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Satari bestows Deitie’s mercy |
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Written by Amrta Pani devi dasi
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Tuesday, 28 March 2006 |
 | | Divya Govinda places the satari on the heads of devotees |
Called a satari, the gold helmet that now sits on the altar at Radha Giridhari temple, is named after one of the 12 Alwars in the Sri Vaishnava tradition (Naam Alwar). His previous name was Satari Suri. This satari can be used to either, represent Guru, or to represent the feet of the Deity.
At the yagna (fire sacrifice) Jaya Tirtha Charan, presiding purohit (priest), placed the Maha-prasadam of the presiding Deities on the satari then called the Deities by Their mula mantras to be always present in the satari. For those devotees who are fortunate enough to have the satari placed upon their head, it is actually the feet of the Deities that are being placed there.
In Nectar of Devotion Srila Prabhupada mentions that the pujari (priest) can place his head on the feet of the Deity daily, but the Deity is so kind that They have also made an arrangement that everyone can receive that same mercy through the satari.
The Auckland satari is pure silver, dipped in gold, weighs about 1.5 kilograms and is unique in New Zealand.. The Mayapur temple also has a satari.
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; "Divya Govinda places the satari on the heads of devotees")