Rituals of Hinduism

08-10-2004, 05:13 AM

Subject: Rituals of Hinduism
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 14:23:33 +0000
The questions answered here are, Why do we -

1.. light a lamp?
2.. have a prayer room?
3.. do namaste?
4.. prostrate before parents and elders?
5.. wear marks on the forehead?
6.. not touch papers, books and people with the feet?
7.. apply the holy ash?
8.. offer food to the Lord before eating it?
9.. do pradakshina?
10.. regard trees and plants as sacred?
11.. fast?
12.. ring the bell in a temple?
13.. worship the kalasha?
14.. worship tulasi?
15.. consider the lotus as special?
16.. blow the conch?
17.. say shaanti thrice?
18.. offer a coconut?
19.. chant Om?
20.. do aarati?

FORE WORD

Indian culture is admired and respected all over the
world for its beauty and depth. This book features
in simple terms, the various aspects of both beauty
and depth in this culture. Almost every Indian
custom and tradition has either a scientific,
logical, historical, social or spiritual
significance. Understanding this lends meaning to an
otherwise mechanical following of the customs, which
are often misunderstood to be mere superstitions
that fade away in time.

A unique feature of Indian culture is its
self-rejuvenating capacity. Customs that are
obsolete are gradually dropped as seen in the
instances of human sacrifice as well as animal
sacrifice to a large extent, sati, untouchability
etc. This culture tailors itself constantly to take
the best of the modern, technological age without
losing its roots.

It is this adaptability that has enabled India to be
recognized as one of the world's oldest living
civilizations. The customs and traditions selected
for these pages are simple, enduring ones, that have
lasted the test of time and are an integral part of
many an Indian home even today.

Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji laid great
emphasis on explaining the symbolism in Hindu dharma
in a manner that was logical, scientific and
appealing to modern man, thereby creating a
magnificent cultural renaissance.

This book is dedicated to this great master who
spent his entire life in raising the dignity of
Indian culture and philosophy in the eyes of the
world.

Chapter 1

This chapter tells you Why do we light a lamp, have
a prayer room, do namaste, prostrate before parents
and elders.

1. Why do we light a lamp?

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily
before the altar of the Lord. In some houses it is
lit at drawn, in some, twice a day - at dawn and
dusk and in a few it is maintained continuously
(akhanda deepa). All auspicious functions and
moments like daily worship, rituals and festivals
and even many social occasions like inaugurations
commence with the lighting of the lamp, which is
often maintained right through the occasion.

a.. Why do we light a lamp?

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 worshipped as the
Lord Himself.

Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes
darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth
by which all outer achievements can be accomplished.
Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as
the greatest of all forms of wealth. Knowledge backs
all our actions whether good or bad. We therefore
keep a lamp lit during all auspicious occasions as a
witness to our thoughts and actions.

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 wicked, 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.

A single lamp can light hundreds more just as a man
of knowledge can give it to many more. The
brilliance of the light does not diminish despite
its repeated use to light many more lamps. So too
knowledge does not lessen when shared with or
imparted to others. On the contrary it increases in
clarity and conviction on giving. It benefits both
the receiver and the giver.

Whilst lighting the, lamp we thus pray :

Deepajyotihi parabrahma

Deepa sarva tamopababa

Deepena sadhyate sarvam

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.

Which else shall beautify a home

But the flame of a lovely lamp?

Which else shall adorn the mind But the light of
wisdom deep ?

Thus this custom contains a wealth of intellectual
and spiritual meaning.

2. Why do we prayer room?

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, 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.

a.. Why do we have a prayer room ?

The Lord is the owner of the entire creation He is
therefore the true owner of 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 ourselves 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, décor 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.

3. Why do we do namaste ?

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 us, friends and even
strangers.

There are five forms of formal traditional greeting
enjoined in the shaastras of which namaskaaram 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.

a.. Why do we do namaste ?

Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a
culture 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 some
times, 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.

