Welcome to Hindu Heritage Society (Incorporated)
Promoting Cultures and Knowledge of Hinduism Across Australia
Welcome to Hindu Heritage Society (Incorporated)
Promoting Cultures and Knowledge of Hinduism Across Australia
Promoting Cultures and Knowledge of Hinduism Across Australia
Promoting Cultures and Knowledge of Hinduism Across Australia
Home / Hinduism
Hinduism is one of the world’s major religions and holds the distinction of being the most ancient of the world’s religions. It is known as Sanatan Dharma (Eternal Religion). The Everlasting Religion, Hinduism was founded, exists, and flourishes in India. There are over one billion Hindus today. Most are in India, but Hindus live all over the world. Sizable Hindu populations live in Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Indonesia, Australia, America, Canada, England, New Zealand, and some other countries. Australian Census 2000 indicates that with more than 100,000 Hindu families in Australia, the Hindu religion is rapidly on the increase in the country.
What is Hinduism? Is it a religion or is it a culture? The truth is – it is both a religion and a way of life. Hinduism is a way of life, a philosophy on life. Hinduism asks each one of us to search for the Divine within us. In their homes, most Hindus maintain a little shrine set aside for devotional worship or puja. We are all divine and each one of us has the capacity to realize the divinity within us; therefore each one of us is a Hindu by birth. It is through ignorance we do not know our divinity. Under the umbrella of Hinduism, today one finds numerous religious denominations promoting and practicing Hindu philosophies throughout the world.
India gave the world the original, oldest, and most profound philosophy of life. The brilliant ancestors of present-day Indians explored the Truth behind our existence and gave several philosophies and theories to define the Truth. The ultimate truth aims to reach Moksha when one goes beyond the cycle of birth and death. At the same time, they created a set of rules for “good living” on this earth. However, the rules for good or “Dharmic” living that they lay down constitute the Hindu religion. That the Supreme can be worshipped in any form is a concept unique to Hinduism. Hinduism gives form and shape to these “works” of the Infinite with the Hindu Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. “Brahma” creates, “Vishnu” sustains, and “Shiva” destroys or consummates everything in the Universe.
At different periods of time, many genuine Rishis, Saints, and Sages born in India have cleansed, reformed, and revitalized Hinduism and made it relevant to their times. The Saints and Sages were called Rishis because they had seen the truth with their purified minds. A Sage or a Saint, in the context of Hinduism, is one who has directly experienced god. The Revealed Divine Truths are called Vedas. The ‘Vedas’ are the primary scriptures of Sanatan Dharma. The Vedas shaped ancient Indian society and governed ethics and morality. The Vedas can be identified in terms of their origin into “Shruti” (verbal) and “Smriti”(written). A Sage named Krishna Dvaipayana ( Ved Vyasa) recorded and documented them as Yajur Veda which was the original Veda. Due to its voluminous content, it was classified into four categories:
The sages who shaped the Hindu religion merely reiterated the knowledge of the Vedas.
The majority of the Hindu population lives in Asia. If the percentage is taken into account, then Nepal has the highest population of Hindus at 81.3 percent. This is followed by India at 79.8 percent and Mauritius at 48.5 percent.
In terms of numbers, India has the largest number of Hindus in the world. Out of a population of 1,285,000,000, according to the 2011 census, the Hindu population of the country stands at 1,025,430,000.
It has been estimated that less than 1 percent of the Hindu population resides outside of Asia and the Pacific. Apart from India and Nepal, the other eight countries that have the largest Hindu population in the world, include Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the United States, the Philippines, and South Africa. However, countries that have 500,000 Hindu residents and citizens also include – the United Kingdom, Mauritius, Fiji, and Canada.
Here is a list of the main countries where the most Hindu population lives.
The six systems of Indian philosophy or the Shad-Darsanas are the six orthodox systems of philosophy. They are the six ways of looking at the Truth. These are:
Six Darshanas or Six Scriptures
by Divine Life Society
The Six Systems of Vedic Philosophy
compiled by Suhotra Dasa Tapovanachari
Nyaya
The Nyaya is intended to furnish a correct method of philosophical inquiry into all the objects and subjects of human knowledge, including the process of reasoning and laws of thought.
Vaiseshika Atomic Theory of the Universe
In the Vaiseshika system, the formation of the world is supposed to be affected by the aggregation of atoms. These atoms are countless and eternal. They are eternally aggregated, disintegrated, and re-disintegrated by the power of Adrishta (unseen). The Vaiseshika has, for its chief objective, the analysis of experience. It begins by arranging its inquiries under categories (Padarthas), i.e., enumeration of certain general properties or attributes that may be predicted of existing things. It formulates general conceptions, which apply to things known, whether by senses or inference or by authority.
Sankhya
The Sankhya system is generally studied next to the Nyaya. It is a beautiful system of philosophy. Western philosophers also have great admiration for this system. It is more categorically dualistic. It denies that anything can be produced out of nothing. It assumes the reality of Purusha and Prakriti, the knowing Self and the objects known.
Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga
Patanjali’s Yoga is Ashtanga Yoga or Yoga with eight limbs. This Yoga deals with the discipline of the mind and its psychic powers. Hatha Yoga treats the methods of bodily control and regulations of breath. The culmination of Hatha Yoga is Raja Yoga.
Purva Mimamsa
Purva Mimamsa or Karma-Mimamsa is an inquiry into the earlier portion of the Vedas, an inquiry into the ritual of the Vedas or that portion of the Vedas which is concerned with the Mantras and the Brahmanas only.
Mimamsa is not a branch of any philosophical system. It is rather a system of Vedic interpretation. Its philosophical discussions amount to a kind of critical commentary on the Brahmana or ritual portion of the Veda.
Vedanta Philosophy (Also known as the Uttara Mimamsa) Uttara Mimamsa or the Vedanta philosophy of Vyasa or Badarayana is placed as the last of the six orthodox systems, but it ought to stand first.
The Uttara Mimamsa conforms closely to the doctrines propounded by the Upanishads. The term Vedanta means literally the end of the essence of the Veda. It contains the doctrines set forth in the closing chapters of the Vedas. The closing chapters of the Vedas are the Upanishads. The Upanishads really form the essence of the Vedas.
Home / Hinduism / Rituals & Prayers
The religious life of many Hindus is focused on devotion to God (perceived as Brahman, Shiva, Vishnu, or Shakti) or several gods. This devotion usually takes the form of rituals associated with sculptures and images of gods in home shrines. More philosophically-minded Hindus ignore the gods altogether and seek the Realization of the Self through intense meditation. Still, others focus primarily on fulfilling the social and moral duties appropriate to their position in life.
