10 Common Questions About Practices Followed in Hinduism

10 Common Questions about
Practices Followed in Hinduism

Rajat Bijur
B.S, MBA
Ananth Prabhu
MTech, MBA
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Raama Hare Raama
Raama Raama Hare Hare
1. WHY DO WE LIGHT A LAMP?

10 Common Questions About Practices in Hinduism
Why do we light a lamp?
Oil lamps were part of various traditions and cultures around the
world, until electric lights became popular. The earliest known oil lamp
can be dated back to the Chalcolithic Age, about 4500 to 3300 BC.
Today, their use are limited to only a few homes, more often only for
visual appeal.

But there is a lot more to the humble oil lamp, than its obvious use of
providing light and aesthetics. Light is significant because of the way
our instruments of vision are made. If our instruments of vision were
made like, lets say that of an owl, light wouldnt be very valuable to
us.

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily during pooja and in the
evenings. All auspicious functions commence with the lighting of the
lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion. Light
symbolizes knowledge, and dispelling darkness , that is ignorance.

Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would remove darkness.
We hear many people say, there was no electricity back then,
therefore they used lamps! Others say, Light keeps away insects and
microbes at night. Well, they are right.

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 wick, 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. Lighting an oil lamp has certain implications.
The use of certain vegetable oils, especially if you use sesame oil,
castor oil or ghee (clarified butter) to light a lamp, it exudes positivity.
It has its own field of energy.

It is a part of tradition that to create the right kind of atmosphere, the
first thing that you do is light a lamp. Of course, because of all our
problems today we use electric lights. But those of you who light a
lamp, if you simply be there around it, you will notice it makes a
difference.

It need not even be dark, the lamp need not be a visual aid, but do you
notice it makes some kind of a difference? This is because the moment
you light a lamp, not the flame itself but around the flame a certain
etheric sphere will naturally happen.

Where there is an etheric sphere, communication will be better. Did
you ever sit around a campfire in your life? If you did, you would have
seen that stories told around the campfire always have the maximum
impact on people. Have you noticed this? The storytellers of yore
understood this stories told around the campfire are always the most
effective stories. Receptivity will be at its best.

2. WHY DO WE HAVE A PRAYER
ROOM?
Why do we have a prayer room?
Most Hindu homes have a prayer room or a small area, shelf etc where
images of deities are kept. A lamp is lit and God is worshipped each
day. Other spiritual practices like japa or meditation, reading of the
scriptures, prayers, and devotional singing are also done in the prayer
room. Special worship is conducted on auspicious occasions like
festivals, birthdays, and anniversaries. Each member of the family
communes and worships the Divine here. We invoke His grace by
communing with Him in the prayer room each day and on special
occasions.

Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the place and influence
the minds of those who spend time there.
Why do we have a prayer room?
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. We
burn incense in that room. Smelling incense while experiencing the
calm silence of the puja room can be a powerful tool for the mind to
experience peace of mind.

The prayer room is always kept clean and free from meat, alcohol and
other tamasic substances. Negativity of any sort should be avoided in
the prayer room.
3. WHY DO WE DO NAMASTE?
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 to us or even to strangers.

In Sanskrit the word is namah + te = namaste which means I bow to
the divine in you - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. It
has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the
presence of another.

The spiritual meaning of Namaste is very profound and in Yoga it is
called as 'Anjali Mudra' or Pranamasana.

Why do we do Namaste?
It is recognising the Supreme Being which pervades all beings and the
Namaste signifies bowing before the Divine presence in the other
person. It is for this reason that when we sometimes pay our respects
to an older person or to God himself, we close our eyes as if to look
within.
4. WHY DO WE PROSTRATE BEFORE
PARENTS AND ELDERS?
Why do we prostrate before parents
and elders?
In the present day society of ours, we are slowly forgetting this time
honoured tradition of greeting the elders and replacing them with the
Western social custom of hugging and kissing.

Indians prostrate before their parents, elders, teachers and other
noble souls by touching their feet. The elder in turn blesses us by
placing his or her hand on our heads. Prostration is done daily when
we meet elders and particularly on important occasions like the
commencement of a new task, Festivals and birthdays. In certain
traditional circles, prostration is accompanied by abhivaadana, which
serves to introduce one-self, announce ones family and social stature.

and elders?
Touching the feet in prostration is a sign of respect for the age, wisdom
and divinity that our elders personify. It symbolizes our recognition of
their selfless love for us and the sacrifices 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
Indias enduring strengths.

