Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Report Share Posted October 13, 2003 Question: I' m doing Shiva Puja beginners and I want some information about this: foot bath, milk bath, yogurt bath, ghee bath, honey bath, sugar bath, five nectars bath, sandal paste, cloth, rudraksa, red powder, drinking water. Are these a mental offering? Answer from Swamiji: No, pour a small quantity of each milk bath, yogurt bath, ghee bath, honey bath, sugar bath into a small bowl with each mantra. Then stir until mixed into a smooth blend with five nectars bath mantra. Place the cloth and rudraksha next to the flower in the center of your puja. Then apply the red powder to that flower in the center. Offer food or a piece of fruit and drinking water beside the flower. Then meditate upon Shiva accepting your offerings. Share the prasad at the end of your worship. Question: Can I doing Shiva Puja in the period of menstruation? In this time, can I recite Chandi Path? Answer: Yes. In ancient India the idea of women not making puja during the period of menstruation was because to make the puja meant also to chop the wood for the fire, to carry the water, to labor over a wood stove, and to perform various tasks of hard labor. The understanding was that in the joint family system, there were others to perform the hard work, and during the time of menstruation was a wonderful opportunity to be silent inside and still outside. Therefore it was recommended that women in their period sit in meditation, become one with their feminine nature, become silent and still. Today, with our nuclear family homes and modernized appliances, it is no longer the case that puja requires such strenuous activities. Therefore, all are entitled to perform worship all of the time. Question: How we must to recite the Chandi? Can we choose some part or must we recite from the beginning? I'm reciting kavacam, athargala,kilakam, Siddha Kunjika and Ksama prarthana That is an excellent way to begin. As you become more comfortable, you will add new sections, and then link them all together until you will be able to recite the entire text at one sitting. It will continue to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Report Share Posted October 13, 2003 Thanks Sarada! This is the best explanation of why women were not allowed to do puja during menstruation that I've read. For some reason, my "inner feminist" would always fall asleep when this issue came up and I could never get excited about it. But no one in SY could ever come up with an explanation that made sense. It's also comforting to know that it's okay to chant just part of the Chandi. In other words, it's not necessary to chant the entire Chandi at one sitting EVERY time. Astraea , "Sarada" <sarada_saraswati> wrote: > Question: I' m doing Shiva Puja beginners and I want some > information about this: foot bath, milk bath, yogurt bath, ghee > bath, honey bath, sugar bath, five nectars bath, sandal paste, > cloth, rudraksa, red powder, drinking water. Are these a mental > offering? > > Answer from Swamiji: > No, pour a small quantity of each milk bath, yogurt bath, ghee bath, > honey bath, sugar bath into a small bowl with each mantra. Then stir > until mixed into a > smooth blend with five nectars bath mantra. Place the cloth and > rudraksha next to the flower in the center of your puja. Then apply > the red > powder to that flower in the center. Offer food or a piece of fruit > and drinking water beside the flower. Then meditate upon Shiva > accepting your offerings. Share the prasad at the end of your > worship. > > Question: Can I doing Shiva Puja in the period of menstruation? > In this time, can I recite Chandi Path? > > > Answer: > Yes. > In ancient India the idea of women not making puja during the period > of menstruation was because to make the puja meant also to chop the > wood for the fire, to carry the water, to labor over a wood stove, > and to perform various tasks of hard labor. The understanding was > that in the joint family system, there were others to perform the > hard work, and during the time of menstruation was a wonderful > opportunity to be silent inside and still outside. Therefore it was > recommended that women in their period sit in meditation, become one > with their feminine nature, become silent and still. > > Today, with our nuclear family homes and modernized appliances, it > is no longer the case that puja requires such strenuous activities. > Therefore, all are entitled to perform worship all of the time. > > Question: How we must to recite the Chandi? Can we choose some part > or must we recite from the beginning? I'm reciting kavacam, > athargala,kilakam, Siddha Kunjika and Ksama prarthana > > That is an excellent way to begin. As you become more comfortable, > you will add new sections, and then link them all together until you > will be able to recite the entire text at one sitting. It will > continue to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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