|| Om Sri Ganeshāya namah ||
|| Om Sri Gurubhyo namah ||
Respectful request to Baba Lakshmanrao Maske, a devotee of Hari. You have asked 2 questions in the letter dated 11/1/2024 regarding the prestige of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Their answers are being written respectively.
First question –
"Is the respect for Shri Ramji as per the scriptures if the temple remains incomplete in Ram Mandir if the work of Shikhar is not completed?"
Answer to the first question-
The Pratishtha in a temple is done in two ways
(1) when the entire temple is built and
(2) even if some work is still left in the temple.
When the consecration of the deity takes place after the entire temple is built, there in the Garbhagruha when Deva Pratishtha takes place, Kalasha Pratistha is done on tip of the temple by a Sanyasi. Kalasha Pratishtha is not done by the householder. When the Kalasha Pratishtha is done by the Gruhastha, there is loss of lineage. After the complete construction of the temple, the Kalasha Pratishtha is done on the temple along with the Deva Pratishtha.
When the temple is not complete, after the consecration of the temple, after the complete construction of the temple, on an auspicious day, at an auspicious time, Kalasha Pratishtha is placed on the temple. Therefore, in the book 'Karmakānda Pradeepa' prepared by the Vedic-Murdhnya Shri Anna Shastri Vare sir, in page 338, starting from 'Iti Vratodyapanvadyah: Sadhyah Sarvadevpratishtha Prayogah Samāptah', after 'Ath Kalashāropanavidhi', till 'Iti Pratishthāsāra Deepikoktah Kalashāropanavidhih', the Kalashāropanavidhi has been given independently. In Pāncharātrāgamā's Ishvara Samhita's precepts of the God Code are also not against the said system. The statement is as follows-
"O best of brāhmaṇas whatever is not designed for the parts of the palaces mentioned in order of the bases of the devatas or wherever there is more than that should be performed in that place with the intelligence of the devatas in groups of months" (Ishwara Samhita Chapter 3 Verses 165-166 page 32)
It is said in Brihannāradiya Purana-
"Whoever enters a new temple without performing Vastu pooja, they will suffer from all kinds of diseases and all kinds of troubles. Where the sacrificial food is offered before the door is fixed, one should not enter that house because it is a source of trouble."
(Brihannardiya Purana, Purva Khanda, Chapter 56, Verses 618- 619, Letter 116)
Accordingly, until the door (kapat = dwāra) is built in the temple and the temple is not covered i.e., unless the temple is covered and there is no Vaastu rituals there and the proper black gram flour sacrifice and Pāyasa sacrifice are not offered to the deities in it and unless Brahmana bhojana is part of the Vaastu Shanti, the deity cannot be established in the temple.
In worldly matters, even after construction of a floor (building), people enter the house after doing Vaastu rituals. Later the upper part of the house is constructed. Therefore, it cannot be said that Vaastu Pravesha will be achieved only after the completion of the building. Deva Mandir is a Deva Gruha, hence the above rule will be applicable in it. Before the consecration in the Rama Mandira of Ayodhya, Vaastu Shanti, Sacrifice and Brahmin food is going to take place. The doors of the temple have been installed. The sanctum sanctorum is completely covered with rocks. Therefore, there is no fault in doing Rama Pratishtha. After the completion of the work of the temple, the Kalashāropana will be planted as per the mentioned Kalashāropanavidhi given in the Karmakānda Pradeepa.
Second question - "Why was no other Muhurta taken except January 22, 2024?"
Answer to the second question -
22 January 2024 Pausha Shukla Dwadashi Monday is the best auspicious time on the day of Mrigashirsha Nakshatra, hence it was chosen.
1) Good lagna is not found on the day of Vijayadashami before 22 January 2024. It is weak due to Jupiter being retrograde.
