Hindu
Rituals and Routines
Why
Do We Follow Those?
2. Why do we have a prayer room?
4. Why do we prostrate before parents and elders?
5. Why do we wear marks (tilak, pottu and the like) on
the forehead?
6. Why do we not touch papers, books and people with
the feet?
6a. To touch another with
the feet is considered an act of misdemeanor. Why is this so?
7. Why do we apply the holy ash?
8. Why do offer food to the
Lord before eating it?
10. Why do we do pradakshina (circumambulate)?
12. Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred?
12. Why do we ring the bell in a temple?
13. Why do we worship the kalasha?
14. Why do we consider the lotus as special?
17. Why do we say shaanti
thrice?
18. Why do we offer a coconut?
In almost every
Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the altar of the Lord. In some houses it
is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day – at dawn and dusk – and in a few it is
maintained continuously (akhanda deepa). All auspicious functions commence with
the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion.
Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness,
ignorance. The Lord is the "Knowledge Principle" (chaitanya) who is
the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is
worshiped as the Lord himself.
Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes
darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer
achievement can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to
knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth
Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would
remove darkness. But the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual
significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our vaasanas or negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by
spiritual knowledge, the vaasanas get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally
perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire
such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals.
Whilst lighting the lamp
we thus pray:
Deepajyothi parabrahma
Deepa sarva tamopahaha
Deepena saadhyate saram
Sandhyaa deepo namostute
I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is
the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of
ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life.
Most Indian homes have a prayer room or altar. A
lamp is lit and the Lord worshipped each day. Other spiritual practices like japa (repetition of the Lord’s name),
meditation, paaraayana (reading of
the scriptures), prayers, and devotional singing etc is also done here. Special
worship is done on auspicious occasions like birthdays, anniversaries,
festivals and the like. Each member of the family – young or old – communes
with and worships the Divine here.
The Lord is the entire creation. He is therefore
the true owner of the house we live in too. The prayer room is the Master room
of the house. We are the earthly occupants of His property. This notion rids us
of false pride and possessiveness.
The ideal attitude to take is to regard the Lord as
the true owner of our homes and us as caretakers of His home. But if that is
rather difficult, we could at least think of Him as a very welcome guest. Just
as we would house an important guest in the best comfort, so too we felicitate
the Lord’s presence in our homes by having a prayer room or altar, which is, at
all times, kept clean and well-decorated.
Also the Lord is all pervading. To remind us that
He resides in our homes with us, we have prayer rooms. Without the grace of the
Lord, no task can be successfully or easily accomplished. We invoke His grace
by communing with Him in the prayer room each day and on special occasions.
Each room in a house is dedicated to a specific
function like the bedroom for resting, the drawing room to receive guests, the
kitchen for cooking etc. The furniture, decor and the atmosphere of each room
are made conducive to the purpose it serves. So too for the purpose of
meditation, worship and prayer, we should have a conducive atmosphere – hence
the need for a prayer room.
Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the
place and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Spiritual thoughts
and vibrations accumulated through regular meditation, worship and chanting
done there pervade the prayer room. Even when we are tired or agitated, by just
sitting in the prayer room for a while, we feel calm, rejuvenated and
spiritually uplifted.
Indians greet each other with namaste. The two palms are placed together in front of the chest
and the head bows whilst saying the word namaste.
This greeting is for all – people younger than us, of our own age, those older
than friends, even strangers and us.
There are five forms of formal traditional greeting
enjoined in the shaastras of which namaskaram is one. This is understood as
prostration but it actually refers to paying homage as we do today when we
greet each other with a namaste.
Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a
cultural convention or an act of worship. However there is much more to it than
meets the eye. In Sanskrit namah + te =
namaste. It means – I bow to you – my greetings, salutations or prostration
to you. Namaha can also be literally
interpreted as "na ma" (not
mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one’s ego in the
presence of another.
The real meeting between people is the meeting of
their minds. When we greet another, we do so with namaste, which means, "may our minds meet," indicated by
the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a
gracious form of extending friendship in love and humility.
