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Worshippers stood before the linga and offered flowers and rupees (Indian currency) to the officiating priest. These gifts were for the deity who blesses the devout with his own spiritual gifts. As the priest chanted mantras and sprinkled us with holy water, the smell of incense carried through the air and reminded us that the Supreme Essence is everywhere, formless and unseen. The priest blessed each of us with a saffron tikka mark placed on the forehead at the location of the third eyethe eye of wisdom. |
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The actions of the priest and the devout offered respect not just to Shiva, but to the five elements that exist here and everywhere. Water flows out of the yoni that supports the linga. The smell of earth mingles with the fragrance of burning camphor, a gummy compound that has been reduced to liquid; this reduction to liquid stands for the need to dissolve the false importance of the ego to reach the Truth. Spiritual energy floats throughout the entire space. |
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Standing within this temple, l found I had no urge whatsoever to leave. I was caught up in a feeling of inner joy. I was especially conscious of the importance of fire, the element of sacrifice, which manifested here in the burning camphor oil that floats inside the brass platter near the priest. The flame of this burning oil represents the fire of knowledge and the burning of the barriers that exist within us and keep us from realizing that our atma (or soul) is part of the Paramaatma or Supreme Essence. While the priest chanted, he held out the platter to each of us. My right hand rotated above the delicate fire. Then I put my hand in front of my eyes in an act that expresses the wish to absorb the Truth of the Lord that is revealed in the power of the flame. |
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After Toshi and I left the Matangesvara, we met a senior government guide, Brijendra Singh, who was going to tell us about the effect of vastu on the Kandariya Mahadeva, which was also built in the eleventh century AD. |
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Brijendra steered us onto a manicured lawn to a vantage point about 200 feet from the temple. From here, we discussed the concept of the four con- |
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