One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

While out for an early morning drive, the car just somehow ended up at my favorite Mandir. It was just after opening and Panditji was just about to preform puja and aarti for the morning. Was elated to be there to start the day in this fashion and felt guided by Lord Hanuman and the Gods as if to receive special blessings. Know that I most certainly did. Jai Jai Hanuman!

So, what's the issue? Cell phone rang in the middle of the ceremony and he went to answer it. Twice this is. Talked for a bit and then returned to the puja. Makes me wonder...

1. Is this commonplace today? Here in the U.S.? Elsewhere?

2. Do priests really "feel" what they are doing or is it just mechanical? No fault either way (maybe?) because it is something that is done daily and several times at that in many mandirs.

I was the only one in attendance and although not a personal friend, I am known to Panditji because this is a temple that I frequent. I don't feel like it was a personal issue directed at me. Thus the queries above.

Please help.

Om

[Mana]

Namaste c.smith,

I had the same experience during my first ever temple visit with puja, it was in the Jageshwar temple, in the Himalaya ... I was more than a little disturbed by this.

My guru had forewarned me and given an adequate mantra cleanse the heart.

Perhaps it is that they do they not realize the importance of the chandas? One must wonder.

Kind regards.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam c.smith: Here at the temple I frequent I noticed yesterday that the 'no cellphones, no cameras, no other electronic devices' got bigger and more visible. Clearly the problem with devotees hasn't vanished and is a case for the board's frustration.

I have never once seen either of our two priests interrupt a puja for the phone. They do occasionally tell a phoning devotee about what to bring for a home, etc. but that's only outside puja times. Heck, even the manager doesn't anser the phone when the puja is on because he's busy ringing the bells at the back.

Choose your temple wisely, I guess.

Aum namasivaya

[Mana]

Dear EM,

I am glad to hear that EM you reassure me, the temple is its self an antenna for infra sound; and probably best without the microwaves.

Kind regards.

[Believer]

Namaste,

Evidently the Panditji either does not take his job seriously, or feels bound to answer the calls (even in the middle of a puja) from the mandir managing committee members to keep his job. In either case it is unfortunate for devotees to have to go through with this experience.

Pranam.

[Ram11]

Namaste,

Generally priests don't use mobile phones during Puja unless it an important call.

I used to feel bad before when similar things happened but nowadays I don't care.Our personal practice is more important to us.So I start chanting names of gods and try not to react about such things.

[bhargavsai]

I've seen a couple or more of priests who give more intense blessings if you throw in a currency note into their pocket. One thing is for sure, Pandits are not exactly spiritually evolved people anymore. Priests come to the temple, perform their duty with dispassion/non-attachment to God and leave by the end of the day. Its a 9 to 5 job for them these days. Sadly, they lack the passion to serve the God with love.

But, you cant blame them. Even, we come to office but do not perform our duties with intense devotion, rather we indulge in some other trivial activities and waste the time.

The funny thing is that I am writing this post from Office! I'm an Insincere worker :P

[Eastern Mind]

I've seen a couple or more of priests who give more intense blessings if you throw in a currency note into their pocket. One thing is for sure, Pandits are not exactly spiritually evolved people anymore. Priests come to the temple, perform their duty with dispassion/non-attachment to God and leave by the end of the day. Its a 9 to 5 job for them these days. Sadly, they lack the passion to serve the God with love.

Vannakkam bhargavsi: This has not been my experience. Probably 90% of the priests I have met have been totally dedicated well versed committed souls, very deserving of our respect. They do a ton of work, with little credit, and have a skill very few lay people do, and that's the training to bring out the esoteric vibration of out Gods. Personally, when I give that little extra dakshina, I do so because I honestly feel that they deserve it. I stood on that side for a few years as a pandaram, and it gives you a different sense of the whole thing.

A happy priest is a happy temple.

Aum Namasivaya

[Seeker]

Couple of years ago , I registered for a motorcycle riding class. The instructor was a typical biker - pony tail, leather jacket, tattoos with an imposing physique.After 2 days of riding class, we had to take a written safety exam. It was eerie quiet in the room. His cell phone rang and he took the call to some of our annoyance.

He couldn't leave the room since we were taking the test. He went to the farthest corner and talked in a hush-hush voice. About 15 minutes later the phone rang again.He took the call this time also. After the test was done, I handed my paper to him and was walking out with the last batch of test takers. He approached one of us and requested a ride to a hospital.

He said 'today morning after I reached here, I got a call that my son got into an accident. He is at the ER and I am not in a mental state to ride my bike.'. I then understood the reason behind his phone calls. Felt bad for judging him. Hope the priest did not face any similar issue.

[Mana]

Namaste Seeker,

With all due respect I see no correlation between an exam supervisor and a priest.
Imagine if you went to see a musician crossed with a doctor, for a spiritual energy recharge for health reasons, and the doctor / poet rather than penetrating your soul with the chandas of divine utterance, was sending text messages and looking at his phone; There would be be soul connection at all; no vibration transmitted.

The whole exercise becomes a show with no real meaning; true this is kali yug.

I don't have a mobile phone, and simply feel that they are stepping up the vibration of kali yug to a whole new level.

Being a motorcyclist my self, it is worthy of note that many motorbike accidents are caused by cars who's driver is on the phone; I experience this danger regularly. In a curious Schrodingers' cat like conundrum, we could state the hypothesis that if the instructor had no phone the incident may not yet have happened, and that it was in fact (see Schrodingers' cat) his availability at that time that gave rise to the incident; this is some high level physics/Jyotish to grasp but very worthy of our consideration here, given the content of the mentra in the temples ...

I obviously sympathize with your post but feel that the subjects are far from similar; That the mobile phone, especially now with the inclusion of social networking, allow us to extend our egos, and its illusion of self, to a whole new level of grandeur.

Not that this is wrong, perhaps a temple is not the place for it.

My 2 gati anyhow,

Kind regards.