HINDUISM

Significance of Kumbabishekam

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Lord Shiva

The Kumbabishekam of London Sivan temple at Lewisham, United Kingdom was held on June 12. The President of the Board of Trustees Dr T Sriskandarajah and committee members took a tremendous effort for the performance of this Kumbabishekam to the satisfaction of devotees.

The London Sivan temple was established in 1993 to cater for the spiritual needs of many devotees throughout London. This temple has evolved over the years from solely meeting the spiritual needs of its devotees, to becoming a cultural and academic sanctuary for children of all ages. At this temple premises, weekend schools, library, music school, computer room and modern multi functional auditorium are found.

International conferences are also hosted at this temple. These provide a unique opportunity for the youth to interact with scholars from all over the world. Even dedicated debating forums are held during these conferences for the youth.

A temple is an altar of worship where Murthi pooja and other rituals are performed invoking the Divine. The Murthi of a Deity in a temple is a source of spiritual power. This is the result of not only the chanting of powerful Mantras and the rituals performed during the construction and the installation of the Murthi of a Deity (Kumbabishekam), but also the result of Deity poojas and rituals performed at regular times thereafter. Indeed, places of worship provide man the rhythmic anthem of love and peace. The temple is the home of the divine king, the lord of the universe and is a sanctum of peace and bliss. Further, God is the power and the light that guides a person to Him. He is omnipresent. The kingdom of God is deep within one, say the Saints and sages. Saint Thirumoolar says “My heart is the grand temple and God is always present there.” One may say that prayer and worship could be performed at home.

But according to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa the manifestation of God is found only where countless devotees including men of realization have practised austerity.

Hindu priests reciting Mantrams

The role of Hindu temple is the promotion of education, knowledge and Hindu philosophy. The Hindu philosophy asserts that everything in the cosmos is a manifestation of the supreme source. God is essentially formless, attributeless, and immutable. In fact, a temple is a spiritual and social institution and a place where devotion, knowledge and service are blended into a harmonious whole.

Furthermore, a pooja is a simple offering of adoration and service to God in a spirit of self sacrifice. This is an expression of the human soul’s ageless desire to be one with God. In fact, there are four stages in the spiritual path namely Chariyai, Kiriyai, Yoga and Gnana, each leading to the other and finally “Moksha”.

Saint Thirumoolar describes the four stages in his Thirumanthiram as Kiriya is worship of Siva in form, Yoga of the formless one, Gnana is the advanced path in fullness of time, the adoration of the loving heart is Chariya.

The Abhisekam is an important ceremony performed very early in the morning. It is a sacred act of bathing anointing the image with.”

Pancha Amirtham (ie) milk, honey, fruit, curd and ghee while chanting mantrams and name of Lord Siva or any other Gods. The image is first bathed with water and then anointed with above mentioned items, washed and finally dressed up in silk, flowers, sandal paste for Archanai.

During Abhisekam, camphor is lighted which signifies the burning down of the ego and desires to ashes and the total illumination of the human personality by Divine illumination. When all the desires are consumed in the flame, the Jivaatma becomes one with the Paramaatman.

As the Mantrams cascade from the sanctum sanctorum, as the flowers are showered on the image and the Aarathi done, the word Arohara reverberates through the halls of the temple charged with devotion and piety.

In fact, during the Kumbabishekam of this temple, several Nanthy flags were hoisted in and out of the Temple premises by Vidaikodi Chelvar Sinnadurai Dhanabalaa and his brother Dr S T Somasekaram who was the former president of this temple.

As such, let us pray to God Siva and receive His Divine Blessings for peace, harmony and prosperity.