Courtesy and Copyright Central Chinamaya Mission Trust
I was sitting with a group of friends when a friend’s wife asked me, You run this site on Indian culture, tell me Why do we not touch papers, books and people with the feet? While I do not proclaim to know all, this question had me dumb founded. When we get closer to the Divine within you, attempt to know yourself time shows you the way. Around that time a friend asked me to go the Chinamaya Mission and pick up a book that answered all such questions. Here is the book for you. I would urge you to understand the symbolization behind each act rather than be very scientific and ask, oh if I were to light a lamp what will I get in return. What is the proof that I will get what I ask for today, tomorrow or whenever. My answer to all rationalists is What is the proof that we are a product of our parent’s love? Has science told us how earth came into existence? But the Vedas have thrown light on the subject thousands of years ago long before science came into existence.
The questions answered here are, Why do we –
1. light a lamp?
2. have a prayer room?
3. do namaste?
4. prostrate before parents and elders? 1 to 4 is chapter 1.
5. wear marks on the forehead?
6. not touch papers, books and people with the feet?
7. apply the holy ash?
8. offer food to the Lord before eating it? 5 to 8 is chapter 2.
9. do pradakshina?
10. regard trees and plants as sacred?
11. fast?
12. ring the bell in a temple?
13. worship the kalasha?
14. worship tulasi? 6 to 14 is chapter 3.
15. consider the lotus as special?
16. blow the conch?
17. say shaanti thrice?
18. offer a coconut?
19. chant Om?
20. do aarati? 15 to 20 is chapter 4
Foreword
Indian culture is admired and respected all over the world for its beauty and depth. This book features in simple terms, the various aspects of both beauty and depth in this culture. Almost every Indian custom and tradition has either a scientific, logical, historical, social or spiritual significance. Understanding this lends meaning to an otherwise mechanical following of the customs, which are often misunderstood to be mere superstitions that fade away in time.
A unique feature of Indian culture is its self-rejuvenating capacity. Customs that are obsolete are gradually dropped as seen in the instances of human sacrifice as well as animal sacrifice to a large extent, sati, untouchability etc. This culture tailors itself constantly to take the best of the modern, technological age without losing its roots.
It is this adaptability that has enabled India to be recognized as one of the world’s oldest living civilizations. The customs and traditions selected for these pages are simple, enduring ones, that have lasted the test of time and are an integral part of many an Indian home even today.
Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji laid great emphasis on explaining the symbolism in Hindu dharma in a manner that was logical, scientific and appealing to modern man, thereby creating a magnificent cultural renaissance.
This book is dedicated to this great master who spent his entire life in raising the dignity of Indian culture and philosophy in the eyes of the world.
This chapter tells you Why do we light a lamp, have a prayer room, do namaste, prostrate before parents and elders.
1. Why do we light a lamp?
In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the altar of the Lord. In some houses it is lit at drawn, in some, twice a day – at dawn and dusk and in a few it is maintained continuously (akhanda deepa). All auspicious functions and moments like daily worship, rituals and festivals and even many social occasions like inaugurations commence with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion.
• Why do we light a lamp?
Light symbolizes knowledge and darkness, ignorance. The Lord is the “Knowledge Principle” (chaitanya) who is the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is worshipped as the Lord Himself.
Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievements can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth. Knowledge backs all our actions whether good or bad. We therefore keep a lamp lit during all auspicious occasions as a witness to our thoughts and actions.
Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would remove darkness. But the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our vaasanas or negative tendencies and the wicked, the ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the vaasanas get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals.
A single lamp can light hundreds more just as a man of knowledge can give it to many more. The brilliance of the light does not diminish despite its repeated use to light many more lamps. So too knowledge does not lessen when shared with or imparted to others. On the contrary it increases in clarity and conviction on giving. It benefits both the receiver and the giver.
Whilst lighting the, lamp we thus pray :
Deepajyotihi parabrahma
Deepa sarva tamopababa
Deepena sadhyate sarvam
Sandhyaa deepo namostute
I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life.
Which else shall beautify a home
But the flame of a lovely lamp?
Which else shall adorn the mind But the light of wisdom deep ?
Thus this custom contains a wealth of intellectual and spiritual meaning.
2. Why do we have a prayer room?
Most Indian homes have a prayer room or altar. A lamp is lit and the Lord worshipped each day. Other spiritual practices like japa (repetition of the Lord’s name), meditation, paaraayana (reading of the scriptures), prayers, devotional singing etc, is also done here. Special worship is done on auspicious occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and the like. Each member of the family- young or old –communes with and worships the Divine here.
• Why do we have a prayer room ?
