Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Thayar Sannidhis

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramanbil • February 12, 1999 


Dear Bhagavatas
Swami Desikan in the Siddhopaaya Sodhana Adhikaaram of Rahasya Traya Saaram
has raised a related question and has provided his answer.
Question:
It is said that when the Goddess takes independent position in the Archa form
we cannot worship her in that form?
Answer: 
The Archa form of mother Goddess has three manifestations in the temples viz.,
(i)   Layaarcha : her form seated on the chest of the Lord
(ii)  Bhogarcha: Her form as seated or standing by the side of the Lord and
(iii) Adhikararcha : her manifestations in separate temples without the form
of the Lord

While there is no doubt of worshipping her in the first two forms,  in the
third form she is believed to confer boons other than Moksha. 

In actual practice, however, even when she manifests in Adhikaraarcha form,
*it can be seen that the Lord always adorns her chest even as she adorns his
chest in the Laya archa form*. Therefore, for a Mumukshu, there is no
impropriety in  bowing before the image of Thayar installed in a separate
shrine and worshipped, just as we would before our mothers, *since in all
images of Lakshmi (wherever they may be) her being the inseparable spouse of
Vishnu is an established fact*
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy