Value of Temples: Preserving Our Rich Vedic Heritage

By Paramahamsa Nithyananda

Our ancient Vedic masters have created so many methods, techniques to hold the Existential energy. Existential energy manifests itself in the form of the five elemental energies: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Earth is the grossest form of Existential energy, expressed physically as matter. Ether is the subtlest form of energy and is intangible.

These masters created different techniques to access and absorb these different forms of energy. Temples are the techniques that they created to experience the energy in the earth or matter form. Meditation is the technique that is needed to reach the energy of Ether. In between they developed other techniques such as fire rituals, mantras and so on to access other forms of energy.

The ancient Vedic system of worshipping deities is not 'idol worship'; it is not worshipping some inanimate object; it is worship through the idol. We do not worship the idol itself; we worship the ultimate cosmic Energy through the idol. Our prayer is not towards the stone idol itself, but to Existence which is personified by the idol.

Temples provide an easy and convenient way for the common man to relate with the divine; to constantly remind him of his deep connection with the divine.

Temples also provide a common platform for people to share and bond with each other as a family. They enable to see the all-pervading divine not only through the idol but in each other.

In the energy space of temples, two things happen. First, you will have the shakti (power) to make your dreams into reality. Next, you will have the buddhi (intelligence) to realize what you think as reality itself is a dream!

The energized idol is not an idol; it becomes a living energy, a deity. The cosmic Energy radiates itself, makes itself available to us through these deities.

Temples are like satellite relay centers where high intense spiritual energy is created; where the high intense spiritual vibrations are created and send all over the world to help heal people physically, mentally, emotionally and above all spiritually.