|
Home > Temples of Kerala > Number of pradakshinas Number of pradakshinasEvery one has a right to have pradakshinas according to his own choice but the smrthis indicate a minimum number for certain deities as follows. Ekam Viniiyake kuryaaldve Suryeeye threeni Sankare Chathvaari Devyaa Vishnoscha sapthaaSvathha, pradakshinain Accordingly the number of pradakshinas are one for Ganapathi, two for Soorya (Sun),three for Siva, four for Devi and Vishnu and seven for Arayaal (sacred fig). According to Lingarchanachandrika there is difference in number of pradakshinas, viz. one for Goddess Chandi, seven for the Sun, three for Ganesa, four for Hari and half for Siva. Aghenananda Bharati in his famous work, Thaanthric tradition (pp. 90-94) states that the feeling of some Thanthris has been that pradakshina was something essentially vedic, and then the unspoken formula might be something like 'more pradakshina less thaanthric ritual; more thaanthric ritual, fewer pradakshinas'. When this formula is applied to the rites of deities it more or less holds good. However, .in the absence of lesser conduct of rituals in temples more number of pradakshivas seems essential in the modern context. Generally three pradakshinas are done in a temple in Kerala following the dictum given in Brahmanaaradeeyam as given below. Raajan pradakshinai kena muchyathe brahmahathyaa Dwitheeyanaadhikareesyal thritheeye naindrasainpada Accordingly the first pradakshina destroys all sins including brahmahathya paapa (sin due to slaying of Brahmins), the second makes the worshipper an adhikaari (qualified person for material and spiritual pursuits) and the third helps the person in obtaining naindra-sampaada (pleasures of life which lead to fmalliberation). Though a particular number of pradashinas is stipulated for each deity, the number can be increased according to one's own choice. A number of twenty one pradakshinas in a day is considered most beneficial as per Swayambhoo aagama.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
