---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rajaram Krishnamurthy <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2021 at 10:03
Subject: Re: [iyer123] QUES ANSW DIVINE30
To: iyer <[email protected]>
Cc: Patty Thatha <[email protected]>, Kerala Iyer <
[email protected]>
Pranam
AGAMAS
1 What is Agama? 23years back Mr G defined it as rituals written by
ancestors, revealing his poor know-how. The problem is not writing 4 lines
but writing the line in for the change of phase of the earth, which is
neither believed by the shishya or His Guru who live for the sake of it.
There are so many Agamas. The Shaiva Agama perceives its texts were
generated from Shiva as:—From Shiva to Devi, from Devi to Nandhi, from
Nandhi to Brahma, from Brahma to Rishi and from Rishi to human beings.
(Kamika Agama) :The Agamas represent an independent class of writing by
very early seers, who had an inward experience and enlightenment from the
Supreme Being, and who were also perhaps influenced by the Vedas in their
original form. They had realized in their lives and thoughts the general
truths taught by the early Upanisads. So far as Saivism is concerned, these
seers were not men from the North. They were essentially representatives of
All India and they reflected in their thoughts, modes of meditation and
worship, and in their writing, the inherent Theism of the South. The Agamas
claim Vedic authority for their doctrines. The agama doctrines are indeed
theistic and such theism is not foreign to the Upanishads. (So it is not
mere ritual rules and the error is glaring).
The Agamas texts in Sanskrit that were concerned primarily with
*sādhana*, ritual and spiritual practice, were also considered part of the
body of revealed scripture. The contents of the Āgamas generally had a
four-fold *pada*, division or structure: 1) *jṅāna*, knowledge; 2) *yoga*,
techniques of meditation; 3) *kriyā*, architectural and iconographie
making, and associated rituals; and 4) *carya*, performance of daily
worship, as well as code of religious conduct. All tending towards the
forms of practices of the vedic culture and never , mere rules. The
*āgamas* are
said to have originated from the five faces of Śiva. At the time of
creation, Maheśa emanated the *āgamas* from his five faces in order to
establish the four Puruṣārthas (*dharma*, *artha*, *kāma*, *mokṣa*) in the
world. Śaivāgama-lekha-sarvasvam recounts a declaration by Śiva that he
uttered both the Veda and Āgama even before the creation of the world.
In his Īśvarapratyabhijñāvimarśinī, Abhinavagupta understands
scriptures in such a way that all scriptures, possess validity in their own
sphere. He broadly defines religious scripture (*āgama*) as a verbal
designation (*śabdanarūpa*) consisting in the extremely firm (
*draḍhīyastama*) reflective awareness (*vimarśa*) that occurs within an
individual knower. In other words, any group of words that can assist a person
in coming to some kind of awareness within himself is an Āgama. Āgama (आगम) is
also popularly explained as a compound of *āgatam* + *gatam* + *matam*,
meaning that which came from the face of Śiva, was received by Girijā and
which serves as the code for *śivabhaktas* (cf. Introduction to
Kāraṇāgama). They
are followed by *Vaiṣṇavites*, *Śaivaites *and *Śāktās *respectively. Agama
has three parts, Mantra, Tantra and Yantra. Āgama (आगम).—1 Coming,
arrival, approach, appearance. {courtesy: A his
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/a-history-of-indian-philosophy-volume-5>tory
of Indian Philosophy vol 5, Southern Schools of Śaivism by Surendranath
Dasgupta | 1955 }
2 Saraswati temple: Yesterday it was asserted that there is only one
in Koothanoor and today it is many as Saradha. The contradictions galore
because of finding matter to cut and paste without analysis and
questioning.
3 Q8 and 9 again thoughtless mechanical actions in not ascertaining and
analysing before inking and presenting as if he does not want to change the
world but keep all of them under opium, as his Gurunatha advocated. Now Adi
shankara in Kanchi and add on at Kedarnath. Which is likely to be correct?
The greatness of the Kamakshi Temple is not just the only one
Shakthi temple; it has a great plan of architecture, committed by the
builders which stands a Yardstick of town planning.
