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Hindu Worship |
Hindu worship, or Puja, involves images (murtis), prayers (mantras), and diagrams of the
universe (yantras). The simplest yantra is a circle within a square, within a rectangle,
with four gates to represent the four directions of the universe. Hindu temples are based on this design,
although still open to endless additions and variations in decoration. Central to worship is the icon, or
sacred image, which together with the temple is believed to both house and represent the deity. The icon
can be worshiped at home or in the temple. Most people worship individually, not in a communal service.
Sunrise and sunset are popular times, or when the priest conducts the ritual sustenance of the image and
the temple. Worship involves mantras, vibrating sounds that summon the deity, and prasad, the
offering of gifts, a symbol of the earlier practice of sacrifice. While many prayers and offerings are made
for the fulfillment of wishes, the ultimate objective is the offering of the self to become at one with the
deity. Central to this worship is darshan, seeing and being in the presence of the central icon.
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Brahmin Priests: The Brahmin priest, who looks after the temple, is vital to temple activity as
he acts as an intermediary between the devotee and the god. He alone can enter the inner sanctuary
and make the offerings for the worshiper. At the beginning of a puja, or worship, the Brahmin invokes
the presence of the deity in the temple by chanting, thereby making sacred vibrations of sound. Although
some shrines in rural areas do not have Brahmin priests, a shrine cannot really be considered orthodox
unless there is a Brahmin to officiate.
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Worshiping at Home: Most Hindus worship at home more often than in a temple. The majority
of Hindu homes have a shrine, where at certain times different members of the family make offerings
and say prayers. Sometimes the entire household prays together, with the head of the family
conducting the ceremony for the well-being of them all. The family shrine is the sacred center of the
house and can be anything from a whole room set aside with an altar, pictures, and statues, to just
a simple tulsi, or basil plant, associated with Vishnu. Sweets, coconuts, money, and fruit can
all be part of the offerings to the deity. The lighting of a lamp and incense are usual elements in
domestic ritual. Worship may take place every day, but Thursday is considered to be especially favorable.
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The Sacred and Divine: In the mind of the Hindu, the human body, the temple, and the universe
are synonymous. The temple is not only regarded as the home of the deity, but also represents the
universe and the divine. It needs to be build with each element in proportion, so that it can exert
a good influence on the surrounding community. The central image in the garbhagriha is believed
to emanate a force-field or sacred power or energy. This energy is believed to affect the worshiper
during darshan, the seeing of, and being in, the presence of the deity.
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