4. Why do we prostrate before parents and elders ?

Indians prostrate to 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 circle,
prostration is accompanied by abbivaadana which
serves to introduce one self, announce one's family
and social stature.

a.. Why do we offer prostrations?

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 that 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 Indian's enduring strengths.

The good wishes (sankalpa) and blessing
(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 :

a.. Pratuthana - rising to welcome a person.

b.. Namaskaara - paying homage in the form of
namaste (discussed separately in this book).

c.. Upasangrahan - touching the feet of elders or
teachers.

d.. Shaastaanga - prostrating fully with the feet,
knees, stomach, chest, forehead and arms touching
the ground in front of the elder.

e.. 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.

This tradition thus creates an environment of mutual
love and respect among people ensuring harmony in
the family and society.

Chapter 2

This chapter tells you Why do we wear marks on the
forehead, not touch papers, books and people with
the feet, apply the holy ash, offer food to the Lord
before eating it.

5. Why do we wear marks on the forehead ?

Most religious Indians, especially married women
wear a tilak or pottu on the forehead. It is applied
daily after a bath and on special occasions before
or after ritualistic worship or a visit to the
temple. In many communities, it is enjoined upon
married women to sport a kumkum mark on their
foreheads at all times. The orthodox put it on with
due rituals. The tilak is applied on saints and
image of the Lord as a form of worship and in many
parts of north India as a respectful form of
welcome, to honor guests or when bidding farewell to
a son or husband about to embark on a journey. The
tilak varies in color and form.

This custom was not prevalent in the Vedic period it
gained popularity in the Pauranic period. Some
believe that it originated in South India.

a.. Why do we wear marks (tilak, pottu and the
like) on the forehead ?

The tilak or pottu invokes a feeling of sanctity the
wearer and others. It is recognized as a religion
mark. Its form and color vary according to one
caste, religious sect or the form the Lord
worshipped.

In earlier times, the four castes (based on varna or
colour) - Braahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra -
applied marks differently.

The Brahmin applied white chandan mark signifying
purity, as his profession was a priestly or academic
nature. The kshatriya applied a red kumkum mark
signifying valour as be belonged to the warrior. 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 "=") of
bhasma, Devi worshippers a red dot of kumkum and so
on.

The chandan, kumkum or bhasma which is offered to
the Lord is taken back as prasad and applied on our
foreheads. The tilak covers 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 or 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. This
custom is unique to Indians and helps to easily
identify us anywhere.

6. Why do we not touch papers, books and people with
the feet ?

In Indian homes, we are taught from a very young
age, never to touch papers, books and people with
our feet. If the feet accidentally touch papers,
books musical instruments or any other educational
equipment, children are told to reverentially touch
what was stamped with their hands and then touch
their eyes as a mark of apology.

a.. Why do we not touch papers and people with the
feet ?

To Indians, knowledge is sacred and divine. So it
must be given respect at all times. Nowadays we
separate 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 namasthuhhyam

Varade kaama roopini

Vidyaarambham karishyaami

Sidhirhhavatu 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.

Children are also strongly discouraged from touching
people with their feet. Even if this happens
accidentally, we touch the person and bring the
fingers to our eyes as a mark of apology. Even when
elders touch a younger person inadvertently with
their feet, they immediately apologize.

a.. To touch another with the feet is considered
an act of misdemeanor. Why is this so ?

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 or her. This calls for an immediate
apology, which is offered with reverence and
humility.

Thus, many of our customs are designed to be simple
but powerful reminders or pointers of profound
philosophical truths. This is one of the factors
that has kept Indian culture alive across centuries.

7. Why do we apply the holy ash ?

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.

a.. Why do we do use bhasma ?

The word bhasma means, "that by which our sins are
destroyed and the Lord is remembered" Bha implies
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 vibbuti (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 desire 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. The application of ash reminds us
that the body is perishable and shall one day be
reduced to ashes. We should therefore not get too
attached to it. Death can come at any moment and
this awareness must increase our drive to make the
best use of times. 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 devotees apply
bhasma as a tripundra (the form of "="). When
applied with a red spot in the centre, the mark
symbolizes Shiv - Shakti (the unity of energy and
matter that creates the entire seen and unseen
universe).