Counted among one of the Shakti Peethas, this is the place where the
Navel or Nabhi of Goddess Sati fell when Lord Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra
touched Goddess Sati’s body.
The temple is also believed as the center of the earth or eastern
hemisphere. There is a belief that after taking birth for killing Asur
Bhandasur, Devi sat here taking “Kanya Swarupa.” The idol is “Swayambhu,”
which signifies it has appeared and not created.
Goddess Kamakshi created the mud idol of Lord Shiva in Kanchi to
worship him. To test her worship, Lord Shiva incarnated himself as Kamba
River that has high tides. But the Goddess did not let the mud idol erode
away in tides. She grasped it closely with her hands. She also prayed on a
needle tip that is surrounded by 5 fires (Panchakagni) to free her from the
livelihood interest. Lord Shiva became happy with her worship and married
her. There are various Shiva temples in Kanchi, but “Sri Kamakshi Amman
Temple” is the only one with the Goddess Sanctorum. Eight Shakti Goddesses
also surround the temple.
There was a standing image of Kamakshi Devi in Gold. This is a pose in
which she prayed and is called Bangaru Kamakshi. An attack was expected at
the temple, so the image in Gold gets shifted to Thanjavur.
Lord Shiva and Vishnu surround Kamakshi temple situated in the heart of
Kanchipuram. On one side, there are various Shiva temples and few Vishnu
temples and is referred as big or Shiva Kanchi. The other side of the
Kamakshi temple has big Vishnu temples and some Shiva temples too. This
side is known as small or Vishnu Kanchi.
Seven Gotras priests called Shastri’s can worship here. But, only two
priests worship here and the rest five worship at Thanjavur Kamakshi temple.
The sanctum of the Goddess remained very hot that signifies her Raudra
Rup. It was only after Adi Shankara pacified her that she came in her
peaceful form. Adi Shankara also wrote “Saundra Lahiri” here.
* “Mookan,”* a dumb devotee visited the temple and begged Goddess for
freeing him from dumbness. He wanted to perform poems in the praise of
Goddess. She freed him from dumbness and gave him the power to think and
create poetry. He also wrote poetry “Mookapanchashati” in 500 verses
praising about the Goddess beauty and grace.
The main sanctum of Goddess Kamakshi is known as Gayatri Mandapa, where
she is sitting in a Padmasana posture that resembles “Lotus.” Her Aasan
(seat) is Panch Brahmasan. In her four arms, she holds Sugarcane bow and
Lotus, and divine chakras Pasa and Angusa.
You can also see Yoni shaped carvings in front of Goddess Kamakshi
idol. Sri Chakra is there inside it. As per scriptures, Devi sits on the
top Bindu, and 8 Vagdevis are there around Sri Chakra. Sri Chakra carved in
stone is difficult to see, as it is always covered with fresh pink lotus
flowers. Adi Shankara wrote “Saundrya Lahiri,” a famous work on Kamakshi
Devi here. Sanctum’s four walls represent four Vedas, and Gayatri Mandap’s
24 pillars represent Gayatri Chhandas 24 letters. You can also see Arupa
Lakshmi and Varahi on the main idols left side. Vishnu and Swarupa Lakhsmi
are on the right side of the idol. *Bilvadwaram * is the name of the door
that leads to the main sanctum.
4 Wives of SUN: In the *Rigveda
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigveda>* (c. 1200-1000 BCE), which is the
earliest narrative about the Chhaya-prototype. After the birth of
twins to Vivasvan
(Surya), his consort Saranyu - the daughter of Vishwakarma
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishwakarma> - abandons him and flees in the
form of a mare. The divine Saranyu places in her place a woman called
*Savarna* ("same-kind"): similar to Saranyu, but mortal, unlike the later
*Purana*s where Chhaya is a mere shadow of Saranyu. Savarna has no children
by Surya. (500 BCE) *Rigveda* by Yaska in his *Nikuta* says that Manu (the
progenitor of mankind, called Savarni Manu in later Puranic text) was born
to Savarna. While the original text says "they" (interpreted as the gods)
substituted Savarna for Saranyu, Yaksa's *Nikuta* tells that Saranyu
created Savarna and substituted her. *Brhad devata* calls the prototype of
Chhaya as *Sadrisha* ("look-alike"), a woman who looked like Saranyu.
