Why do we do pradakshina?

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When we visit a temple. after offering prayers, we circumambulate the sanctum

sanctorium. This is called pradakshina

 

We cannot draw a circle without a centre point. The Lord is the centre, source

and essence of our lives. Recognising Him as the focal point in out 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.

 

The pradakshina is always down only in clockwise manner because, as we do

pradakshina the Lord is always on our right. In Hinduism, the right side

symbolises auspiciousness. It is a telling fact that even 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 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.

Meaning : 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 Ganesh circumambulating his parents is a well known one.

 

After the completion of traditional worship (pooja), we customarily do

pradakshina around ourselves. In this way we recognise and remember the supreme

divinity within us, which alone is idolised in the form of the Lord that we

worship outside.