Importance of Brahmasthanam temples

Amma spoke about Brahmasthanam temples towards the end of darshan at San Ramon. Cradling a devotee's head in her lap she said, "As the age of Kali* progresses, there will be a steady increase in negative energy and evil tendencies among people. According to the scriptures, in the age of Kali, forests will be increasingly destroyed to accommodate buildings, houses will be converted to business establishments, the distinction between man and woman will be lost and places of worship will be violated. Cows will cease to give milk and poverty will prevail to the extent that even temples will be sold to appease pangs of hunger."

"Brahmasthanam temples are distinct from other places of worship just as fish in a river are distinct from fish in an aquarium. Fish in an aquarium need a lot of attention - they have to be fed and the water has to be filtered and changed periodically for the fish to survive.

Most temples are like this; regular worship of the deity should be maintained in order to retain its power. But fish that live in a river need no such care. Similar is the case with the Brahmasthanam temples. Amma's intention behind establishing them is that they survive the onslaught of the dark age of Kali whether worship and services are conducted or not."

Surely a reassuring thought as the age of Kali surfaces slowly, revealing itself just a little more with each passing day!

(*Kali (Ka-li); Kali Yuga: the age of Kali, the age that we are in at present. Not to be confused with the deity Kaa-li, the fierce aspect of the Female Cosmic Energy)