These various approaches are regarded as equally valid, and in fact, are formally recognized as three paths (marga) to liberation: bhakti marga (the path of devotion), jnana marga (the path of knowledge or philosophy), and karma marga (the path of works and action). More here.
Hindu religious practices center on the importance of fulfilling the duties associated both with one’s social position and one’s stage of life. With regard to the latter, traditional Hindus are expected to pass through four stages(ashramas) over the course of their life:
All stages of life for the Hindu, however, involve religious rituals and practices. Some of the major Hindu practices are described in the articles below.
Daily Practices:
The daily ritual of puja is performed in a sacred corner in a worship room of the home. It is done to keep Hindus aware of their family gods and mindful of their duties as individuals. The ritual of puja has three steps. The first is seeing the family deity (Darshana). A small statue or picture of the god is placed in the sacred corner. The second step is the worship of the god or puja. The worshiper offers the god flowers, fruits, and cooked food (Bhog). The third step is retrieving the blessed food (Prasada) and consuming it. This is thought to bring the deity down to earth and brings the person closer to them.
There are special rituals that only the priests, or Brahmin, can perform. These are called the Shrauta Rituals and are very complex and elaborate sacrifices to the god Agni. These “fire-sacrifice” rituals are to bring out the central element of the power of gods and nature through fire. In some cases, the brahmins are paid by individuals to perform these sacrifices for the buyer’s benefit.
HHS has produced a duel CD and a prayer booklet for DIY style.
Special Occasions:
Rites of passage rituals are the most common special occasion rituals performed by Hindus. These are usually performed by individuals rather than Brahmins and are conducted within the family. Hindus believe that there are four stages in life. Those are childhood, youth, middle age, and old age. These rituals are called samskaras.
More information about 16 Sanskar.
Samskars at birth begin even before a child is born. Garbhadana (conception) is the fervent prayer for a child. This is done in order to fulfill the parental duties to continue the race.
Punsavana (fetus protection) is performed during the third or fourth month of pregnancy before the fetus is conscious. The prayers hope to invoke divine qualities in the child.
Simantonnyana (satisfying the craving of the pregnant mother) is similar to a baby shower. It is performed during the seventh month, and prayers are offered for the healthy physical and mental growth of the child.
Jatakarma is performed at the birth of a child. It is done to welcome the child into the family. Mantras, or verse prayers, are recited for a healthy, long life. The goal of this samskara is to provide a comfortable atmosphere for the child and mother.
The naming ceremony, or namkaran sanskar, is done according to scriptural procedures. Also at this time is the nishkarmana, or taking the child outdoors for the first time.
The next samskar for childhood is the Annaprasana, or giving the child solid food for the first time. Detailed instructions are followed from the scriptures (Grihyasutra) regarding what food to give and how to give it. This is done in the Fifth or Sixth month after birth.
According to the Grhya Sutras, Chooda Karan or Mundan samskar should take place at the end of the first year or before the expiry of the third year, but the later authorities extend the age to the seventh year. The child’s hair is shorn, frequently leaving only the śikhā or cūḍā, a tuft at the crown of the head.
For boys in the upper three castes, a second birth ceremony is performed. This is known as the thread ceremony or upanayana. During this ritual, boys eat a final meal with their mothers and then are introduced to manhood. After this ceremony, boys are expected to eat with the men and take on more responsibilities. They “die” of their young self, and are “born” into their new, older self.
Marriage (vivaha) is the middle-age passage. The Hindu marriage is much more than an exchange of vows and rings. Before and during the nuptials, many rites are performed in the presence of family deities.
These rites show the importance of a strong bond between a husband and wife. The Vivaha is considered incomplete without the blessings of a spiritual or divine element. The Sagai, or ring ceremony, starts the marriage off. Here, the families ask the gods for blessings, the groom’s family welcomes the bride into the family, rings, and garlands are exchanged between the couple, and the groom’s family gives a verbal promise of marriage and feeds sweetly to the girl’s family to confirm the engagement.
The next step is Mehndi or painting of the hands and feet with henna. This is to signify the strength of love between a couple in marriage. A special musical party, or Sangeet Party, is held. Music and dance are performed by professionals and are a festive time.
Special pujas are performed to worship the nine planets, and the Ghauri Puja is done as the main rite of passage. The actual wedding ceremony is performed by the priest and signifies the joining of the souls. The blessing by the priest completes the marriage ceremony and is called Ashirwaad.
The final rite of passage is Antyesti Sanskar (death). In the Hindu tradition, individuals are cremated and special rites are done to ensure a good afterlife.
Other special rituals include the Griha. These are domestic rites that are taught by priests for use in the home. They celebrate new and full moons, changing of the seasons, the first fruits of the harvest, the building of a new house, the birth of a child, and the above-mentioned, rites of passage
The Samskaras Provide a Framework to Human Life
by Jayaram V
Find many Stotras in different Languages at this link
Home / Hinduism / Hindu Cosmos
Hindu Cosmology – Many Paths to One God
Hindus believe that the world is created, destroyed, and re-created in an eternally repetitive series of cycles.
In Hindu cosmology, a universe endures for about 4,320,000,000 years (one day of Brahma or Kalpa) and is then destroyed by fire or water. At his point, Brahma rests for one night, just as long as the day. This process, named pralaya, repeats for 100 years, a period that represents Brahma’s lifespan.
After Brahma’s “death”, it is necessary that another 100 of his years pass until he is reborn and the whole creation begins anew. This process is repeated again and again, forever.
Brahma’s life is divided into one thousand cycles (Maha Yuga, or the Great Year). Maha Yuga, during which the human race appears and then disappears, has 71 divisions, each made of 14 Manvantara (1000) years. Each Maha Yuga lasts for 4,320,000 years. Manvantara is Manu’s cycle, the one who gives birth and governs the human race.
Each Maha Yuga consists of a series of four shorter yugas or ages. The yugas get progressively worse from a moral point of view as one proceeds from one yuga to another. As a result, each yuga is of shorter duration than the age that preceded it.
Krit Yuga is the first yuga of a Maha Yuga. This is the age of virtue and moral perfection. It is a bright, golden age on Earth. The great god Vishnu, in his form of Brahma, the creator of the world, is the presiding god, and dharma (ideal, righteous behavior or moral duty) walks steadily and securely upon all four feet.