*Sadrsha* begot Manu by Surya, who became a royal sage. By the time
of the *Harivamsa
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harivamsa>* (c. 5th century CE), an appendix
of the epic *Mahabharata <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata>*;
Saranyu is called Sanjna and her double is reduced to her shadow or
reflection Chhaya. It narrates that Sanjna, after giving birth to three
children of the Sun, abandons him, and leaves Chhaya - who she creates by
illusion - to take care of her children. Surya mistakes Chhaya for Sanjna
and begets Manu by her. As Manu looked just like his father, he was called
Savarni Manu. When Chhaya, also called *parthvi* ("earthly") Sanjna, became
partial to her own son and ignored those of Sanjna, Yama
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama_(Hinduism)> threatened her by raising
his foot. Chhaya casts a curse on Yama that his legs would fall away, but
Surya reduced this curse so that some parts of Yama's legs would fall and
would be consumed by worms on earth. Upon discovery of this, Surya
threatens Chhaya, and she discloses the story of her creation; whereafter
Surya finds Sanjna and brings her back. The text also states that Shani was
a brother of Savarni Manu.
These verses shall be understood as allegory. Yesterday Navagraha
write up is all pure science explained by the Rishis in their words as one
to one relative whereby the characters and movements and locations are all
explained. Even In Astrological tables or Jataka one can always see Mercury
(bhudan), SUN (surya) and Venus (Sukra) together in one house and/or in
adjacent houses only and never parted far off. Here also Chaya is a shadow
created by Sun and Saranyu @ Sanjana as reflections are words of science,
attributed as wives. Pama is lotus and awaiting the SUN to blossom is
poetic and never ever anywhere said as wife of SUN in the scriptures
including the Padma Puranam.
On Mon, 25 Oct 2021 at 17:35, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> *QUES ANSW DIVINE 30*
>
>
> *Dear friends, *
>
>
> *These are information posted by members compiled as QA by me in
> 1998’s-2000’s and stored in my computer. At this date I have no information
> of the members posted. *
>
> *Being compilation there may be errors. I am emphasising once again these
> are information posted very early by members.... *
>
> * Posted by R Gopala krishnan,78 ,on 25-10-2021*
>
> *Q1 What are Agamas?*
>
> *A1 The word Agama means tradition. The Agamas are a body of ancient
> Indian texts dealing with all rituals and ceremonies to be observed in
> temples. *
>
> *The Agamas deal with rules as to how each iconic representation of
> divinity (archa murthy) is to be conceived, constructed and worshipped.*
>
> *Q2 Name the famous Maratha ruler who has visted the Kalikambal temple
> <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/kalikambal.html> at Chennai ?*
>
> *A2 The Kalikambal temple
> <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/kalikambal.html> at Chennai in
> Tamilnadu is visited by thousands throughout the year. The deity here is
> believed to have been worshipped by Chattrapati Shivaji during his tour of
> the region *
>
> *Of the numerous temples that line the southern meteropolis of Chennai,
> the Kalikambal temple in the heart of old Madras, in George Town stands out
> for its historic significance and its tradition of festivals, and it
> attracts thousands of devotees throughout the year. *
>
> *Q3 Name the famous sakthipeetams in Maharashtra and Gaya*
>
> *A3 The Mahalakshmi temple at Kolhapur
> <http://www.templenet.com/Maharashtra/kolhapur.html> in Maharashtra is
> revered as one of the Shakti Peethams of India. *
>
> *Mangala Gowri temple at Gaya This Upa Shakti Peetha
> <http://www.templenet.com/Ganga/gaya03.html> temple enshrining Devi at Gaya
