Significance of some puja rituals

[Guest guest]

always the colour of purity and of peace. It is no wonder therefore that

special virtues are attributed to the colours of flowers used in Siva worship.

White is always the best, and suited for the evening and night worship; this is

also relevant because at these parts of the day, there will not be the sun's

light and every thing will be dark; only white flowers will be easily visible.

White flowers are said to help the worshipper to salvation. Crimson-hued

flowers are used at noon and they are of the rajasa quality and they confer

wordly pleasures on the worshipper. Similarly, each individual type of flowers

is considered to be efficacious in a particular way. Bits of leaf, green in

colour can always be used in the absence of flowers during all parts of the

worship. Flowers should always appear on the crest of the Siva-linga. They

are placed there thrice as

puspanjali. This signifies the incoming of Siva-bodha in the place of

atma-bodha resulting in the removal of the three sections of karma-agami,

sancita and prarabdha. Silken garments are superior and they confer long

life in this birth and also in future lives. Garment for the image signifies

the removal of the tirodhana-sakti, the force of obscuration. The ringing of

the bell, incense, light, mudra, etc., signify that the self does not any

longer look on the material world but tries to dwell in the Siva-bhoga granted

to it. The dhupa signifies the kriya-sakti and waving the dhupa means the

symbolic removal of the power of anava. The dipa is light, and it means the

removal of the fear of death and of evil karmas, and the conferment of

illumination. naivedya, by the process of dedication of cereals and pulses,

confers prosperity and plenitude of foodstuffs. The camphor

that is burnt has a special quality and naturally has a special meaning. It is

pure white in colour, and when it is burnt it takes on the hue of agni (fire),

and it burns itself out completely, without residue, and becomes onewith the

akasa. White is the colour of the sattivika-guna, Agni or red colour is

symbolic of Sivahood. So camphor signifies that the self takes on the

sattvika-guna, leaves off its limited state, takes on the all-pervasive state

of Siva, and becomes one with Him without any separate existence. These are

merely illustrative. They may be extended to every one of the various parts of

the ritualistic Siva-puja.

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[Guest guest]

Dear George Ji,

 

Thanks for Information provided..

 

here i am reminded of a bhajan sung by Singer Mukesh..

 

Sur ki gati mein kya jaannnu,

ek bhajan karna jaannnu.

 

earth bhajan ka bhi aati ghehra,

Uski Mahima kya jaannu..

 

prabhu prabhu prabhu karna jaannu..

naina jaal bharna jaannu..

 

(I neither know the pace of music, sargam..only know how to do bhajan..nor i

know

the meaning of bhajan..as it is too deep to understand..all i know is chant

prabhu..

GOD..GOD..with tears in my eyes..)

 

With Devotion

anil

, pillai george <pillai_george@y

....> wrote:

>

>

> The term puja signifies purification and perfection, and the spiritual

illumination

resultant therefrom. The meaning attached to the various acts connected with

puja

are also expressive of this meaning. Just as abhiseka (bathing) creates

external or

physical cleansing, so it causes also an inner cleaning, when it is accompanied

by the

necessary bhavana (thought) and the mantra. Colours have their own effect not

only

on human beings but also on animals; we speak of a red rag, not a rag of any

other

colour. Red has always been a symbol of warning, while green is the symbol of

pleasure, welfare, and bounty. Black, the colour of darkness is associated with

mourning in the west, while white is always the colour of purity and of peace.

> It is no wonder therefore that special virtues are attributed to the

colours of

flowers used in Siva worship. White is always the best, and suited for the

evening

and night worship; this is also relevant because at these parts of the day,

there will

not be the sun's light and every thing will be dark; only white flowers will be

easily

visible. White flowers are said to help the worshipper to salvation.

Crimson-hued

flowers are used at noon and they are of the rajasa quality and they confer

wordly

pleasures on the worshipper. Similarly, each individual type of flowers is

considered

to be efficacious in a particular way. Bits of leaf, green in colour can always

be used

in the absence of flowers during all parts of the worship. Flowers should

always

appear on the crest of the Siva-linga. They are placed there thrice as

puspanjali.

This signifies the incoming of Siva-bodha in the place of atma-bodha resulting

in the

removal of the three sections of karma-agami, sancita and

> prarabdha.

> Silken garments are superior and they confer long life in this birth and

also in

future lives. Garment for the image signifies the removal of the

tirodhana-sakti, the

force of obscuration. The ringing of the bell, incense, light, mudra, etc.,

signify that

the self does not any longer look on the material world but tries to dwell in

the Siva-

bhoga granted to it. The dhupa signifies the kriya-sakti and waving the dhupa

means

the symbolic removal of the power of anava. The dipa is light, and it means the

removal of the fear of death and of evil karmas, and the conferment of

illumination.

naivedya, by the process of dedication of cereals and pulses, confers prosperity

and

plenitude of foodstuffs. The camphor that is burnt has a special quality and

naturally

has a special meaning. It is pure white in colour, and when it is burnt it

takes on the

hue of agni (fire), and it burns itself out completely, without residue, and

becomes

onewith the akasa. White is the colour of the

> sattivika-guna, Agni or red colour is symbolic of Sivahood. So camphor

signifies

that the self takes on the sattvika-guna, leaves off its limited state, takes on

the all-

pervasive state of Siva, and becomes one with Him without any separate

existence.

> These are merely illustrative. They may be extended to every one of the

various parts of the ritualistic Siva-puja.

>

>

>

>

>

> New and Improved Mail - 1GB free storage!

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste. _/\_

 

"O Lord Shiva!

 

My Supreme Soul, You are my own SELF!

 

My MIND is Your BELOVED Devi Parvati!

 

My PRANAS (Life BREATH) are Your SERVANTS!

 

My BODY is Your RESIDENCE!

 

My ACTIONS in this world are Your sacred Worship!

 

My SLEEP is Your CONTEMPLATIVE SAMADHI (Trance) !

 

My wakeful WALK on this earth is CIRCUMAMBULTION to YOU!

 

My SPEECH is YOUR PRAYER!

 

Thus do I OFFER and SACRIFICE ALL that I AM TO YOU ALONE!!!"

 

-'Shiva Manasa Puja' Adi Jagadguru Sri Shankara Acarya

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

Divine_Lovers/

 

, "anil" <bindal@d...> wrote:

>

> (I neither know the pace of music, sargam..only know how to do

bhajan..nor i know

> the meaning of bhajan..as it is too deep to understand..all i know

is chant prabhu..

> GOD..GOD..with tears in my eyes..)

>

> With Devotion

> anil