Namaste
I hope I am not misunderstood, nor am I critical of others, just want perhaps a discussion on this which is not meant to imply any wrong doing to anyone, at most it is probably my own ignorance.
I am wondering about some sort of consensus regarding whether it is in fact a good idea to show to the public one’s entire Family Shrine, or even the location of such a shrine in the most extreme examples? While most agree that sharing a religious art work one may have at home or in a shrine is wonderful, some however have told me one should not reveal the full Family Shrine to the open public but only to certain invites and such. Is this true, how do other feel about this?
I know it sounds strange, but there is another reason also that I am thinking of reasons given to not do so. Here is one reason. It has to do with Vibhishana. Admittedly, this is a very brief surmise of the facts, but … As some know, Ravana had captured Yama (who can bring death to even angels) and held Him captive. Some say, where Yama was held captive by Ravan is a secret, but it is known that one Goddess can hold even Yama at guard, and that is Nikumbala Devi Ma (“Never allows the Enemy to Breath”) who is also known as Prathyankara Devi the Lion Faced. She was the Ishta Devata Devi of Rakshasa Raj Ravan, and the son of Ravan known as Indrajit could have fully conquered death (also known as Yama) by completing a special Nivedhana fire yagna and being awarded a special chariot. Vibhishana, the half-brother of Ravana, revealed the secret passage to the Family Shrine of Indrajit (note – Ravan’s Ishta Lord was the Lingam of the Sun Dynasty and also this same Nikumbala was a murthi in the Clan’s Family Shrine according to some), upon which Hanuman stopped the sacrifice. Whether the Devi would have actually have given blessing to Indrajit, we do not know, since the sacrifice was stopped and Indrajit left His body shortly afterwards. But some say, that the Devi at that time allowed Yama to go free, upon which Ravan noted in His final words before demise that those who are wise do not wait, but he held Yama captive only but waited to finish Him off, and had He done so Yama would not be “standing before Me now”.
Why do I mention all of this? Well, it is not that I expect to be rewarded with a powerful chariot, nor perhaps concerns that someone may use any knowledge of my Family Shrine “against me”. But, I am not sure if revealing the entire shrine and its location is 100% totally proper to be honest, perhaps someone else on the HDF can comment?
By the way, the Lion Faced Devi is still worshipped to this day in Tamil Nadu. She can give great blessings. You can offer Her red chilies. Just because She was found in the Family Devas and Devi of the Ravana Clan changes nothing, for Ravana and Indrajit were Hindus, just as was His half-brother Vibhishana the Rakshasa who helped Hanuman and Ram. Jai Devi!
Om Namah Sivaya
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Originally Posted by ShivaFan
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