1. Why do we light a lamp?. 2
1.1. Whilst lighting the lamp we thus pray: 2
2. Why do we have a prayer room?. 2
3. Why do we do namaste?. 3
4. Why do we prostrate before parents and elders?. 4
5. Why do we wear marks (tilak) on the forehead?. 4
6. Why do we not touch papers, books and people with the
feet?. 5
7. To touch another with the feet is considered an act
of misdemeanor. Why is this so?. 5
8. Why do we apply the holy ash?. 6
9. Why do offer food to the Lord before eating it?. 7
10. Why do we fast?. 7
11. Why do we do pradakshina (circumambulate)?. 8
12. Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner?. 8
13. Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred?. 9
14. Why do we ring the bell in a temple?. 9
15. Why do we worship the kalasha?. 9
16. Why do we consider the Lotus as special?. 10
17. Why do we worship tulasi?. 11
18. Why do we blow the conch?. 12
19. Why do we say shaanti thrice?. 13
20. Why do we offer a coconut?. 14
21. Why do we chant Om?. 14
22. Why do we do aarati?. 15
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 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.
1.1. Whilst lighting
the lamp we thus pray:
Deepaj
yothi 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.
2. Why do we have a
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, 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
sifting 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
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.
4. Why do we prostrate before parents and elders?
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.
Namaskaura — 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.
5. Why do we wear marks (tilak) on the
forehead?
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 prayerfiil 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.
6. Why do we not
touch papers, books and people with the feet?
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.
7. 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 him or her. This calls for an immediate apology,
which is offered with reverence and humility.
8. 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.
The word bhasma means,
“that by which our sins are destroyed and the Lord is
remembered”. Bha implied bhartsanam (“to destroy”) and sma implies smaranani (“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 ‘ Li El Li LI
LI “). 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 yajaaniahe
Sugandhim pushtivardhanam
Urvaa rukamiva bhandhanaan
Mrylyor 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.”
9. Why do offer food to the Lord before eating it?
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 “lera lujko 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 (man ushya 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 asprasaada — blessed food.
10. 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. 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 — yuktaaahaara and to eat simple, pure and healthy food (a saatvik diet) even when not fasting.
11. Why do we do pradakshina (circumambulate)?
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.
12. 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.
13. Why do we regard trees and plants 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.
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.
14. Why do we ring the bell in a temple?
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.
15. 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 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 purnalcumbha
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 (grii apravesa), 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 apurnakumbha (“full
pot”) acknowledging their greatness and as a sign of respectful and
reverential welcome, with a “full heart”.
16. Why do we
consider the Lotus as 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.).
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 karotiyaha
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 Brabmaloka, the abode of Lord
Brahma. The auspicious sign of the swastika is said to have evolved from
the lotus.
17. Why do we worship tulasi?
In Sanskrit, tulanaa naasti athaiva tulasi - that which is incomparable (in itsqualities) 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.
18. Why do we blow
the conch?
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
Avatuara -
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
saagarotpannaha
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
19. 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.
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, “1 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, liuman 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.
20. 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. 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.
21. Why do we chant Om?
Om is one
of the most chanted sound symbols in India. It has a pro!hund 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, Han 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 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 (aa000mmm).
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.
22. 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 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 “flam&’ 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 vihhaati
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.
Swami Chinmayananda
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