How do Hindus choose the right murti for their puja room?

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Rare Vintage Painting of Lord Sri Bhu Varaha (1790).

Varaha (in Sanskrit : वराह)
is the third Avatar of Lord Vishnu, in the form of a Boar.

He appeared in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story.

The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the former finally won.

Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between His tusks and restored it to its place in the Universe.

Vishnu married Prithvi (Bhudevi) in this avatar.

Varaha is depicted in art as either purely animal or as being anthropomorphic, having a boar's head on a man's body.

In the latter form He has four arms, two of which hold the wheel and conch-shell while the other two hold a mace, sword or lotus or make a gesture (or "mudra") of blessing.

The Earth is held between the boar's tusks.

Sri Varaha Charama Shlokam

sthithE manasi susvasthE sarIrE sathi yO nara:
dhAthusAmyE sthithE smarthA visvarUpam cha maamajam (1)

tathastham mriyamANam thu kAshtA paashaNa sannibham
aham smarAmi madh bhaktham nayAmi paramAm gathim (2)

Meaning:

Oh Bhumi Devi! The entire universe is my body (sarIram).
I do not have births or deaths .

When my bhakthAs with mahA visvAsam (utmost faith) surrender to me, while they are still in a state of tranquil mind and healthy body and reflect about Me as as SarvAdharan (root cause
of all),
NiyanthA (One who commands from within),
sarva sEshi (the ultimate),

aasrayaNeeyan (One who is fit to be worshipped),
Sarva VyApthan (all-pervasive) and
Nithya sannihithan (One who is always near),
THEN
I think of them at their last moments, when they are totally unconscious like a log or a stone
and lead them by archirAdhi

maargam to My parama padham and bless them to have nithya kaimkarya bhAgyam to Me there.

Sri, Boomi, Neela, Mahalakshmi, Narayani samedha Sri Narayana Perumal, at Sri Pancha Lakshmi Narayana Temple, West Mambalam, Baroda Street, Chennai.

Here Perumal is found with five Thayars unlike most temples where He is seen with Sridevi and Bhoodevi.

Sridevi, Bhoodevi and Neeladevi are found on either side of the Perumal and Mahalakshmi is found as Thani Nachiyar.

The fifth Lakshmi, Narayani, is found in the heart of Narayana Perumal.

Since Perumal has the Thayar as part of His thirumeni (body), He is adorned with a waist belt (Oddiyanam) and anklets on His feet.

The Perumal looks resplendent in His Paramapatha Kolam and those worshipping Him in this form are said to be relieved of all their sins and can reach the lotus feet of the Lord at the end of their lives.

This Perumal has been in worship for centuries in a private household of an industrialist and based on the divine instructions received, they have made worship of these deities public.

The grace of this Perumal has spread far and wide and this place is often very crowded.

Bhishma advised for all human beings nine qualifications:

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* Not to become angry
* Not to lie
* To equally distribute wealth
* To forgive
* To beget children only by one’s legitimate wife
* To be pure in mind and hygienic in body
* Not to be inimical toward anyone
* To be simple
* To support servants or subordinates.

Bhishma also advises this:

1. To get freedom from anger, one should learn how to forgive.

2. To be free from unlawful desires one should not make plans.

3. By spiritual culture one can conquer sleep.

4. By tolerance only can one conquer desires and avarice.

5. Disturbances from various diseases can be avoided by regulated diets.

6. By self-control one can be free from false hopes.

7. Money can be saved by avoiding undesirable associations.

8. By the practice of yoga one can control hunger.

9. Worldliness can be avoided by culturing the knowledge of impermanence.

10. Dizziness can be conquered by rising up.

In ancient India, 12 different kinds of offspring were regarded as the father's legitimate heirs. They don't all have to be their legal father's biological offspring.

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12 Types of Children (Legal Heir) in Ancient India

Aurasa : biological son through a woman in a typical marriage, with the Y chromosome belonging to the father.

Putrikaputra : When there isn't a son, the female is treated as one, and her son inherits the estate legally (ex : Babruvahana, born to Arjuna and Chitrangada, but became legal heir of his maternal-grandfather.)

Kshetraja : although husband is not the biological father, wife's womb. (For instance, Kunti and Madri give birth to Pandavas.) The children may be born even after the husband passes away, and they will still be considered the deceased father's heir.

Dattaka : legal adoption or vedic ritual adoption.

Kritima : A youngster is fed and raised as a son, but there are no formal adoption procedures followed. The child grows up and views you as their parent

MEENAKSHI AMMAN, MADURAI (TN)
#bharatmandir #navratri2021

A paadal Petra sthalam where Shiva took the form of Sundareswarar (the handsome one) and married Devi Parvati (Meenakshi).
Devi is also known by the name Angayarkanni (mother with the beautiful fish eyes).
@GunduHuDuGa

Devi Meenakshi emerged from yagna fire as a 3 year old girl when Pandyan King Malayadwaja and Kanchanamalai were praying for a child.
It is said that Devi was born with three breasts and there was a prophesy that her superfluous breast would melt away when she met her husband.

Devi ruled over Madurai and captured Indralok. She went on to capture Kailasha. When she saw Shiva, her 3rd breast disappeared and she realised that Shiva would be her consort.
The divine marriage was attended by all Devas and Sri Vishnu (as her brother) gave her hand to Shiva.

It is said that Indra found a swayambhu lingam at Kadamba Vanam. He placed it in Madurai where the kshetram stands. Here, Shiva is seen on the vehicle of Indra.
The Golden Lotus Tank is said to be the place where a golden lotus blossomed for the puja performed by Indra.

The Meenakshi Thirukalyanam festival is celebrated in the Chithirai month to mark the divine marriage of Meenakshi Amman. The festival includes a procession where Meenakshi and Sundareshwara travel in a chariot and Sri Vishnu gives away his sister in marriage to Shiva.

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An interesting story of Kamala Devi hazarika for all Sanatanis...🙏

A Xtian missionary was sent to Assam for the promotion of religion. His name was Cruz. He came across to one the boys from an influential family in Assam to teach him English.
@noconversion

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The p@stor slowly began to study the house and he learned that the boy's grandmother was the most influential person in the house. So he thought 'Corrupting the grandmother's mind can make the whole family Xtian as well as the whole village.

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The p@stor began to tell Grandma the stories of how J€$u$ cured leprosy of lepers, how He gave sight to the blind, etc..But after listening to him, the strong Sanatani grandmother said. A stone turned into a living woman (Ahalya) for our Rama when he touched the stone.

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She spoke of Rama setu where stones floated in sea just by writing his name on the stones and that they are still floating today.
The p@stor continued his efforts but all his tricks went in vain.

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One day he had brought a cake from the church and he thought of offering it to grandmother but he was doubtful that she would eat it. But contrary to his expectation, she took the cake and ate it.

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