The good wishes (Sankalpa) and blessings (aashirvaada) of elders are
highly valued in India. We prostrate to seek them these blessing. Good
wishes springing from a heart full of love, divinity and nobility have a
tremendous power. Good thoughts also create positive vibrations.

and elders?
The different forms of showing respect are :

Pratuthana: Rising to welcome a person.
Namaskaara: Paying homage in the form of namaste
Upasangrahan: Touching the feet of elders or teachers.
Shaashtaanga: Prostrating fully with the feet, knees, stomach,
chest, forehead and arms touching the ground in front of the
elders.
Pratyabivaadana: Returning a greeting.

and elders?
Good thoughts create positive vibrations. Good wishes and blessings
arising from a heart full of love, divinity and nobility have immense
power through a transfer of energy. 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, whether it is in the standing or prone position, enables the
entire body to receive the energy thus received.

5. WHY DO WE WEAR MARKS (TILAK, POTTU
AND THE LIKE) ON THE FOREHEAD?
Why do we wear marks (tilak, pottu
and the like) on the forehead?
Most religious Hindus especially married women wear a tilak or bindi
on the forehead. It is applied daily after the bath and on special
occasions, before or after ritualistic worship or visit to the temple

In earlier times, The brahmin applied a white chandan mark signifying
purity. The kshatriya applied a red kumkum mark. The vaishya wore a
yellow kesar or turmeric mark.The sudra applied a black bhasma,
kasturi or charcoal mark.Vishnu worshippers apply a chandan tilak of
the shape of "U," Shiva worshippers a tripundra of bhasma(bhasma is
traditionally collected from cremation grounds in orthodox Shaivite
orders or otherwise is collected from yagna or fire sacrifices offered to
the Gods), Devi worshippers a red dot of kumkum.

The tilak is worn every day by sadhus and pious householders, and on
special occasions like weddings and religious rituals. A tilak is also
applied by a priest during a visit to the temple as a sign of the deity's
blessing, for both men and women (and western tourists, too). Tilak
marks are applied by hand or with a metal stamp. They might be made
of ash from a sacrificial fire, sandalwood paste, turmeric, cow dung,
clay, charcoal, or red lead. In addition to its religious symbolism, the
tilak has a cooling effect on the forehead and this can assist in
concentration and meditation.

In Tantrism, during meditation, energy flows from the base to the head
and leave the body by this point; hence the idea of "plugging the hole"
to retain the energy inside.

It is therefore to protect themselves and avoid energy losses that
Hindus mark their forehead with a soothing and cooling powder paste.

The entire body emanates energy in the form of electromagnetic
waves - the forehead and the subtle spot between the eyebrows
especially so. That is why worry generates heat and causes a
headache. The tilak and pottu cools the forehead, protects us and
prevents energy loss. Sometimes the entire forehead is covered with
chandan or bhasma. Using plastic reusable "stick bindis" is not very
beneficial, even though it serves the purpose of decoration.

6. WHY DO WE NOT TOUCH PAPERS, BOOKS
AND PEOPLE WITH THE FEET?
Why do we not touch papers, books
and people with the feet?
In Indian homes, we are taught from a very young age; never to touch
papers, books and people with our feet. If the feet accidentally touch
papers, books, musical instruments or any other educational
equipment, children are told reverentially touch what was stamped
with their hands and then touch their eyes as a mark of apology.

Not just touching, we are not allowed to even point our feet towards
any person and if by mistake, you point your feet towards God your
Grandmother will beat you up.

Why do we not touch papers, books
and people with the feet?
In the Hinduism, knowledge is divinity itself. The shanti mantras
themselves proclaim in the Upanishads that knowledge leads the
human soul from darkness to light where darkness is considered
ignorance of the soul and light is considered knowledge of the divine
form that sets one free from the world of bondage. And because
books and paper are materials through which knowledge is
transmitted and learned, they should be respected. For this reason, if
we touch these objects with our feet, or kick them, it is a sign that we
do not respect them or understand their importance.

7. WHY DO WE HAVE DIFFERENT CASTES?
Why do we have different Castes?
Indian culture is incredibly complex and resembles a chaos of mind-
boggling proportions. But beneath this seeming chaos is a scientific
foundation that is thousands of years old. Often, the practices that we
label today as blind superstition have very logical explanations behind
them.

The Indian caste system came when there were no formal training
centers for any particular profession. When there were no training
centers, the family was the only way to train. So it was very important
to maintain a blacksmith culture, a goldsmith culture or a cobbler
culture; otherwise there would be no skills.

