The Significance of Touching Feet:
If we touch someone’s feet, it is only when we hold him/her
in great veneration. That is usually because of certain virtues we see in them.
In the Indian culture, it is believed that the feet of a virtuous person carry sacred
impulses and by touching the feet, the impulses will not only nullify a part of
our karma, but also cause a flow of sacred thoughts into our mind. Thus,
touching the feet is not merely a token of respect. It is a device that disseminates
divinity. However, a half-hearted act of touching someone’s feet as a cultural
obligation is only a ritual and will not be of any consequence.
The Significance of the Posture of Namaskar:
While paying obeisance to God or the elderly, the right
posture of Namaskar is to bring the two hands together, tilt the head forward
and place the thumbs in the mid-brow region. It activates the Adnya Chakra
(located between the two eyebrows) and allows the flow of the subtle
frequencies of divine consciousness. While greeting someone who is of the same
age or younger, the thumbs are placed on the chest, thereby activating the
Anahat Chakra and inviting the frequencies of Satthva. A hand shake is always
to be avoided because it transfers negative energies.
Secrets behind Rangoli:
Rangoli is not merely a work of ornamental and artistic
value. It has immense spiritual significance. As we know, dots or Bindus make a
Rangoli. In Tanthra Shastra, bindu stands for the point where the individual
soul (Atman) merges with the Universal Soul (Paramathman). Thus the dots in a
Rangoli represent the Universal Soul and the lines symbolize the individual
human activities that eventually merge with the Supreme.
Religious Significance of the Coconut:
The coconut is called Sriphala in Sanskrit, meaning the
fruit of god and prosperity. Its three eyes represent the three eyes of Lord
Shiva and hence have the power to ward off evil. Breaking the coconut is
symbolic of annihilating the ego and total surrender. The outer skin of the
coconut represents our gross body (or physical body), the matted coir
represents the subtle body (or mind with its desires and attachments), the hard
shell represents the causal body (or the liberated mind), the white inside the
kernel represents the self (or Atman) and the water stands for the omnipresent
universal force that creates life and energy.
The Worship of Tulsi:
The ancient religious texts of India proclaim: तुलना नास्ति
अधैव तुलसी, meaning tulsi is a plant that is
incomparable in its qualities. Originally named Binda, Tulsi was the devoted
wife of Sankhachuda. She believes Lord Krishna tickled her into sinning and
curses him to turn into a stone (saaligraama). Krishna pacifies her by blessing
that she would become a sacred plant to be worshipped in every household.
Medically, tulsi is known for thousands of years in the Ayurveda for its
diverse healing properties, as mentioned in Charaka Samhitha.
Meaning of Guru Dakshin:
Hinduism is more than a religious faith. It is a way of life
that evolved in the Indian subcontinent in very ancient times. It is complex
and multi-faceted without a central authority or code. Its systems have been
preserved and passed on for tens of thousands of years by the so called Guru-Shishya
Parampara. Every disciple, when he has completed his learning, has the
obligation to carry the baton forward by spreading what he has learnt. Giving Guru
Dakshin marks the point of the completion of acquiring knowledge and the
beginning of radiating it. Besides being an acknowledgement of a disciple’s
gratitude to the teacher, Guru Dakshin is a statement of acceptance of one’s
responsibility to the community.