The spiritual meaning is even deeper. The life
force, the divinity, the Self or the Lord in me is the same in all. Recognizing
this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we salute with head bowed the
Divinity in the person we meet. That is why sometimes, we close our eyes as we
do namaste to a revered person or the
Lord – as if to look within. The gesture is often accompanied by words like
"Ram Ram", "Jai Shri Krishna", "Namo Narayana",
"Jai Siya Ram", "Om Shanti" etc – indicating the
recognition of this divinity.
When we know this significance, our greeting does
not remain just a superficial gesture or word but paves the way for a deeper
communion with another in an atmosphere of love and respect.
Indians prostrate before their parents, elders,
teachers and noble souls by touching their feet. The elder in turn blesses us
by placing his or her hand on or over our heads. Prostration is done daily,
when we meet elders and particularly on important occasions like the beginning
of a new task, birthdays, festivals etc. In certain traditional circles,
prostration is accompanied by abhivaadana, which serves to introduce one-self, announce one’s family and
social stature.
Man stands on his feet. Touching the feet in
prostration is a sign of respect for the age, maturity, nobility and divinity
that our elders personify. It symbolizes our recognition of their selfless love
for us and the sacrifices they have done for our welfare. It is a way of humbly
acknowledging the greatness of another. This tradition reflects the strong
family ties, which has been one of India’s enduring strengths.
The good wishes (Sankalpa) and blessings (aashirvaada)
of elders are highly valued in India. We prostrate to seek them. Good thoughts
create positive vibrations. Good wishes springing from a heart full of love,
divinity and nobility have a tremendous strength. When we prostrate with
humility and respect, we invoke the good wishes and blessings of elders which
flow in the form of positive energy to envelop us. This is why the posture
assumed whether it is in the standing or prone position, enables the entire
body to receive the energy thus received.
The
different forms of showing respect are :
Pratuthana
– rising to welcome a person.
Namaskaara – paying homage in the form of namaste (discussed separately in this book).
Upasangrahan – touching the feet of elders or teachers.
Shaashtaanga – prostrating fully with the feet, knees, stomach,
chest, forehead and arms touching the ground in front of the elder.
Pratyabivaadana – returning a greeting.
Rules are prescribed in our scriptures as to who
should prostrate to whom. Wealth, family name, age, moral strength and
spiritual knowledge in ascending order of importance qualified men to receive
respect. This is why a king though the ruler of the land, would prostrate
before a spiritual master. Epics like the Ramayana
and Mahabharata have many stories
highlighting this aspect.
The tilak or
pottu invokes a feeling of sanctity in the wearer and others. It is
recognized as a religious mark. Its form and colour vary according to one’s caste,
religious sect or the form of the Lord worshipped.
In earlier times, the four castes (based on varna
or colour) – Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra – applied marks
differently. The brahmin applied a white chandan mark signifying purity, as his
profession was of a priestly or academic nature. The kshatriya applied a red
kumkum mark signifying valour as he belonged to warrior races. The vaishya wore
a yellow kesar or turmeric mark signifying prosperity as he was a businessman
or trader devoted to creation of wealth. The sudra applied a black bhasma,
kasturi or charcoal mark signifying service as he supported the work of the
other three divisions.
Also Vishnu worshippers apply a chandan tilak of
the shape of "U", Shiva worshippers a tripundra (of the shape of
"º ") of bhasma, Devi worshippers a red dot of kumkum and so
on).
The tilak cover the spot between the eyebrows,
which is the seat of memory and thinking. It is known as the Aajna Chakra in
the language of Yoga. The tilak is applied with the prayer – "May I
remember the Lord. May this pious feeling pervade all my activities. May I be
righteous in my deeds." Even when we temporarily forget this prayerful
attitude the mark on another reminds us of our resolve. The tilak is thus a
blessing of the Lord and a protection against wrong tendencies and forces.
The entire body emanates energy in the form of
electromagnetic waves – the forehead and the subtle spot between the eyebrows
especially so. That is why worry generates heat and causes a headache. The
tilak and pottu cools the forehead, protects us and prevents energy loss.
Sometimes the entire forehead is covered with chandan or bhasma. Using plastic
reusable "stick bindis" is not very beneficial, even though it serves
the purpose of decoration.
