Part 2-Hindu practices and why we do

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Part 2

 

Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred?* Why do we fast?* Why do we ring the bell in a temple?* Why do we worship the kalash?* Why do we worship the tulsi?* Why do we consider the lotus as special?* Why do we blow the conch?* Why do we say shaanti thrice?* Why do we offer a coconut?* Why do we chant Om?* Why do we do aarti?Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred?From ancient times, Hindus have worshipped trees and regarded allflora and fauna as sacred. This is not an old fashioned or uncivilizedpractice. It reveals the sensitivity, foresight and refinement of Hindu Culture.While modern man often works to "conquer" Mother nature, ancient Hindus"worshipped" her.The Lord, the life in us, prevades all living beings be they plants oranimals. Hence, they all regarded as sacred. Human life on earthdepends on plants and animals. They give us the vital factors that make lifepossible on earth : food, oxygen, clothing, shelter, medicines etc. They lendbeauty to our surroundings. They serve man without expectation and sacrificethemselves to sustain us. They epitomise sacrifice. If a stone isthrown on a fruit-laden tree, the tree in turn gives fruit!In fact, the flora and fauna owned the earth before man appeared onit. Presently, the world is seriously threatened by the destruction of theforest lands and the extinction of many species of vegetation due toman's callous attitude towards them. We protect only what we value. Hence,in Hinduism, we are taught to regard trees and plants as sacred.Naturally, we will then protect them.Hindu scriptures tell us to plant ten tress if, for any reason, wehave cut one. We are advised to use arts of the trees and plants only as muchas is needed for food, fuel, shelter etc. We also urged to apologize to aplant 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 byplants and trees and also about our duty to plant and nourish them. Certaintrees and plants like tulsi, peepal etc. which have tremendous beneficialqualities, are worshipped till today.It is believed that divine beings manifest as trees and plants, andmany people worship them to fulfill their desires or to please the God.Why do we fast?Most devout Indians fast regularly or on special occasions likefestivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make do with fruitsor a special diet of simple food. Some undertake rigorous fasts when theydo not even drink water the whole day! Fasting is done for many reasons- toplease the Lord, to discipline oneself and even to protest. Mahatma Gandhifasted to protest against the British rule.Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upa means near + vaasa meansto stay. Upavaasa therefore means staying near (The Lord), meaning theattainment of close mental proximity with the Lord. Then what hasupavaasa 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 minddull and agitated. Hence on certain days man decides to save time andconserve energy by eating either simple, light food or totally abstaining fromeating 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 theLord. Since it is a self-imposed form of discipline it is usually adheredto 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 digestivesystem 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 desiresand guide our minds to be poised and at peace.Fasting should not make us weak, irritable or create an urge toindulge later. This happens when there is no noble goal behind fasting. Somefast, rather they diet, merely to reduce weight. Others fast as a vow toplease 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 Geetaurges us to eat appropriately- neither too less nor too much yukta-aahaaraand to eat simple, pure and healthy food (a saatvik diet ) even when notfastingWhy do we ring the bell in the temple?In most temples there are one or more bells hung from the top, nearthe entrance. The devotee rings the bell as soon as he enters, thereafterproceeding for darshan of the Lord and prayers. Children love jumpingup or being carried high in order to reach the bell.Is it to wake up the Lord? But the Lord never sleeps. Is it to letthe 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 ahomecoming and therefore entry needs no permission. The Lord welcomes us at alltimes. Then why do we ring the bell?The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded as an auspicioussound. It produces the sound Om, the universal name of the Lord. There should beauspiciousness within and without, to gain the vision of the Lord whois all-auspiciousness.Even while doing the ritualistic aarti, we ring the bell. It issometimes accompanied by the auspicious sounds of the conch and other musicalinstruments. An added significance of ringing the bell, conch andother instruments is that they help drown any in-auspicious or irrelevantnoises and comments that might disturb or distract the worshipper/s in theirdevotional ardour (dedication) , concentration and inner peace.Why do we worship the kalash?A kalash is a brass, mud or copper pot filled with water. Mangoleaves are placed in the mouth of the pot and a coconut is placed over it. A redor white thread is tied around its neck or sometimes all around it in anintricate diamond-shaped pattern. The pot may be decorated withdesigns. When the pot is filled with water or rice, it is known as purnakumbharepresenting the inert body which when filled with the divine lifeforce gains power to do all the wonderful things that makes life what it is.A kalash is placed with due rituals on all important occasions likethe traditional house warming (grhapravesh), wedding, daily worship etc.It is placed near the entrance as a sign of welcome. It is also used in atraditional manner while receiving holy personages.Before the creation came into being, Lord Vishnu was reclining on Hissnakebed in the milky ocean. From His navel emerged a lotus from whichappeared Lord Brahma, the Creator, who thereafter created this world.The water in the kalash symbolises the primodial water from which theentire creation emerged. It is the giver of life to all and has thepotential of creating innumerable names and forms, the inert objects and thesentient beings and all that is auspicious in the world from the energy behindthe universe. The leaves and coconut represent creation. the threadrepresents the love that "binds" all in creation. The kalash is thereforeconsidered auspicious and worshipped.The waters from all the holy rivers, the knowledge of all the vedasand the blessings of all the deities are invoked in the kalash and its wateris thereafter used for all the rituals, including the abhisheka. Theconsecration (kumbhaabhisheka) of a temple is done in a grand mannerwith elaborate rituals including the pouring of one or more kalash of holywater on the top of the temple.When the asurs and the devas churned the milky ocean, the Lordappeared bearing the pot of nectar which blessed one with everlasting life.Thus the kalash also symbolises immortality.Men of wisdom are full and complete