Nārada Muni Alcove Shrine

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. This is an Ocean of Milk Foundation proposal to construct an Alcove Shrine with a deity of Devarṣi Nārada within the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. When we first thought of Nāradaji, we immediately thought he was very on-theme, what with his extensive and continuous travelling throughout the Vedic Cosmos. If the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is envisioned to represent the entire Vedic Cosmos, it would seem to make sense that Nārada Ṛṣi would be in there somewhere. So this is where the thought came to do an Alcove Shrine, and to install a deity.

Regarding installing a deity, we want to first mention Nāradaji’s position as being quite simply “the greatest of all devotees” (SB 4.13.3), which has been mentioned many times by Srila Prabhupada. Bhagavān Nārada is also considered a līlā-avatāra, as stated in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.3.8:

“In the millennium of the ṛṣis, the Personality of Godhead accepted the third empowered incarnation in the form of Devarṣi Nārada, who is a great sage among the demigods.”

He is also one of the figures that Lord Kṛṣṇa identifies Himself with in Bhagavad Gita 10.26, declaring therein: “amongst sages and demigods I am Nārada.” Last but certainly not least, we must mention that Nārada Muni is of course the third of the gurus in the line of disciplic succession of the Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍīya Sampradāya. So the background reason for installing a deity comes out of the Vedic Cosmos theme, and the fact that Nārada Muni is so famous for continually travelling through it. Then, when we add in the part about being the greatest of the devotees, and also a līlā-avatāra, and also being the third guru in the disciplic succession, it seems like there is really a very strong case for installing a deity here.

The Supporting Alcove Shrine

Supporting shrines within a pilgrimage temple complex are generally of the simple alcove type. The Planetarium Temple is so large it has wings and so on, like the Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva Wing, and then various levels, and then down at the bottom in terms of size, there is the humble alcove. There’s definitely nothing wrong with humble alcove installations though, since they can be found in practically every important pilgrimage temple. Alcoves are probably the most common kind of supporting shrine.

As far as worship, nothing elaborate is anticipated – this is just a small supporting shrine. Perhaps one simple āratika a day, or it could possibly be more as well. The idea is not to take anything away from the main āratika programs there in Śrīdhāma Māyāpura, but if anyone wants to attend a small and simple āratika for Nāradaji that happens once a day, then that is something that would be possible.

For the name of the deity, there is already a Srī Nārada Muni Temple in Dangabere, Karnataka, one of the very few dedicated Nārada Muni temples in India (although supporting shrines of Nārada Muni are doubtless more common). However, another name for Nāradaji is “Ṛṣirāja,” or “King of the Ṛṣis,” which we will propose as the name of the deity. Whether a humble supporting alcove shrine gets its own name is perhaps a reasonable question, and if it does, we will propose “Ṛṣirāja Mandir” as the formal Sanskrit name.

Location

There is one verse, in the Garuḍa Purāṇa, Ācāra Kāṇḍa 135… which says that Nāradaji should be worshipped in the south-east direction. So we will propose that the Alcove Shrine be situated, if possible, in the south-eastern quadrant of the Planetarium Temple.

Budget

This is simply a small alcove shrine, and so we will propose an initial budget of $40,000.

Spiritual Benefits

We naturally assume that there are innumerable spiritual benefits from the presence of Devarṣi Nārada’s deity, but it is perhaps worth mentioning that specifically “the power of devotional service was invested in Nārada” (CC Madhya 20.371). Additionally, the following prayer is given in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.8.17:

“May Devarṣi Nārada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity.”

We are sure that the GBC and all the devotees would of course be very pleased about anything that can reduce offenses committed during deity worship.

Pleasing Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

We should probably also mention that it seems likely that this proposal will especially please the installed Deity of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva in Sridham Māyāpura. One of Nāradaji’s most famous students was Prahlāda Mahārāja, who learned about the transcendental science in the womb, while his mother was sheltered by Nārada Muni in his hermitage.

Āṣāḍha/Guru Pūrṇimā

We are putting this proposal into the TOVP Committee and GBC on the sacred full moon day of Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā, also known as Guru Pūrṇimā. This particular full moon is dedicated to the guru, and what with Nārada Ṛṣi being one of the gurus in the Sampradāya, this seems a very fitting day.

We hope this proposal is pleasing to the GBC, Ambarīṣa Prabhu, the TOVP Committee, and all the devotees.

In service to Devarṣi Nārada, and the Deities and devotees everywhere through reduced offenses,

Your worthless dog-like servant,

Aniruddha dās.