Gods in The Island of Gods (6)

Jagannath Trimurti in Divine Unity Form

The Trinatha of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Siva

Trinatha temple of Java

The Trinatha worship as the manifestations of One Supreme Absolute Truth, Paramasiva for the Saivites, Adi Buddha for the Buddhists and Sriman Narayana thus Lord Jagannath for Vaishnava was true Vedic tenets especially developed in Orissa. Even today, the main shrine of worship in every Balinese house was a structure with three compartments. This structure called Kemulan (The Beginning), Sanggar Kawitan (The Shrine of Origin), or just Dewa Hyang (Abode of Revered Lord). Traditionally the ordinary Balinese Hindus considered this shrine as housing deified and sanctified ancestral spirits. After the elaborate rite of Sraddha, might be inherited from its style performed by royal family of Javanese Hindus in older times, the effigy representing the departed souls was buried in the soil of this main shrine. This symbolized the communion of the Atma with the Paramatma.
Ordinary Balinese will said that after this rites their ancestor has became Devas. But once again this term Devas is better substitute by Bhataras, with a more proper meaning. The Balinese understand that after life then the soul will go to its next destinations and get a new body according to its karma. They may reincarnate as human beings, in higher form of lives, or may be lower. So why they said they worship their ancestors in Kemulan? Why did they ignore their own knowledge about destinations of souls as the verdict of the Veda and Sastras? If we take this superficially, then we can’t get any spiritual practices valuable enough to claim as Vaishnavite tenets. This is not Vaishnava practices at all.

Now I’ll try to take us to the subtle meaning of this important shrine of every Balinese family. We begin from the term ORIGIN. If we talk about origin and worship the origin then that may come to The Supreme Origin of All, Sarva-karana-karanam, The Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana, Sri Jagannath. As we know, because Lord Jagannath manifest Himself in Three Main Forms, and as we said before that the cult of Jagannath take the form of Trinatha worship in Java until it reached Bali, so we can concluded that actually the One worshipped at Kemulan was The Supreme Original Lord Jagannath Himself. This is the esoteric meaning of Kemulan worship. (I didn’t discuss another belief in Balinese Hindu that the left part of Kemulan representing the power of mother, the right of father, and the middle of The Lord Himself. It was enough to say this shrine representing The Origin). Now how could be developed such a belief, that the ancestral Bhataras also resides in Kemulan?

Actually the parampara system was exists in Bali for centuries. My short encounter with some of them assured me that the certain spiritual Vedic or Tantric sadhanas were continuously inherited by certain family lineages. Some of them are of course the Javanese Saivite and Buddhist hereditary Brahmin families, the Bhujanga (Vaishnava) lineages, the Pasek, Dukuh, Pande, Bang, and many more. The father or grandfather became spiritual master himself for their children. They give down the spiritual knowledge to their descendants. So actually, when their elder pass away that means their Guru or Acharya went to the Divine Abode of their Istadeva. As our Acharya attain Samadhi, we take him as in eternal communion with Our Lord in Paramapadam, in Sri Vaikuntha, to continue rendering devotional service eternally with other perfected and divine personalities. Thus he became our most worshipful personality, both as our parent and more importantly as our Gurupadapadma. He is our guardian and spiritual protector, thus a Bhatara in Balinese. So, we are always worshipping the Kemulan shrine as the personification of Paramapadam.

As I told you before in previous posts. There are two kind of ordained priestly orders in Bali. The Brahmin high priests and lesser officiating priests from common people. For the Brahmin high priests, of course we could see them clearly following Hindu-Vedic sadhana according to their own particular sects. Because they’re hereditary Brahmins, they learned everything about Vedic knowledge, the secret of mantra and Tantra, and procedures of complicated Vedic rites from their elders, usually from their own father. So it wasn’t uncommon if the Guru was the father of the pupil both spiritually and biologically. They worship their ancestors as their purva-acharyas and also worship the certain Divine Form of The Lord as their hereditary kuladevata and istadevata. Sometime the kuladevata is different from the Istadeva that they worship according to their special hereditary Tantric methods. This kuladevata can be a certain demigod who considered as a protector of the family and their spiritual heir. But usually the Istadeva and kuladeva was same special Divine Form of The Supreme Lord.

