Guest guest Report post Posted May 21, 2007 Hi, In a lot of hindu rituals, arti of the hindu idol GOD is performed. What is the significance of this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theist 1 Report post Posted May 21, 2007 So many devotees on this forum perform aroti daily and yet no one has taken the time to answer this soul's question which has been here since early this morning. I don't perform aroti or I would answer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yogesh 0 Report post Posted May 21, 2007 Hi, In a lot of hindu rituals, arti of the hindu idol GOD is performed. What is the significance of this? Here is something I found on arati... Among Hindu rituals there is perhaps no one ritual more well known than the arati ceremony. Anyone who has visited a Hindu temple has been allured, or due to insufficient knowledge perhaps frightened, when the lamp of fire passes from the altar to the congregation and circulates from person to person. The origin and significance of this colorful ritual speaks of its inner charm and potential to dispel all fear arising from the ignorance of material identification. The Sanskrit word arati literally means "before night." Ratri (night) when prefaced with the letter a indicates dusk. The waving of the lamp before the Deity (NB!!! NOT IDOL PLZ!!!) thus implies the dispelling of the night of our material sojourn with the light of devotion through which God is revealed. In addition to the lamp, the traditional arati includes other items, which along with the lamp correspond with the eightfold material elemental constituents. In the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krsna mentions these elements thus: "Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and material ego, these eight elements constitute my separated material energy." These material elements, five gross and three subtle, cover our soul. Corresponding with the gross material elements are the senses and sense organs: earth-smelling (nose); water-tasting (tongue); fire-seeing (eyes); air-touching (skin); and ether-hearing (ears). These five senses make up our physical dimension, while mind, intelligence, and material ego make up our psychic dimension. Under all of this we reside, like a diamond in the rough. Although our consciousness is covered by a mountain of material misconception causing us to identify ourselves with our body and mind, its potential to shine remains undiminished. Rituals such as arati are intended to remove the mountain of our misconception, as well as shed light on our positive potential in a life of transcendental love. During the arati, first and foremost the devotee offers himself. In so doing, he removes ahankara, the material ego. He identifies no longer as the material body and mind. He identifies not with his personality derived from material association and experiences, rather with the notion that he is a servitor of the Deity (Which is A Representation of GOD NOT AN IDOL!!!) I hope this clarify things Hare Krsna Jay Sirla Prabhupada Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