The Satya Yuga lasts for 1,728,000 years.
During Krita Yuga, human beings need no shelter. There is no shortage of food. Gift-giving trees provide them with an abundant supply of food, clothing, and decorative objects. Everyone is born good and lives a happy, contented, unselfish, and beautiful life.
People are devoted to meditation, the highest virtue, and spend their lives loyal to dharma. They work for the pleasure of it, rather than from necessity. Sorrow does not exist.
Treta Yuga is the second age in each Maha Yuga.
Treta means three. During this yuga, Dharma walks less steadily, on three of its four feet. Virtue and moral perfection still exist, but they have declined by one-fourth. The duration of the age has similarly declined by one-fourth to 1,296,000 years.
Vishnu, the preserver of life on earth, is the presiding god during Treta Yuga.
People are devoted to the pursuit of knowledge, which they consider the highest virtue.
As in Kriti Yuga, the gift-giving trees supply food and clothing to everyone in abundance during the Treta Yuga. But greedy people try to make the trees their private property. When that happens, the special trees disappear, and life on Earth becomes difficult for the first time. Heavy rainfall creates rivers. The soil is fertile for the growth of many new kinds of trees. The new trees bear fruit; but as opposed to the gift-giving trees, these are ordinary trees. People must work hard to acquire food and clothing. Because of the rain and severe changes in the weather, they also need to construct houses for shelter.
In the Treta Yuga people are more passionate and greedy. They are no longer happy with what they have. Dissatisfaction, resentment, and anger replace satisfaction, peace, and contentment in their hearts. They covet their neighbors’ possessions. The strong take land from the weak in order to possess more food and greater wealth. Many men take the wives of others.
Dvapara Yuga is the third age in each Maha Yuga.
As the name Dva suggests (Dva means two), eternal dharma now has to balance on two of its four feet, creating a precarious and shifting balance between good and evil. Virtue and moral perfection still exist, but they have declined to one-half of what they were in the Krita Yuga. As a result, the duration of this age is half that of the Krita Yuga (864,000 years).
Vishnu, the preserver of life on earth, is still the presiding god during Dvapara yuga. People devote themselves to sacrifice, which they consider the highest virtue.
In the Dvapara Yuga, disease, misfortune, suffering, and death is part of everyone’s existence. People have become more passionate and greedy, and war is commonplace. Religious doctrines are developed in an attempt to guide human behavior toward dharma, but the gradual process of moral deterioration continues.
Kali Yuga is the fourth age in each Maha Yuga. Kali means quarrel and war. This is the dark age. Dharrna has to stand on only one of its four feet, and virtue barely exists. This age is only one-fourth the length of the Krita Yuga (432,000 years).
Vishnu is still the presiding god, in his form of Shiva-Rudra, the destroyer of life on earth.
In the Kali Yuga people achieve a noble rank in society based on the amount of money and property they own rather than their moral virtue. The quality of virtue is measured only in terms of material wealth. Sexual passion alone binds husband and wife together in marriage. People become successful in life through a succession of lies, and their only source of enjoyment is sex. They live with continuous fear of hunger, disease, and death.
In the Kali Yuga, only the poor are honest and the only remaining virtue is charity.
Harsh weather and primitive living conditions make them prey to devastating illnesses. One who attains the age of twenty-three is considered very old
Hinduism is a collective term applied to the many philosophical and religious traditions native to India. Hinduism has neither a specific moment of origin nor a specific founder. Rather, the tradition understands itself to be timeless, having always existed. Indeed, its collection of sacred texts is known, as a whole, as Sanatana Dharma, “The Eternal Teaching.”
It is thus a complex tradition that encompasses numerous interrelated religious doctrines and practices that have some common characteristics but which lack any unified system of beliefs and practices.
Hinduism encompasses a number of major sects, as well as countless subsects with local or regional variations. On one level, it is possible to view these sects as distinct religious traditions, with often very specific theologies and ritual traditions; on another level, however, they often understand themselves to be different means to reach a common end.
The Hindu worldview is grounded in the doctrines of samsara (the cycle of rebirth) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect), and fundamentally holds that one’s actions (including one’s thoughts) directly determine one’s life, both one’s current life and one’s future lives.
Many, but not all, Hindus hold that the cosmos is populated by numerous deities and spiritual beings — gods and goddesses, or devas — who actively influence the world and who interact with humans.
The tradition is typically divided into four major sects:
-Shaiva (devotees of the god Shiva),
-Vaishnava (devotees of the god Vishnu),
-Shakta (devotees of the goddess),
– Smarta (those who understand the ultimate form of the divine to be abstract and all-encompassing, Brahman).
By Jacob N. Kinnard.
Source: http://www.patheos.com/Library/Hinduism
Hindu cosmology: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Panchdev worship system of Sanatan Dharma
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Hindu Heritage Society values our youth as our future. Youth need more information than anyone else. We are aiming to give you the most useful information through this site.
Let's learn about Hindu Rituals
Hindu Rituals & their Significance
Prof. K. Srinivas
Introduction
In this world of impermanence, nothing is immutable. As aptly pointed out by the great Indian dialectician and the propagator of Advaita Vedanta, Sankara, nature, animate and inanimate, is sensed through the limitations (upadhis) of the intellect such as space, time, cause, and change. Consequently, the social reality which is very much part of this changing nature cannot remain static. As time advances, there is a certain degree of transformation in human societies concerning their culture, traditions, customs, values, religion, and standard of living. In this ever-changing society, an individual has to adjust himself to the existing social conditions. If one does not compromise with the existing social conditions, then society may brand him a communalist or a fundamentalist, or a reactionary, or even go to an extent of calling him insane.
A modern Hindu is caught up in such a predicament. On the one hand, he wants to remain loyal to his tradition, and on the other hand, he wants to be a man with a modern outlook. Thus he oscillates between traditionalism and modernity. In the words of Swamy Nikhilananda, “The religion practiced in the daily life by the average Hindu is, to all outward appearances, different from what is taught in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita”.
1-It is also true to some extent that a modern Hindu is unaware of the significance of many rituals that he carries out in his day to day life. It has become mere routine work. Some Hindus do not attach any importance to these rituals as they have “become static and stultified and have lost their power of elasticity and adaptation. The time and ideology under which they had evolved have been left far behind and new social and religious forces are operating in the society, which do not fully conform to old social and religious institutions”.
