The Bodhisattva of Compassion in Chobhar
Ādinātha Lokeśvara is an ancient Lokeśvara temple located in Chobhar, representing one of the most sacred sites dedicated to the Bodhisattva of compassion. Lokeśvara, known as Chenrezig in Tibetan tradition, embodies infinite compassion and is beloved for his famous mantra Om maṇi padme hūṃ (Tibetan: Om mani peme hum).
Among the four major Lokeśvara temples in the Kathmandu Valley, Ādinātha holds special significance as a place where people have traditionally purified extremely serious negative karma through the boundless compassion of this enlightened being.
The rituals at this temple address multiple levels of karmic purification and spiritual liberation, working through the compassionate energy of Lokeśvara to heal generational patterns and free both the living and the deceased.
Benefits of Ādinātha Rituals
Ancestral Karma Purification:
- Neutralizes negative energy from ancestors - Clears harmful spiritual influences from deceased family members
- Purifies ancestral non-virtues - Cleanses karma from ancestors' wrong livelihood (animal raising, killing for living, etc.)
- Addresses inherited karmic debt - Intensive purification for those who inherited wealth from non-virtuous ancestral actions
Spirit Liberation & Transition:
- Helps liberate stuck ancestors - Assists spirits in transitioning to better rebirths
- Creates causes for liberation - Establishes positive conditions for ancestral spiritual progress
- Promotes virtuous thoughts - Helps ancestors develop more positive mental states
Protection & Healing:
- Prevents unintentional harm from loving ancestors - Protects against negative effects from spirits who love us but are stuck
- Purifies serious negative karma - Addresses extremely heavy karmic burdens
Understanding Ancestral Influence
When people become stuck as spirits after death, they may unintentionally cause harm to their loved ones despite having genuine affection for them. This creates a complex situation where love and negative influence coexist, requiring compassionate intervention to resolve.
Additionally, we often carry karmic connections to our ancestors' actions. Some ancestors may have engaged in non-virtuous livelihoods and accumulated heavy negative karma. Since we have benefited indirectly from their efforts, we carry responsibility for purifying this accumulated karma.
The Path of Compassionate Practice
It is essential to understand that the most effective puja outcomes arise when practitioners are motivated by compassion rather than attachment to purely selfish benefits. The ultimate purpose of accumulating any worldly resources—whether health, wealth, position, power, relationships, or status—should be to create circumstances that enable us to eventually transcend our need for such accumulation.
This profound understanding transforms ritual practice from mere material pursuit into authentic spiritual development, aligning our intentions with the boundless compassion of Lokeśvara himself.
Read the Complete Ādinātha Guide