Ash is what remains when all the wood is burnt away
and it does not decay. Similarly, the Lord is the
imperishable Truth that remains when the entire
creation of innumerable names and forms is
dissolved.

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 yajaamabe

Sugandhim pushtivardhanam

Urvaa rukamiva bhandhanaan

Mrytyor muksheeyamaa amrutaat

"We worship the three-eyed lord Shiva who nourishes
and spreads fragrance in our lives. May He free us
from the shackles of sorrow, change and
death-effortlessly, like the fall of a ripe brinjal
from its stem."

8. Why do we offer food to the Lord before eating
it?

In western tradition food is partaken after a
thanksgiving prayer - grace. Indians make an
offering of it to the lord and later partake of it
as prasaada a holy gift from the lord In temples and
in many homes, the cooked food is first offered to
the lord each day. The offered food is mixed with
the rest of the food and then served as prasaada. In
our daily ritualistic worship (pooja) too we offer
naivedyam (food) to the Lord. Why do we do so ?

a.. Why do we offer neivedya ?

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 from the arati "J"I
Jagadisha Hare" - 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 criticize the quality of the food we
get. We do not waste or reject it. We eat it with
cheerful acceptance (prasaada buddhi). When we
become established in this attitude, it goes beyond
the purview of food and pervades our entire. Lives.
We are then able to cheerfully accept all we get in
life as His prasaada.

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 buy us
to the

a.. divine forces (devta runa) for their benign
grace and protection;

b.. our ancestors (pitru runa) for giving us their
lineage and a family culture;

c.. the sages (rishi runa) as our religion and
culture have been "realized", maintained and handed
down to us by them;

d.. our fellow beings (manushya runa) who
constitute society without the support of which we
could not live as we do and

e.. 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
swahaa, brahmane swaahaa (referring to the five
physiological functions - respiratory (praana),
excretory (apaana), circulatory (vyaana), digestive
(samaana) and reversal (udaana) systems. After
offering the food thus, it is eaten as prasaada -
blessed food.

To remember this concept, many chant the following
verse of the Geeta.

Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavihi

Brahmaagnau Brahmanaahutam

Brahmaivatenagantavyam

Brahmakarma samaadhina

Brahman is the oblation; the clarified butter; the
obtain; the fire.. Brahman ( the Supreme) shall be
reached by him who sees the Supreme in all actions.

Aham vaishvaanarobhutvaa

Praaninaam dehamaashritaha

Praanaapaanasamaayuktaha

Pachaamyannam chaturvidham

"Residing in all living beings as the digestive
fire, I digest the four types of food eaten by them
(as an offering to Me)".

Chapter 3

This chapter tells you Why do we do pradakshina,
regard trees and plants as sacred, fast, ring the
bell in a temple, worship the kalasha, worship
tulasi.

9. Why do we do pradakshins ?

When we visit a temple, after offering prayers, we
circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum. This is called
pradakshina.

a.. Why do we do pradakshina ?

We cannot draw a circle without a centre point The
Lord is the centre, 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 centre. This means that
wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close
to the lord. His grace flows towards us without
partiality.

a.. 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. It is a telling fact that
eve in the English language it is called the "right"
side and not the wrong one ! 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" - the dharma aspect - of
our lives We thereby overcome our wrong tendencies
and avoid repeating the sins of the past.

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. The story of lord
Ganesha circumambulating his parents is a well-known
one.

After the completion of traditional worship (pooja),
we customarily do pradakshina around our-selves. 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.

As we circumambulate, we chant:

Yaani kaani cha paapaani

Janmaantara krtaani cha

Taani taani vinashyanti

Pradakshina pade pade.

"All the sins committed by an individual from
innumerable past births are destroyed by each step
taken whilst doing pradakshina."

10. Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred?

