST Popular event when - HINDUISM
Discussed in the United States was Swami Vivekananda's address to
the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. He
spent two years in the United States, and lectured in several cities including
Detroit, Boston, and New York.
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 almost all of them
share certain core ideas, symbolism and themes.
HINDU Temples in AMERICA
was started by the Vedanta Society by building first informal temple in
United States (1906). Traditional Temple (Mandir) in the United
States is Shiva Murugan Temple, Concord, CA (1957) known as Palanisamy
Temple. Today there are around 500 Hindu Temples across the United States.
Hinduism is one such
religion which has a ritual for almost every occasion in a person's life. Be it
the birth of a child, marriage or buying a new house, there are certain rituals
which have to be followed without fail. One of the basic rituals which is
followed in almost all the Hindu occasions is the Havan or Homa.
HAVAN is an age-old Hindu ritual in which offerings of ghee, googol,
sugar and other saamaagri are offered into the sacred fire to the accompaniment
of Sanskrit mantras. Fire is the central element of this "sacrifice
ritual" because the fire destroys the offering (HAVIS). Fire has been
regarded as The Prime God - SUN. Hence, the offerings made to the sacred fire
is said to purify the surroundings as well as the individuals. The sacred fire
is supposed to be the link between human consciousness and the cosmic consciousness.
A Havan is performed with the aim to achieve material as well as spiritual
success.
Purpose
of Havan According to the scientific theory, matter can neither be created nor
destroyed. It can be only transformed from one form to another. Therefore,
whatever is offered to the fire in a Havan is transformed from a material form
to non-material form and is said to directly reach the divine spirits.
The process of BHOOTHA-SUDDHI (purification) of the TATWAS
(material elements) is what is attained through HAVAN, thereby transforming
one’s thoughts and behavior (Anger, Rash, irrational thinking etc.) to Calm,
Tranquil and place the individual as a Citizen in the society in BLISS, which
offers a brighter DAILY LIFE.
As part of the BHOOMI
POOJA (Ground-Breaking) major POOJA is for the brahmasthana /Garbhagraha (the
main shrine) where the seat of the presiding Deity will be placed. At the base
of the foundation of the brahmasthana, located at the station of Brahma on the
vastu-purusha-mandala, a ritual called the garbhadhana. The ritual
is to invite the soul of the temple to enter within the building to construct.
During this ritual, a golden box is placed in the earth as part of the
ground-breaking ceremony. The box is ritualistically filled with the presence
of the corresponding God/Goddesses planned to be installed as the main Deity.
At times the NAVARATNA (diamond, emerald, ruby, pearl, yellow sapphire, blue
sapphire, red coral, cats-eye and jade) too posted within as symbolically it is
representing the energy of God in which the universe rests in space. The nine
jewels invoke the astrological influence of the nine planets. A gold lid with
the seven continents of the earth engraved on it is placed on top of the box
following which the agnihotra, or sanctification ceremony. During the agni-hotra, the priest offers clarified butter, the symbol of
religious principles, into the fire, which represents the mouth of the Cosmic
Being. Along with the offering of clarified butter five types of grains-rice,
wheat, barley, rye, and dhal, are also offered with the chanting of mantras. The
set of priests includes from Rig-Yajur-Sama Veda Traditions as they have the
role of direction-Performance-explanation.
Special on this 2019 August 3rd Sri Ganesh Mandir Groundbreaking
- arrangements are made for -
· Public to Support and Energize
the Main Pooja through Maha Ganapathi Homa Yajna.
· Family Havan that will
contribute into the Main Havan by performing for a Ghati (Nazhika) which is 24
minutes.
· Any material activity requires
funding and as part of the remembrance of the contributors we have the BRICK
OFFERING that will be part of the temple wall to mark a thanksgiving for their
contribution.
· Today is the day for you to
assure yourself as part of this great event as volunteers to spark in making the
great dream realizes with your prayers and contribution.
For and behalf of
Sri Ganesh Mandir, HSSI,
Columbus, Indiana, USA
-----------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------
These steps explained below are
to make a house / shed and then make the temple within the building as per the
tradition.
-
STHAPATHI / Yajaman for the
PROGRAM is to be the person to guide the whole process -
VASTHU PUJA –
Items required -
1. coconuts [with husk if possible]
bananas
2. Seasonal Fruits 5 kinds
3. betel leaves
4. betel nuts (whole)
5. Yellow mustard seeds Kumkum
6. flowers
7. camphor
8. rice [white]
9. matches or lighter
10.
incense sticks
11.
Sweet (mitai) or halwa Yoghurt
12.
Black gram (boiled)
13.
mango leaves - unblemished (washed) 5 paper towels (or hand
towels) 1 roll Banana leaves 1
14.
3 liters of water (if tap not available)
15.
large mat to sit on
16.
a few large trays and large bowls bag for rubbish
A poojari/priest and three
associates from vedic tradition, viz., rig, yajur, sama to be part of the
rituals.