To Indians, knowledge is sacred and divine. So it
must be given respect at all times. Nowadays we separate subjects as sacred and
secular. But in ancient India every subject – academic or spiritual – was
considered divine and taught by the guru in the gurukula.
The custom of not stepping on educational tools is
a frequent reminder of the high position accorded to knowledge in Indian
culture. From an early age, this wisdom fosters in us a deep reverence for
books and education. This is also the reason why we worship books, vehicles and
instruments once a year on Saraswathi Pooja or Ayudha Pooja day, dedicated to
the Goddess of Learning. In fact, each day before starting our studies, we
pray:
Saraswati
namasthubhyam
Varade
kaama roopini
Vidyaarambham
karishyaami
Sidhirbhavatu
me sadaa
O
Goddess Saraswati, the giver of
Boons and fulfiller of wishes,
I prostrate to You before
starting my studies.
May you always fulfill me?
Man is regarded as the most beautiful, living
breathing temple of the Lord! Therefore touching another with the feet is akin
to disrespecting the divinity within him or her. This calls for an immediate
apology, which is offered with reverence and humility.
The ash of any burnt object is not regarded as holy
ash. Bhasma (the holy ash) is the
ash from the homa (sacrificial fire) where special wood along with ghee and
other herbs is offered as worship of the Lord. Or the deity is worshipped by
pouring ash as abhisheka and is then distributed as bhasma.
Bhasma is generally applied on the forehead. Some
apply it on certain parts of the body like the upper arms, chest etc. Some
ascetics rub it all over the body. Many consume a pinch of it each time they
receive it.
The word bhasma means, "that by which our sins
are destroyed and the Lord is remembered". Bha implied bhartsanam
("to destroy") and sma implies smaranam ("to
remember"). The application of bhasma therefore signifies destruction of
the evil and remembrance of the divine. Bhasma is called vibhuti (which means
"glory") as it gives glory to one who applies it and raksha (which
means a source of protection) as it protects the wearer from ill health and
evil, by purifying him or her.
Homa (offering of oblations into the fire with
sacred chants) signifies the offering or surrender of the ego and egocentric
desires into the flame of knowledge or a noble and selfless cause. The
consequent ash signifies the purity of the mind, which results from such
actions.
Also the fire of knowledge burns the oblation and wood signifying ignorance and
inertia respectively. The ash we apply indicates that we should burn false
identification with the body and become free of the limitations of birth and
death. This is not to be misconstrued as a morose reminder of death but as a
powerful pointer towards the fact that time and tide wait for none.
Bhasma is specially associated with Lord Shiva who
applies it all over His body. Shiva devotes apply bhasma as a tripundra (the
form of "º "). When applied with a red spot at the center,
the mark symbolizes Shiva-Shakti (the unity of energy and matter that creates
the entire seen and unseen universe).
Bhasma has medicinal value and is used in many
ayurvedic medicines. It absorbs excess moisture from the body and prevents
colds and headaches. The Upanishads say that the famous Mrityunjaya
mantra should be chanted whilst applying ash on the forehead.
Tryambakam
yajaamahe
Sugandhim
pushtivardhanam
Urvaa
rukamiva bhandhanaan
Mrytyor
muksheeyamaa amrutaat
"We worship the three-eyed Lord Shiva who
nourishes and spread fragrance in our lives. May He free us from the shackles
of sorrow, change and death – effortlessly, like the fall of a rip brinjal from
its stem."
Indians make an offering of food to the Lord and
later partake of it as prasaada – a holy gift from the Lord.
In our daily ritualistic worship (pooja) too we offer naivedyam (food) to the
Lord.
The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient. Man is a
part, while the Lord is the totality. All that we do is by His strength and
knowledge alone. Hence what we receive in life as a result of our actions is
really His alone. We acknowledge this through the act of offering food to Him.
This is exemplified by the Hindi words "tera tujko arpan"– I
offer what is Yours to You. Thereafter it is akin to His gift to us, graced by His
divine touch.
Knowing this, our entire attitude to food and the
act of eating changes. The food offered will naturally be pure and the best. We
share what we get with others before consuming it. We do not demand, complain
or criticise the quality of the food we get. We eat it with cheerful acceptance
(prasaada
buddhi).