as they identify the infinitetruth (poornatvam. They brim with joy and love and represent all that isauspicious. We greet them with a purnakumbha ("full pot")acknowledging their greatness ands as a sign of respectful reverential welcome,with a "full heart".Why do we worship tulsi?Either in the front, back or central courtyard of most Indian homesthere is a tulsi-matham an altar bearing a tulsi plant. In the present dayapartments too, many maintain a potted tulsi plant. The lady of the house lightsa lamp waters the plant, worships and circumambulates it. The stem, leaves,seeds, and even the soil, which provides it a base, are considered holy. Atulsi leaf is always placed in the food offered to the Lord. It is alsooffered to the Lord during poojas especially to Lord Vishnu and His incarnations.In Sanskrit, tulanaa naasti athaiva tulsi - that which isincomparable (in its qualities) is the tulsi. For Hindus, it is one of the most sacredplants. In fact it is known to be the only thing used in worshipwhich, once used, can be washed and reused in pooja - as it is regarded soself-purifying.As one story goes, Tulsi was the devoted wife of Shankhachuda,celestial being. She believed that Lord Kirshna tricked her into sinning. So shecursed Him to become a stone (shaaligraama). Seeing her devotion andadherence to righteousness, the Lord blessed her saying that she wouldbecome the worshipped plant, tulsi that would adorn His head. Alsothat all offerings would be incomplete without the tulsi leaf - hence theworship of tulsi.She also symbolises Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu.Those who wish to be righteous and have a happy family worship the tulsi. Tulsiis married to the Lord with all pomp ans how as in any wedding. This isbecause according to another legend, the Lord blessed her to be His consort.Satyabhama once weighed Lord Krishna against all her legendarywealth. The scales did not balance till a single tulsi leaf was placed along withthe wealth on the scale by Rukmini with devotion. Thus the tulsi playedthe vital role of demonstrating to the world that even a small objectoffered with devotion means more to the Lord than all the wealth in the world.The tulsi leaf has great medicinal value and is used to cure variousailments, including the common cold.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.The lotus is the symbol of truth, auspiciousness and beauty (satyam,shivam, sundaram). The Lord is also that nature and therefore, His variousaspects are compared to a lotus (ie. lots-eyes, lotus feet, lotus hands, thelotus of heart etc.). Our scriptures ans ancient literature extols thebeauty of the lotus.Art and architecture also portray the lotus in variousdecorative motifs and paintings. Many people have names of or related to thelotus: Padma, Pankaja, Kamal, Kamala, Kamalakshni etc. The Goddess of wealth,Lakshni, 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 itssurroundings, reminding us that we too can and should strive toremain pure and beautiful within, under all circumstances. The lotus leaf nevergets wet although it is always in water. It symbolises the man of wisdom(gyani who remains ever joyous, unaffected by the world of sorrow and change.The lotus posture, padmaasana is recommended when one sits for meditation.A lotus emerged from the navel of Lord Vishnu. Lord Bhrahmaoriginated from it to create the world. Hence, the lotus symbolises the link betweenthe creator and the supreme Cause. It also symbolises Brahmaloka, theabode of Lord Brahma.The auspicious sign of the swastika is said to have evolved from thelotus.From the above, we can well appreciate why the lotus in India'snational flower and so special to Hindus.Why do we blow the conch?In temples or at homes, the conch is blown once or several timesbefore ritualistic worship (pooja). It is sometimes blown whilst duringaarti or to mark an auspicious occasion. It is blown before a battle starts or toannounce the victory of an army. It is also placed in the altar andworshippedWhen the conch is blown, the primordial sound of Om eminates. Om is anauspicious sound that was chanted by the Lord before creating theworld. It represents the world and the truth behind it.As the story goes, the demon shankhaasura defeated the devas, stolethe vedas and went to the bottom of the ocean. The devas appealed to LordVishnu for help. He incarnated as matsya avataar - the "fish incarnation",and killed shankhaasura. The Lord blew the conch - shaped bone of his earand head. the Om sound emanated, from which emerged the vedas. Allknowledge enshrined in the vedas is an ellobration of Om. The conch thereforeis known as shankh after shankhaasura. The conch blown by the Lord is calledpaanchajany. He carries it all times, in one of his four hands. Itrepresents dharma or righteousness that is one of the four goals(purushaarthas) of life. The sound of the conch is thus also thevictory call of good over evil. If we place a conch close to our ears, wehear the sound of the waves of the ocean.Another well known purpose of blowing the conch and otherinstruments, known traditionally to produce auspicious sounds is to drown or mask thenegative comments or noises that may disturb or upset the atmosphere or theminds of the worshippers.Ancient India lived in her villages. Each village was presided overby a primary temple and several smaller ones. During the aarti performedafter all important poojas and on sacred occasions, the conch used to beblown. Since, villages were generally small; the sound of the conch would beheard 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 fewseconds, and mentally bow to the Lord. The conch sound served to briefly elevatepeople's minds to a prayerful attitude even in the middle of their busy dailyroutine.The conch is placed at the altar in temples and homes next to theLord as a symbol of naada brahma (truth), the vedas, Om, dharma, victory andauspiciousness. It is often used to offer devotees tirth (sanctifiedwater) to raise their minds to the highest truth.Why do we say Shaanti thrice?Shaanti, meaning 'peace', is a natural state of being. Disturbancesare created either by others or us. For example, peace already exists in a placeuntil someone made noise. Therefore, peace underlies all our agitations.When agitations end, peace is naturally experienced since it isalready there. Where there is peace, there is happiness. Therefore, everyonewithout exception desires peace in his/her life. However, peace within orwithout seems very hard to attain because it is covered by our ownagitations. A rare few manage to remain peaceful within even in the midst ofexternal agitation and troubles. To invoke peace, we chant prayers. By chantingprayers, troubles end and peace is experienced internally, irrespective ofthe external disturbances. All such prayers end by the chanting shaantithrice.It is believed that trivaram satyam - that which is said thrice comestrue. For emphasizing a point we repeat a thing thrice. In the court of lawalso, on who takes the witness stand says, "I shall speak the truth, thewhole truth and nothing but the truth".

