Aarti

[Guest guest]

Why do we aarti?

 

Towards the end of every ritualistic worship (pooja or bhajan) of the

Lord or to welcome an honoured guest or saint, we perform the aarti.

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 auspicious light (mangala

niraajanam). Holding the lighted lamp in the right hand, we wave the

flame in clockwise direction 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 moved we either do mental or loud chanting of

prayers or simply behold the beautiful form of the Lord, illuminated

by the lamp. We experience an added intensity in our prayers and the

Lord's image seems to manifest a special beauty at that time. At the

end of the aarti 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 Why we do the aarti?

 

Having worshiped the Lord with love - performing abhishekh,

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

limn of the Lord as it is lit up by the lamp. It is akinto silent

open-eyed meditation on His beauty. The singing, clapping ringing of

the bell etc. denotes the joy and auspiciousness, which accompanies

the vision of the Lord.

 

Aarti is often performed with camphor. This holds a telling spiritual

significance. Camphor when lit burns itself out completely without

leaving a trace of it. Camphor represents our inherent tendencies

(vaasanas).when lit by the fire of knowledge which illuminates the

Lord (truth), our vaasanas thereafter burn themselves out completely,

not leaving a trace of the 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 the Lord it emits a pleasant

smell 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

aarti is actually performed, our eyes close automatically as if to

look within. This is to signify that each of us is the temple of the

Lord - we hold the divinity within. Just as the priest reveals the

form of the Lord clearly with the aarti flame, so too the guru

clearly reveals to us the divinity within each of us with help of

the 'flame' of knowledge. At the end of the aarti, we place our hands

over the flame and then touch our eyes and 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 aarti extends further. The sun, moon,

stars, lighting and fire are the natural sources of light. The Lord

is the source of all these wondrous phenomena of the universe. It is

due to Him alone that else exist and shine. As 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 illumines all of them. Without Him the intellect

cannot think, nor can the mind feel nor the tongue speak. The Lord is

beyond the mind, intellect and speech.