Before we partake of our daily meals we first
sprinkle water around the plate as an act of purification. Five morsels of food
are placed on the side of the plate acknowledging the debt owed by us to the
Divine forces (devta runa) for their
benign grace and protection, our ancestors (pitru runa) for giving us their lineage and a family culture, the
sages (rishi runa) as our religion and culture have been
"realised", aintained and handed down to us by them, our fellow
beings (manushya runa) who constitute society without the support of
which we could not live as we do and other living beings (bhuta runa) for serving
us selflessly.
Thereafter the Lord, the life force, who is also
within us as the five life-giving physiological functions, is offered the food.
This is done with the chant
praanaaya
swaahaa,
apaanaaya
swaahaa,
vyaanaaya
swaahaa,
udaanaaya
swaahaa,
samaanaaya
swaahaa,
brahmane
swaahaa
After
offering the food thus, it is eaten as prasaada – blessed food.
Most devout Indians fast regularly or on special
occasions like festivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make
do with fruits or a special diet of simple food.
Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upa
means "near" + vaasa means "to stay". Upavaasa
therefore means staying near (the Lord), meaning the attainment of close mental
proximity with the Lord. Then what has upavaasa to do with food?
A lot of our time and energy is spent in procuring
food items, preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. Certain food types
make our minds dull and agitated. Hence on certain days man decides to save
time and conserve his energy by eating either simple, light food or totally
abstaining from eating so that his mind becomes alert and pure. The mind,
otherwise pre-occupied by the thought of food, now entertains noble thoughts
and stays with the Lord. Since it is a self-imposed form of discipline it is
usually adhered to with joy.
Also every system needs a break and an overhaul to
work at its best. Rest and a change of diet during fasting is very good for the
digestive system and the entire body.
The more you indulge the senses, the more they make
their demands. Fasting helps us to cultivate control over our senses, sublimate
our desires and guide our minds to be poised and at peace.
Fasting should not make us weak, irritable or
create an urge to indulge later. This happens when there is no noble goal
behind fasting.
The
Bhagavad-Gita urges us to eat appropriately – neither too less nor too much – yukta-aahaara
and to eat simple, pure and healthy food (a saatvik diet) even when not fasting.
We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The
Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. Recognizing Him as the
focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the
significance of pradakshina.
Also every point on the circumference of a circle
is equidistant from the center. This means that wherever or whoever we may be,
we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without
partiality.
11.
Why is pradakshina done only in a
clockwise manner?
The
reason is not, as a person said, to avoid a traffic jam! As we do pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right.
In India the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. So as we circumambulate the
sanctum sanctorum we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of
righteousness, with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and
strength, as our guide – the "right hand".
Indian scriptures enjoin – matrudevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava,
acharyadevo bhava. May you consider your parents and teachers as you
would the Lord. With this in mind we also do pradakshina around our parents and
divine personages.
After the completion of traditional worship
(pooja), we customarily do pradakshina around ourselves. In this way we
recognize and remember the supreme divinity within us, which alone is idolized
in the form of the Lord that we worship outside.
The Lord, the life in us, pervades all living
beings, be they plants or animals. Hence, they are all regarded as sacred.
Human life on earth depends on plants and trees. They give us the vital factors
that make life possible on earth: food, oxygen, clothing, shelter, medicines
etc.
Hence, in India, we are taught to regard trees and
plants as sacred. Indians scriptures tell us to plant ten trees if, for any
reason, we have to cut one. We are advised to use parts of trees and plants
only as much as is needed for food, fuel, shelter etc. we are also urged to
apologies to a plant or tree before cutting it to avoid incurring a specific
sin named soona
Certain trees and plants like tulasi, peepal etc.,
which have tremendous beneficial qualities, are worshipped till today. It is
believed that divine beings manifest as trees and plants, and many people
worship them to fulfill their desires or to please the Lord.
Is it to wake up the Lord? But the Lord never
sleeps. Is it to let the Lord know we have come? He does not need to be told,
as He is all knowing. Is it a form of seeking permission to enter His precinct?
It is a homecoming and therefore entry needs no permission. The Lord welcomes
us at all times. Then why do we ring the bell?
