Parama Dham’s 50th Anniversary
Ed.
September 22, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the Parama Dham Fire Temple in Madison, Virginia, USA. Inaugurated by Shree Vasant in 1973, Parama Dham was the first Fire Temple in the world established under Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj’s dispensation of resuscitation of the ancient science of atmospheric purification for the New Age. The name Parama Dham, which means House of Almighty Father, was chosen by Maharaj Shree.
In a Fire Temple, there is no priest and nothing is worshipped. Agnihotra atmospheric purification technique is performed there twice daily at sunrise and sunset. A fixed set of mantras is chanted after Agnihotra. With the exception of the mantras and specific Sanskrit verses, silence is observed in the Fire Temple at all times. The atmosphere becomes supercharged with healing energies.
In a separate room from the main temple room, 4 hours of Om Tryambakam Homa are performed daily. On no moon and full moon days, more hours of Om Tryambakam Homa are done.
Regarding Fire Temples, Shree Vasant once stated, “Time is coming in a few years when extremely strict disciplines will have to be maintained to keep up the purity of these places and the harmony cycles around them. These places will become special refuge for multitudes. It is preferable that they be situated in a large garden area where food can be grown by the YAJNYA method. We need some places in cities also.”
On September 23rd, a small celebration was held at the home of Richard and Lisa Powers. The Baltimore Homa Community and some other longtime supporters had planned to come, but Hurricane Ophelia’s stormy weather prevented all but those who live closest from attending.
We started with 12 noon Vyahruti Homa and Gayatri chanting, Sapta Shloki and Trisatya Sharanagati. A sharing of experiences at Parama Dham followed.
Over the years, countless visitors have found it easy to enjoy deep meditations at the temple; the peace so often experienced there can be profound.
Many people have mentioned hearing the Audible Life Stream in Parama Dham, the “Unstruck Music of the Universe,” or ANAHAT. By concentrating on that Divine sound, desires are lessened and the mind is unburdened. (See the article, The Unstruck Music (ANAHAT), below.)
Some visitors have had deeply moving experiences at the temple. Some years back, a man who had lost his wife and daughter in a car accident stopped by for a brief visit. After visiting the temple, he told us that for the first time since the accident, he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.
Years ago, one extremely withdrawn Vietnam veteran lived just behind the temple. He used to walk by our property when my husband was building our house, observing the progress. Richard struck up a conversation with him one day and told him about Parama Dham. The man came three times for evening Agnihotra. Afterwards he told me, “This has changed my life.” Some time later, he married and became more active in the community, even heading our local homeowners association.
A four-year-old child who felt a great affinity for Buddha came to the temple with her grandmother. Afterwards, the girl kept asking her grandmother about whose house this was, who was in charge and so on. Finally she asked, “Do they know that Buddha lives there?”
Several people have stated that they saw angels, Devas or other Light Beings in the temple.
The day’s program concluded with a delicious vegetarian potluck lunch.
If you would like to visit Parama Dham, please email us at info@agnihotra.org to make arrangements.
Heartfelt thanks to all the people over the years, from places near and far, who have given their time, energy and financial support to keep Parama Dham going.
