Our Creator
Lord and Creation
The Trinity
Favorite Deities
Worship and Devotion
100
The Divine Being that Created our Cosmos
Who is Ishvara?
100
The creation, that consists of many and varied forms, is made of these many constituents.
What are the Five Great Elements?
100
The Lord is conceived as having a threefold form, one each for Creation, Sustenance, and destruction.
Who as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva?
100
This deity is worshiped because of family tradition.
What is Kula Devata?
100
When one sees Ganesa we recognize the form as the Lord, not as a strange creature with an odd head and a big belly.
What is Sampradaya or tradition?
200
These two ingredients are needed to create the Cosmos
What is the material and intelligent cause?
200
The creation, that consists of many and varied forms, is made of these elements.
What are Aakasha (Sky), Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Aapah (Water), Prithvi (Earth)
200
This Goddess is depicted in white, holds a Veena in one hand and the Vedas in the other.
Who is Goddess Saraswathi?
200
The whole village worships this deity.
What is Grama Devata?
200
By this installation ceremony a stone sculpture becomes our Lord's Idol.
What is Prana-Prathista - imparting life to the idol by chanting mantras?
300
This is the intelligent and masculine aspect of the creation.
What is Purusha?
300
In this temple the Creator is worshiped as a mirror draped with a garland of Bilva leaves.
What is Chidambaram?
300
This Goddess sustains us and has eight common forms. She can be pleased by our diligence and perseverance.
Who is Goddess Lakshmi?
300
This deity is the Lord of all beings and removes all obstacles.
Who is Ganesha?
300
This is the main purpose of worshiping idols.
What is anthakarana-shudhi, i.e. purifying our mind to understand that our Lord is everywhere?
400
This is the material and feminine aspect of creation.
What is Maya or Prakriti or Nature?
400
The Lord is worshiped as a lamp with a constant flame at this temple.
What is Kalahasthi?
400
This deity faces south and is worshiped as our first teacher.
Who is Lord Dakshinamurthy?
400
Lord Rudra is worshiped generally in this form.
What is a Shiva Linga?
400
The King, who was cursed to be bitten by a King Cobra, listened to stories of Bhagwan Krishna from Srimad Bhagawatham.
Who is King Pariksit?
500
The equal combination of the male and female aspects of our creator is represented in this deity.
Who is Ardha-naarishvara?
500
At this temple the presiding deity is Shiva in the form of Jambuka / Water.
What is Jambukeshwara temple?
500
This is the presiding deity of the mountains.
Who is Parvathy Ma?
500
Bhagawan Vishnu is invoked in a type of stone, with marks of disc, obtained from the river Gandaki in Nepal.
What is a Shaligrama?
500
This is service done whole heartedly and without any self-interest.
What is Bhakthi or devotion?
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