Pranam Q1 Let us pass over Brahma from padmanabhan so son of vishnu etc;Padmanābha (पद्मनाभ).—an epithet of Viṣṇu; शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशम् (*śāntākāraṃ bhujagaśayanaṃ padmanābhaṃ sureśam*). Padmanābha (पद्मनाभ) refers to one of the many varieties of the Śālagrāma (ammonite fossil stones) <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shalagrama>.—The Padmanābha has marks of lotus and parasol. Śālagrāma stones are very ancient geological specimens, rendered rounded and smooth by water-currents in a great length of time. They (e.g., Padmanābha stones) are distinguished by the ammonite ( *śālā*, described as “*vajra-kīṭa*”, “adamantine worms”) which having entered into them for residence, are fossilized in course of time, leaving discus-like marks inside the stone. AND THE PADMANABHA IS NOTHING BUT THE EXHIBITION OF A SALAKRAMA WHICH IS THE GALAXY IN THE SPACE AS A NABI WITH CHAINS OF PLANETS. (Padma Puranam Chap 40 srishti). Q2 Exactly the writer shall do What is preached shall be practiced too. Q3 Peacock even if brought up may not drive out the snake; so feather is a placebo effect only. There are plants like SIRIA NANGAI, PERIA NANGAI ETC THAT MAY SERVE THE PURPOSE. Q5 I had spoken in these columns anout Lingam already; shalagrama is as under: Śālagrāma (शालग्राम) refers to “ammonite fossil stones”.—Śālagrāma stones are very ancient geological specimens, rendered rounded and smooth by water-currents in a great length of time. They are distinguished by the ammonite (*śālā*, described as “*vajra-kīṭa*”, “adamantine worms”) which having entered into them for residence, are fossilized in course of time, leaving discus-like marks inside the stone. Such marks alone make the stone eligible to be called a *śālagrāma* and worshipped. Legends describe that Viṣṇu himself enters into these stones in the form of *śāla* creatures and makes his presence felt by the discus-marks. Thus a *śālagrāma* is verily the image of Viṣṇu.
Śālagrāmas (ammonite fossil stones), recovered from the Gaṇḍaki river-bed in Nepāl, are regarded as exceedingly precious and sacred. Viṣṇnu is believed to be present in them, and these stones require neither consecration nor any ritual in fusion of divinity in them; they are worship-worthy as they are. The *śālagrāma* to become one must not only have one or more discus-like marks (*cakras*) near an opening in the stone (called ‘vadana’, “mouth” or ‘ *śīla-dvāra*’, “the gate by which the *śāla* had entered”), but also lines, scratches or holes on the surface suggesting several emblems of Viṣṇu, like *vana-mālā* (garland), *padma* (lotus), *gadā* (mace), *kaustubha* (chest-ornament) and so on. Perfectly smooth (*snigdha*) and blue-black (*mecaka*) Śālagrāmas are regarded as best if the colour is like washed coal or bluish, the *śālagrāma* stone is of middling merit If the colour is tawny ( *piṅgala*), yellowish (*pīta*), ash-grey (*dhūmābha*) or red (*rakta-varṇa*) the stone is to be avoided. Q6 Idol worship of saguna brahmam came around 1500 BCE only; there are numerous incidents of Nirguna shiva lingams created on the water-side, and after the puja ,shelved into the water again. Even women Rishis have done that. Shila rupam came only after the agama sastra temples, though, temples to open sky existed even in Mahabharatham where Krishna married Rukmini etc. Only Brahmam was worshipped as linga and shalagrama. Pratima is a replica of a product. Mentioned above Pratima, may not mean, worship of idol. Even Sita.s Pratima was raised in Valmiki Ramayanam. Shilpa sastra is a later origin. There are many books online if readers want to read. Q 7 to 12 are for revisions to those who might not have read earlier. KR IRS 19322 On Fri, 18 Mar 2022 at 15:08, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 < iyer...@googlegroups.com> wrote: > QUES ANSW DIVINE 03-2022-18 > > Dear friends, > > These are information compiled as QA by me in 1998’s-2004’s and stored in > my computer. They are posted by *very learnt members*. > > *BEING COMPILATION THERE MAY BE ERRORS.* > > Sincerely, > > *R. Gopalakrishnan, 78, dated 18-03-2022* > > Q1 Why Lord Vishnu is called Padmanbha ? What is Kouthubha? > > A1 The third virtue of Lord Vishnu is that *he bears a lotus on his > navel, hence he is also known as Padmanabham. * > > *Kaustubha is the best jewel among all the gems.* One who bears it, must > be gentle, knowledgable, virtuous etc. Thus, bearing Kaustubha Mani, God > preaches the common people that if they wish to develop all these virtues > in them, they will have to move towards this gem once advanced, > > Q2 What is the meaning of Saraswathi? > > A2 Literally, Saraswati means SARAH - Knowledge, STHANAMYASYAH ASTITI. > Thus, Saraswati is the goddess who rules all kinds of knowledge without > worshipping her no one can be a learned person. Noted sage Bhartrihari > writes that without literature and music, a man is not more than an animal. > Hence > the book and veena in the hands of Saraswati teach that if the humans wish > to do away with their bruteness, knowledge of literature and music is must > for them > > Q3 Is it good to keep peacock feather in the house? > > A3 Peacock enmity with the snake is well known It is said that snakes do > not enter the houses where peacocks feathers are kept. > > *My note- I keep four full length pecock feathers* above a vasthu map in > my home. Rarely I have seen snakes in my compound > > Q3 It is said that All those who want the obstacles removed and receive > auspicious fruits, must remember the twelve names of Lord Ganesh.Which are > they? > > Sumukhashchaikadantashcha > > kapilogaja karnakah | > > Lambodarashcha > > vikatovidhnanasho vinayakah|| > > Dhumaketurganadhyaksho > > bhalchandro gajananah| > > Dvadashaitani namani yah > > Pathechchhriguyadapi|| > > Vidyarambhe vivahe -cha > > Parveshe nigrame tatha| > > sangrame sankate chaiva > > Vidhnastasya na jayete|| > > *Meaning : 1) Sumukha, 2) Ekadanta, 3) Kapila, 4) Gajakarna, 5) Lambodara, > 6) Vikath, 7) Vidhnanashaka, 8) Vinayaka, 9) Dhumraketu, 10) Ganadhayaksha, > 11) Bhalchandra, 12) Gajanana. * > > These are the twelve names of Lord Ganesh whoever recites or hears these > twelve names at the beginning of education, marriage, journey, or war or at > the time of crises, never faces any obstacle in any of his works. > > Q4 What are the names of two wives of Lord Ganesha? > > A4 Lord Ganesha has two wives - *Riddhi & Siddhi.* It implies that all > the Riddhi and Siddhi (knowledge and perfections) of the world kiss those > who adopts all the virtues of Lord Ganesha in his life. It also means that > whoever wishes to gain knowledge and perfections, he must make Lord Ganesh > his ideal and follow his virtures in life. Only then can he gain knowledge > and perfections. > > Q5 Why shaligrama do not have limbs? > > A5 Shali means group of the gods and Grama means abode. Hence, because of > being a symbol of shapeless God, Shivalinga and Shaligrama don't have any > limbs > > Q6 Whether we had idol worship earlier? > > A6 A few quotes from Rig, Yajur and Atharva Vedas for the practice is > given below > > ETU PRANA ETU MANAHETU CHAKSHORATHO BALAM (ARTHAVA) > > Meaning : May the life, the mind, the eyes and the power enter this idol. > > SAHASTRASYA PRATIMAASI (YAJURVEDA) > > Meaning : O, almighty God, you are an idol of millions of people. > > ARCHATA PRARCHATA PRIYA MEDHASOARCHATA (RIGVEDA) > > Meaning - O, wise people, worship that idol and worship it properly. > > According to Valmiki Ramayana the demon king of Lanka, Ravana used to > carry a golden Shivalinga in his chariot and worship it regularly. > > Devotion of Meerabai is so strong, so powerful that, in the end, she > merges in the stone idol of Lord Krishna. > > There is another tale of Tulsidas that says : Once Tulsidas went to > Vrindavana, where he entered a temple seeing the idol of Lord Krishna, > there he said > > TULSI MASTAK TABA NAMAH | > DHANUSHA BANA LO HATHA || > > That is Tulsidas will only bow his head before you, when you take bow and > arrow in your hands. > > Immediately after recitation of this stanza idol of Lord Krishna changed > into the idol of Maryada Purushottama Rama with bow and arrow in his hands. > Tulsidas also describes this Mantra as : > > KRITA MURLI KRITANDRIKA, KRIT GOPIYANA KE SATHA| > APNE JANAKEKARANA, SHRI KRISHNA BHAYO RAGHUNATH || > > Meaning : At the insistence of the devotees the idol of Shri Krishna > changed into the archer Rama, Thus, because of the mental determination of > a devotee, form and appearance of a stone idol can change. These evidences, > amply support the ritual of idol worship and its significance. > > Q7 What are the attributes of the river Ganga? > > A7 No other river has been as much mentioned in the `Purana’ as the holy > Ganges. According to the Puranas the Ganges is the holiest of all the > shrines on this earth This river originates from the Himalayas, and while > flowing in the southwest direction, enters India. > > In Nepal this rivers is known as ‘Salgrami’ in Uttar Pradesh it is known > as ‘Sapta Gandaki’, and ‘Narayani’. Before reaching the Mountain Triveni, > an auxiliary river ‘Trishul Ganga’ merges with it. Altogether it covers a > distance of 192 miles and ultimately merges into the Ganges near Patna. > > Since it gets water from the melting snow perennially, it poses danger of > floods to the plains during the rainy season. *Because of its perennical > flow it is also known as River ‘Saata Meera’.