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THE MEANING OF AARTI
While performing worship & rituals, there is a possibility of mistakes and faults being committed. Aarti is performed to rectify those mistakes.
The word Aarti is dervied from Sanskrit word Aarati which means to give stoppage. It has been mentioned in the skandapurana as follows -
MANTRA HEENAM KRIYA HEENAM YATKRRITAM POOJANAM HAREH
SARVAM SAMPOORNA TAAMETI KRITE NEERAAJANE SHIVE
ceb$e nerve efeÀ³ee nerveb ³elke=Àleb Hetpeveb njsë~
meJe& mecHetCe&leecesefle ke=Àlesveerjepeves efMeJes~~
Meaning : Even of there are mistakes committed by the means of lack of mantras or the lack of ritual, while doing worship, it becomes perfect and complete by performing the neeraajana (aarati).
THE BENEFITS OF BLOWING CONCH
The Sound of the blowing conch is often heard from the temples, while worship of a deities is being done or during the AARATI. It is natural to have curiosity about its necessity. The importance of blowing conch while worshipping is also mentioned in the vedas.
SHANKHEN HATVAA RAKSHAANSI (ATHARVAVEDA)
(keÀ) MebKesve nlJeej#eebefme~ (DeLeJe&Jeso)
Meaning - After killing the demons by the means of the conch
YASTU SHANKHADHWANIM KURYAAT POOJAAKAALE VISHESHATAH
VIMUKTAH SARVA PAAPENA VISHNUNAA SAHA MODATE
(Ke) ³emleg MebKeOJeefveb kegÀ³ee&led HetpeekeÀeues efJeMesmeleë~
efJecegkeÌleë meJe& HeeHesve efJemCegvee menceesoles~~
Meaning - One who especially blows conch while worshipping, all of his sins get destroyed, and he enjoys bliss in the company of Lord Vishnu.
The importance which the sounds of the conch has on the environment has been well established by the Indian Scientists. The sounds of theCOnch help to destroy the germs and micr0 organism as far as it reaches. The environment becomes free from the germs and diseases if there is a continuous sound of the conch for a prolonged period.
WHY IS THE BLOWING OF CONCH MADE ONLY IN THE MORNING AND EVENING
There are natural and situational reason behind this, Since the environment during the morning and evening time is peaceful, therefore the sound of the conch made during that time reaches far and wide, and the people hearing the sound get benefitted. A person who is dumb or one who stammers are immensely benefitted from the sound made by the conch.
One who has the habit of blowing the conch regularly, never suffers from a lung disease.
In a place like temple where many peoples are gathered, and the air within it gets polluted by the exhalation of the people, it is very beneficial to make the air pare by blowing conches.
THE NECESSITY OF SPRINKLING WATER OF THE CONCH
It has been mentioned in the BRAHMA VAIVARTAPURANA that
JALENAAPOORYA SHANKHE CHA TATRA SANSTHAPAYET BUDHAH
POOJO PAKARANAM TENA JALENA KSHAALAYET PUNAH
`peuesveeHet³e& MebKes ®e le$e mebmLeeHe³esled yegOeë~
HetpeesHekeÀjCeb lesve, peuesve #eeue³eslHegveë~~
Meaning: After filling up the conch with water it should be kept in the temple and all the articles of worship should be sprinkled with that water.
It is of common experience and knowledge that the article acquires the quality of the vessel in which it is kept. For example if Curd, spimmed milk or ghee is kept in avessel of brass then it get destroyed because of its contact with that metal.
Similarly water kept in the conch, acquired the properties of the conch, and sprinkling of that water on the parts of the people, destroys theexternal germs of the body. For this reason the sprinkling of water kept in a conch is very beneficial.
AT DUSK FOUR THINGS SHOULD NOT BE DONE
CHATVARI KHALU KARYANI SANDHYAKALE VIVARJAYET |
AHARAM MAITHUNAM NINDRAM SWADHYAYANCHA CHATURTHAKAM ||
®elJeeefj Keueg keÀe³ee&efCe mevO³eekeÀeues efJeJepe&³esled~
Deenejb cewLegveb efveêeb mJeeO³ee³eáe ®elegLe&keÀced~~
Meaning : At the time of Dusk, (half an hour before and after the sunset) four things should not be done. These are eating of food, having intercourse with a woman, sleeping and reading of Vedas.
Sleeping with feet pointing south forbidden the entire solar system is dependent upon the attraction of the polaris (pole star). This polar star is situated in the northern sky. If anybody sleeps with the feet pointing south and head pointing North the food in his stomach will experience the polar pull. Waste part of this eaten food should move downward to be passed out ultimately as faeces. But in such orientation the food in the stomach moves upward and adversely affects the vital organs like heart, abdomen and brain. Hence one should not sleep with the feet pointing south and the head pointing north.
In exact opposition to it if one sleeps with the feet pointing north. The digestion of food will be smooth and the electric field that flows from south to north will enter the head and pass out through the feet. Thus, every morning, the brain will feel itself full of charge refresh and vigour.
To experience the polar pull physically, you can watch the needle of the compass that always points towards the north pole, no matter in whatever direction it is rotated. Hence, one should always sleep with his feet pointing north and head pointing south.
PLACE OF WIFE IN RITUALS LIKE OBLATION (YAGYA)
Regarding the place of wife in oblation like religious rituals. There exists great confusion among the public. Vedas, however given very clear ruling in this regard :
ABHISHEKE RATHAROHAI DAMPATYE SHAYANE TATHA
SHRADDHE SNANE TATHA DANE PATNI TISHTHATI VAMATAH
DeefYemeskesÀ jLeejesnw oecHel³es Me³eves leLee
Þee×s mveeves leLee oeves Helveer efleÿefle Jeeceleë
Meaning : At the time of enthronement in the chariot (Vehicles in modern era), on the bed of the couple, in ceremonial baths and making offerings, the wife should occupy a place at the left side of her husband.
KANYADANE VIVIHECHA PRATISTHA YAGYA KARMANI |
SARVESHU DHARMA KARYESHU, PATNI TISHTATI DAKSHINE ||
keÀv³eeoeves efJeJeens®e Òeefleÿe ³e%e keÀce&efCe~
meJexmeg Oece& keÀe³exmeg, Helveer efleÿefle oef#eCes~~
Meaning : In rituals like Kanyadana (giving of daughter as wife), marriage, installation of idols, obalation, religious rites worship etc, the wife must occupy a place to the right side of her husband.
NEED OF LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES
Let us considers what it means by the wife occupying the left and right sides of her husband in religious rituals.
The scriptures dictate that all venerable and excellent things like cow, Brahman, abode of the gods etc. should be kept at the right hand side and all the vile things should be kept at the left hand side. But after the exile of Rama, when Bharat returned from his maternal uncle's home and entered Ayodhya he founf all the venerable objects like cow etc to his left hand side, while the vile animals like the dog and donkey passed by him through right hand side. With these omens, he had got suspicious of some inauspicious occurrence in Ayodhya.
Besides these scriptural evidences, you can get point from the vehicles as well. Family vehicles like cars are made in India in such a way that wife always occupies the left hand position of her husband. Hence in the worship of the gods and other rituals, the wife should occupy left hand or right-side positious accordingly.
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