Many of us miss the intricate aspects of Ganesha when we worship other Deities.
Many are not aware that Ganapathy am, the Worship of Ganesha is the first of Shanmathas or Six Systems of Worship formulated by Sri Adi Sankaracharya.
Ganesha was granted the boon of the Right of First Worship in any pooja, by none other than His uncle Sri Vishnu on Ganesa’ s Birthday .
As Ganesa is easily accessible and His idols are present everywhere, His worship is taken for granted and we miss some of the secrets associated with His Worship.
At Thirunageswaram, Rahu Parihara Sthala,where the Milk Abhisheka performed to Rahu turns blue, people do not notice the Ganesa Sannidhi,a small one.
Normally the Ganesa Sannidhi shall be on the left side of the temple as you enter.
In Thirunageswaram, it is on the right side.
There used to be a time when people could not enter the temple. People were getting hurt when entering the temple.
Prasna,a method of finding out spiritual information,was performed by Kerala Namboodiris. It was found that there were evil spirits in the temples and they were preventing the Devotees from entering the temple.
People requested Sree Sadashiva Brahmendra A saint of Advaitic System of Adi Sankaracharya and a Mantra ,Yantra Sadhaka and Sanskrit Devotional Composer , to solve the problem. He established a Ganesha Vigraha and a Ganesha Yantra. Huge flames rose and drove away the evil spirits. Since then, people have had no trouble visiting the temple.
The astonishing thing is the Ganesha Vigraha and the Yantra is not visible to us.
Rahu Sthala is a term that refers to a temple dedicated to the deity Rahu, one of the nine celestial bodies (Navagrahas) in Hindu astrology. ⁴ Rahu is the north lunar node, and is associated with eclipses, illusions, and karmic retribution. ⁴
One of the most famous Rahu Sthala temples is the Tirunageswaram Naganathar Temple in Tamil Nadu, India. ¹ This temple is also one of the Pancha Bhuta Sthalams, which are five temples dedicated to Shiva, each representing a manifestation of the five prime elements of nature: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. ² The Tirunageswaram temple represents the element of air, and the lingam (symbol of Shiva) here is called Vayu Lingam. ²
The Tirunageswaram temple is also known as Rahu Stalam, because it is believed that Rahu worshipped Shiva here to get rid of a curse from a snake. ¹ According to legend, Rahu was once caught drinking the nectar of immortality along with the gods, and was beheaded by Vishnu. The head became Rahu and the body became Ketu, another celestial body. Rahu then prayed to Shiva at this temple, and was blessed with the power to cause solar and lunar eclipses. ¹
The temple has a separate shrine for Rahu, where he is depicted with a human body and a serpent head. The idol is made of a special stone that absorbs milk. Devotees offer milk to Rahu during a ritual called Rahu Kala Puja, which is performed every day at 12 noon. It is believed that worshipping Rahu at this temple can bring relief from the negative effects of his planetary position in one’s horoscope, such as diseases, debts, enemies, and obstacles. ¹
Another famous Rahu Sthala temple is the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. ³ This temple is also one of the Pancha Bhuta Sthalams, and represents the element of ether. The lingam here is called Akasha Lingam. ³
The Srikalahasteeswara temple is also known as Dakshina Kailasam, because it is considered to be the southern equivalent of Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva in the Himalayas. The temple is built on the banks of the Swarnamukhi river, and has a huge gopuram (tower) at its entrance. The temple has many legends associated with it, such as the story of Kannappa Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanars (devotees of Shiva), who offered his eyes to Shiva when he saw blood oozing from the lingam. ³
The temple has a shrine for Rahu, where he is depicted with a human body and two serpent heads. The idol is made of black granite and has eight hands holding various weapons. Devotees offer black sesame seeds, black clothes, and black gram to Rahu during the Rahu Kala Puja, which is performed every day at 4:30 pm. It is believed that worshipping Rahu at this temple can bring success in business, education, career, and marriage.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 9/11/2023
(1) Navagraha temples – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navagraha_temples.
(2) Tirunageswaram Naganathar Temple – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirunageswaram_Naganathar_Temple.
(3) Pancha Bhuta Sthalam – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancha_Bhuta_Sthalam.
(4) Srikalahasteeswara temple – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srikalahasteeswara_temple.
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