Preserving Soil’s Fecundity from Bangun Sakti Temple

Bangun Sakti Temple is located on the right side of the street—some 600 meters—leading to the Penataran Agung Temple at Besakih. Up to these days, it is not obvious yet why this temple is named Bangun Sakti. The phrase bangun sakti (Balinese) represents life’s vigour. This temple functions as worshiping medium to God in his manifestation as the Lord of earth (solid) becoming the terrestrial integument.

At Bangun Sakti Temple, God is venerated with the designation of Sanghyang Ananta Bhoga—Sanghyang stands for pronoun meaning the divine, Bhoga (food resource) and Ananta (endless). In Hindu teachings, human needs three-fold necessity, namely bhoga (food), upabhoga (clothing) and paribhoga (housing and the like).
There are two main buildings at Bangun Sakti Temple, namely Gedong Simpen (four-beamed shrine of which roof made of palm’s fibre) and Dasar Sapta Patala shrine in the form of bebaturan (lingam) on which the statue of Dragon Ananta Bhoga is abode that is also called Sapta Patala.
According to conception of Hindu’s holy sastra (sacred scripture), earth of terrestrial integument consists of seven layers therefore they are called Sapta Patala—sapta (seven) and patala (netherworldly layer).
Bangun Sakti Temple is the upstream of all Sapta Patala shrines existing across Bali. Sapta Patala shrine, in the main, established at family temple or public temple in Bali to remind the Hindu congregation to preserve the soil as terrestrial integument.
God veneration as Sanghyang Ananta Bhoga conveys a meaning to motivate the devotees maintaining the earth’s preservation at all times so it can become an endless resource of food. This also means a precaution not to tease the preservation of the earth. If the earth is not immutable, food crises will occur. On that account, whoever teases the preservation of the earth is sinful to God. Because it is God that creates the earth that becomes the endless resource of food.
If the earth’s preservation is disrupted, as a consequence, it will stop becoming the resource of food. Thus, God veneration as Sanghyang Ananta Bhoga should be given an interpretation by real endeavour to preserve that fecundity of the earth until the end of time.
In the palm-leaf manuscript Pamancangah is recounted that it is at this Bangun Sakti Temple the sage Sidhi Mantra (a holy priest from East Java) collected the corpse’s ashes of Manik Angkeran, son of the apple of his eye.
In this manuscript is given an explanation of the lifetime of Manik Angkeran who was sent to study in Bali under guidance of Sanghyang Naga Basukih who lived at Besakih. But, Manik Angkeran in fact did not concentrate on learning or exercising spiritual instruction he was even enthralled with gambling. When lacking of money, he was tempted to see the tail of Dragon Basuki that put on gold jewellery set with luxurious precious stone.
Being bewildered by shortage of money, he quietly cut the tail of Dragon Basuki and used it for betting. The dragon lost its temper. Flames emanated from its mouth and sprayed towards him. Manik Angkeran killed and turned to ashes. Sage Sidhi Mantra who lived in East Java knew this happening. For this reason, he rushed to go to Bali to beg pardon to Sanghyang Naga Basuki. In fact, it was willing to forgive him and let the sage Sidhi Mantra to bring his son to life.
Afterwards, the ashes of Manik Angkeran were collected and his father brought him to life at Bangun Sakti Temple. Having been alive, Manik Angkeran was advised by Sidhi Mantra to stop his bad habit of gambling. From thenceforth, Manik Angkeran was aware and no more developed his gambling habit. He then became very pious son and observant to his teacher and father.
Later, Sanghyang Naga Basuki entrusted Manik Angkeran to maintain and take care of Besakih Temple. His descendants up to current times performed such obligation observantly. (BTN/Ketut Wiana)