Picture from Richard Cassaro book
Research paper written by London Swaminathan
Research article No.1364; Dated 22nd October 2014.
Hindus have a strange custom of bringing God into their hearts during the prayer time and saying Good Bye at the end of the prayers. This is called “Aavaahanan” in Sanskrit meaning Invoking (the god). In all the Hindu ceremonies, God is invoked into a water pot (Kalas) or Fire (Agni) or Yellow Turmeric Powder (Lord Ganesh’s image is made with turmeric powder) or a seat inside the heart. Even when Hindus do water oblations to the departed souls on New moon day, they invoke the departed souls into the Darbha grass (Kurcham in Sanskrit) and when the ceremony was over they say, “Please go back to your place” (Yathaa sthaanam Prathistaapayaami).
When we invoke god into our hearts the hand gestures will be shown inward and when we invoke god in any object in front of us it is done by stretching the hand and placing the flowers or yellow rice or water on the object.
Like we clean the place where we serve food, the body is also ritually purified before invoking the God. The logic behind this custom is, the ritual allows us to remember that his seat must always be kept pure inside us. Then It becomes a habit.
This is a very strange custom seen only in Hinduism. Brahmins do invoke Goddess Gayatri, Savitri and Sarasvati into their hearts and say good bye at the end. This is done thrice a day.The Mantras go like this:
Gayatrim Avahayami
Savitrim Avahayami
Sarasvatim Avahayami
(Avvvaahayaami is the correct pronunciation meaning I invoke Gayatri…..)
At the end of the prayer, they say with folded hands (Namaste gesture), “Oh! Resplendent Gayatri! Kindly extend your grace to us who are worshipping the Brahman and Restore yourself to Your Seat happily on the highest summit of the Glorious Mount Meru.
Story told by Swami Ramdas (of Anandashram):—-
There was a poor man in a country. He was very anxious that his king should visit him one day. But his condition was so poor that he could not make necessary arrangements to receive the royal guest. However he expressed his wish to the king who at once agreed to visit him. The king knew that the man lived in a small cottage. So he sent in advance everything that was necessary for his reception at the cottage. Royal messengers went with all the things and asked the man to make use of them and also cleaned the place, spread the carpet, arranged the furniture, made the necessary decoration and brought flowers, garlands etc. when everything was ready, the king paid his visit. The man’s wish was fulfilled.
So also, if we invite God to take His seat in us, He will do everything necessary. He will Himself purify our hearts and take His seat there. So the only thing we have to do is to pray to Him to come to us. Nothing more. He will see to everything else. If your heart is sincere, you will feel the need for His coming and He will surely come to you. If your life is disorderly, He will see that it is set right and when He comes to you once, your life becomes blessed.
-Stories As told by Swami Ramdas, published by Andashram, 1969.
Stone Temple Vs Imaginary Temple
The following story is posted by me on 5th June, 2011 under “Amazing Power of Human Mind” in which I gave six stories:–
STORY No.3
Here is story from the Tamil book ‘Periya Puranam’ about a saint who built a temple in mind and consecrated it mentally. Pusalar was born in a Brahmin family at Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu.
He was a great devotee of Lord Siva and he wanted to build a temple for Him. He sought every means to find the money required for this purpose but was unsuccessful. Nothing daunted, he resolved to erect a temple in his own heart. He gathered all the necessary materials to build a temple in his mind. He chose an auspicious day and laid the foundation stone and the temple rose slowly higher and higher day after day. When he finished it building mentally, he fixed a day for the great Kumbabishekam (ceremonial consecration).
About this time the all powerful Pallava king had built an actual temple at Kanchipuram-the famous Kailasanathar temple at Kanchi. He expended all his wealth on its construction. He fixed the same day for consecration of the actual temple. But Lord Siva appeared in his dream and told him that he could not come on the day because Pusalar Nayanar had built a temple and the Kumbabhishekan was on the same day.
The king had to postpone his Kumbabishekam. But he became curious about the other temple built by Pusalar. The king travelled to Tiruninravur and asked the way for the temple. The people of the town told him that there was no new temple or any Kumbabhishekam in the town. The king told them that he had a dream and Lord Siva told him that there was a temple built by one Pusalar. When they brought Pusalar in front of him the whole story unfolded in full. Pusalar was thrilled to know that Lord Siva recognised his temple built in heart better than the temple built by the king in stone. Such is the greatness of thought power.
This is an excellent story. It shows that our forefathers knew more about the mind than what the modern psychologists knew today. Periya Puranam was written one thousand years ago.
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Tamil and Vedas 
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