2-Most of the Hindu rituals can be traced back to the Vedas. But the Vedism in India disappeared long ago. However, some of the principles underlying the Vedic rituals are preserved and expanded in the Upanishads, the Dharmasutras, and the Grhyasutras. Thus the Vedas are considered to be the chief sources of Hindu rituals.
Vedas as the Pillars of Hinduism
Vedic literature is the only authentic source of Hinduism.
3- The Hindus swear by the Vedic authority. According to historians, “the history of Hinduism practically begins in the dim past with the composition of the hymns recorded in the Rig-Veda. In these hymns, we have the most astonishing record of the march of the mind of man from the half-personified forces of Nature like fire, wind, and rain to the realization of the absolute spirit, of which we as well as the worlds with which we are surrounded, are only broken fragments”.
4- It is not all that misleading if we say that Hinduism is a Vedic religion. Though many prefer to call it a Sanatana dharma or a pantheon. The four Vedas.
5- namely, the Rig, the Yajur, the Sama, and the Atharva are not of human origin (apauruseya). In fact, “the ultimate Being has manifested Himself in the form of Vedic hymns and the seers are no more than the media chosen by the Being for this purpose. It explains the attitude of the astika Indian Philosophers, who considered the Vedas to be the ultimate authority. The Vedas according to them, enshrine the eternal and ultimate truths. These truths have been preserved through the unbroken chain of the teacher-pupil from time immemorial. Therefore, they have christened sruti”.
6-Thus Hinduism does not have any founder.
All four Vedas contain a single compendium of knowledge. Their division into the Rig, the Yajur, the Sama, and the Atharva is made based on the subject matter contained in each Veda. The hymns of the Rig Veda are merely verses of praise recited by the “Hotr”. The hymns of the Sama-Veda are sung by the ‘Udgatr’. The mantras of the Yajur Veda are muttered by the ‘Adhvaryu’ at the time of making sacrifices, while those of the Atharva-Veda is pertinent to natural objects. The subject matter of the Vedas is broadly classified into Karma-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda.
The former is concerned with actual conduct, whereas the latter is concerned with the knowledge of the highest kind. According to some Indian philosophers “the Mantras, the Aranyakas, the Brahmanas, and the Upanishads are part of the Vedas. The Mantras are the metrical psalms of praise.
The Brahmanas are the manuals of rituals and prayers for priestly guidance. The Aranyakas are the treatises meant for hermits and saints: Lastly, the Upanishads are the mystical doctrines with utmost metaphysical importance. The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-kanda, whereas the Aranyakas and the Upanishads constitute Jnana-Kanda. The interpretation of the hymns in the Vedas differs from one Veda to the other as they deal with a diversity of subjects such as religion, magic, and science. For instance, Rig-Veda does not contain much information about the rituals, though there are some indirect references to them.
The hymns in the Rig- Veda are mainly used for invoking the help of gods in the events public and private which were of immediate interest to the Vedic people. According to Radhakrishnan: “In the main, we say that the Rig-Veda represents the religion of an unsophisticated age. The great mass of the hymns is simple, and naive, expressing the religious consciousness of a mind yet free from the latter sophistication.”
8- As a matter of fact, the hymns in the Atharva-Veda are more elaborate than those of any other Veda. To put it in other words, “Atharva-Veda reflects the faith and rites of the common people rather than the highly sophisticated religion of the priests”
9-In Fact, each Veda discusses various rites. Some of them are very important, and others are obligatory or optional. The obligatory rites are performed to overcome the sins committed in the past. The important rites are performed to spiritualize the important events of human life from birth to death. The optional rites are performed by the individuals to get their desires fulfilled Thus the philosophy of the Veda is the base for the Hindu religious super-structure”
10-Rituals and their Significance
The above analysis of the contents of the Vedas reveals to us that the rites are as old as the Vedas. Etymologically the term “samskara” is derived from the Sanskrit root “kr’, and the prefix ‘sam’ is added to that. It corresponds with the Sanskrit word “Karman” or religious act. It does not have an English equivalent, though it is often translated to mean a rite or a ritual or a sacrament, or a ceremony.
The word “samskara” can be defined as a religious act that exhibits an outward or visible expression of inward and spiritual grace. The rituals are discussed elaborately in the Grhyasutras and the Dharmasutras. These works are compiled by the great seers and sages, who had Vedic knowledge. In all, there are sixteen rituals.
11- They can be grouped under five important heads. They are (1) Pre-natal rituals, (2) rituals of childhood, (3) educational rituals, (4) marriage rituals, and, (5) funeral rituals. The pre-natal rituals include conception (garbhadana), the quickening of the male child (pumsavana), and hair parting (simantonnayana).
The rituals of childhood include birth ceremonies (Jatakarma), naming giving (namakarana), first outing (niskramana), first solid food feeding (annaprasana), tonsure (chudakarana), and boring the ears (karnavedha).
The educational rituals include learning of alphabet (vidyarambha), initiation (upanayana), the beginning of the Vedic study (Vedarambha), shaving of the beard (kesanta), and the end of the studentship (samavartana). The rituals of marriage include all those ceremonies related to marriage (vivaha). The last rites or funeral rituals include all those connected with death.
The Hindus believe that by performing the rituals they can get rid of hostile influences and at the same time can attract beneficial ones so that they may progress in their lives materially and spiritually without any impediments. The material aim of the rituals is to gain cattle, progeny, long life, wealth, strength, and intellect.
From the standpoint of hygiene, by performing various rituals, especially those connected with the birth, all seminal and uterine impurities are washed out.
12 It is also believed that “the upanayana, and vivaha samskaras with Vedic hymns entitled a person to perform all kinds of sacrifices befitting an Aryan and increasing his status in the society.
13 Thus Hindu rituals have multipurpose. They have material, spiritual, health, and social purpose. Apart from this, the rituals also have a moral purpose as they lay down the rules of conduct that should be followed by a disciplined individual. These rules of conduct in turn help an individual to develop his personality as a complete man. The rituals constitute the elements such as fire (Agni), prayers, appeals, blessings, sacrifices, lustration, orientation, and symbolism.
The rituals cannot be performed without fire. The fire god (Agni) is regarded as the lord of the house. He is the mediator between the gods and men. All the rituals are witnessed by Him since He is considered the director of rites and the guardian of morality. Agni is the symbol of will. Hindus give a lot of importance to Agni because one cannot attend to his day-to-day affairs without fire. One who does not use fire in his day-to-day life is as good as a beast.
During the performance of the rituals, prayers are offered, appeals are made, and blessings are sought by the performers to achieve their desired goals.
