Hanuman Chalisa Introduction Part - five
Prasada or offerings
Prasada means that which gives happiness, peace . During the worship dry fruits, fresh fruits ,sweets or any preparation from grains are offered to the god. After offering them ( placing them at the feet of the deity ) to the deity, they are distributed to the people inside and outside the temple after the worship is over. Apart from this, flowers, Tulasi leaves ( sacred Basil ), sacred water, vibhuti ( sacred ash ), sindoor ( red vermilion) are also given as Prasada to the devotees assembled there. It is believed that they are charged with mysterious powers by the chanting of the mantras and hymns during the worship. The grace of the god descends through prasada. Each god is offered different kind of Prasada with special significance. The benefits of prasada and water ( charanamrta) are beyond description. They have the power to cure diseases. Prasada is an antidote for misery, pain and anxiety. The faith of thedevotee is the main factor. It is spiritual elixir. It is divinity in manifestation. Offering and partaking of offering is significant in another way also. It reiterates the truth that all things which man gets are from nature only ( god). And through offering them to the lord first and then sharing among them, man expresses gratitude to the god. Man cannot have any thing without His grace. This gratitude erases the ego and instils humility in the devotees. Furthermore ,it depicts equality of all . All are equal before god. All people rich and poor partake the same prasada with faith and relish it. So if a man is rich , it is his bounden duty to share his things with others and strive for the upliftment of the society and the world both animate and inanimate.
In North India, the famous prasada offered to Hanuman os boondi or laddu, a sweet made from bengal gram. It is in the shape of nuts. Monkeys are said to be fond of nuts. In Maharashtra, devotees offer urad seeds(black gram) as well. In southern parts of India, devotees place offerings of butter and garlands of vada (edible vegetarian balls made of urad dal) to Hanuman. In some parts of India, Garlands of betel leaves are offered to Hanuman.
In northern parts of India people recite the text Hanuman Chalisa sometimes followed by Hanuman Sankatamochana stotra, also composed by Tulasidasa.
In most parts of India, Sundara kanda (the fifth book of Ramayana) is recited in order to request Hanuman for favour. Recitation of Sundara kanda of Ramayana is said to be very auspicious because in this kanda only Hanuman discovered Sita and brought back good news to Rama.
Prasada or offerings
Prasada means that which gives happiness, peace . During the worship dry fruits, fresh fruits ,sweets or any preparation from grains are offered to the god. After offering them ( placing them at the feet of the deity ) to the deity, they are distributed to the people inside and outside the temple after the worship is over. Apart from this, flowers, Tulasi leaves ( sacred Basil ), sacred water, vibhuti ( sacred ash ), sindoor ( red vermilion) are also given as Prasada to the devotees assembled there. It is believed that they are charged with mysterious powers by the chanting of the mantras and hymns during the worship. The grace of the god descends through prasada. Each god is offered different kind of Prasada with special significance. The benefits of prasada and water ( charanamrta) are beyond description. They have the power to cure diseases. Prasada is an antidote for misery, pain and anxiety. The faith of thedevotee is the main factor. It is spiritual elixir. It is divinity in manifestation. Offering and partaking of offering is significant in another way also. It reiterates the truth that all things which man gets are from nature only ( god). And through offering them to the lord first and then sharing among them, man expresses gratitude to the god. Man cannot have any thing without His grace. This gratitude erases the ego and instils humility in the devotees. Furthermore ,it depicts equality of all . All are equal before god. All people rich and poor partake the same prasada with faith and relish it. So if a man is rich , it is his bounden duty to share his things with others and strive for the upliftment of the society and the world both animate and inanimate.
In North India, the famous prasada offered to Hanuman os boondi or laddu, a sweet made from bengal gram. It is in the shape of nuts. Monkeys are said to be fond of nuts. In Maharashtra, devotees offer urad seeds(black gram) as well. In southern parts of India, devotees place offerings of butter and garlands of vada (edible vegetarian balls made of urad dal) to Hanuman. In some parts of India, Garlands of betel leaves are offered to Hanuman.
In northern parts of India people recite the text Hanuman Chalisa sometimes followed by Hanuman Sankatamochana stotra, also composed by Tulasidasa.
In most parts of India, Sundara kanda (the fifth book of Ramayana) is recited in order to request Hanuman for favour. Recitation of Sundara kanda of Ramayana is said to be very auspicious because in this kanda only Hanuman discovered Sita and brought back good news to Rama.
No comments:
Post a Comment