An interesting passage in Kamban’s Tamil Ramayana makes this point very
well. The monkeys who are ready to embark on a journey to search for Sita are exhorted
not to go to Tiru Venkatam, or anywhere near it. The reason, we are told, is that Tiru
Venkatam grants moksa(liberation) immediately; the monkeys may get liberation and
stay there, and therefore not continue to search for Sita!
Pamphlet (ca. May 1977): 2. This pamphlet was issued just prior to the ma-
hakumbhabhisekaon June 8, 1977.
Kavachas for the Deities(1986) This pamphlet was issued toward the end of 1986.
The New York Review of Books,October 25, 1984, p. 5.
On this issue, see Joanne Waghorne ’s introduction to Gods of Flesh, Gods of
Stone.
Hindu Temple Society of Southern California, Sanctification of the Rajagopu-
ram, Lord Venkateswara Temple, Oct. 1987, Los Angeles.
Brahmacharini Pavitra, “Worship of the Lord and Its Significance—‘Tiru
Aradhana’ ,” Saptagiri Vani7, no. 1 (May 1982): 2–3.
For a more complete discussion, see my article “Arcavatara: On Earth as He Is
in Heaven,” in Gods of Flesh, Gods of Stone.
Saptagiri Vani15, no. 2 (November 1990): 16–17.
Kavachas for the Deities(1986).
See, for example, Swami Sukhabodhananda, “Symbolism in Hindu Culture,”
Saptagiri Vani15, no. 2 (1990); Brahmacharini Pavitra, “Significance of Maha Sivara-
tri,” Saptagiri Vani10, no. 1 (Third quarter 1985); Swami Chinmayananda, “Shri
Ganapati-Vinayaka,” Saptagiri Vani6, no. 2 (1981); 8, no. 2 (August–September 1983);
and 10, no. 3 (Third quarter 1985); A. Parthasarathy, “Brahma,” Saptagiri Vani10, no.
4 (Fourth quarter 1985); Swami Chinmayananda, “Deepavali Festival,” Saptagiri Vani
12, no. 3 (Third quarter 1987); Brahmacharini Pavitra, “Temple and Its Significance,”
Saptagiri Vani13, no. 4 (Fourth quarter 1987).
There is close cooperation between the Education Committee of the Penn Hills
temple and the Hindu-Jain Temple, and the two distribute achievement awards to grad-
uating high school students.
