Indian Temples and Iconography: The unknown side of Hinduism

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BlogThis!Indian Temples and Iconography
Hi! This is a sincere effort on my part to bring back to a lot of people of our generation and younger, a rich heritage that we seem to have missed out. I hope with these blog postings i will be able to bring back the lost value of our culture, in my own small way.8.28.2006
The unknown side of Hinduism

















Hinduism is a whirlpool of knowledge, that which cannot be understood at first glance. To be a Hindu is not just about being gifted, but it’s an experience we need to live out in accordance with the Shastras.

Walking through a temple might be an overwhelming experience, where we would believe the superior powers are embedded within the deity. Sure enough, but how did this power get there? How did the idol get a life and how are we sharing this power? Or rather...what is this power that we define as 'the ultimate truth'?

The power of the stone is not generate within the stone itself but is generated through the mystical diagram that defines the nature of the deity enclosed within the shrine. Various 'bija mantras' attributed to the deity are embedded within this mystical diagram. For now this is just a copper/gold plate that carries the lines that define the true nature of the deity.

The real play starts at the dwajastambha, the main pillar in front of the temple. The fire of life is ignited along a darbha grass rope that connects the main dwajastambha to the shrine within the sanctum. The dwajastambha itself is a complex flag post, which contains designs all of which are attributed of the enclosed dei"