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

  1. #11
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    Hari Om!

    Maybe just haven't been to the Mandir at the right times or often enough lately. Perhaps it is a policy to allow cell phone usage because a devotee was sitting right in front of Lord Somnath chatting right away as if there weren't a care in the world. If she can, why not Panditji? Yes, I will address Temple management without naming names, titles or instances to become aware of policy.

    In my humble opinion, when it comes to devotees in the temple it should be common sense (again, my opinion) that cell phones are put aside. And I can see the point that priests are underpaid almost in any context and don't know the particulars here. I don't know that his call was or wasn't an emergency so let's just say even with all of the laughter, etc that it was in fact an emergency. Better on the safe side. But again, certainly a reminder to give dakshina on a more frequent basis.

    I have a resolve which am hoping does not offend and that is to offer my own aarti when I visit. Don't feel that this is out of protocol as other members do it without reservation. Feel somewhat awkward having an aarti set for home and one for the temple. Is this how it is done? This is my intention but again not certain of how to continue.

    Thanks again for the input and continued guidance.

    Om

  2. #12
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    Namaste Ji,

    I think even priests should avoid using mobiles while performing Puja.The sentiments of the devotees will not be hurt if priests act in a responsible manner.

    I think you can carry the same set,we use the same articles for Puja at home and for temple Puja.
    He dances in the golden hall of Chidambaram, Let us worship His rosy anklet girt Feet.

  3. #13
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    Namaste

    I have never, ever, seen this at the main temple for Shiva and Murugan here at the bay area, meaning I have never seen a Pujari walk away or stop in the middle of a puja to respond to a cell phone, in fact no way have I ever seen them with a cell phone on them during such things or any other thing not related to proper attire or duty to the puja. It is a very strict temple, no pictures of the Murtis, no cell phones on, and so on by guests by guests either. This is a South Indian temple and very conservative.

    I have often seen the pujaris at this temple distribute what others have brought to the murtis, just after, such as coming and giving me fruit and such offered to the Murtis.

    Now there have been a couple of times where, AFTER all ceremony, puja, abhishekam, etc., the priest then came and gave me a calendar (Hindu calendar with beautiful Devata picture) which is calendars obviously advertising by a devotee guest for their business, store, etc., I have no problem with that as I always want to help support and be a patron of Hindus and their families and business. I enjoy receiving these when the priest gives them to the guests which were obviously given to the temple by business explicitly for this purpose.

    Now at a local Durga Temple and Hindu Community Center, recently I was surprised when a pujari finished his altar duty, there were 5 guests for darshan including myself (I was alone, my wife was sick), we were in the main altar room, the pujari went into an adjunct after leaving the altar, then came up and literally invited me to tea. He called to someone in the kitchen in I believe Marathi, then said me smiling, "would you like some tea?"

    It was sort of funny actually, I felt a bit embarassed as to why me and not anyone else who were Indians. I said, "Do you have green tea?". Really I did not know what to say right there in the temple room. He didn't, so I thanked him and said "oh, I am ok, thank you!". He smiled and went back into the adjunct.

    Om Namah Sivaya

  4. #14
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    Namaskar,

    At one of the temples I visited recently, three young girls were sitting together and one kept getting texts and a couple of phone calls. She answered all and only got up to leave for one. At the end, as she was circumambulating the dias, the pujari asked her how many times on her phone then indicated she would have to circle the dias more times.

    Cell phones can be an annoyance and a hazard at times. I deeply wish those killboxes were not illegal, every movie theatre, car and Temple could have one. Ah, dreams...

    ~Pranam-s
    ~~~~~
    What has Learning profited a man, if it has not led him to worship the good feet of Him who is pure knowledge itself?
    They alone dispel the mind's distress, who take refuge at the feet of the incomparable one.
    ~~Tirukural 2, 7

    Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam

  5. #15
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    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

  6. #16
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    Quote Originally Posted by bhargavsai View Post
    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

  7. #17
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    Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    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.

  8. Re: One Temple, A Priest and A Cell Phone....

    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.
    Last edited by Mana; 28 May 2014 at 12:32 AM.
    8i8

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