At times sacrifices are offered to deities during the rituals to appease and propitiate gods who preside over a particular period of life of every individual.
Lustration takes place in the course of a ritual in the form of taking a bath, sipping water, and sprinkling water over people. Hindus believe in general that water has a purifying effect. According to them, some of the lakes, springs, and rivers have miraculous healing power. Not only that, there is no life without water.
According to Hindu mythology, the East is associated with light, warmth, life, happiness, and glory. The West is inauspicious as it is associated with darkness, chill, death, and decay. It can also be interpreted in a different way. Since the Sun rises in the East, it is associated with light, warmth, and life, and sets in the West which results in darkness, chill, and decay.
Symbolism plays an important role in rituals. Hindus believe that similar things produce similar effects. For example, the stone is considered to be a symbol of fixity. Seasmum and rice are symbols of fertility and prosperity. Eating together indicates unity.
Thus the Hindu rituals are an admixture of social customs and rule about eugenics, ethics, hygiene, science, and medicine. The rituals are the combination of physical, mental, and spiritual aspects that make an individual a perfect human.
Let us take up a few important rituals that are commonly practiced by an average Hindu, and their significance. They are (1), naming ceremony (namakarana), (2) first solid food feeding (annaprasana), initiation (upanayana), and marriage (vivaha).
Naming ceremony (namakarana)
This ritual is normally performed on the tenth or the twelfth day after the birth of a child.
Some name their child after their family deity or ancestors or the month deity. However, the child retains his or her family name. The name should be easy to pronounce and pleasant to hear.
It should also indicate the sexual difference. A male child’s name should have an even number of syllables, while that of a female child should have an uneven number.
The name should indicate the caste of the child. For example, a Brahmin must have a suffix ‘Sarma’, a Ksatriya ‘Varma’, a Vysya ‘Gupta’, and a Sudra ‘Dasa’. This clearly shows that the caste system was deep-rooted in ancient India, though they claim that the so-called caste (varna) is meant to remind the people of their duties as a citizen. However, there is no hard and fast rule that a particular name should be reserved for a certain caste. In some cases, repulsive and awkward names are given to children when their parents have lost their earlier issues. The belief is that these names will drive away the demons, goblins, disease, and death. This superstition still prevails among the people.
Hindus believe that a person without a name is not recognized as a human being. A man earns his fame because of his name. According to Brhaspati, “Name is the primary means of social intercourse, it brings about merits and it is the root of fortune. From the name, man attains his fame. Therefore, the naming ceremony is praiseworthy.”12- It also helps us in distinguishing races, cultures, and so on of mankind.
First Solid food feeding (annaprasana)
This ritual is performed in the sixth month of the child’s birth. The ingredients of the food to be given are also prescribed by the scriptures. This is mainly to facilitate the child for better development of body and mind. All the flavors should be mixed together and given to the child. This is a symbolic expression of the life that he is going to lead. He has to undergo experiences of different sorts. After six or seven months the body of the child requires more food for better growth. Mother’s milk is insufficient for the proper growth of a child. Not only that, it is not good for the mother’s health to allow the baby to drink milk as it weakens her physically. Overfeeding milk to a child may lead to various digestive troubles. Thus annaprasana is a timely caution for both mother and child.
Initiation (upanayana)
It is considered to be the most pious of all the rituals. After the initiation, an individual is considered twice-born (dwija). The object of initiation is to prepare a young man to become a respectable citizen, and to preserve the importance of his own clan. Initiation is prescribed for the Brahmins, the Ksatriyas, and the Vysyas. It is not meant for the Sudras. However, there are exceptions. According to Manu, “The three twice-born classes are the sacerdotal, the military and the commercial; but the fourth, or the servile, is once-born, that is, has no second birth from the Gayatri, and wears no thread. Nor there is a fifth pure class”
13- But the Goldsmiths and the Weavers also wear the sacred thread (yajnopavetam). Therefore, it is not safe to conclude that all those wearing the sacred thread must belong to one of the three classes.
Further, it should be noted that the caste of the wearer is determined by the type of thread that he wears. To put it in the words of Manu “The sacrificial thread of a Brahmin must be made of cotton, so as to put on over his head, in three strings; that of a Kshatriya, of sana thread only; that of a Vysya of woolen thread”.
14 This ritual mainly enables one to distinguish the higher castes from the lower ones. According to Manu
15 a Brahmin child must be invested with the sacred thread at the age of five, a Ksatriya at the age of six, and a Vysya at the age of eight.
The main purpose of this ritual is to train the individual to be a disciplined young man who can pursue his studies. To accomplish this goal, an individual has to be steadfast with determination. In fact, in the olden days, there were no secular agencies to enforce compulsory education to the masses. With the help of this particular ritual, the Hindus of the past enforced education upon the masses.
Marriage (Vivaha)
After the completion of the studentship, an individual is expected to be fit for grhastasrama. Marriage life is regarded as essential for the growth of an individual’s personality in many ways. At the same time, he has to undertake many responsibilities as a householder (grhasta). Marriage is a family affair rather than a personal one.
It is also a happy union between husband and wife. To produce healthy offspring the qualifications and disqualifications for the bride are prescribed.
It is mentioned that “let him not marry a girl with reddish hair, nor with any deformed limb, nor one troubled with habitual sickness; nor one with no hair or with too much; nor one immoderately talkative nor with inflamed eyes. Let him choose for his wife a girl whose form has no defect; who has an agreeable name; who walks gracefully like phenicopteros, or like a young elephant, whose hair and teeth are moderate respectively in quality and size; whose body has exquisite softness”.
16 It is also stated that inter-caste marriages are not permitted. However, there are some exceptions. According to Manu, those who are inclined to marry again should abide by the following conditions. They are, “a Sudra woman must only be the wife of Sudra; she and Vaisya of a Vaisya; they two and Ksatriya of a Ksatriya; those two and a Brahmin of a Brahmin.”
17 But it is rare to happen in Hindu families. Perhaps inter-caste marriages were not encouraged as every caste has a definite duty to perform in society. Marriage is a kind of bondage and mutual understanding between husband and wife. The husband is considered to be one half and the other half is his wife. It is a life-long companionship. The primary function of marriage is racial, that is, the continuation of race through procreation. Marriage is not a license for sexual indulgence. It is rather a social change and sacrifice. It also regulates a number of sexual and social problems by laying down certain rules of conduct. It also aimed at the establishment of family and kinship. Not only that, it provides security to women.
