Why do we ring the bell in a temple?

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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.

 

Best Regards,

Sripathi

 

 

 

 

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