>From ancient times, Indians have worshipped plants
and trees and regarded all flora and fauna as
sacred. This is not an old fashioned or uncivilized
practice. It reveals the sensitivity, foresight and
refinement of Indian culture. While modern man often
works to "conquer" Mother Nature, ancient Indian
"worshipped" her.

Why do we regard plants and trees as sacred?

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. They lend beauty
to our surroundings. They serve man without
expectation and sacrifice themselves to sustain us.
They epitomize sacrifice if a stone is thrown on a
fruit-laden tree; the tree in turn gives fruit!

In fact, the flora and fauna owned the earth before
man appeared on it Presently, the world is seriously
threatened by the destruction of forestlands and the
extinction of many species of vegetation due to
man's callous attitude toward them. We protect only
what we value Hence in India, we are taught to
regard trees and plants as sacred Naturally, we will
then protect them.

Indian scriptures tell us to plant 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. In our
childhood, we are told stories of the sacrifice and
service done by plants and trees and about our duty
to plant and nourish them. 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.

11. Why do we fast?

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. Some undertake rigorous
fasts when they do not even drink water the whole
day! Fasting is done foe many reasons - to please
the Lord, to discipline oneself and even to protest.
Gandhiji fasted to protest against the British rule.

a.. Why do we fast?

Is it to save food or to create an appetite to feast
after the fast? Not really. Then why do we fast?

Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upa means
"near" + vaasa means "to stay". Upavaasa therefore
means staying near (the Lord), meaning he 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. Some fast, rather they
diet, merely to reduce weight. Others fast as a vow
to please the Lord or to fulfill their desires, some
to develop will power, control the senses, some as a
form of austerity and so on. The Bhagavad Geeta
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.

12. Why do we ring the bell in a temple ?

In most temples there are one or more bells hung
from the top, near the entrance. The devotee rings
the bell as soon as he enters, thereafter proceeding
for darshan of the Lord and prayers. Children love
jumping up or being carried high in order to reach
the bell.

a.. Why do we ring the bell ?

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. These 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 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 ardor, 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.

13. Why do we worship the kalasha ?

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 an intricate
diamond-shaped pattern. The pot may be decorated
with 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 (grhapravesa), 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.

a.. 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 the devas churned the milky
ocean, the Lord appeared bearing the post 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 represent 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".

14. Why do we worship tulasi ?

Either in the front, back or central courtyard of
most Indian homes there is a tulasi-matham-an altar
bearing a tulasi plant. In the present day
apartments too, many maintain a potted tulasi plant.
The lady of the house lights a lamp, waters the
plant, worships and circumambulates it. The stem,
leaves, seeds and even the soil, which provides it a
base, are considered holy. A tulasi leaf is always
placed in the food offered to the Lord It is also
offered to the Lord during poojas, especially to
Lord Vishnu and His incarnations.

a.. Why do we worship the tulasi ?

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 adherence to righteousness, the Lord
blessed her saying that she would become the
worshipped 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 symbolizes 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
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 sarvatirthaani

Yannagre sarvadevataa

Yanmadhye sarvavedaascha

Tulasi taam namaamyaham

I bow 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.

Chapter 4

This chapter tells you Why do we consider the lotus
as special, blow the conch, sat shaanti thrice,
offer a coconut, chant Om, do aarati.

15. Why do we consider the lotus as special ?

The lotus is India's national flower and rightly so.
Not long ago, the lakes and ponds of India were full
of many hued lotuses.

a.. Why do we consider the lotus special ?

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.). Our
scriptures and ancient literature extol the beauty
of the lotus. Art and architecture also portray the
lotus in various decorative motifs and paintings.
Many people have names of or related to the lotus :
Padma, Pankaja, kamal, Kamala, Kamalakshi etc. The
Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, sits on a lotus and
carries one in her hand. The lotus blooms with the
rising sun and closes 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
thought it is always in water. It symbolises the man
of wisdom (gnaani) who remains ever joyous,
unaffected by the world of sorrow and change. This
is revealed in a shloka from the Bhagavad 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 certain described in
the Yoga Shaastras as chakras. Each one is
associated with lotus that have a certain number of
petals, For example, the Sahasra chakra at the top
of the head, which opens when the yogi attains
Godhood or Realisation, is represented by a lotus
with a thousand petals, 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, he abode of Lord Brahma.