We chant shaanti thrice to emphasize our intense desire for peace.All obstacles, problems and sorrows originate three sources:1. Aadhidaivika: The unseen divine forces over which we havelittle or no control like earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions etc.2. Aadhibautika: 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 undertakespecial tasks or even in our daily lives, there are no problems or that, problemsare minimized from the three sources written about above. May peace aloneprevail? Hence shaanti is chanted thrice.It is chanted aloud the first time, addressing the unseen forces. Itis chanted softer the second time, directed to our immediatesurroundings and those around, and softest the last time as it is addressed to oneself.Why do we offer 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 newvehicle, bridge, house etc. a pot (kalash) full of water adorned withmango leaves and a coconut on top is worshiped on important occasions andused to receive revered guests.It is offered in the sacrificial fire while performing hom. Thecoconut is broken and placed before the Lord. It is later distributed as prasad.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 thispractice faded and the coconut was offered instead. The fibre covering of thefried coconut is removed except for the tuft on the top. The marks on thecoconut make it look like the head of a human being. The coconut is broken,symbolizing the breaking of the ego. The juice within representingthe inner tendencies (vaasanas) if offered along with the white kernel - themind, to the Lord. A mind thus purified by the touch of the Lord is used asprasad (a holy offering).In the traditional, abhishekh ritual done in all temples and manyhomes, several materials are poured over the deity like milk, curd, honey,tender coconut water, sandal paste, holy ash etc. Each material has aspecific significance of bestowing certain benefits on worshippers. Tendercoconut water is used since it is believed to bestow spiritual growth on theseeker.The coconut also symbolizes selfless service. Every part of thecoconut tree - the truck, leaves, fruit, coir etc. is used in innumerable ways likethatches, mats, tasty dishes, oil etc. It takes in salty water andconverts it into sweet nutritive water that is especially beneficial to thesick people. It is also used in the preparation of many ayurvedicmedicines and applications.The marks on the coconut are even thought to represent the three-eyedLord Shiva and therefore it is considered to be a means to fulfill ourdesires.

