Sunday, March 13, 2011

The very conept of worship described as flashed on the f.b. on March 14,2011

Bishwa Nath Singh


The worship is one of the most central and important Hindu concepts - sacrifice and surrender through acts of worship, inner and outer. It is well-known that the form of ritual worship especially prevalent in Vedic times, in which oblations - ghee, grains, spices and exotic woods - are offered into a fire according to scriptural injunctions while special mantras are chanted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Photo of a worshipper worshipping the deity of God)

Like (9).  Share: You, Niraj Gautam, Naresh Matia, Ashok Tiwari and 3 others like this.

Bishwa Nath Singh :
The worship is one of the most central and important Hindu concepts - sacrifice and surrender through acts of worship, inner and outer. It is well-known that the form of ritual worship especially prevalent in Vedic times, in which oblation...s - ghee, grains, spices and exotic woods - are offered into a fire according to scriptural injunctions while special mantras are chanted. The element fire, Agni, is revered as the divine messenger who carries offerings and prayers to the Gods. The ancient Veda Brahmanas and the Shrauta Shastras describe various types of yajna rites, some so elaborate as to require hundreds of priests, whose powerful chanting resounds for miles. These major yajnas are performed in large, open-air structures called yagashala. Domestic yajnas, prescribed in the Grihya Shastras, are performed in the family compound or courtyard. Yajna requires four components, none of which may be omitted: dravya, sacrificial substances; tyaga, the spirit of sacrificing all to God; devata, the celestial beings who receive the sacrifice; and mantra, the empowering word or chant. While puja worship in temples with water, lights and flowers has largely replaced the yajna, this ancient rite still continues, and its specialized priestly training is carried on in schools in India. Yajnas of a grand scale are performed for special occasions, beseeching the Gods for rain during drought, or for peace during bloody civil war. Even in temples, yajna has its Agamic equivalent in the agnikaraka, the homa or havana ceremony, held in a fire pit (homakunda) in an outer mandapa of a temple as part of elaborate puja rites. The Upanishads reveal that one can make "inner yajnas" by offering up bits of the little self into the fires of sadhana and tapas until the greater Self shines forth. The five daily yajnas, pancha mahayajna, of the householder outlined in the Dharma Shastras ensure offerings to rishis, ancestors, Gods, creatures and men. They are as follows. Brahma yajna: (also called Veda yajna or rishi yajna) "Homage to the seers." Accomplished through studying and teaching the Vedas.Deva yajna: "Homage to Gods and elementals." Recognizing the debt due to those who guide nature, and the feeding of them by offering ghee and uncooked grains into the fire. This is the homa sacrifice. Pitri yajna: "Homage to ancestors." Offering of cakes (pinda) and water to the family line and the progenitors of mankind.Bhuta yajna: "Homage to beings." Placing food-offerings, bali, on the ground, intended for animals, birds, insects, wandering outcastes and beings of the invisible worlds. Let him gently place on the ground [food] for dogs, outcastes, svapachas, those diseased from sins, crows and insects" Manushya yajna: "Homage to men." Feeding guests and the poor, the homeless and the student. Manushya yajna includes all acts of philanthropy, such as tithing and charity. The Vedic study is performed in the morning. The other four yajnas are performed just before taking one's noon meal. Manu Dharma Shastras states that let him worship, according to the rule, the rishis with Veda study, the devas with homa, the pitris with shraddha, men with food, and the bhutas with bali. Mystics warn that all offerings must be tempered in the fires of kundalini through the power of inner yajna to be true and valuable, just as the fire of awareness is needed to indelibly imprint ideas and concepts on one's own window. Hindu Ritual Worship: is manifestation of Right Faith, Right Knowledge And Right Conduct The three fundamental tenets for Jains are: Right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. A pursuit of these goals involves modest living, and prescribed behavior such as non-violence and stringent vegetarianism, and also various rituals and acts of devotion ( puja). The worship of images of mortal teachers or Thirthankaras (divinities) is common among Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains alike, but the approach of the Jains to the Tirthankaras differs from that of the other groups. On Dhanteras , Hindus worship Lord Dhanwantari, the deity of health and healing. Dhan is wealth or Lakshmi - so the goddess of wealth and prosperity is also prayed to. Every household buys something new. But we tend to forget the real meaning of wealth which is sound health. Lord Dhanwantari also symbolises the spirit of knowledge and nature, including all about herbs and medicinal plants. Vedic worship is performed on a variety of occasions to show love and gratitude to God/Goddess for prosperity and physical/mental well being. Vedic worship when performed cleanses the space of the house and to heal those present at the physical and mental planes. Worship may be performed by an individual worshipper or in gatherings.A glimpse of Vedic worship could be seen in the above Photograph as how it is performed.


Drumila Das but the realized worship costs higher what simply ritual.
 
@ Durmila Das Prabhu! The cost should not be a limiting factor as it could be very well minimized.

===================================================================

f.b.
March 14,2011

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.