2) Bali Pratipada is Tuesday. This weekday is prohibited for Gruhapravesha. There is no purification of Ghata Chakra in Anuradha Nakshatra. There is also a Agni Bāña. If there is an idol consecrated in a temple during Agni Bāña, it causes harm due to fire.
3) January 25, 2024 is the Mrutyu Bāña on Pausha Shukla Purnima. People can die if Pratishtha is in Mrutyu Bāña.
4) In Magha-Phalguna, at some places Bāña Shuddhi is not found, at some places Paksha Shuddhi is not found and at some places Tithyādi etc., purification is not found. In Magha Shuklādi Jupiter is not in Cancer (Uchhāmsha).
5) Khara Māsa is from 14th March 2024. That means it is Meenārka. Auspicious works like establishments etc., do not take place in Meenārka in North India.
6) Varshārambha day is on 9th April 2024. It has Tuesday, Vaidhruti and weak moon defects.
7) Rāmanavmi is on 17th April 2024, when it is associated with Aries and on taking it, Mercury-Venus goes to twelfth. If Taurus Ascendant is taken, Jupiter will be in the twelfth house and Sun goes to the fourth house. Later there is Ashlesha Nakshatra.
8) April 24, 2024 Vaishakha Krishna Pratipada is having Mrutyu Bāña.
9) Venus's old age (Vādhakyārambha) period begins on 28th April 2024.
10) Guru's old age (Vādhakyārambha) period starts on 5th May 2024.
11) 7th July 2024 is Sunday on Rathyātra day.
12) Chāturmāsya is from 17th July 2024.
13) Vijayadashami on 12th October 2024 is Saturday. Jupiter is retrograde.
14) November 2, 2024 is Saturday on Bali Pratipada. Jupiter is retrograde.
15) Due to Jupiter retrograde till 3rd February 2025, there is no Guru Bala in the Muhurta.
16) Pure and strong ascendant is not found on Magha Shukla Dashami Friday.
17) Magh Shukla Trayodashi is Agni Bāña on Monday 10 February 2025. Punarvasu nakshatra is influenced with benefics.
18) There is no lunar purification anywhere ahead. There is no purification of the Paksha somewhere. There is no pure constellation somewhere. There is no Bāña purity somewhere. There is no Tithi and Vāra purity somewhere.
19) Phalgun-purnima Khar māsa starts on 14th March 2025.
20) Sunday 30 March 2025, the day of the beginning of the year.
21) Sunday is the day of Ram Navami.
22) Vyatīpãt somewhere, Vaidhruti somewhere else, some other defects in others.
23) Due to Jupiter being in enemy sign, there is a lack of Guru Bala in the forthcoming Muhurtas.
24) Jupiter will go to Cancer on 2nd June 2026. At that time there will be Adhika Jyeshtha Krishna Paksha.
25) Shuddha Jyeshtha Shukla will start from 16th June 2026. Complete lagna purification is not achieved.
26) Who will wait infinitely in search of the right moment? Who would not be a knowledgeable scholar?
Therefore, considering all these things, Ram Pratishtha Muhurta of 22 January 2024 has been given.
In the past, there was some shortcoming in the auspicious time given by the people and hence the temples were demolished. Therefore, keeping all the things in mind, the Pratistha Muhurta was given for 22 January 2024. In this, the auspicious time is better when the Ascendant Jupiter has its sight on the fifth, seventh and ninth positions. With the arrival of the Sun in the Capricorn, the Varjyatva (defect) of Pausha māsa gets eliminated. By the grace of God and blessings of the Gurus, the above mentioned auspicious time has been found. Questions are presented and propagated by ignorant people without any proof, there is no substance in them. Shubham Bhavatu.
(Written & signed in Hindi by)
- Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid,
Minister for Examinations,
Sri Geervāna Vāgvardhini Sabha,
Sangh Veda Vidyalaya,
Rāmghāt, Vārañāsi (UP)
(Translated to English by)
- Hemanth Kumar G
Ref