The Balinese Brahmin high priests

The other priestly orders were come from common people. They maintain the temple affairs; serve the daily offerings for the Bhataras, and officiating actively in every temple festivals. They are the core of religious communities attached to the temples. Many of them serve for the temple from the very young age. Others sometime ordered to become priest by mystical arrangement. The Bhataras told him to serve them through dream or words of a medium in trance state. One day I asked one of such a priest. He has been serving at the temple for more than 40 years. “When your time is coming (I mean when he die), where did you think you will go?” Then he said, “Of course I want to go to His place. I hope He will let me continue to serve Him there. Wherever He like, let Him decide for me, so I can serve Him forever. That’s only about my karma or my devotion to Him.”

Ordinary priestly order, the Pemangkus

In other case, according to Vedic beliefs, by funeral rites and after Sraddha ceremony the departed souls will get his Pitri bodies. If he destined to go to Pitriloka, then he will become Pitri under Aryama’s leadership as the lord of ancestral realm. We also believe by subtle mystical way all of us were connected to our Pitris. By remembering them, offering regular Tarpanam, and giving Vishnu-prasadam or Sripada-tirtham, this connection through family lineage will maintained nicely. The Pitris by worshipping Lord Vishnu under Aryama’s direction will send good vibrations toward their descendants in earthly plane. Thus the Pitris also became our Bhataras. From the Kemulan shrine we remember them, offer Vishnu-prasad, Tarpanam, and ask the perfected Bhataras of Paramapadam (the siddha-gurus) to be merciful toward them.

Gods in The Island of Gods (5)

Village temple decorated for festival

For the community of the village they have common temples. Every Balinese village has three main public temples. The Pura Dalem or Death Temple, located at village’s outskirts, near cemetery and crematorium ground. The seat of Bhataras who preside over negative energies and take charge on departed souls. This is also the abode of Lord Siva and Durgadevi, worshipped in their many wrathful forms such as Lord Kalabhairava and Mahabhairavi or Kali Ma. The second one brings the name Pura Desa or literally means The Village Temple. The Pura Desa supposed to worship Lord Brahma and representing other Deva realms as organizer of the whole cosmic manifestations, thus also organization of the village community in mundane realm. It placed at the centre of the village, with two characteristics. One is the Bale Agung, The Great Stage of Assembly, the place for all Devas to meet together and accept offerings from the villagers. Designed as a high and very wide platform, resembling the Devasabha of celestial realm. Other building in inner part of the temple is a sannidhi called Gedong Anda or The Sanctum of Egg. This is representing the Brahmanda, the whole egg-like universe, the Hiranyagarbha, the Shining Golden Womb, the Satyaloka, abode of Lord Brahma, the highest living entities and the highest sovereign ruler of all material planetary system. Then the third temple is Pura Puseh, The Navel Temple. Placed at the highest point of the village, housing the pagoda-like structured sannidhi of Lord Vishnu. The Navel Temple considered as the origin of both material and spiritual energies of the village. This is the place for deified ancestors of the village, who considered as perfect souls that has entering the Paramapadam (amor ing acintya as in archaic Javanese term) to serve The Supreme Lord. They also preside over the sattvic or positive energies permeating the whole village. The three temples keep the mystical forces of the village stay in balance and perfect harmony. Accordingly, we have presented in previous posting, that the worship of Trinatha has long became the core of Indonesian Hindu spirituality especially as we seen in Balinese today, similar with the cult of Lord Jagannath at Puri.

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Such guardian Bhataras are not limited to personal house only. From my grandmother I also know something about a village deity, a Devi. The more powerful Devis that known as grama-devatas, the patron of the village are reside in village temples. They were believed as emanations of Mother Goddess, Durgadevi, or at least empowered by Her. In Bali they have their shrines in the Death Temple since they have relationship with Mother Durga. But this certain Devi that we called Jro Luh or “Revered Lady” though also can be classified as grama-devata, has a more limited area under her control. She was famous for her magnanimous nature. Many villagers came for her help. One miracle she used to show was to lend her jewelleries to poor peoples.

