HINDUISM - Q & A Part 8

What is the use of bhakti?

It gives us lot of support during crisis in our life. It gives us relief, happiness, consolation, motivation, during failures and confusions

How to use bhakti in our day to day life and demonstrate it?

Bhakti is demonstrated through different type of worship. Worship is as a result of bhakti.

Is bhakti for demonstration to the public?

Bhakti is also for demonstration and social acceptance. Bhakti cannot be directly demonstrated because it is the feeling that you posses. Worship is the method through which you demonstrate the bhakti. Demonstration is an important part of spirituality , particularly applied spirituality.

Then what is the real spirituality?

The knowledge about the ultimate truth, fact and essence of everything in the universe, is known as the true spirituality or spirituality. That is the knowledge of real spirit behind everything. It is the same as Jeevaathma, Paramaathama and Brahma chaitanya.

What is the applied spirituality?

Just like we have chemistry and applied chemistry, physics and applied physics, mathematics and applied mathematics , we in India also have spirituality and applied spirituality. Spirituality has two pathways. One on the knowledge that each and everything has the omnipotent omnipresent divine power. Hence love all serve all hurt none. Keep all the positive feeling in our mind and no hatred to anyone. This give the people the message to co exist, respect each other, serve all living beings, help and support everyone. This is the major part of the applied spirituality. There is a minor part of applied spirituality for our own benefit. That one is the worship of divine power through temples, yaagas, yajnaas, etc.

What is the benefit derived out of worship?

The benefit is for ourselves, family, society and nation. And it can even go to the whole mankind. Through worship many acharas are incorporated into our day to day life to achieve the benefits, which is also applied spirituality.

What is meant by worship?

Adopting a series of rituals and customs while creating a relation with god. Adopting these acharas for human welfare through worship is aimed. Practical aspects are undertaken in this spirituality and god.

Is the worship connected with apologizing to god for mistakes?

In the end of every ritual we may use one or two lines towards that also. But worship is not repentance or apologizing. Worship is for building faith in ourselves.

How many types of worship are there in Hindu dharma?

There are very specifically two branches of worship. One the ancient Vedic method of worship through offering to fire as Havana or homa. All the yagas, gana homas, mruthyunjaya homas, etc are all part of the Vedic rituals. Veda mantras are used for this branch of worship. The second may be named as pournaic branch of worship where idol worship is the main path way.

Why Vedic method is not common now?

Minor form of Vedic methods are also adopted now. But major yaagas etc needs money, time, Vedic knowledge etc. Where as in puranic method an idol is enough and the method is simple.

What are the basic principles of puranic methods ?

Idol is consecrated and it is considered as the prathima or prathibimbam or vigraha. Temple is built in the shape of yaaga saala, sanctum sanctorum is like uttara vedi in yaaga sala and idol stands in the center place of fire in the uttaravedi of yaga sala.

What is the role of temple?

The temple is built with general Vedic geometry pattern like a yaga sala. And the vigraha is the main point of attraction and worship. In vigraha worship, a series of manthra, thanthra and yanthra based procedures are adopted.

What are these vigrahas made of?

Vigrahas can be made of granite, marble, clay/ laterite, wood, metal/ pancha loha, lamp, pictures and manorupam (any imaginary form)

How the vigraha worship is done and what is the science in it?

There are eight types of worship according to sanaathana dharma saastra.. Every Indian should know what is meant by the Indian method of worship. Different books and acharyas may give different explanations but they are never contradictory. They may give complimentary explanations, even though prima face you may feel they are contradictory. The eight methods are given below.

Sravanam : The worship method adopted using the ears/sruthi. Listening to good keerthans, mantras, prayer, naama japa, stories of puraanaas.

What is the science behind the sravanam?

Listening to mantras give neurolinguistic effects and many types of hormones are produced in the brain. This will directly influence the brain chemistry. It balances the brain waves, heart performance, blood pressure, adrenalin level and also the cholesterol level.

What should we listen during worship?

Melodious mantras from Vedas, keertans and melodious bhajans are excellent. But listening to the songs carrying the negatives and painful feelings may not give the pleasant experience.

What is the difference between the keerthans and mantras in sravanam?

While listening the Veda mantras one need not understand the meaning, where as while chanting the keerthans knowing the meaning and messages ais important.

Is sravanam advised in modern medical system?

Yes!, It is very much advised in modern health system also for psychosomatic diseases and also to relieve the tension, in our day to day life which may be called as manthra therapy.

What is the second method of worship?

Darsanam is the second method of worship. Getting the vision/darsanam and seeing the pleasant image/picture of divine power. It can be the picture of nature, living and non living beings with the realization that the divine power exist in each and every living and non living beings.

How ‘darsanam’ is beneficial in our day to day life?

Watching a good picture and happy pleasant faces give happiness to all of us. This is the simple meaning and aim of darsanam. Seeing a good idol, picture, beautiful color, colorful image with correct size and shape to give pleasant feeling of darsanam

Can we give examples of the benefit of darsanam?

Pilgrimage to temples, visiting great scholars and great avathaaras who have devoted their life for human welfare and also seeing all the divine people who came to the earth for serving all the god’s creations. Every pleasant site gives happiness and every unpleasant site gives worry and unpleasant feelings also.

What is the third method of worship?

Keerthanam is the third method and it is the melodious way of chanting the manthra or sloka . Under keerthanam comes chanting mantras, keerthanas, naama, telling stories, giving upadesas, guiding people, appreciating good actions and satkarmaas. These are all known as keerthanas.

How keerthans effect us?

Chanting manthra gives the same effect as listening manthra. For chanting Veda manthra you need the training in the sruthi. If sruthi is not maintained properly, it may result in the negatives. Hence it is advised not to chant Veda manthra without proper training.

When manthras and keerthans should be chanted?

In three sandhyas the Veda manthras or keerthans can be chanted. It is more appropriate in early morning and late evening.

What are the factors to be monitored while chanting mantras?

Cleanliness of body, mind, words, food and work . In short sareera , mana, ahara, vaak, and karma suddhi are the minimum criteria plus the knowledge to chant the Vedas with clarity.

Can anyone chant veda mantras?

Anyone can chant puraana and itihasa mantras. Veda manthra can also be chanted by anyone provided he/ she has the training for chanting with swara known as veda jnaanam.