Conclusion
To sum up; Hindu rituals have many purposes. They facilitated the individuals for the better development of personality and purification of human life in many ways. They were mainly solutions to many social problems confronted by individuals in society. They educated the individuals with regard to sex hygiene and eugenics. They revealed the importance of education. This education is not mere accumulation of knowledge but also involved strict discipline and a code of conduct.
These rituals also laid down the rules to ensure a worthy generation through marriage. They are a wonderful combination of family and social hygiene. In short, they represent the natural and social aspects of human science. However, they have certain demerits. Since Hindu society is patriarchal in nature, women were not given much importance. For example, women were denied education. They cannot choose their husbands. In other words, they were deprived of many things in society.
The same is the case with the Sudras. Education is not recommended for them. Like women, they too were deprived of many things in society. Why was there such discrimination? Though the rituals were introduced with good intentions, due to certain obvious reasons they lost their significance on account of later developments. Added to this, the advent of modern science has reduced them to mere ceremonies without any significance.
It is true that one should adapt himself to the changing social environment. This does not mean that one should ignore his own tradition and get alienated from it. The greatness of any individual lies in his ability to accommodate his tradition within the given social environment. What is new cannot completely annihilate the old, but the important elements of the latter get assimilated into the former. Thus tradition and modernity cannot be antithetical to each other, rather they are complementary to each other. What is modern now becomes obsolete and traditional in due course of time. But tradition is something that ought to be preserved understanding the spirit of it and its plus points.
Swamy Nikhilanda, Hinduism, 1959, p.161.
R.B.Pandey, Hindu Samskaras, 1976, p 278.
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and is the dominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. This does not mean that all Indians are Hindus, and all Hindus are Indians. The Hindus only constitute the majority of the Indians. In fact, the term “Hinduism” is not derived from any one of the indigenous languages of the sub-continent. The term “mind” is derived from Greek, later on, it became “Hind” in Persian. According to modern historians, those inhabitants of the banks of the river Indus, who did not accept Islam or Christianity, or Zoroastrianism as their religion were called Hindus.
D.S. Sharma, Hinduism Through the Ages, 1973, pp.3-4.
The term “Veda” is derived from the Sanskrit root word “vid” which means knowledge. According to Manu, there are only three Vedas. They are the Rig, the Yajur, and the Sama. The Atharva-Veda is later on added to the list. It mainly reflects the faith and rites of the common people rather than the highly specialized rituals of the priests.
R.N. Sharma, Indian Philosophy, 1972, pp. 16-17.
Ibid., p. 28.
S. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, 1983, Vol. I, p. 69
R.B.Pandey Hindu Samskaras, 1976, p.4.
Swamy Nikhilananda, Hinduism 1959, p. 165.
The actual number of rituals differs from source to source. The Samskara Vidhi of Swamy Dayayananda Saraswati contains only sixteen.
R. B. Panday, Hindu Samskaras, 1959, p. 78.
Cited from J .E. Padfield, The Hindu at Home, 1896, p.71.
Ibid., p.75.
R. B. Pandey, Hindu Samskaras; 1959, p. 119.
J. E. Padfield, The Hiudu at Home, 1896, p. 111.
Ibid.
Home / Youth Corner / Hinduism for Beginners
To help spread more knowledge of the significance of and meaning behind various aspects of Vedic rituals, we present more information and explanations on the traditions of Vedic / Hindu worship.
Hinduism for Beginners:
A concise introduction to the Eternal Path to Liberation
By
Pandit Ram Sivan
(Srirama Ramanuja Achari)
by Dr. Amrutur V. Srinivasan
Home / Youth Corner / Hindu Prayers
Mere man ke Divya Mahal mein, Ab he Hari vaas karo.
Man Mohan maanas pooja, Meri svikaar karo.
Ratnon ka kalpit aasan, mud mangal jal snaan karo.
Ye divyambar hain arpan, mere maanas mod bharo.
Mere man ke Divya Mahal _____
Kasturi may chandan, nij bhaal kripaal dharo.
Svaccha suman ki mala, Prabhu kanth samarpit ho.
Mere man ke Divya Mahal _____
Yah dhoop sugandhit may, nirmal deep dikhaaoon may.
Is hem rachit bartan meinnit bhog lagaaoon may.
Mere man ke Divya Mahal _____
Ye paanch padaarath ras may, jo chaar prakaar dharoon.
Ye rituphal arpan hain, kar lo svikaar prabhu.
Mere man ke Divya Mahal _____
Divya sugandhit may, ye mukhvaas chadhaaoon ga.
Mein saadar harshit ho, ab sangeet sonaaoon ga.
Mere man ke Divya Mahal _____
Mein Man mein magna hua, ashtaang pranaam karoon.
Jeevan arpan sevaa mein, bas yahi bhent dharoon.
Mere man ke Divya Mahal _____
Jayti sumukh jay Ganesh ek dant Pyaare,
Jay kapil gaj vadan deenan dukh hare.
Lambodar vighna dalan jayti sumukh vaale,
Ek dant soorpa karna mohak chhabi daare. Jayti ____
Rudra tej vikat roop daitya dalan kaari,
Gajmukh shri bhaal chandra Ganpati bhay haari. Jayti ____
Dvaadash hain divya naam rog shok haari,
Riddhi siddhi sadaa rahe jag mangal kaari. Jayti ____
Gauri putra he Ganesh bhakta traas haari,
Pratham pujya aadi Dev santan rakhvaari. Jayti ____
Pratham srishti maan bhavani lila vapu dhaari,
Ek kalp svayam Vishnu Ganpati roop kaari. Jayti ____
Aap kartaa aap bhartaa leelant kaari,
Brahma Rudra Vishnu tumhi shakti roop dhaari. Jayti ____
Dev danuj yogi manuj aap ke pujari,
Naad bindu kalaateet he om kaari. Jayti ____
Nitya nem paath kare purna chitta laayi,
Riddhi siddhi praapta kare man vancchit paayi. Jayti ____
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol, Keshav maadho Govind bol.
Sunu Girija Hari charit suhaye, bipul vishad nigmagam gaye.
