Why do we do pradakshina?

JAY SHREE POOJYASHREE SHREE AMMA

JAY MAHAN BRAHMASHREE GOPALAVALLIDASAR

JAY SHREE RADHEKRISHNA SATHSANG

Dear Readers,

Radhekrishna to all!

Let us discuss the next question in this post. The eleventh question of our series is “Why do we do pradakshina (circumambulate)?

Whenever, Hindus visit a temple, one can observe that they circumambulate the idol in a clockwise direction. This is a regular practice which is being done since innumerable years. Have you ever given a thought that why is this done?

Nowadays the main purpose behind visiting a temple is only when one doesn’t get something that he/she desires; be it a job, good health, a spouse, fame, well being of children like their education etc. To put in a nut shell materialistic desires. Other wise nobody has the time to go to a temple. Life has become so fast and the present generation has become very practical. It is only few days before the results that one can see students visiting a temple!

And the prayers are also performed in a give and take manner. For example, “God please help me pass this exam and I will donate 101 coconuts and money” That’s the way people pray nowadays. Even God is no exception to the give and take policy of the people.

Coming back to the topic, let us know why we circumambulate God’s idol in a temple.

We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of pradakshina.

Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the center. This means that wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality. God does not see how rich or how poor we are, how famous or infamous we are, so on and so forth.

So the next time you circumambulate the God’s idol recollect the reason why you are doing it!

We will see the twelfth question in the next post.

Section II: Information about Indian herbs

In this post let us know about the herb known as Amaltas, also called as purging Cassia in English and Cassia Fistula in Latin.

1. It is a large tree the leaves of which resemble those of a rose apple tree.

2. Pith of the tree is used as a purgative.

3. Its flowers act as a laxative and relieve cough; a wonderful remedy for diphtheria.

That concludes this post. Till the next post, Radhekrishna!

Sarvam Guruvaarpanam