[Advaita-l] Temple Worship by all

[Varadaraja Sharma]

Radhe Krishna,

Shriman Jayanarayanan, Radhe Krishna

I think you missed the following abstract on pancharatra to form your opinion that it is relaxed

Atra hi brahmanairityadina gotrapravarasutradhiviseshenallulekhena sarvesham  brahmanadhinam adhikarah pratipaditah.
   
  Pararthayajane tu vipranameva adhikarah,  nanyesham iti Padma samhitayam uktam. 
   
  Rightly said by Shriman Satish, the issue is complex.

Still, One can perfectly distinguish the age old temples,  constructed and wherein worship is offered,  as per shaiva vaishnava agamas or as in the case of Kerala ( where I understand it is as per tantrika vidhi( I may be corrected if I am wrong)).  A mammoth structure comprising of prAkaram, ardhamandapam, mahamandapam, Garbagruham and the most important dwajasthambam to say a few alongwith other defined architectural features ( those who have information in this regard may expand the architectural features and such minute details like selection of stones for prakaram, murthi etc.,)distinguish the traditional temples from all other places of worship ( I do not reduce the importance of other temples but for the sake of convenience distinguish them - no offence intended)

Those temples which were constructed and wherein Agmokta or vedokta worship is offered need to function as per requirement of concerned agamas wherein requirement of a brahmin priest is a presumed prerequisite.

Sometimes to evade the clutches of Hindu Religious Endowment Board , people who want to build a temple intentionally avoid constructing a dwajasthambam.  And from the legal point of view, the edifice is not claimed as temple.  It is called in any other name. Ashram, satsangh et al et al.

With all due respect to places of worship around the Arunachala hills, every such place of worship may not fall under the category of temples defined under agamas.  That being the case, who does puja over there, IMHO, does not arise. 

 What ever mode of worship is done by whom ever  in such places of worship with the content of bakthi may be acceptable to the devi/devata to which it is offered.

Radhe Krishna