The Sense of “Bukit Kiwa and Tengen” at Besakih

As it has been discussed in the previous edition that on the seventh tier of Penataran Agung temple at Besakih there is no pelinggih (holy shrine) at all. This seventh tier is the symbol of Satya Loka (heaven on the seventh plane). Going down from the seventh to the sixth tier is seen twin shrines that are called Ratu Bukit Kiwa and Bukit Tengen (literally ‘ Prince Left and Right Hill) shrines—kiwa (Old Javanese) means left and tengen means right.

For both holy shrines, some may call it Ida Ratu Pucak and Ida Ratu Pemeneh shrines. These two shrines are in the form of small and twin gedong (booth) and each has four beams. They constitute symbol of God’s omnipotence to create purusa and predana—these two words of Old Javanese origin are given sense as male and female. Bukit Kiwa temple stands for Predana, while Bukit Tengen temple for Purusa.
In the teaching of Siwa Tattwa Purusa is mentioned that purusa means the spirit of life, while predana is inanimate material element. In the process of creation, the meaning of purusa-pradana is two elements that created by Lord Shiva, namely the spiritual and material genesis. Its spiritual genesis is purusa and the material one is pradana. The encounter of the two genesis results in creation.
From the process of creation, the living being is born in the form of plants (stavira), animal (janggama) and human as perfect being of God’s creation. It is purusa that becomes the genesis of spirit of all beings in this universe. So as predana that acts as genesis of all material elements called Panca Maha Bhuta (five premier natural elements) that compose the corporeal body of all God-created beings.
So, the Bukit Kiwa and Bukit Tengen shrines serve as medium to venerate the Almighty God in its function as the creator of spiritual and material genesis (purusa-predana) and initial manifestation of God’s love.
Accordingly, veneration of God at the twin Bukit Kiwa and Bukit Tengen means a guidance to human beings in order they seriously pay attention to the balance of purusa-predana function, either at microcosm (human self) or macrocosm (universe).
Veneration of God at the twin shrines has also the meaning to strengthen the spirit to establish balanced life attitude between spirit and body. To attain a successful life, the first resource is the vigorous and balanced spiritual and bodily dynamic. Without vigorous spirit, physical energy will be uncontrollable and on the contrary, without being supported by robust physical energy the spiritual vigor will be unable to be realized. Therefore, to establish the intact human and community cannot be done by prioritizing one of them. Spiritual and physical or soul and body should be developed simultaneously and equally. Just as in developing the community, it should be balanced concurrently between physical-material and mental-spiritual development.
In the teaching of Samkhya Darsana (one of six branches of Vedic philosophy) is mentioned that the rendezvous of purusa-predana elements results gives birth to three elements such as budhi, manah and ahamkara—budhi (intellectual awareness), manah (rational awareness) and ahamkara (egoistical awareness). These three elements then arise tri guna (three aspects of human character) namely Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas.
In the scripture Tattva Jnana (10) is mentioned, Guna Sattvam drives human to always have good thinking and Guna Rajah drives human to do good deeds. As a result, the Atman will come to heaven. Therefore, at the level of Customary Village in Bali Pura Puseh (temple of origin) and Pura Desa (village temple) are established at the same complex. Pura Puseh is intended for revering God in his manifestation as Lord Vishnu, while pura desa for his manifestation as Lord Brahma to reinforce the Guna Sattvam in order that humans always struggle to set up their good intention. In the meantime, at Pura Desa, God is venerated as Lord Brahma to implement such good intention by good deeds. If the Guna Sattvam and Guna Rajah are contaminated by Guna Tamas, so human will always behave good and bad alternately. It is this matter that causes human to reincarnate to this world.
So, veneration of God at Bukit Kiwa and Bukit Tengen shrines also means to set up a balance and strengthen the quality of Sattvam and Rajah in order that we have good intentions and behave well all the times. Similarly, this causes that in the Hindu teaching called Nitisastra the development of spiritual and bodily life should be balanced on all occasions. Based on this concept, at every Hindu kingdom sits a King as a leader of physico-material development and Purohita as leader of mental-spiritual development. Structurally, both have equal position and there is no superior or inferior one. (BTN/Wiana)