The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded
as an auspicious sound. It produces the sound Om, the universal name of the Lord. There should be auspiciousness
within and without, to gain the vision of the Lord who is
all-auspiciousness.
Even while doing the ritualistic aarati, we ring the bell. It is
sometimes accompanied by the auspicious sounds of the conch and other musical
instruments. An added significance of ringing the bell, conch and other
instruments is that they help drowned any inauspicious or irrelevant noises and
comments that might disturb or distract the worshippers in their devotional
ardour, concentration and inner peace.
As we start the daily ritualistic worship (pooja) we ring the bell, chanting:
Aagamaarthamtu
devaanaam
gamanaarthamtu
rakshasaam
Kurve
ghantaaravam tatra
devataahvaahna
lakshanam
I ring this bell indicating
the invocation of divinity,
So that virtuous and noble forces
enter (my home and heart);
and the demonic and evil forces
from within and without, depart.
First of all what is a kalasha? A brass, mud or
copper pot is filled with water. Mango leaves are placed in the mouth of the
pot and a coconut is placed over it. A red or white thread is tied around its
neck or sometimes all around it in a intricate diamond-shaped pattern. The pot
may be decorated wit designs. Such a pot is known as a kalasha.
When the pot is filled with water or rice, it is
known as purnakumbha representing the inert body which when filled with
the divine life force gains the power to do all the wonderful things that makes
life what it is.
A kalasha is placed with due rituals
on all-important occasions like the traditional house warming (grihapravesa),
wedding, daily worship etc. It is placed near the entrance as a sign of
welcome. It is also used in a traditional manner while receiving holy
personages. Why do we worship the kalasha? Before the creation came
into being, Lord Vishnu was reclining on His snake-bed in the milky ocean. From
His navel emerged a lotus from which appeared Lord Brahma, the creator, who
thereafter created this world.
The water in the kalasha symbolizes the
primordial water from which the entire creation emerged. It is the giver of
life to all and has the potential of creating innumerable names and forms, the
inert objects and the sentient beings and all that is auspicious in the world
from the energy behind the universe. The leaves and coconut represent creation.
The thread represents the love that
"binds" all in creation. The kalasha is therefore considered auspicious
and worshipped. The waters from all the holy rivers, the knowledge of all the
Vedas and the blessings of all the deities are invoked in the kalasha
and its water is thereafter used for all the rituals, including the abhisheka.
The consecration (kumbhaabhisheka) of a
temple is done in a grand manner with elaborate rituals including the pouring
of one or more kalashas of holy water on the top of the temple. When the
asuras and devas churned the milky ocean, the Lord appeared bearing the pot of
nectar, which blessed one with everlasting life.
Thus the kalasha also symbolizes immortality.
Men of wisdom are full and complete as they identify with the infinite Truth (poornatvam).
They brim with joy and love and respect all that is auspicious. We greet them
with a purnakumbha ("full pot") acknowledging their
greatness and as a sign of respectful and reverential welcome, with a
"full heart".
The lotus is the symbol of truth, auspiciousness
and beauty (satyam, shivam, sundaram). The Lord is also that nature and
therefore, His various aspects are compared to a lotus (i.e. lotus-eyes, lotus
feet, lotus hands, the lotus of the heart etc.).
The lotus blooms with the rising sun and close at
night. Similarly, our minds open up and expand with the light of knowledge. The
lotus grows even in slushy areas. It remains beautiful and untainted despite
its surroundings, reminding us that we too can and should strive to remain pure
and beautiful within, under all circumstances.
The lotus leaf never gets wet even though it is
always in water. It symbolizes the man of wisdom (gyaani) who remains ever
joyous, unaffected by the world of sorrow and change. This is revealed in a
shloka from the Bhagwad-Geeta:
Brahmanyaadhaaya
karmaani
Sangam
tyaktvaa karoti yaha
Lipyate
na sa paapena
Padma
patram ivaambhasaa
He who does actions, offering them to Brahman (the
Supreme), abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf
remains unaffected by the water on it.
From this, we learn that what is natural to the man
of wisdom becomes a discipline to be practiced by all saadhakas or spiritual seekers and devotees. Our bodies have
certain energy centers described in the Yoga Shaastras as chakras.
