Pradakshina

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Why do we do pradakshina?

 

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.