The auspicious sign of the swastika is said to have
evolved from the lotus. From the above, we can well
appreciate why the lotus is India's national flower
and so special to Indians.

16. Why do we blow the conch ?

In temples or at homes, the conch is blown once or
several times before ritualistic worship (pooja). It
is sometimes blown whilst doing aarati or to mark an
auspicious occasion. It is blown before a battle
starts or to announce the victory of an army. It is
also placed in the altar and worshipped.

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
the devas, stole 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
Shankhaasura. 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. If we
place a conch close to our ears, we hear the sound
of the waves of the ocean.

Another well-known purpose of blowing the conch and
other instruments, known traditionally to produce
auspicious sounds is to drown or mask negative
comments or noise 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
smaller ones. During the aarati performed after
all-important poojas and on sacred occasions, the
conch used to be blown. Since village 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
(Turth), 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 sarvaihi

Paanchajanya namostu te

Salutations to Paanchajanya,

The conch born of the ocean,

Held in the hand of Lord Vishnu

And worshipped by all the devaas.

17. Why do we say shaanti thrice ?

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.

a.. Why do we say 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 stand 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.

1.. Aadhidaivika: The unseen divine forces over
which we have little or no control like earthquakes,
floods, volcanic eruptions etc.

2.. Aadhibhautika: The known factors around us
like accidents, human contacts, pollution, crime
etc.

3.. Aadhyaatmika: Problems of our bodies and minds
like diseases, anger, frustrations etc.

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
minimized 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.

18. Why do we offer a coconut ?

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. A pot ( kalasha) full of water,
adorned with mango leaves and a coconut on top is
worshipped on important occasions and used to
receive revered guests.

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. It is offered to please the Lord or to
fulfill our desires.

There was a time when animal sacrifice (bali) was
practiced, symbolizing the offering of our
animalistic tendencies to the Lord. Slowly this
practice faded and the coconut was offered instead.
The fiber 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, symbolizing 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 it is believed to
bestow spiritual growth on the seeker.

The coconut also symbolizes 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.
In certain rituals a coconut is placed on a kalasha,
decorated, garlanded and worshipped as symbolic of
Lord Shiva and of the man of realization (gnaani).

19. Why do we chant Om ?

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.

a.. Why do we chant Om ?

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 sound ends 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 (Bhub, Bhwah, Suvah) etc. The
Lord is all these and beyond. The formless,
attribute less 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 stared 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). It fills the mind with peace, makes
it focussed and replete with subtle sound, People
meditate on its meaning and attain realization.

Om is written in different ways in different places.
The most common form ( Om ) symbolizes Lord Ganesha.
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 forms and the Formless.

20. Why do we do aarati ?

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
auspicious light ( mangala niraajanam ). Holding the
lighted lamp in the right hand, we wave the flame 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. We experience an added
intensity in our prayers and the Lord's seems to
manifest a special beauty at that time. A 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 with 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 focussed on each limb of
the Lord as it is lit up by the lamp. 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. Camphor 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 the 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 the
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 we
hold the divinity within. Just as the priest reveals
the form of the Lord clearly with the aarati flame,
so too the guru clearly reveals to us the divinity
within each one 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 illumined the
Lord light up my vision; may 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
all these wondrous phenomena of the universe. It is
due to Him alone that all else exist and shine. As
we light up the Lord with flame of the aarati, we
turn our attention to the very source of a 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 illumines all of them. Without
Him the intellect cannot think, nor can the mind
feel nor the tongue speak. The Lord is beyond the
mind, intellect and speech. How can these finite
equipment illumine the infinite Lord? Therefore as
we perform the aarati we chant:

Na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam

Nemaa vidyuto bhaanti kutoyamagnih

Tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam

Tasya bhaasa 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.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed reading this
article as much I did.

Love and Om