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

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Ramanbil • October 15, 1999 


Dear Bhagavatas

In a message dated 10/14/1999 4:03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
may2192@mbox4.singnet.com.sg writes:

<< 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
 
  
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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I gave the following reply. I thought it may be of interest to other 
Bhagavatas also. Hence, I am posting it here.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy

" The same question arose during the days of Kabirdas. When someone objected 
to his lying with his feet towards the altar, he is said to have asked "Can 
there be a place where BhagavAn is not? So, whichsoever way we prostrate, we 
are sure to show our back (or feet) in that direction where also BhagavAn is".

But, the bootomline is that we have to follow what our Acharyas have directed 
and one such is the practice of not prostrating in between Sanctum and the 
Dwaja sthambham.
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