Each one is associated with lotus that has a
certain number of petals. For example, a lotus with a thousand petals
represents the Sahasra chakra at the top of the head, which opens when the yogi
attains Godhood or Realisation. Also, the lotus posture (padmaasana) is
recommended when one sits for meditation. A lotus emerged from the navel of
Lord Vishnu. Lord Brahma originated from it to create the world. Hence, the
lotus symbolizes the link between the creator and the supreme Cause.
It
also symbolizes Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma. The auspicious sign of
the swastika is said to have evolved from the lotus.
In Sanskrit, tulanaa naasti athaiva tulasi - that
which is incomparable (in its qualities) is the tulasi.
For Indians it is one of the most sacred plants. In
fact it is known to be the only thing used in worship, which, once used, can be
washed and reused in pooja - as it is regarded so self-purifying.
As one story goes, Tulasi was the devoted wife of
Shankhachuda, a celestial being. She believed that Lord Krishna tricked her
into sinning. So she cursed Him to become a stone (shaaligraama). Seeing her
devotion and adhered to righteousness, the Lord blessed her saying that she
would become the worshipped plant, tulasi that would adorn His head.
Also that all offerings would be incomplete without
the tulasi leaf - hence the worship
of tulasi.
She also symbolises Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of
Lord Vishnu. Those who wish to be righteous and have a happy family life
worship the tulasi.
Tulasi is married to the Lord with all pomp and show as
in any wedding.
This is because according to another legend, the
Lord blessed her to be His consort. Satyabhama once weighed Lord Krishna
against all her legendary wealth. The scales did not balance till a single tulasi leaf was placed along with the
wealth on the scale by Rukmini with devotion.
Thus the tulasi
played the vital role of demonstrating to the world that even a small object
offered with devotion means more to the Lord than all the wealth in the world.
The tulasi leaf has great medicinal
value and is used to cure various ailments, including the common cold.
Yanmule
sarvatirhaani
Yannagre
sarvadevataa
Yanmadhye
sarvavedaascha
Tulasi
taam namaamyaham
I bow down to the tulasi, At whose base are all the
holy places, At whose top reside all the deities and In whose middle are all
the Vedas.
When the conch is blown, the primordial sound of Om emanates. Om is an auspicious sound that was chanted by the Lord before
creating the world. It represents the world and the Truth behind it.
As the story goes, the demon Shankhaasura defeated
devas, the Vedas and went to the bottom of the ocean. The devas appealed to
Lord Vishnu for help. He incarnated as Matsya Avataara - the "fish
incarnation" and killed Shankhaasura. The Lord blew the conch-shaped bone
of his ear and head. The Om sound
emanated, from which emerged the Vedas.
All knowledge enshrined in the Vedas is an
elaboration of Om. The conch
therefore is known as shankha after Shankaasua. The conch
blown by the Lord is called Paanchajanya. He carries it at all
times in one of His four hands.
It represents dharma or righteousness that is one
of the four goals (purushaarthas) of
life. The sound of the conch is thus also the victory call of good over evil.
Another well-known purpose of blowing the conch and
the instruments, known traditionally to produce auspicious sounds is to drown
or mask negative comments or noises that may disturb or upset the atmosphere or
the minds of worshippers.
Ancient India lived in her villages. Each village
was presided over by a primary temple and several small ones. During the aarati performed after all-important
poojas and on sacred occasions, the conch used to be blown. Since villages were
generally small, the sound of the conch would be heard all over the village.
People who could not make it to the temple were reminded to stop whatever they
were doing, at least for a few seconds, and mentally bow to the Lord. The conch
sound served to briefly elevate people's minds to a prayerful attitude even in
the middle of their busy daily routine.
The conch is placed at the altar in temples and
homes next to the Lord as a symbol of Naada Brahma (Truth), the Vedas, Om, dharma, victory and auspiciousness.
It is often used to offer devotees thirtha
(sanctified water) to raise their minds to the highest Truth. It is worshipped
with the following verse.
