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 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 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 saagarot pannaha
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

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 20 / 23

WHY DO WE WORSHIP 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 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.

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 19 / 23

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 (Gnaani) 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 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 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 Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma.
The auspicious sign of the swastika is said to have evolved from the lotus.

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 18 / 23

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 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 (Grihapravesa), 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 a Purnakumbha (”full pot”)
acknowledging their greatness and as a sign of
respectful and reverential welcome, with a “full heart”.

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 17 / 23

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.

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 16 / 23

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.

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 15 / 23

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.

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To be continued as HINDUISM - 14 / 23