One kind of gramadevata's or sthanadevata's shrine presiding over a pond (water source)

In traditional Balinese custom it is improper to attend temple festivals without dressing well. We have to use our best clothes, especially for the ladies they have to decorate themselves with the best fabrics and jewelleries. This is the time to meet the gods and Supreme Lord, The Sovereign Master of the whole universe. How could you look like a beggar and show yourself in front of such a great and important personality? Look poor in front of the Devas were a rude act for a Balinese. It was impolite to not dress properly even in front of an elder or honourable mundane person. So a poor village woman may propitiate “Our Revered Lady” and ask her to please lend her jewellery so she can dress properly in temple festival. The Devi then miraculously put a golden ring, or earring bedecked with precious stone, or a pair of golden bracelets, or sometime a golden chains necklace, on the special place, a table-like stone at the bank of the river nearby. Only the one who ask for it can see the precious things. After the festival over, the lending must be put again on the same place, never try to steal it from the Devi or sell it; otherwise you will get severe punishment. Some people also said that the Devi help them in their business. One family I know as maintainer of the Devi’s shrine was not so rich. But after they keep their heavily earned money, little by little, and use it to repair the shrine, now their business growing very fast and became wealthy and prosperous family. Some people mistakenly thought that the Devi will fulfill all their material desire. But actually, our Devi try to help people as a servant to the greater Devatas and finally Our Supreme Lord, so they who get some help to gain more wealth from her can use it to make better offerings at the temple festivals.

Peoples always offering some food or flower (look at the stuffs under the umbrellas) to the deities of this public bathing place. Considered emanates from holy spring, many people come to take a bath for purification. The supernatural personalities propitiated by these offerings considered as the protector of this water's sanctity.

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When Balinese talk about gods, they prefer to use the more familiar term Bhatara than the Vedic word Deva or Devata. Bhatara means The Guardian, Protector, or Revered Person. So when we discuss these Bhataras, we consider a wide classification of personalities who bring positive influence in their relationship with the people. That must not the Deities eulogized in sacred hymn of the Vedas such as Indra, Agni, Surya, Candra, Vayu, etc. They are occupies the highest rank of the Bhatara and only invoked in very elaborate ceremony.

Agastya Muni called Bhatara Guru in Bali and Java. The Hindus still worship him in temples as the Mula-guru and representative of Lord Siva and Vishnu Himself. This is his ancient deity from Singhasari period. In bad condition, but some people keep offering flowers at his lotus feet.

The most common Bhataras were personalities and spirits that has nearer place with the common people’s living sphere such as the Sages (in their siddha forms), the deified ancestors of certain clans, the deity of earthly area range from small village to the patron of the whole city – gramadevata, the deity of certain place of human activities such as market, public bathing area, water spring, etc. – sthanadevata, the deity of place for living – vastudevata, the personality of river, hill, and many more of them. Some of them were not even a pure being from celestial realm. They can be a powerful Raksasa, Yaksa, and Naga. In such case, once upon a time they were defeated by a powerful sage, who then turned them to be guardians and serve to protect the sanctity of a Temple dedicated to the worshipful Form of The Lord revered by the sage.

A shrine for guardian spirit of nearby water source for the ricefield

These Bhataras are easier to contact by common peoples. Sometime the ignorance people, mistakenly worship these supernatural beings for get easier and quicker material gains. But that wasn’t the proper way to treat them. And as I concerned, the Balinese temples have a similar nature with Chinese temples. It has a Hosting Bhatara, with position such as a head of one house. He preside over the whole temple’s supernatural energies and he is the most important personality who responsible to accept and serve The Higher Vedic Devatas or Particular Form of The Supreme Lord.

While the Abrahamic concept of monotheism was prevailed by domination of Islam in Indonesia. The Balinese Hindus suffer some kind of "inferiority complex" (please, forgive me for opined like that). They tried to explain their numerous Bhataras indicated by many shrines dedicate to them in the way of speculative arguments, just to adjust the view of Abrahamic monotheistic concept. They said that actually the numerous Bhataras were only manifold manifestations of One Supreme God. So actually all of them are finally The God. This is totally incorrect.