Twam
puraa saagarot pannaha
Vishnunaa
vidhrutahakare
Devaischa
poojitha sarvahi
Panchjanya
namostu te
Salutations
to Panchajanya
the conch born of the ocean
Held in the hand of Lord Vishnu
and worshipped by all devaas
Shaanti,
meaning "peace", is a natural state of being. Disturbances are
created either by others or us. For example, peace already exists in a place
until someone makes noise.
Therefore, peace underlies all our agitations. When agitations end, peace is
naturally experienced since it was already there. Where there is peace, there
is happiness. Therefore, every one without exception desires peace in his/her
life.
However, peace within or without seems very hard to
attain because it is covered by our own agitations. A rare few manage to remain
peaceful within even in the midst of external agitation and troubles. To invoke
peace, we chant prayers. By chanting prayers, troubles end and peace is
experienced internally, irrespective of the external disturbances. All such
prayers end by chanting shaanti thrice.
It is believed that trivaram satyam - that
which is said thrice comes true. For emphasizing a point we repeat a thing
thrice. In the court of law also, one who takes the witness stands says,
"I shall speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth".
We chant shaanti thrice to emphasise our
intense desire for peace. All obstacles, problems and sorrows originate from
three sources.
Aadhidaivika
: The unseen divine forces over which we have little or no control like
earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions etc.
Aadhibhautika:
The known factors around us like accidents, human contacts, pollution, crime
etc.
Aadhyaatmika
: We sincerely pray to the Lord that at least while we undertake special tasks
or even in our daily lives, there are no problems or that, problems are
minimised from the three sources written about above.
May peace alone prevail. Hence shaanti is chanted
thrice.
It is chanted aloud the first time, addressing the
unseen forces. It is chanted softer the second time, directed to our immediate
surroundings and those around, and softest the last time as it is addressed to
oneself.
In India one of the most common offerings in a
temple is a coconut. It is also offered on occasions like weddings, festivals,
the use of a new vehicle, bridge, house etc. It is offered in the sacrificial
fire whilst performing homa. The
coconut is broken and placed before the Lord. It is later distributed as prasaada.
The fibre covering of the dried coconut is removed
except for a tuft on the top. The marks on the coconut make it look like the
head of a human being. The coconut is broken, symbolising the breaking of the
ego. The juice within, representing the inner tendencies (vaasanas) is offered along with the white kernel - the mind, to the
Lord.
A mind thus purified by the touch of the Lord is
used as prasaada ( a holy gift). In
the traditional abhishekha ritual
done in all temples and many homes, several materials are poured over the deity
like milk, curd, honey, tender coconut water, sandal paste, holy ash etc. Each
material has a specific significance of bestowing certain benefits on
worshippers. Tender coconut water is used in abhisheka rituals since it is believed to bestow spiritual growth
on the seeker.
The coconut also symbolises selfless service. Every
part of the tree -the trunk, leaves, fruit, coir etc. Is used in innumerable
ways like thatches, mats, tasty dishes, oil, soap etc. It takes in even salty
water from the earth and converts it into sweet nutritive water that is
especially beneficial to sick people. It is used in the preparation of many
ayurvedic medicines and in other alternative medicinal systems.
The
marks on the coconut are even thought to represent the three-eyed Lord Shiva
and therefore it is considered to be a means to fulfill our desires.
Om is one of the most chanted sound symbols in
India. It has a profound effect on the body and mind of the one who chants and
also on the surroundings. Most mantras and vedic prayers start with Om.
All auspicious actions begin with Om. It is even
used as a greeting - Om, Hari Om etc. It is repeated as a mantra or meditated
upon. Its form is worshipped, contemplated upon or used as an auspicious sign.
Om is the universal name of the Lord. It is made up of the letters A (phonetically as in "around"), U (phonetically as in "put") and M (phonetically as in "mum"). The sound emerging from the vocal chords starts from the base of the throat as "A". With the coming together of the lips, "U" is formed and when the lips are closed, all sounds end in "M".
The
three letters symbolize the three states (waking, dream and deep sleep), the
three deities (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), the three Vedas (Rig, Yajur and Sama)
the three worlds (Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah) etc. The Lord is all these and
beyond.