*At the source of Gandak, > ‘Shaligram’ stones are found which are considered as the embodiment of Lord > Vishnu, and worshipped throughout India. > > Q8 Do Swami Narayan temple in Delhi is in the Guinness books 2009? > > A8 Yes. BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham is a 100-acre Hindu temple complex > in New Delhi, India. It aims to showcase Hinduism's ancient art, culture and > spiritual heritage. > > Since its opening in November 2005, Swaminarayan Akshardham has become a > popular landmark of India's cultural and religious landscape, attracting > more than five million visitors a year. > > It has featured in the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book > for being the largest Hindu temple in the world. > > Over 60 acres of the complex comprise various forms of landscaping. One > part is the Lotus Garden, a lotus-shaped sunken garden with messages from > great world thinkers sharing their faith in God and humanity. > > The central feature of the complex is the ornately hand-carved stone > temple, ormandir. Built according to ancient Vedic texts, and measuring 356 > ft (109 m) long, 316 ft (96 m) wide and 141 ft (43 m) high, it is the > world's largest comprehensive Hindu temple. > > Enshrined in the temple's inner sanctum is an 11 ft.-high gilded murti > (sacred image) of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the deity to whom the temple and > complex are dedicated. Other images include those of popular Hindu deities > and spiritual leaders of the Swaminarayan tradition. > > The temple stands on a 1,070 ft..-long plinth of 148 full-sized elephants > carved entirely from stone. Together, they weigh 3,000 tonnes. > > Q9 What are the attributes of Draksharamam temple? > > A9 Draksharamam is considered highly sacred, next only to Banares, the > holiest of Siva temples in the country. Located in the Godavari > district, the temple here is one of the most important Saiva Aramas. It > is believed that sage Vyasa performed penance here and gave it the name > Dakshina Kasi According to another legend, Lord Siva's father-in-law, a > king by name Daksha Prajapathi, performed a great yaga here. > > Q10 Do Raja Raja Chola used to worship Goddess Durga at Patteeswaram > before proceeding anything? > > A10 Patteeswaram is located near Pazhaiyaarai where Raja Raja Chola was > born and brought up. *It is said that the Cholas before taking any > decision or before any battle, worshipped Goddess Durga here and proceeded.* > > It is also said that Sage Viswamithra, got enlightened with Gayathri > Mantra in this place and was conferred with the title “Brahma Rishi” by > Saint Vasishta. > > Q11 What is the importance of Asi Ghat at Kasi? > > A11 Asi Ghat (Haridwar Teertham) – this is where the Asi river merges > with the Ganga. Performing the rites here is believed to give one the > fruits of performing the rites at Haridwar. > > Q12 What is the speciality of pindas offered at Varanasi and Gaya sraadhas? > > A12 In fact, I am told that in a normal Shrraddham , 6 pindams are made > (two for each generations which are no more); *in a Teertha Shrraddham, > as at Kashi, Allahabad, Rameswaram, etc., 16 pindams are offered, including > all ancestors on both parents side; * > > > > in the Gaya Shrraddham, 64 pindams are offered, of which 16 are for the > mother alone since she carries her child for 9 whole months within her body, > 16 > for the ancestors, and 16 for all others as I have mentioned earlier. Pinda > prathanam ( 64 Pindams for those who have lost mother also; if mother alive > 48 pindams) > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "iyer123" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to iyer123+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/1940038546.154711.1647596283400%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/1940038546.154711.1647596283400%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thatha_patty+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZorJ-sAjYi9YWJXmzVCdZUAh7WqMPRyHe6WmXNzzy8d%3DXw%40mail.gmail.com.
