Question & Answer sessions with HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – 2015
Rules and benefits of doing Pradakshina in Siva and Vishnu temples
Question :
Is it true that a devotee who does three Pradakshinas in a temple becomes free from the three Gunas? When Siva and Vishnu are one and the same, why do they have different procedures for doing Pradakshina in their respective temples?
Answer :
It is established that one gradually becomes free from the three Gunas by doing Pradakshina. One must do the Pradakshina with that feeling. We have wrapped ourselves in karmic bondages in the anti-clockwise direction. By doing Pradakshina in the clock-wise direction, without a doubt, we will unwrap ourselves gradually of the karmic bonds. This is absolutely certain.
We chant the mantra, “Yaani kaanicha paapaani janmaantara kritaani cha taani taani pranashyanti pradakshina pade pade.” Keep watching your feet while you are chanting the name of God as you go around the temple doing the Pradakshina. Definitely, the shackles of karma will be released. I mentioned in BDL that it is also good exercise. It stimulates our spiritual awareness and progress. The early morning atmosphere is also pleasant. The air around a temple is pure and promotes good health. That is why one must compulsorily perform Pradakshina.
Since Siva and Vishnu are one and the same, why is the procedure for Pradakshina different in their respective temples? One must never question why. Many explanations can be given. It has been prescribed thus in the scriptures. Therefore, just keep faith and do it. To give answers to all the whys will take an enormous length of time.
Ask why there are different temples for Siva and Vishnu while they are one and the same. That would be a good question. Near Mangalore, there is a temple for Sankaranarayana Swami. It shows the unity of both Siva and Vishnu. The deity is half as Vishnu holding the conch and a lotus and the other half as Siva holding the trident and the drum. Some other images show the same deity with both the horizontal and the vertical religious symbols on the forehead, depicting a combined form of both Siva and Vishnu.
Why different temples? People have different tastes. One prefers Sambar, another likes Rasam. One prefers buttermilk, another likes chutney. To satisfy the different preferences, where some feel piety towards Siva and some feel devotion for Vishnu, Mahatmas and Sadgurus build different types of temples. In your chosen deity, they wish for you see God, Paramatma, the one and only Supreme Soul. Do we need two temples? No. It is better not to differentiate. The world is full of dualities. We should go beyond dualities and develop the feeling of non-duality, Advaita. See both Siva and Vishnu in the one and only Paramatma. Since the Agama Sastras have prescribed rules for how to do Pradakshina, it is best to simply follow the instructions that are given.
Jaya Guru Datta