Suppose your father was a blacksmith, at the age of 6, the moment
you were ready, you started playing around with the hammer and
anvil. By the time you were 8, your father saw that you anyway wanted
to hit it, so it was better to hit it with some purpose. By the time you
were 12, you were on the job. By the time you were 18 or 20, you had
some craft and expertise on your hand to make your own living.

So if your father was a blacksmith, you became a blacksmith; if your
father was a goldsmith, you became a goldsmith. Each profession
developed its own training centers within the family structure because
that was the only training center; all the craft, professionalism and
skills in the society could only evolve like this.
If you are a blacksmith, you do not try to go and do a goldsmiths job,
you just do a blacksmiths job because we need a blacksmith in the
society. When people multiplied and became a thousand blacksmiths,
naturally they had their own way of eating, their own way of marriage
and their own way of doing things, so they formed a caste.

There is really nothing wrong with it if you look at it on one level. It
was just a certain arrangement of convenience for the society.
Between a blacksmith and a goldsmith, the kind of hammer they use,
how they work, how they look, what and how they eat, everything was
naturally distinctly different because the type of work was very
different. It is over a period of time that it became a means for
exploitation.
Changing mindsets in recent times have led our society to rethink the
stance taken by the people before us. Education has further changed
people's mindsets and it would be only a matter of time before an
equalisation of society will occur.

8. WHY DO WE RING THE BELL IN A TEMPLE?
Why do we ring the bell in a temple?
Is it to wake up the Lord? But the Lord never sleeps. Is it to let the Lord
know we have come? He does not need to be told, as He is all
knowing. Is it a form of seeking permission to enter His precinct? It is a
homecoming and therefore entry needs no permission. The Lord
welcomes us at all times. Then why do we ring the bell?

Most of the old temples in India have a large bell at the entrance that
one needs to ring before entering the temple. Making temple bells is a
whole science. These bells are not made out of ordinary metal, but a
whole variety of them, including cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, nickel,
chromium and manganese.

Why do we ring the bell in a temple?
The proportion at which each one of them mixed is the real science
behind making a bell. Each of these bells is made to produce such a
distinct sound that it can create a harmony between your left and
right brains. The moment you ring that bell, it produces sharp but
lasting sound vibration which lasts for minimum of seven seconds in
echo mode -- long enough to touch your seven healing centers (or
chakras) in your body. The best bell is one which clearly reverbarates
the sound of OM when rung in a temple for a period of at least 60
seconds or so.

9. WHY DO WE APPLY THE HOLY ASH?
Why do we apply the holy ash?
Bhasma (holy ash) is the ash from the sacrificial fire where special
wood is burnt along with ghee and herbs as worship alongwith the
appropriate mantras (grahya mantras or similar mantras from the
Vedas such as the sooktas). At times the deity (only Lord Shiva) is
worshipped by pouring ash and this ash is distributed as bhasma. Holy
ash is generally applied on the forehead. It is also at times applied on
the forearms, chest etc. Some ascetics smear it on their entire body.

Unfortunately, in many places it has become a scandalous business
where they are just giving a certain white rock powder as sacred ash.
But if it is properly prepared and you know where and how to apply it,
sacred ash makes you much more receptive; and the place where you
apply it on your body becomes more sensitive and goes towards the
higher nature.
Within your physical body, there are seven basic centers representing
seven dimensions of experiencing life. These centers are known as
chakras. A chakra is a certain meeting point within the energy system.
These chakras are not physical, they are of a subtle nature. One can
experientially know these chakras, but if you cut the body and see, you
will not find any chakra.

As you move into higher levels of intensity, naturally the energies will
rise from one chakra to another. If you receive life from the higher
chakras, the same situation will be different for you than if you receive
life from the lower chakras. I will explain more about chakras in my
next video. As mentioned above, bhasma applied on the body acts as
sunscreen in a natural manner which is the possible scientific reason
for applying it.

The scientific reason for applying bhasma all over the body in the older
days was to prevent UV rays causing skin problems. This was also the
reason why this was applied in the mornings usually after bath.
Bhasma plays a role of sunscreen in a manner similar to the
sunscreens available today.

10. WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF HINDUISM?
What is the essence of Hinduism?
Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both
immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.

Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most
ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed.
These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of
Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.

Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of
creation, preservation and dissolution.

Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each
individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and
deeds.

What is the essence of Hinduism?
Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many
births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation
from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be
deprived of this destiny.

Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that
temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals
create a communion with these devas and Gods.

Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or Satguru, is essential
to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good
conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and
surrender in God.

EDUCATORANANTH@GMAIL.COM
RAJATBIJUR@GMAIL.COM

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