Is Temple Worship Important?

திருநாவுக்கரசர் தேவாரம் தலம் பொது திருத்தாண்டகம் ஆறாம் திருமுறை திருச்சிற்றம்பலம் திருக்கோயி லில்லாத திருவி லூருந் திருவெண்ணீ றணியாத திருவி லூரும் பருக்கோடிப் பத்திமையாற் பாடா வூரும் பாங்கினொடு பலதளிக ளில்லா வூரும் விருப்போடு வெண்சங்க மூதா வூரும் விதானமும் வெண்கொடியு மில்லா வூரும் அருப்போடு மலர்பறித்திட் டுண்ணா வூரும் அவையெல்லாம் ஊரல்ல அடவி காடே. திருச்சிற்றம்பலம் thirunAvukkararcar thEvAram thalam pothu thiruththANDakam ARAm thirumuRai thirucciRRambalam thirukkOyil illAtha thiruvil Urum thiruveNNIRu aNiyAtha thiruvil Urum parukkODip paththimaiyAR pADA Urum pAN^ginODu palathaLikaL illA Urum viruppODu veNcaN^gam UthA Urum vithAnamum veNkoDiyum illA Urum aruppODu malarpaRiththiTTu uNNA Urum avaiyellAm Uralla aDavi kADE. thirucciRRambalam Meaning: Unholy town without abode of God, unholy town where holy ash is not worn; town where there is no devotional singing bowing down, town where there are not many well built temples, town where the white conch is not blown, town where there is no roof (tower above sanctum) and white flag, town where buds and flowers are not offered (to God) before food, those are not town, but are (uninhabitable) forests. Notes: 1. Though personal worship is great, it is highly important to do the external congregational worship. Importance of temples cannot be understated any time. The external markings are also very important even when the focus is on internal maturity. The great saints having achieved the path to Bliss do not stop there. They go temple after temples, they do what is possible through their mortal instruments to uplift the other souls. But for the initial helping hand by such sages, starting from the Supreme Itself that showed the way of worship, how can one progress in spirituality? Rejoicing in Bliss, they serve as, "nyAnam Ican pAl anbE" (Wisdom is love for God). The ultimate (12th) sutra of shivanyAnabOdham says the state of those who have attained "mAlaRa n^Eyam malin^thavar vEDamum Alayam thAnum aranenath thozumE" 2. parukkODi - bending the back; thaLi - temple; vithAnam - roof; aDavi - forest.