Someone asked, 'In a temple there is a tortoise carved in stone, on the floor, and a bell suspended from the ceiling. What do they signify ?' ShriMaharaj said, "The tortoise is at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. A tortoise can withdraw its limbs into its shell whenever it wants. A sadhaka should, similarly, withdraw all thoughts from mundane subjects and concentrate on God, before proceeding for a darshan of the Deity. The sound of the bell is the articulated Aum.* It is, of course, identical with nama. It is after ringing the bell that the darshan of the deity is to be taken. Also, it is only after thundering the name of God that a devotee advances for a darshan of the deity."
* Aum (ॐ ) -The Mystic name of the Deity prefacing all the prayers. It is formed of 'a' a name of Vishnu, 'v' a name of Shiva, and 'm' of Brahma.
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