BHUMI PUJA / Groundbreaking
Request forgiveness of mother
earth as we are troubling the nature and breaking the harmony
Request forgiveness for disturbing
the BHOOTHA (many creatures whose home we are disturbing.
requesting spirits to leave the
site and allow us to build the house and live in peace.
VASTU SHANTI
— once the construction is done, on
moving in to use the house, this can be done.
Pratama-Ishtika
/ Corner Stone Laying
The first stone for the Temple structure.
It could be done for both the building
and also the temple brahmasthana / Sikhara/Gopuram/Kumbham/kalasam/dome/mandapam.
If the side wall inside the house as a Brahmasthana is made - The
towers (vimanas) that rise over
the main place to install God, is to be taken as the temple
AS and when the temple is being made inside / on mainland – for
the Garbhakudi / Brahmasthana – do – SHILA KARMA (NYASA)as is the
Pratama-Ishtika Karma is done
—
laying of the foundation stones. Once excavated the land to perform this
ceremony.
- sanctify 5 bricks and place them in the
corners and center of the foundation.
- lay five metals (pancha-loha) and also
the nava-ratna.
- Do a slab on this and construct on this
Garbhanyasam
A golden box containing avahana manthra
written + valuable gems (Navaratna) + sanctified herbs and grains - place
underneath the Vigraha before installation; symbolic Garbhadharana (birth of
the spiritual energy – embyon – consumed from the nature)
Dwaara
Staapana / DOOR Installation
Keeping the Door – is the pulling of the Human
Leg as the birth is in Process. Rajagopuram (royal gateway) can be the main entry / specific to the
mandapam / gharbhakudi.
Nayanonmilanam is for opening the eyes of new idols
Panchagavya-Jala-Dhana-Dhanya-Athi-Vasam
All the deities to be installed are to be
covered in all these from the time it is brought in and till it is installed to
be placed in sleeping position
Panchagavyam
Preferably running water
gems, paddy
INSTALATION - place at designated location
Homas (doing different havan as per Agama
Sastra) and Poornahuti (final pouring to the agni) and place the vigraha.
ASHTABANDHANAM
Ashta-Bandhanam means tying or
fixing on all the 8 sides - an icon to its pedestal (peetham) with a clay-like
paste made of 8 specific herbs mixed with wood lac, limestone powder, resin,
red ochre, beeswax and butter. The paste is formed into long rolls about
2 cm thick and applied directly around the base of the icon, so that the
cemented joints become watertight. This process is believed to keep the icon
rejuvenated for a period of 12 years. When the Bandhanam is performed
with gold (Swarnabandhanam), the rejuvenating power of the deity is believed to
last for a period of 100 years.
The '''Ashtabandhanam' paste is pliable like rubber. Through repeated
interactions with abhishekha dravyams - materials used to bathe the
icon during daily worship like water, milk, buttermilk, sandal paste and oils -
and atmospheric oxidants, the paste loses its flexibility, becomes rigid
and gets riddled with a lot of fissures. Through these fissures, the abhisheka
dravyams percolate and attack the Yantra embedded under
the peetham, obliterating the Bijaksharamantras-- mantras of
sacred syllables (bija) -- that are inscribed on the Yantra, and this is
believed to contribute to the lowering of the pranic spiritual power of the
deity with the passage of time.
PRANAPRATHISHTA/ Murti Sthapana
Prana (life force / breath) and Pratiṣṭhā (resting / position/installed/consecrated)
of an idol or image means- bringing life
to the temple.
Traditionally, this was the step when the eye of the sculptured idol
is opened inside the garbhagriha (Purusha space of the temple).
Samprokshanam
/ Kumbhabhishekham / consecration
Nuutana Alaya Ashta Bandhana Maha Samprokshanam is called AVARTHAM.
Pouring the water from top to the stoopa is to enargise, homogenize,
synergize, get united to nature with the unique mystic powers of the
deity.
Kumbha/Shikhara/Crown/Stoopa/Gopuram
Giving Bath is Abhisekham/Prokshanam
Message from DrTPS for Sri Ganesh Mandir – Groundbreaking
Planning and Making a temple with all the
rituals in it is part of the process of self-learning and realizing the
importance of Hinduism to ourselves, friends and relatives at large to our
community apart from sharing the experience with the coming generations who are
to take it forward. Temple and the activities around it – like puja, festivals,
religious and spiritual classes, and discussions, art, culture, etc are
important for all around us in a culturally shifted community like American
Indians as that is the way to receive, experience, learn and transfer the
age-old tradition of sanathana dharma. Not compromising on the spiritual values
and the significance we are here to follow ritual experiences from the
ground-breaking to the long-anticipated follow-up and maintenance of the temple
for the next many generations to come. When one has to take pride, let this
American community think of this Sri Ganesh Mandir as not just a temple but
tradition that is brought from native to this new world of each of the
Hindu-Indians and followers to follow the heritage and use it in this modern
life to be in bliss. I hope to see the Traditional Steps are followed in the
making of the Temple, as this will be lessons for the community and all the
generations to come.
