Page 85 - Hinduism
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and saints through the ages. The Vedāntins seek Brahman as the supreme Deity or sat or as the cosmic Lord or Īśvara; the mystics seek Him as the indwelling Self but all religious people adore the avatāra, historical or permanent, in the kśetrās of which seven are said to be the chief. Ayodhya is the birthplace of Sri Rama; Mathurā, Gokula and Bṛndavana are associated with the lila of Sri Kṛṣṇa. Kāsi is the heart of spiritual India. Kāsi is held sacred as the chief salvation giving city of India.
Arca is worshipped in five forms of which the most important is svayamvyakta like Tirupati.
The Lord in His infinite mercy incarnates here and is the very embodiment of redemptive love for all Jīvas. He summons all Jīvas from the hill-top to seek His feet and attain His grace. Other kṣetras are Śrīrangam, Puṣkaram, Melkote and Naimiśam. Kanci is a divyakṣetra to Varada consecrated by Brahma. Trivellore is an ārṣakṣetra consecrated by a ṛṣi. A mānusa kṣetra is established by a good man. Temples whose origin is not thus known are called purāna kṣetras and most temples come under this heading, Śaiva kṣetras also conform to type and Śiva dwells as the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether of which the most important is Chidambaram, permeated by cit. The pilgrim's progress, external but symbolical to the Vaiṣṇavites and the Śaivites, is from Badarināth and Kedāranāth
in the north, to Kāsināth, Mathurānāth and 85































































































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