The Island of Thousand Temples (55)

The Significance of Nine and Eleven-Tiered Merus at Besakih Temple

At Penataran Agung Temple Besakih behind the Padma Tiga (three main lotus shrines), slightly on the right side, lay two shrines in the form of eleven and nine-tiered Merus. The eleven-tiered meru means a shrine in the form of meru possessing eleven tiers. Both merus explain about the significance of human to venerate God. In Hinduism, God is venerated not only venerating as it is, but also to be empowered to maintain life on earth and then brings better material welfare and spiritual bliss.

Hindu devotees generally call the eleven-tiered Meru at Penataran Agung Temple Besakih a sanctum to esteem God in His manifestation as Ratu Manik Maketel (God’s divine light)—in Balinese, Ratu means ‘queen’, Manik means ‘precious stone’ and Maketel means ‘drops’. Esteeming God as Ratu Manik Maketel, is synonymous with Manik Sekecap meaning whatever is uttered and performed by those who have great mind is just like a precious stone that at all times is highly valuable. So, through Ratu Manik Maketel that abides on the eleven-tiered Meru God is esteemed to appeal for the establishment of high quality human resources that have capability as that of Manik Maketel. It means that human resources that do not speak without forethought or NATO (no action talk only).
It is worth reaffirming that esteeming God at the eleven-tiered Meru essentially means to appeal for in order that human obtain God’s blessing in performing human resources development, either formally or non-formally and informally. This matter is beneficial for encouraging inner power to become like manik maketel.
Gods veneration means to possess power like manik maketel will not come true if one stops at the point of veneration only. God veneration at eleven-tiered Meru merely means to arrive at the stage of spiritual power building that originates from the relation between human and God. This can only come true if it is resumed by human attempt to build his intellectual and emotion refinement.
When soothing intellectual (intelligence) synergizes with spiritual strength and wisdom it could just produce quality human resources like Manik Maketel. This indicates that the spirit to build quality human resources should empower religious, scientific and cultural values. By religion and divinity, human strengthens his spirituality. By science and technology, humans builds their intellectual intelligence. By art and cultural appreciation, humans builds their emotional sensitivity.
Next to the eleven-tiered Meru stands nine-tiered Meru as the abode of Ratu Kubakal. According to the late I Gusti Agung Gede Putra, former rector of Hindu Dharma Institute and Directorate General of Community Counseling for Hindu and Buddha, Department of Religious Affairs of the RI, the word kubakal (Old Balinese) means provision or logistics. Thus, venerating God as Ratu Kubakal through the nine-tiered meru shrine means to appeal for the preservation of natural resources constituting the resources of clothing, food and housing needs. This has the same meaning as that of venerating God as Ratu Manik Maketel that has initial function to strengthen the spiritual aspect.
If devotees do not resume by the attempt of intellectual strengthening and emotional sensitivity that synergizes with spiritual wisdom they will stagnate. Therefore, it should be continued with real steps with mental and spiritual provision mentioned above. God veneration as Ratu Kubakal could be socialized that venerating God also means to strengthen pure ideas to develop natural resources as fundamental in building an agrarian economy. By this strength, human leads to industrial economy (manufacturing) and services.
God veneration as Ratu Manik Maketel and Ratu Kubakal at the eleven and nine-tiered Meru means that system of religious practice in Hinduism in Bali has obtained balanced attention between human and natural resources development for the sake of a more advanced life. (BTN/Ketut Wiana)