> is a center of tantric worship.*
>
> *Q4 Name the famous sakthipeetams in Kerala and their speciality*
>
> *A4 The Bhagawati temple at Chotanikkara in Kerala is a well visited
> temple, enshrining Rajarajeswari
> <http://www.templenet.com/Kerala/chotranik.html> a manifestation of
> Mahakali, Maha Saraswati and Mahalakshmi*
>
> *The Bhagawati temple at Kodungallur
> <http://www.templenet.com/Kerala/kodungall.html> in Kerala is an ancient
> one, enshrining Kali - also believed to be a manifestation of Kannagi of
> the celebrated Tamil epic Silappadikaram*
>
> *Q5 Name the famous sakthipeetams in farther North and farther south of
> India*
>
> *A5 The Vaishnao Devi <http://www.templenet.com/Himalaya/vaishnao.html>
> temple in the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the
> Kanyakumari <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/kumari.html> temple in the
> southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent have both been centers of
> Shakti worship for centuries*
>
> *Q6 Name the famous Mahalekshmi temples in India*
>
> *A6 The Mahalakshmi temple at Kolhapur
> <http://www.templenet.com/Maharashtra/kolhapur.html> in Maharashtra
> regarded as a Shakti Peetham, and the Rangalakshmi or Ranganayaki shrine at
> Sree Rangam <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/df001.html>, one of the
> foremost Vaishnavite <http://www.templenet.com/desam.htm> centers, are two
> of the prominent shrines to Mahalakshmi.*
>
> *Q7 Where do we have famous Saraswathi temples?*
>
> *A7 Sharada Devi - at the Sringeri
> <http://www.templenet.com/Karnataka/sringeri.html> Sankara Peetham is
> hailed as the embodiment of wisdom. There is a modern temple to Saraswathi
> <http://www.templenet.com/Western/birla04.html> at Pilani in Rajasthan.
> There are shrines to Saraswathi in several temples all over South India
> like Panachikkadu in Kerala etc.*
>
> *My note- At Kaaladi also there is a Sharada Devi temple in Kerala*
>
> *Q8 What is the speciality of Siva temples in Kanchipuram?*
>
> *A8 There are no shrines to Ambal, in any of the shrines to Shiva in
> Kanchi. Kamakshi is considered to be wholly present in Kanchipuram, as the
> only Ambal shrine.*
>
> *It is believed that Kamakshi was originally a Ugra Swaroopini, and that
> Aadi Sankaracharya, upon establishing the Sri Chakra, personified her as
> the Shanta Swaroopini (see also Akhilandeswari at Tiruvanaikkaval
> <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s031.html>).*
>
> *Q9 Do at Kanchipuram Sankaracharya attained Samadhi?*
>
> *A9 There is Legend that Kanchipuram is the seat of the Kanchi Kamakoti
> Peetham also established by Adi Sankaracharya. *
>
> *It is believed that Sankaracharya attained samadhi at Kanchipuram,
> although another school of thought holds that Kedarnath
> <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s107.html> in the Himalayas is the site
> of his samadhi.*
>
> *Q10 What is the speciality of Chottanikkara temple?*
>
> *A10 Chottanikkara enshrines Bhagawati - the mother Goddess, one of the
> most popular deities in Kerala. The town of Chotanikkara is located near
> the city of Ernakulam. Enroute is the Poornatrayesa temple at Tripunittura.*
>
> *The Deity: Rajarajeswari is the presiding deity here. The image of
> Bhagawati (Rajarajeswari) is of laterite; untouched by the human sculptor,
> this image is of irregular shape. and is covered with a golden kavacam. The
> image has four arms. The upper right holds the discus, the left a conch. *
>
> *This deity is worshipped in three different forms - as Saraswati in the
> morning - draped in white, as Bhadrakali at noon draped in crimson, and as
> Durga in the evening decked in blue *
>
> *Adjacent to this image in the sanctum is an image of Vishnu in granite.
