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Why does a bride wear white clothes?
In every religion white signifies peace and purity. A white flag denotes peace. Peace does not mean merely stopping wars. It also means mental peace. What is mental peace? It is a state wherein the mind is devoid of any agitations and emotions! This state of mind as well as the peace and purity all of them have their origin in traits of goodness (sattva guna). Goodness and purity are represented by white colour. That is why Saraswati, our Goddess of knowledge, is depicted as wearing white clothes.
The custom of giving white clothes to the bride and groom at the time of the wedding is a blessing to them to start their new life together with peace and selfless love towards each other complete with purity and without any agitations.
In the warrior (Kshatriya) community red-coloured clothes together with turban are worn at the time of the wedding. This colour represents their valour, heroism and bravery, which is the main trait of that class. In other words, it reflects traits of action/ passion (rajo guna), which is their main guna.
There is a close relation between colours and the state of mind. According to the ancient scripture Manasttattva Shastra a person’s nature or character can be assessed based on the colour he most frequently chooses. Because of the influence of the colour on the mind the custom of giving white clothes to newly- weds started.
There is however one main difference between the white clothes worn by a married person and that worn by a widow. The clothes of the married women have a colourful border while those of the widow are devoid of it. This border signifies the attachments and relations of a married woman. Without these, there can be no material life or married life. That is why borderless saree, which denotes lack of bondages, is given to widows. It signifies to them a path of pure and complete detachment and spirituality without any family ties.
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What is the difference between Smarthas and Shaivites? Why do our elders as us to think of Shiva while praying in Vishnu’s temple and vice versa?
Hindu religion is a huge tree. All the various traditions are its branches. As the branches grow the tree can only get stronger. The trunk gets bulkier and heavier. Likewise in Hinduism, Vedas are the trunk. Certain principles or rules were drawn from these Vedas and compiled in Granthas called ‘Smriti’. Those who followed the Smritis are called Smarthas.
The most important figure in this tradition was Sri Shankara-bhagawad-pādācharya. That is why all his followers, who follow Advaita (non-dualism), are Smarthas. These people do not differentiate between Shiva and Vishnu and pray to all Gods treating them all as equal. They wear Vibhuti and Kumkum on their forehead.
Shaivites i.e. worshippers of Shiva wear Vibhuti on their forehead. ‘Shiva Agama’ is their holy text. They believe in worshipping Shiva. It is not that they hate other deities, but they consider Shiva as the Lord of the worlds and all other Devatas as his followers or devotees.
History is replete with many instances of bloodshed between Vaishnavites (worshippers of Vishnu) and Shaivites (worshippers of Shiva). It is important to know that this was not due to main religious principles of the community but because certain leaders for their selfish needs distorted the religious principles and caused wars.
We are lucky that the society we are living in is more tolerant. According to the Puranas, Shiva’s main mantram is ‘Rama nama’. At the same time, Vishnu constantly worships Shiva with lotus flowers. We should thereby understand that both are same. That is why in the daily Sandhya ritual done by Brahmins, the following shloka is uttered:
Shivāya Vishnu rūpaya Shiva rūpāya Vishṇave
Shivasya hṛdayaṃ Vishnuh Vishnoscha hṛdayaṃ Śivah
Yadhāmtaram na pasyami ta dha svastirāyushi.
“Shiva is Vishnu. Vishnu is Shiva. Shiva lives in Vishnu’s heart and Vishnu lives in Shiva’s heart. Therefore if I am able to see no differences between them and see them as one and the same then my longevity will increase.”
The last part of the shloka stresses that by not differentiating between Vishnu and Shiva, one can increase his life span. It means that as one race if we are able to overcome these differences and pray to them as a single force then without bloodshed our race will be successful.
Since the Vedas have declared that there is no difference, then it definitely must be possible for us to adopt this principle, is it not? This is the reason behind the custom that in Vishnu’s temple, we should think of Shiva and vice versa. What is so difficult about thinking about Shiva while in Vishnu’s temple? Didn’t we say that Shiva lives in Vishnu’s heart? This is true for Vishnu also.
Suppose you are looking at your mother’s photo and suddenly you think of your father. Can it mean that you are disrespecting your mother by suddenly thinking of your father? Is it possible to disrespect any one of them? Since your parents mutually love and respect each other, thinking of the father when seeing the mother’s photo (or vice versa) only makes them happier. Similarly, thinking of Vishnu and Shiva together grants us the blessings of both of them.
Contrary to this, if you love one and ridicule the other, then it is not acceptable to either of them. Will your father be happy if you ridicule your mother? Can a mother be happy when the child hates the father? In this case both Vishnu and Shiva are our mother as well as our father. Therefore praying to both of them is always beneficial to us.
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If mantras are supposed to be secret, they how are that they are printed in books?
Mantra is not a secret. Initiation into the mantra (mantrōpadesha) is a secret. Even if you read a mantra in a book, if it has not been initiated to you per proper procedure then you cannot call it a mantra. In books, what you read is only for knowledge but not to be used for spiritual practices.