The formless, attributeless Lord (Brahman) is
represented by the silence between two Om Chants. Om is also called pranava that means, "that (symbol
or sound) by which the Lord is praised". The entire essence of the Vedas
is enshrined in the word Om. It is said that the Lord started creating the
world after chanting Om and atha.
Hence its sound is considered to create an auspicious beginning for any task
that we undertake. The Om chant should have the resounding sound of a bell (aaooommm).
Om is written in different ways in different
places. The most common form symbolizes Lord Ganesha’s. The upper curve is the
head; the lower large one, the stomach; the side one, the trunk; and the
semi-circular mark with the dot, the sweetmeat ball (modaka) in Lord Ganesha's
hand. Thus Om symbolizes everything - the means and the goal of life, the world
and the Truth behind it, the material and the Sacred, all form and the
Formless.
Towards the end of every ritualistic worship (pooja
or bhajan) of the Lord or to welcome an honored guest or saint, we perform the
aarati. This is always accompanied by the ringing of the bell and sometimes by
singing, playing of musical instruments and clapping.
It is one of the sixteen steps (shodasha upachaara) of the pooja ritual.
It is referred to as the lighted lamp in the right hand, which we wave in a
clockwise circling movement to light the entire form of the Lord.
Each part is revealed individually and also the
entire form of the Lord. As the light is waved we either do mental or loud
chanting of prayers or simply behold the beautiful form of the Lord, illumined by the lamp. At the end of
the aarati we place our hands over the flame and then gently touch our eyes and
the top of the head.
We
have seen and participated in this ritual from our childhood. Let us find out
why we do the aarati?
Having worshipped the Lord of love - performing
abhisheka, decorating the image and offering fruits and delicacies, we see the
beauty of the Lord in all His glory. Our minds are focused on each limb of the
Lord as the lamp lights it up. It is akin to silent open-eyed meditation on His
beauty. The singing, clapping, ringing of the bell etc. denote the joy and
auspiciousness, which accompanies the vision of the Lord.
Aarati is often performed with camphor. This holds
a telling spiritual significance. Camphor when lit, burns itself out completely
without leaving a trace of it. It represents our inherent tendencies (vaasanas). When lit by the fire of
knowledge which illumines the Lord (Truth), our vaasanas thereafter burn themselves out completely, not leaving a
trace of ego which creates in us a sense of individuality that keeps us
separate from the Lord.
Also while camphor burns to reveal the glory of
Lord, it emits a pleasant perfume even while it sacrifices itself. In our
spiritual progress, even as we serve the guru and society, we should willingly
sacrifice ourselves and all we have, to spread the "perfume" of love
to all. We often wait a long while to see the illumined Lord but when the
aarati is actually performed, our eyes close automatically as if to look
within. This is to signify that each of us is a temple of the Lord.
Just as the priest reveals the form of the Lord
clearly with the aarati flame, so too
the guru reveals to us the divinity within each of us with the help of the
"flame" of knowledge (or the light of spiritual knowledge). At the
end of the aarati, we place our hands
over the flame and then touch our eyes and the top of the head. It means - may
the light that illuminated the Lord light up my vision; may my vision be divine
and my thoughts noble and beautiful.
The philosophical meaning of aarati extends further. The sun, moon, stars, lightning and fire
are the natural sources of light. The Lord is the source of this wonderous
phenomenon of the universe. It is due to Him alone that all else exist and
shine. As we light up the Lord with the flame of the aarati, we turn our attention to the very source of all light,
which symbolizes knowledge and life.
Also the sun is the presiding deity of the
intellect, the moon, that of the mind, and fire, that of speech. The Lord is
the supreme consciousness that illuminates all of them. Without Him, the
intellect cannot think, nor can the mind feel nor the tongue speaks. The Lord
is beyond the mind, intellect and speech. How can this finite equipment
illuminate the Lord? Therefore, as we perform the aarati we chant;
Na
tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
Nemaa
vidyuto bhaanti kutoyamagnib
Tameva
bhaantam anubhaati sarvam
Tasya
bhasa sarvam idam vibhaati
He is
there where the sun does not shine,
Nor the moon, stars and lightning.
then what to talk of this small flame (in my hand),
Everything (in the universe) shines only after the Lord,
And by His light alone are we all illumined.
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