A typical Balinese temple. Main shrine for the Primary Deity, sorrounded by other smaller shrines for other Bhataras specially related to the Lord Himself

The Balinese Hindus’ concept of monotheism was a Vedic one. It is Ekanta monotheism similar with Vaishnavism. The Vaishnavas certainly exclusive monotheistic worshipers of One Supreme Personality of Godhead, as do the Balinese Hindus. But at our temple we also giving exalted position to the Nityasuris (eternal associates of The Lord). In Sri Vaishnava temple we have sannidhi for the Alvars and Acharyas. In Sri Vadiraja’s Math there’s shrine for Sri Bhutaraja. We also maintained and appreciated the Brindavana-samadhis of our revered Gurus. For Gaudiya Vaishnavas, we also offered worship to the Samadhi shrine of Srila Rupa Gosvamipada in Sri Sri Radha Damodara Temple. We also worship Sri Gopishvara, Lord Lingaraja, and many other pitham of the saints and demigods. The most important one we shouldn’t forget is the numerous shrines of Devatas in the premise of Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri. Somehow these personalities enshrined in the numerous structures of Jagannath Temple and also in Balinese temples have a certain relationship with The Supreme Bhagavan. Some are guardian of Bhagavan’s sanctum. Some are perfected beings, the pure devotees of Bhagavan, who installed or invoked Sri Bhagavan’s Sannidhana for the first time at that place. Or some are local deities who empowered by The Lord Himself to take care of His Temple in subtle stratum. It wasn’t uncommon for the Vaishnava devotees to offer their respect to these personalities, if not a must. A Hosting Devata in Balinese temple was the primal personality with authority to worship the Supreme Lord. He may a siddha-rishi or demigods, but he isn’t The Supreme Lord Himself. These Bhataras are the spiritual owners of the place of worship. So we humbly pay our respect to them. Just remember my previous post about Bhatara Hyang Markandeya at Pura Kahyangan Gunung Raung in Taro.

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Miguel Covarrubias, a Westerner who came to Bali with his wife in 1930, like other foreigners, became fall in love with the beauty, mystery, and wonders of the Island. Happened to change be an anthropologist rather than a mere curious tourist by his direct contact with the land, people, and their custom. He wrote what I considered as a historical book about Bali, named Island of Bali, when no one even to heard of the place in their first coming. Mr. Covarrubias wrote, “Rather than a sectarian Church system, separate from daily life and in the hands of hierarchy of priests to control and exploit the people, the religion of Bali is a set of rules of behaviour, a mode of life. The resourceful Balinese fitted their religious system into their social life and made it the law by which the supernatural forces are brought under control by harmonious cooperation of everyone in the community to strengthen the magic health of the village. Like a human being, the community possesses a life power that wears away and must be fed by regular performances of magic acts of the ‘right’ the side of righteousness.”

Miguel Covarrubias and his wife, Rosa

Though Covarrubias may not understood the subtle meaning of Balinese religion, but his observation gave us prove that Balinese were a spiritually conscious people. Many anthropologists who didn’t enter deeply to the core of spiritual life thought that the Balinese religion was just a mixture of animistic, primitive, tribal beliefs with some touch of Indian and Javanese Hinduism. But this is incorrect. Actually the religious system of Balinese was a manifestation of earlier form of Vedic tradition. In one way more purer than our Western influenced modern Hinduism today. The same tenets also preached and protected by our revered Acharyas as we inherited from our Vaishnava-parampara. The soul and spirit of Balinese system of religion was Vaishnavite by nature. Although superficially we also find demigods, ancestors, even Bhutas worships. I’ll try my best, by carefully analyze the prayer and the process of these worships, so we can grasp the real or should be the real intention of the ritual.

The temple procession

As Covarrubias said, the Balinese religious system was aimed at controlling supernatural forces by harmonious cooperation of everyone in the community. When we talk about supernatural forces and everyone in community, actually we have to consider not only human members but also the inhuman members of the community. Now we’ll talk about the gods, from whom the island got her designations as The Island of Gods or Paradise on Earth.