Guest guest Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Question from Jay Dayal : I have seen in many temples the devotees offer small size limes to Durga or Kali Maa. I haven't seen that offering made to any Vishnu or Shiv temples. What is the significance of offering Lime to Goddess, what does it mean and why only offered to Goddess? Swamiji's response : Every locality has its own traditions. I do not know of any scriptural reference to offering limes only to the Goddess. I believe it must be a local custom. Latha's footnote :- Dolly, Hope that answered your question too . Jai Maa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 I guess its South Indian.custom Yes I only see it on Devi Maa (MAADurga)Latha Nanda <lathananda > wrote: Question from Jay Dayal :I have seen in many temples the devotees offer small size limes to Durga or Kali Maa. I haven't seen that offering made to any Vishnu or Shiv temples.What is the significance of offering Lime to Goddess, what doesit mean and why only offered to Goddess?Swamiji's response :Every locality has its own traditions. I do not know of any scriptural reference to offering limes only to the Goddess. I believe it must be a local custom.Latha's footnote :- Dolly, Hope that answered your question too . Jai Maa.Do You ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Dear All, I am writing whatever little i know about use of lemons in devi maa worship. It is mostly practised in south indian temples. As far as the reasoning part is concerned i feel as the lemons do have the energy attracting power...peoples prayers are transferred through the medium of lemon to be submitted to the lotus feets of durga maa... as we have seen in India, the lemon along with green chillies and a piece of coal is tied in one thread and they hang it at the main gate. It is an act of filtering out bad or negative energies outside the house or business place. In South India...fixed odd number of lemon mala is offered to goddess and lighting of lemon lamps during the rahu kaal time is considered to be effective form of prayer to durga maa... Jai maa, sriganeshh , Lall and Dolly Singh <dolly8655> wrote: > Thank you > > I guess its South Indian.custom > > Yes I only see it on Devi Maa (MAADurga) > > Latha Nanda <lathananda> wrote: > > > Question from Jay Dayal : > > I have seen in many temples the devotees offer small size limes to > Durga or Kali Maa. I haven't seen that offering made to any Vishnu > or Shiv temples. > > What is the significance of offering Lime to Goddess, what does > it mean and why only offered to Goddess? > > Swamiji's response : > > Every locality has its own traditions. I do not know of any > scriptural reference to offering limes only to the Goddess. I > believe it must be a local custom. > > Latha's footnote :- Dolly, Hope that answered your question too . > Jai Maa. > Sponsor > > > > Links > > > / > > > > > Terms of Service. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Jai Maa! I've also seen lemons/limes used for many purposes mostly in South India. From what I've seen, the limes have the ability to absorb negative energy and therefore take it away from the devotee. Usually, the limes seem to be offered to more fierce or protective forms of Divine Mother, like Durga Devi or Kali Ma. I've also seen them offered to Lalita Devi, though. For some reason, never to Lord Shiva or Vishnu. It's definitely a Devi thing. I once heard of devotees being advised to offer a lime to Devi every day during a period of time that was not considered "auspicous". This was to ward off any danger or chance of accidents. So there's a protective blessing that arises from offering limes. Limes are also used to bless a journey. When the car or truck is ready to leave, a prayer is made for safe journey, then a lime is placed in front of one of the vehicle's wheels. The driver will run over the lime, back over it, then only will he start the journey. I also heard of a priest using a lime to absorb some negative energy from a person. This person was very sensitive to the energy of illnesses, and she had taken on some stuff while treating a bunch of people (she's a doctor). I don't know all the details, but it involved the priest taking a lime and waving it in front of this person in a counter clockwise direction. Then he threw the lime over his shoulder, probably the left one. By moving something in a counter clockwise direction, you absorb negative energy from something. Incidentally, this is why you always want to do arati clockwise, and never counter clockwise. Clockwise will absorb posivitivity, and vice versa. Same applies for circumambulation. Anyway, after the priest did this, the person's swelling went down completely and she felt a lot better. So limes seem to help to remove negativity from a person or situation, and therefore they offer a protective benefit when offered to Divine Mother. Jai Maa, Ekta --- sriganeshh <sriganeshh wrote: > > > Dear All, > > I am writing whatever little i know about use of lemons in devi maa > worship. It is mostly practised in south indian temples. As far as > the reasoning part is concerned i feel as the lemons do have the > energy attracting power...peoples prayers are transferred through the > medium of lemon to be submitted to the lotus feets of durga maa... > as we have seen in India, the lemon along with green chillies and a > piece of coal is tied in one thread and they hang it at the main > gate. It is an act of filtering out bad or negative energies outside > the house or business place. > > In South India...fixed odd number of lemon mala is offered to goddess > and lighting of lemon lamps during the rahu kaal time is considered > to be effective form of prayer to durga maa... > > Jai maa, > > sriganeshh > > , Lall and Dolly Singh > <dolly8655> wrote: > > Thank you > > > > I guess its South Indian.custom > > > > Yes I only see it on Devi Maa (MAADurga) > > > > Latha Nanda <lathananda> wrote: > > > > > > Question from Jay Dayal : > > > > I have seen in many temples the devotees offer small size limes to > > Durga or Kali Maa. I haven't seen that offering made to any Vishnu > > or Shiv temples. > > > > What is the significance of offering Lime to Goddess, what does > > it mean and why only offered to Goddess? > > > > Swamiji's response : > > > > Every locality has its own traditions. I do not know of any > > scriptural reference to offering limes only to the Goddess. I > > believe it must be a local custom. > > > > Latha's footnote :- Dolly, Hope that answered your question too . > > Jai Maa. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sponsor > > > > > > > > Links > > > > > > / > > > > > > > > > > Terms of > Service. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Namaste All, We have seen a South India pujari at a Ganesha temple use the lime under the truck wheel during the blessings for friends of ours that were moving out of state. Om Namah Sivaya Kanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Jai Maa, Here I am again, abt the usage of lemons in chandi worship and vechicles,,,, 01. Yes, lemons do cool the body and hence probably chandi being devi of the destroyer of evil forces, it may be used to cool her and seek blessings...maa will always be happy when the child takes care of her so much... 02. Some Traditional worship pattern of South India, has the habit of offering animals as bali to maa devi and probably it should have been stopped and instead they have switched to lemon...as i have seen it they make a slight cut and fill lot of vermilon as the juices absorb all the vermilons...later they offer the same to Maa and cut in front of her as Bali. 03. The above said concept is behind the usage of lemons in vechicles also...as it absorbs probably negative energy from the vechicle, the journey will be smooth and safety. I have seen the owners of new vechicle perform this after normal pooja to ganesha,to ensure long life by taking out negative energy. I will do further accumulation usage of lemons in devi worship and will post if interesting.,..thanks sriganeshh Jai Maa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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