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Re: Some questions regarding some of our customs ...

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Praveena • October 13, 1999 


SrI:
namO nArAyaNA.

Shri Raja Krishnasamy Wrote
======================
5.  Lastly, why is it that we are told to prostrate
ourselves in a temple past the dvajasthambam and
not in between the sanctum and the dvajastambam ?

Shri sampath kumar replied ----------------

If you prostrate between the sanctum and the
dvajhastambam you will be forced to turn your
posterior on not only the dvajhastamba but also
garudAzhwAr. To avoid such an unseemly situation it is
advisable to prostrate past the dvajhastambam so that
'perumal', 'garudAzhwAr' and the 'stambam' are all
ahead of us and all 3 are in position to receive our
prostrations.
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AdiyEn would just like to add the following point to this discussion.
In the Varaha puranam it is mentioned that one should not
prostrate in between the sanctum. There are several deities around
the temple. When we prostrate in specific sannidhi's we might
extend our feet towards the other deities. This leads to Bagavad
apacharam and hence has to be certainly avoided. In fact this is one
of the 32 Bagavad apacharams mentioned in Varaha puranam.

Dvajhastambam is hence constructed with the view in mind that
when we prostrate at the dvajhastambam we do not end up doing
apacharam to other deities.

Acharyan ThiruvadigalE saranam
Praveena nAmni rAmAnuja dAsi