Hari avtar hetu jegi koi, Idmithyam kahi jaai na soee.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Jab jab hoi dharam ki hani, badhai asur adham abhimani,
Tab tab Prabhu dhari vividh sharira, Harihin kripanidhi sajjan peera.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Roop virat saman na doosar, shayan karat ahiraj ke oopar,
Karna nasika shish hajara, roop virat sarv sansara.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Tasu nabhi te pankaj phoola, niksew tasu Brahma jag moola,
Pratham janma Sankadik charu, mahi uddharan bhaye baharu.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Tritiyas yagya purush le janma, pragat kinha sab muni makh karma
Ashvagriv sruti Prabhu tan dhara, pancham nar Narayan avtara.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Kapil Muni shashtam gun khana, Dutt Dev saptam jag jana,
Ashtam Rishabh Dev kartara, gyan marg ka kare prachara.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Ven mathan hit Prithu nav hoi, dasham meen pragatey khar drohi,
Sindhu mathan ekadash Kacchap, dvadash Dhanvantari sur rakshak
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Tab Prabhu dhar Mohini Avtara, nar Hari rup men bhakta uddhara,
Kardam dhar Vaman ban aye, parashuram ban dharm bachaye.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Dash aur satvan rup sujana, Vyas rup men Ved bakhana,
Ram Chandra ban Ravan mare, baldaoo ban dusht sanhare.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Bisvin Krishna Chandra Bhagvana, ek vinsh Hari Dhruv hit thana,
Hans rup men Prabhu jab aaye, atma yog Narad prati gaye.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Hoyahin yagya kupatran dvara, tab dhar Vishnu Buddh avtara
Badhai shudra kshitishan Ishvar, Kalki rup dhar Kaliyug andar
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——-
Hari anant Hari katha ananta, kahahi sunahi bahu vidhi sab Santa
Avani bhar nashan Bhagvanta, lilamay vapu dharahi ananta.
Hari bol Hari bol Hari Hari bol ——
He Shiva Shankar jay abhayankar sukh barsane vale,
Data tumhi is bhutal ke bhakton ke rakhvale.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Damaru vadan kar ke tumne bhasha ko utpan kiya,
Nirgun sagun rup apka bhakton ne anand liya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Pratham divya Brahma ko tumne Vedon ka adhikar diya,
Chakra sudarshan Hari ko dekar Shrishti ka uddhar kiya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Indra ko de di kamdhenu aur Eravat kariraj diya.
Sari basudha di Kuber ko aur sara bhandar diya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Dev sabhi ko amrit dekar aap halahal paan kiya,
Svarna mahal ravan ko dekar bhaklton ka uddhar kiya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Man Mohan ko murli dekar prem path vistaar kiya,
Ram Chandra ko dhanush ban se neeti nyay ka dan diya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Muni Narad ko veena dekar nav ras ko utpann kiya,
Svayam vyas ban gyan panth ka Santon ko sanmarg kiya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Yogi bankar yog marg ka tejomay adarsh diya,
Bhogi bankar karm marg ka is jag ko updesh kiya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Alakh Niranjan bhav bhay bhanjan bhakton ne yoon gaan kiya,
Manav Danav Dev sabhi ko man chaha vardan diya.
Om namah Shivaye bolo Om namah Shivaye.
Durga ka Dhyan:
Sinhastha shashishekhara markat prakhyeysh-chaturbhirbhujayh,
Shankh chakra dhanuhushrashch dadhati netreystribhihi shobhita.
Aaamuktangada hara-kankana ranatkanchee – nupura,
Durga Durgati harini bhavatu no ratnoll-satkundala.
Dhyanarthey Akshat pushpani samarpayami.Shri Durgey namah.
Meaning:
O Devi Durga! You are seated on the mount of a lion; You are adorned with a tiara luminous like the Moon; Your forehead is shining like a diamond; You wield Shankha (conch), Chakra (discus), Dhanush (bow), and Baana (arrow) in Your four hands; You have three eyes and You are wearing numerous jewelry which emanates divine musical sounds; Your anklets produce the sound of the warcry, Your ears are decorated with breathtakingly beautiful earrings bejeweled with nine precious gems, which shine gloriously! O Bhagvati Durga please remove all our misfortunes and sins!
Doha:
Adhya Shakti ke rup me jo rahati nirgun rup,
Bhakton ki raksha ke liye jo dharti teen rup,
Jay Jag Janini jay Mahamaya Durga durgati hari,
He Ambe Maat Bhavani jay Durga Durgati hari.
Tu hi Durga tu hi Lakshmi tere rup anek,
Tu hi Vani rup bani hai phir bhi tu hai ek,
Satva rajas aur tamo bhava se rahati tu nirlep,
He Ambe Maat Bhavani jay Durga Durgati hari.
Moh huwa jab teen Dev me akar unhe bachaya,
Mahakali ban tamo bhava se jeevon ko bharmaya,
Tu hi nindra tu hi maya Pragya tu hai mahan,
He Ambe Maat Bhavani jay Durga Durgati hari.
Rajo bhav se Maha Lakshmi ban chetan shakti jagai,
Matri bhav se pala tu ne jag ko jeeva sadahi,
Bhakton me sadbhav bhuddhi ban gyan prabha laharai,
He Ambe Maat Bhavani jay Durga Durgati hari.
Satva bhav se Maha Saraswati gyan roop dahre,
Sare jag ko andhkar se kshan me mukta kare,
He Jvala he Vaishno tu ne lakhon kashta hare,
He Ambe Maat Bhavani jay Durga Durgati hari.
Jab jab peer padi bahton par akar aan bachai,
Shumbh Nishumbh mahabali danav kshan me mukti pai,
Tu hi Kali tu hi hai palak tu ne shrishti rachai,
He Ambe Maat Bhavani jay Durga Durgati hari.
Surya ka Dhyan
Raktambujasanam ashesh gunayk– sindhu,
Bhanu samasta jagatamdhipum bhajami,
Padma– dvaya bhay varan dadhatam karabjey,
Marnikyamaulimarunaang ruchim trinetram.
Dhyanarthey Akshat pushpani samapayami.
Om Shri Suryaye namah.
Adi Dev namastubhyam praseed mam bhaskara,
Divakara namastubhyam Prabhakara namoastu te.
Kanak vadan kundal makar mukta mala ang,
Padmasan sthit dhyaiye shankh chakra ke sang.
Namo namo Aditya Divakar, Prakhar jotimay he Bhuvaneshvar.
Tum ho adi Dev jag palak, srishti sthit ke tum sanchalak,
Jagat pujya tum antar yami, kripa karo hum par he Swami.
Namo namo Aditya Divakar, Prakhar jotimay he Bhuvaneshvar.
Dvadash nam prasiddh tumhare, adhi vyadhi ko metan hare,
Dharm arth aur kam moksh prad, ripu sudan saddharm gunakar,
Namo namo Aditya Divakar, Prakhar jotimay he Bhuvaneshvar.