Vernacular language has only 50 alphabets. Any combinations can be made with these 50 alphabets. Just because you can recognize and read alphabets does not mean that you can understand the mantras. Those energized words that come from a Guru and which you accept can only be called a mantra.
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/if-mantras-are-supposed-to-be-secret-they-how-are-that-they-are-printed-in-books/
Q) Why should we wear bindi (Kumkum) on our forehead?
As per our scriptures there are 72000 nādis (subtle astral nerves) in a human body. They are those invisible nerves that transmit life-energy (prana shakti) throughout our body. The centre of the forehead is the focal point for all these subtle astral nerves. There is a possibility for the life-energy to flow out of our body from this point. In such case our life-energy gets depleted!
Kumkum, Vibhuti, sandal paste, Ganga mrittika, gopi chandan are the few items which have the capacity to prevent the life-force from draining out of this point. Hence sealing the centre of the forehead (bhru madhya) is the real idea behind this tradition of applying these items on the forehead! If worn neatly in a proper shape, it also protects the person from evil eye (drishti dosha). The bindi can be horizontal or vertical as per the individual’s customs.
Based on this logic, wearing Kumkum or Vibhuti on the forehead is equally important for men as it is for women!
These days, ladies wear stickers on the forehead and are contented that they are following the customs. However sticker does not come under the category of the above mentioned items and hence it is not useful from this angle.
What is the case of a widow who should not wear kumkum? Does she not have to protect her life-energy? Yes, she does. In such case, remember that the society requires her to not wear red-colour kumkum, which symbolizes married life, but does not stop her from wearing Vibhuti or any other item from that list mentioned above.
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/qwhy-should-we-wear-bindi-kumkum-on-our-forehead/
What is the significance of homa (sacrificial fire)? Isn’t pouring ghee (clarified butter) and putting sticks into it a waste of our natural resources?
In Swamiji’s activities, homa plays a very significant role. Wherever he may be travelling, daily morning homa is mandatory. Vishesha homas (special homas) are performed on Sundays and all festival days. In what way are homas beneficial to devotees? Isn’t this your doubt?
In this world, there are primarily only 2 types of energy that can cause movement in atoms. They are the energy created by heat (ushna shakti) and energy created by sound (sabda shakti). To cause a movement in atoms, every other form of energy has to convert to either of these two and then act. This truth has been realized even by the present day science. Homa joins the heat and sound energies as per a scientific method prescribed in the scriptures. It thus purifies both the internal as well as the external environment.
In a homa, while the fire is burning brightly, certain mantras are chanted and prescribed herbal ingredients are put into the fire. The smoke produced by the burning of these herbal ingredients will have certain medicinal properties that can cleanse the external environment of its impurities.
At the same time, the energy that is generated by the agni (fire) as well as by the mantras chanted causes a positive change in the hearts of the people in the vicinity. It cleanses their mind of impurities. In the west, of late research on ‘homa therapy’ for medical purposes is progressing.
The ingredients used in a homa vary according to the deity who is invoked and the mantras to be chanted. This is done totally as per the rules laid down in the scriptures (Shastras). If the rules are strictly followed, the results will be positive. The homas being performed by Swamiji are a proof of this!
There is another explanation for the scientific background of the homas. We all know that fire illumines brightly only at night. However homas are always performed only during day. Why is this so? Actually for earth, the Sun is the eternal and natural source of heat. It is the Sun that provides us the energy in our life. In a homa, the primary focus is on the Agni (fire). The energy emanating from this fire should mix thoroughly with the Sun’s energy to be able to give complete spiritual as well as materialistic benefits. Modern science calls this as ‘Photo chemical effect.’ The atoms originating from the homa smoke have to mix evenly with the Sun-rays to create a significant energy or a movement. This can happen only during daytime. Hence homas are always performed at this time.
It is well known that the Sunrays are more powerful at both the early morning Sunrise and evening twilight times. At these times the ultra violet (UV) rays are slightly more. These rays affect our health. Our ancient sages, who were well versed in all this knowledge, devised thereby the system of daily homas at this Sandhya times.
Apart from a homa, all other types of worship such as vratas, pujas are aimed at generating personal benefits for the person conducting them. Only when the person doing the puja wishes explicitly for universal benefit, then only does the society benefit from it. The homa activity is completely different. Even if it is conducted with a personal desire, it benefits the society at large. The smoke from the homa cleanses the atmosphere nearby. Thus others automatically benefit from it.
So, when a homa is being done scientifically for the benefit of the society and nature, can it be called a waste of the natural resources? Think about it.
In Swamiji’s method, on any day Swamiji uses a fewer ingredients than what would be needed to prepare a person’s meal. On that day some person in the ashram would be fasting. So, there is no waste of natural resources- only a set off. That is why in our scriptures for vratas and pujas, upavasam (fasting) has been prescribed.
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/what-is-the-significance-of-homa-sacrificial-fire-isnt-pouring-ghee-clarified-butter-and-putting-sticks-into-it-a-waste-of-our-natural-resources/
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