Why do we chant Om?Om is one of the most chanted sound symbols in Hinduism. It has aprofound effect on the body and mind of the one who chants and also on thesurroundings. Most mantras and Vedic prayers start with Om. Allauspicious actions begin with Om. It is even used as a greeting - Om, Hari Ometc. 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. The sound emerging from thevocal chords starts from the base of the throat as 'A' with the comingtogether of the lips, 'U' is formed and when the lips are closed, all sound endswith 'M'. The three letters symbolize the three states (waking, dream anddeep sleep) the three Lords (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), the three Vedas(Rig, Yajur and Sama) the three worlds (Bhuh, Bhuvah and Suvah) etc. TheLord is all these and beyond. The formless, attribute-less Lord isrepresented by the silence between two Om chants. Om is also called pranav thatmeans "that (symbol or sound) by which the Lord is praised". The entire essenceof the Vedas is enshrined in the word Om.It is said that the Lord started creating the world after chanting Omand atha. Hence it sound is considered to create an auspicious beginningfor any task that we undertake.The Om chant should have the resounding sound of a bell. It fills themind with peace, makes it focused and replete with subtle sound. Peoplemediate on its meaning and attain realization.Om is written in different ways in different places, and itssymbolizesLord Ganesh.Thus Om symbolizes everything - the means and the goal of life, theworld and the Truth behind it, the material and the sacred, all forms andthe formless.

Why do we aarti?

Towards the end of every ritualistic worship (pooja or bhajan) of theLord or to welcome an honoured guest or saint, we perform the aarti. Thisis always accompanied by the ringing of the bell and sometimes bysinging, playing of musical instruments and clapping.It is one of the sixteen steps (shodasha upachaara) of the poojaritual. It is referred to as the auspicious light (mangala niraajanam). Holdingthe lighted lamp in the right hand, we wave the flame in clockwisedirection to light the entire form of the Lord. Each part is revealed individuallyand also the entire form of the Lord. As the light is moved we either domental or loud chanting of prayers or simply behold the beautiful form ofthe Lord, illuminated by the lamp. We experience an added intensity in ourprayers and the Lord's image seems to manifest a special beauty at that time. Atthe end of the aarti we place our hands over the flame and then gently touchour eyes and the top of the head.We have seen and participated in this ritual from our childhood