Mitra marichi arun aru Bhanu, Savita Surya Arka khag janu,
Ravi Pusha Aditya Divakar, japat mite bhav rog nirantar,
Namo namo Aditya Divakar, Prakhar jotimay he Bhuvaneshvar.
Purva disha Arunoday karak, Pkshim gati se tam sanharak,
Sahastra kiran se jyoti prakashak, char srishti ke tum ho Ishvar,
Namo namo Aditya Divakar, Prakhar jotimay he Bhuvaneshvar.
Shad ritu ke tum hi ho Swami, Pragya prerak jaldhar dani,
Jal sthal nabh gan ke he nayak, divya prakash bharo ur antar,
Namo namo Aditya Divakar, Prakhar jotimay he Bhuvaneshvar.
Jay Ganesh jay Ganesh jay Ganesh devaa,
Maataa jaaki Paarvati Pita Mahaadevaa. Jay Ganesh —
Ek dant dayaavant chaar bhujaa dhaari,
Mastak sindur sohe muse ki savaari. Jay Ganesh —
Paan chadhe phool chadhe aur chadhe mevaa,
Laduvan ka bhog lage sant kare sevaa. Jay Ganesh —
Andhan ko aankh det kadhin ko kaayaa,
Baanjhan ko putra det nirdhan ko maayaa. Jay Ganesh —
Haar chadhe phool chadhe aur chadhe meva,
Surshyaam sharan aaye suphal kije sevaa. Jay Ganesh —
Om Jay Jagdish Hare Aarti
Om jay Jagdish hare Swaami jay Jagdish hare
Bhakta janon ke sankat Kshana men dur kare Om jay —-
Jo dhyaave phala paave Dukha bina se mana kaa
Sukha sampati ghara aave Kashta mite tana kaa Om jay —-
Maat pitaa tum mere sharan gahoon kiski
Tum bin aur na dujaa aash karun kiski Om jay —-
Tum puran Paramaatmaa Tum Antaryaami
Paar Brahma Parmeshwar Tum sab ke swaami Om jay —-
Tum karuna ke saagar Tum paalan kartaa
Mai sevak tum swaami Kripaa karo Bhartaa Om jay —-
Tum ho ek agochar Sab ke praanpati
Kis vidhi milun dayaamay Tum ko main kumati Om jay —-
Deen bandhu dukh hartaa Thaakur tum mere
Apane haath uthaao Dwaar padaa tere Om jay —-
Vishay vikaar mitaavo Paap haro Devaa
Shradhaa bhakti badhaao Santan ki sevaa Om jay —-
Tan man dhan sab kucch hai tera,
Tera tujh ko arpan kyaa laage meraa. Om jay —-
Om jay Shiv Om kaara, Har jay Shiv Omkaara, Brahma, Vishnu sadaa Shiv,, Ardhaangi dhaaraa. Om jay —
Ekaanan chaturaanan, panchaanan raajay,Hansaanan Garudaasan, vrishvaahan saajay. Om jay —
Dau bhuj chaar chaturbhuj, das bhuj ati sohay, Teeno roop nirakhtaa, tribhuvan jan mohay. Om jay —
Acchay maalaa van maalaa, Munda maalaa dhaari, Chandan mrigmad sohay, Bhole shashi dhaari. Om jay —
Shvetaambar peetaambar, baadhambar ange, Sankaadik Garudadik, Bhutaadik sange. Om jay —
Kar madhye kamandalu, chakra trishul dhaari, Sukh kaari dukh haari, jag paalan haari. Om jay —
Brahma, Vishnu sadaa Shiv, jaanat avivekaa, Pranvaakshar ke madhye, yah teeno eka. Om jay —
Kaashi me vishvanaath Viraajat, Nando Brahmachaari, Nit uthi bhog lagaavat, mahimaa ati bhaari. Om jay —
Trigun Swami ki Aarti, jo koi nar gaavay, Kahat Shivaanand Swami, man vaancchit phal paavay. Om jay –
Jay Kashyap Nandan Om jay Aditi Nandan,
Tribhuvan timit nikandan bhakta hriday chandan.
Sapta Ashva rath raajit ek chakradhaari,
Dukh haari sukh kaari maanas mal haari. Jay Kashyap —
Sur muni bhoosur bandit vimal vibhavhaari,
Adh dal dalan divakar divya kiran maali. Jay Kashyap —
Sakal sukarma prasavitaa savitaa shubhkaari,
Vishva vilochan mochan bhav bandhan haari. Jay Kashyap —
Kamal samooh vikaasak naasak tray taapaa,
Sevat sahaj harat ati mansij santaapaa. Jay Kashyap —
Netra vyadhi har survar bhoo pida haari,
Vrishtivimochan santat parhit vrat dhaari. Jay Kashyap —
Surya Dev karuna kar ab karuna kijay,
Har Agyaan moh sab tatva gyaan deejay. Jay Kashyap —
Jai ambe gauri, maiyaa jai shyaamaa gauri,
Nishadin tumako dhyaavat, hari brahma shivaji , jai ambe—
Maang sindur viraajat, tiko mrig madako, maiya—
ujjvalase dau nainaa, chandra vadan niko, jai ambe —
kanak samaan kalevar, raktaambar raaje, maiya—
raktapushp gal maalaa, kanth haar saaje , jai ambe —
kehari vaahan raajat, khadag khappar dhaari, maiya—
sur nar munijan sevat, tinake dukh haari jai ambe —
kaanan kundal shobhit, naasaagre moti, maiya—-
kotik chandra divaakar, sam raajat jyoti. Jai ambe –
shumbh nishumbh bidaare, mahishaasur ghaati maiya—
dhumra vilochan nainaa, nishdin madmaati jai ambe—
brahmaani rudraanii tum kamlaa raani maiya—
aagam-nigam bakhaani, tum shiva patraani, jai ambe—
chausath yogini gaavat, nritya karat bhairon maiya—
baajat taal mridangaa, aur baajat damaru, jai ambe—
tum ho jag ki maataa, tum hi ho bhartaa maiya—
bhaktan ki dukh hartaa, sukh sampati kartaa, jai ambe —
bhujaa chaar ati shobhit, var mudraa dhaari, maiya—
-manavaanchit phal paavat, sevat nar naari, jai ambe—
kanchan thaal viraajat, agar kapur baati, maiya—
bhaal ketu mein raajat, kotir tan jyoti, jai amb
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