#056, WHAT IS SHIVA'S PLACE IN TEMPLE HIERARCHY?

3-12-17 to 3-12-20 (ARANYA KANDA - BOOK OF FOREST, CHAPTER 12)
Sa tatra Brahman`aha sthaanam Agneh sthaanam tathaiva ca
Vishn`oh sthaanam Mahendrasya Sthaanam caiva VivasvataH
Sooma sthaanam Bhaga sthaanam sthaanam Kauberam eva ca
Dhaatur vidhaatuh sthaanam ca Vaayooh sthaanam tathaiva ca
Sthaanam ca Paasha hastasya Vaarun`asya mahaatmanaha
Sthaanam tathaiva Gaayatryaa Vasuunaam sthaanam eva ca
Sthaanam ca Naagaraajasya Garud`a sthaanam eva ca
Kaartikeeyasya ca sthaanam Dharma sthaanam ca pashyati.

CONTEXT
During the exile in forests, Sita, Rama and Lakshmana visit the hermitage of Agastya. These verses contain the list of Gods for whom there are places (sthaanams) to worship, in the hermitage.

BLOGGER'S VIEW

CONSPICUOUS OMISSIONS ARE SIVA AND GANESH.

1. The word 'Bhaga' here refers to one of the sons of Aditi. * Pl. see comment below.

2. Why Agastya didn't instal a place for Shiva?

3. Why there is no place or 'Ganesh' (Ganapati or Vinayaka, the elder son of the God Shiva), while there is a place for Kartikeya/Subrahmanya/Kumaraswamy (Murugan).

4. There is place for Garud`a (vehicle of Vishnu) but no place for Nandi (vehicle of Shiva).

5. There seem to be no temples.

6. In the mythology of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Agastya is an important sage of Shiva worship, but in Ramayana why Agastya is not leaning towards Shiva?

*

2-25-8, 2-25-9 AYOODHYA KAAND`A (BOOK OF AYODHYA, CHAPTER 25)
Svasti saadhyaaha ca vishvee ca marutaha ca maharshayaha
Svasti Dhaataa Vidhaataa ca svasti Puushaa Bhagoo Aryamaa
Rutavaha caiva pakshaaha ca maasaaha samvatsaraaha kshapaaha.

CONTEXTKausalya was blessing Rama before he was leaving to forest. Here God 'Bhaga' appears. This Bhaga is one of the twelve sons of Aditi and a brother of Vaamana, an incarnation of Vishnu. This Bhaga is not Shiva.

BLOGGER'S VIEW
In the Agastya hermitage - place of worship description above, Bhaga's name is appearing along side Fire, Sun, Indra et al. Hence, the presumption is, the Bhaga worshipped is an Aaditya and of Vishnu clan. He is not Shiva or Rudra. It is said that Bhaga is God of Wealth and that he has been blinded by Virabhadra, a creation of Shiva.

There is a view that the word 'Bhaga' is from the root 'Bhaja' and that it applies to all Gods including Shiva.

4-41-15 KISHKINDHA KAAND`A BOOK OF KISHKINDHA
Tasya aasiinam nagasya agree malayasya mahojasam
Drakshyatha Aaditya sankaas`am Agastyam Rishi sattamam.

In this Sugriiva's geography told to Hanuman, Agastya is said to live on Malaya Mountain, near Kaveri River. But Rama's visit to Agastya Aashrama at 3-12-7 does not say anything about Rama seeing the river Kaveri (Cauveri). Did n't Rama see the river Kaveri? In Hanuman's search of Sita also, there is no mention of Hanuman and Vanaras crossing the river Kaveri, though Sugriva directed them to cross. This we have to check up thoroughly.