QUES ANSW DIVINE 04-2022-23 Dear friends,
These are information compiled as QA by me in 1998’s-2014’sand stored in my computer. They are posted by very learnt members. BEING COMPILATION THERE MAY BE ERRORS. Sincerely, R.Gopalakrishnan, 78, dated 24-04-2022 Q1 What is the prayer offered while lighting lamp? A1 Whilst lighting the lamp we thus pray: Deepajyothi parabrahma Deepa sarva tamopahaha Deepena saadhyate saram Sandhyaa deepo namostute The meaning is- I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the Knowledge Principle(the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness ofignorance and by which all can be achieved in life. Q2 Why do we ring the bell in a temple? A2 The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded as anauspicious sound. It produces the sound Om,the universal name of the Lord.There should be auspiciousness within and without, to gain the vision of theLord who is all-auspiciousness. Even while doing the ritualistic aarati, wering the bell. It is sometimes accompanied by the auspicious sounds of theconch and other musical instruments. An added significance of ringing the bell, conch andother instruments is that they help drowned any inauspicious or irrelevantnoises and comments that might disturb ordistract the worshippers in their devotional ardour, concentration and innerpeace. As we start the daily ritualistic worship (pooja) we ringthe bell, chanting: Aagamaarthamtu devaanaam gamanaarthamtu rakshasaam Kurve ghantaaravam tatra devataahvaahna lakshanam The meaning is - 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. Q3. Why do we consider the lotus flower as special? A3 The lotus is the symbol of truth, auspiciousness andbeauty (satyam, shivam, sundaram). The Lord is also that nature andtherefore, His various aspects are compared to a lotus ( i.e. lotus-eyes, lotusfeet, lotus hands, the lotus of the heart etc.). The lotus blooms with the rising sun and close at night.Similarly, our minds open up and expand with the light of knowledge. The lotus grows even in slushy areas.It remains beautiful and untainted despite its surroundings, reminding us thatwe too can and should strive to remain pure and beautiful within, under allcircumstances. The lotus leaf never gets wet even though it is always inwater. It symbolizes the man of wisdom (gyaani ) who remains ever joyous,unaffected by the world of sorrow and change. This is revealed in a shloka from the Bhagwad-Geeta: Brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani Sangam tyaktvaa karoti yaha Lipyate na sa paapena Padma patram ivaambhasaa He who does actions, offering them to Brahman (theSupreme), abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leafremains unaffected by the water on it. Q4 Do lotus is related with chakras in the body? Do itrelated with swasthik? A4. Ourbodies have certain energy centers described in the Yoga Shaastras as chakras.Each one is associated with lotus that has a certain number of petals. For example, a lotus with a thousandpetals represents the Sahasra chakra at the top of the head, which opens whenthe yogi attains Godhood or Realisation. Also, the lotus posture ( padmaasana)is recommended when one sits for meditation. A lotus emerged from the navel of Lord Vishnu. LordBrahma originated from it to create the world. Hence, the lotus symbolizes the link between the creatorand the supreme Cause. It also symbolizes Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma. The auspicious sign of theswastika is said to have evolved from the lotus. Q5 What is the prayer offered to Tulasi plant and itsmeaning? A5 The prayer is as follows Yanmule sarvatirhaani Yannagre sarvadevataa Yanmadhye sarvavedaascha Tulasi taam namaamyaham I bow down to the tulasi, At whose base are all the holyplaces, At whose top reside all the deities and In whose middle are all theVedas. Q6 What are the details of Aaditya hridayam sthothram? Whyit is named so? A6 Aditya hrudayam is a Stotra by Sage Agastya to LordSri Rama at the battle field between Ravana and Rama. The great Cosmic Sage Agastya dictatesthis hymns of Sun God to Sri Rama to ensure Victory to him. Aditya hrudayam contains the innovative hymns with manysecrets and hidden meanings. The Jnana, Jnata, and Jneyam is completed as Sage Agastya isthe Jnana and the Lord Rama Jnata and the presiding deity Jneyam is Sun in theheart. Thus the Triputi is completed. Hence it has come to be known as Adityahrudayam. Q7 Do turmeric can prevent Alzheimer disease ? A7 We know Turmeric is well known for its anti-septicproperties. Recently, there was a discovery thatthose who use turmeric regularly will not get affected by Alzheimerdisease. Q8 We would have heard of seven mother goddesses. What aretheir names? Have we any temple for them in Kerala? A8 Mother Goddesses(Sapta Matrikas) are the following Brahmani, is the Shakti (power) of the creator god Brahma. Fixes: Pride. Vaishnavi, is the power of the preserver-god Vishnu. Fixes: Being too Polite Maheshvari, is the power of god Shiva. Fixes: Anger Indrani, is the power of the Indra. Fixes: Fault-Finding Kumari, is the power of Kumara (Kartikeya or Skanda), the god of war. Fixes: Denial Varahi, is described as the power of the boar-headed form of Vishnu or Yama. Fixes:Envy Chamundai, is identified with Kali. Fixes: Gossip Sapthramathus are installed as deities in Ameda nearErnakulam temple and at Kodungallur. Q9 What are the details of Achamana? A9 Achamana precedes all rituals or ceremonial sipping ofwater and touching the various parts of the body like eyes, ears, nose, chesthead etc., with wet hand in the prescribed order. This process invokes the life-energy to protect theperformer for successful completion of the ceremony. There are three types of Achamana-PURAANA ACHAMAN,SHROUTHA ACHAMANA AND SMARTHA ACHAMANA. The first three names of Keshava, Naraayana and Madhavaare remembered and water is taken as BRAHMATHEERTHA. The next 21 names are taken to touch different parts ofthe body and it invokes the deity who protects that part. With this it is expected that the FIVE GNYAANENDRIYAS, FIVE KARMENDRIAS,FIVE MUKHYA PRANAS, FIVE SUBSIDIARY PRANAS AND THE MIND are purified. It is expected that with this, the mindalso becomes calm. There is a system where instead of Keshavaayaswaaha, RUGVEDAYASWAAHA,YAJURVEDAAYASWAAHA, SAAMAVEDA- AYASWAAHAare repeated. The method normally adopted is the Puraanaachamana withthe names Keshava, Naarayana and Maadhava. It is believed that while touching the different parts ofthe body with wet fingers and invoking the names of the ADHIDEVATHE of thatpart, the body and mind becomes pure so that further rituals are successful. It is also believed that atthe tips of thumb, the forefinger, and the small finger there is BRAHMATHEERTHA, DEVATHEERTHA AND PRAJAAPATHITHEERTHA. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1366632956.486394.1650779705306%40mail.yahoo.com.