> Vishnu and Bhagawati together are referred to as Lakshminarayana. *
>
> *The prayers here address the deity as Amme Narayana, Devi Narayana and
> Lakshmi Narayana*
>
> * Interestingly, the image here is not fixed to the ground and is mounted
> on loose sand. Water offered during ablution ceremonies percolates
> underground. *
>
> *Q11 Where do we have Sastha enshrined with his concorts in kerala ?*
>
> *A11 In the trippoonithura temple. There is also a shrine to Sastha
> depicting him with his consorts Purna and Pushkala.*
>
> *My note- The Achhankovil temple on hill top with sharp hairpin bends, the
> Lord Dharmasastha is enshrined with his wives Poorna and Pushkala. The
> buses are from Shenkotta, though the temple is in Kerala state. *
>
> *Q12 Who have made extensive contributions to this shrine Chamundeeswari ?*
>
> *A12 Chamundeeswari the tutelary deity of the Mysore Maharajas has been
> held in reverence for centuries, and the Wodeyars of Mysore have made
> extensive contributions to this shrine. *
>
> *Q13 What is the speciality of Pillayaarpatti
> <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/karppill.html> temple near Karaikkudi?*
>
> *A13 Pillayaarpatti <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/karppill.html>
> near Karaikkudi in Tamilnadu houses an ancient temple with a rock cut
> shrine to Ganesha, Karpaka Vinayakar. It is rich in festivals and
> traditions.*
>
> *Q14 What is the speciality of Ucchi Pillayar temple
> <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/uchhi.html> (Rock Fort - Malaikkottai
> temple complex of Trichi?*
>
> *A14 Ucchi Pillayar temple <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/uchhi.html>
> (Rock Fort - Malaikkottai temple complex) and is associated with legends
> from the Ramayana.*
>
> *Q15 Which are the special type of Ganesha temples?*
>
> *A15 Girijaatmaja Vinayak at Lenyadri
> <http://www.templenet.com/Maharashtra/lenyadri.html> hills in Maharashtra
> is a representation of Ganesha in the form of an infant.*
>
> *The Tiruvalanchuzhii <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s244.html> Shiva
> temple near Kumbhakonam in Tamilnadu is known more popularly for its shrine
> to Sweta Vinayakar, said to be made of the foam of the milky ocean (Ksheera
> Sagaram). *
>
> *Perhaps the most ancient of Ganapati shrines in India, is the well known
> Karpaka Vinayakar <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/karppill.html> temple
> in the town of Pillaiarpatti near Karaikkudi in Tamilnadu. This temple with
> a rock cut shrine, bearing a collossal form of Vinayakar, is over 1600
> years old.*
>
> *The Ucchi Pillaiyaar <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s132.html>
> temple, on top of a hill defining Tiruchirappalli's (Tamilnadu) skyline,
> enshrines Ganapati, who is said to have been instrumental in enshrining
> Ranganathar at Srirangam <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/df001.html>
> nearby.*
>
> *Q16 How many forms of Ganapathi are there?*
>
> *A16 As with the 64 forms of Shiva 32 forms of Ganapati are recognized in
> the Agamic scriptures. *
>
> *Q17 Name and detail the famous Sun temples in India*
>
> *A17 Sun worship in India dates back to ancient times. Perhaps the best
> known of the sun temples in India are the remains of the Konark temple on
> the east coast of India and the remains of the Modhera sun temple in the
> western state of Gujarat.*
>
> *Suryanaar Koyil <http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/suryanaar.html> near
> Kumbhakonam in Tamilnadu: was constructed by Kulottunga Chola in the 1100s,
> to aid visiting dignitaries from Kanauj in sun worship.*
>
> * Konark Sun temple <http://www.templenet.com/Orissa/konark.html> is
> probably the best and most majestic specimen of temple art in Orissa,
> despite its ruined state. *
>
> *The Dakshinaarka <http://www.templenet.com/Ganga/gaya04.html> Sun temple
> at Gaya is associated with the rites for making offerings to ancestors.*
>
> * The Modhera <http://www.templenet.com/Western/modhera.html> sun temple,
> even in its ruined state is a majestic one, bearing testimony to the art of
> the ancient Chalukyas of Gujarat.*
>
> *My note- There is a famous sun temple in Aadityapuram, Kottayam, Kerala*
>
> *Q18 Everybody knows about the two wives Usha and Chaya of Sungod. Name
> the third wife*
>
> *A18 Legends associated with Surya tell about his consorts Usha, Chhaaya
> and Padma *
>
>
>
>
>
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