The Lord is the owner of the entire creation He is therefore the true owner of the entire creation. He is therefore the true owner of the house we live in too. The prayer room is the Master room of the house. We are the earthly occupants of His property this notion rids us of false pride and possessiveness.
The ideal attitude to take is to regard the Lord as the true owner of our homes and ourselves as caretakers of His home. But if that is rather difficult, we could at least think of Him as a very welcome guest. Just as we would house an important guest in the best comfort, so too we felicitate the Lord’s presence in our homes by having a prayer room or altar, which is, at all times, kept clean and well-decorated.
Also the Lord is all pervading. To remind us that He resides in our homes with us, we have prayer rooms. Without the grace of the Lord, no task can be successfully or easily accomplished We invoke His grace by communing with him in the Prayer room each day and on special occasions.
Each room in a house is dedicated to a specific function like the bedroom for resting, the drawing room to receive guests, the kitchen for cooking etc. The furniture, décor and the atmosphere of each room are made conducive to the purpose it serves. So too for the purpose of meditation, worship and prayer, we should have a conducive atmosphere – hence the need for a prayer room.
Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the place and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Spiritual thoughts and vibrations accumulated through regular meditation, worship and chanting done there pervade the prayer room. Even when we are tired or agitated, by just sitting in the prayer room for a while, we feel calm, rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted.
3. Why do we do namaste ?
Indians greet each other with namaste. The two palms are placed together in front of the chest and the head bows whilst saying the word namaste. This greeting is for all- people younger than us, of our own age, those older than us, friends and even strangers.
There are five forms of formal traditional greeting enjoined in the shaastras of which namaskaaram is one. This is understood as prostration but it actually refers to paying homage as we do today when we greet each other with a namaste.
• Why do we do namaste ?
Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a culture convention or an act of worship. However there is much more to it than meets the eye. In Sanskrit namah + te = namaste. It means – I bow to you – my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. Namaha can also be literally interpreted as “na ma” (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one’s ego in the presence of another.
The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we greet another, we do so with namaste, which means, “may our minds meet,” indicated by the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a gracious form of extending friendship in love and humility.
The spiritual meaning is even deeper. The life force, the divinity, the Self or the Lord in me is the same in all. Recognizing this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we salute with head bowed the Divinity in the person we meet. That is why some times, we close our eyes as we do namaste to a revered person or the Lord – as if to look within. The gesture is often accompanied by words like “Ram Ram”, “Jai Shri Krishna”, “Namo Narayana”, “Jai Siya Ram”, “Om Shanti” etc – indicating the recognition of this divinity.
When we know this significance, our greeting does not remain just a superficial gesture or word but paves the way for a deeper communion with another in an atmosphere of love and respect.
4. Why do we prostrate before parents and elders ?
Indians prostrate to their parents, elders, teachers and noble souls by touching their feet. The elder in turn blesses us by placing his or her hand on or over our heads. Prostration is done daily, when we meet elders and particularly on important occasions like the beginning of a new task, birthdays, festivals etc, In certain traditional circle, prostration is accompanied by abbivaadana which serves to introduce one self, announce one’s family and social stature.
• Why do we offer prostrations?
Man stands on his feet. Touching the feet in prostration is a sign of respect for the age, maturity, nobility and divinity that our elders personify. It symbolizes our recognition of their selfless love for us and the sacrifices that they have done for our welfare. It is a way of humbly acknowledging the greatness of another. This tradition reflects the strong family ties, which has been one of Indian’s enduring strengths.
The good wishes (sankalpa) and blessing (aashirvaada) of elders are highly valued in India We prostrate to seek them. Good thoughts create positive vibrations. Good wishes springing from a heart full of love, divinity and nobility have a tremendous strength. When we prostrate with humility and respect, we invoke the good wishes and blessings of elders, which flow in the form of positive energy to envelop us. This is why the posture assumed whether it is in the standing or prone position, enables the entire body to receive the energy thus received.
The different forms of showing respect are :
• Pratuthana – rising to welcome a person.
• Namaskaara – paying homage in the form of namaste (discussed separately in this book).
• Upasangrahan – touching the feet of elders or teachers.
• Shaastaanga – prostrating fully with the feet, knees, stomach, chest, forehead and arms touching the ground in front of the elder.
• Pratyabivaadana – returning a greeting.
Rules are prescribed in our scriptures as to who should prostrate to whom. Wealth, family name, age, moral strength and spiritual knowledge in ascending order of importance qualified men to receive respect. This is why a king though the ruler of the land, would prostrate before a spiritual master. Epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata have many stories highlighting this aspect.
This tradition thus creates an environment of mutual love and respect among people ensuring harmony in the family and society.
