Invitation to World Religions

Hinduism as a Way of Life  141

Certain forms of Hindu worship are so popular as to deserve special attention, especially arati , mantras, and sacrifice. Arati  A common form of puja, arati involves an offering of light . Arati is so common that some Hindus use the term arati rather than puja to refer to worship generally. A lamp fueled with ghee (clarified butter) or camphor is lit and waved in a clockwise direction in front of the deity. The five flames used in arati symbolize the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), as well as the totality of the uni- verse. This waving of the lamp is thought to remove evil influences and to return the object or recipient of the offering to an auspicious state, regardless of any negative thoughts or desires that might have been projected onto it. At the end of the ritual, participants wave their hands over the flame and touch them to their foreheads, taking the divine light of the deity into their innermost being. Mantras  Nearly all rituals in Hinduism are accompanied by the recitation of mantras . These are ritual formulas used to produce a spiritual effect. Mantras can be used for a variety of reasons: to heighten awareness of God, to enhance the effi- cacy of an offering, to aid the practice of meditation, or to produce some magical effect. Mantras are usually—but not always—in Sanskrit. The mantra that we have considered previously, OM, is prominent throughout Hinduism. The intonation of OM, the sound through which the universe is mani- fested, is thought to attune the mind to the essence of reality. Various Hindu sects Clouds of incense billow from a censer as devotees pray before a multiarmed clay icon of Durga (upper center), Ganesha (lower left), and other deities. This is the final oppor- tunity for darshan, as the icon is about to be dissolved by immersion into the Ganges River at the conclusion of the festival of Durga Puja. Kolkata, India. tanks found within its precincts. These towers are erected in the four directions and are often covered in sculptural imagery that refers to the sacred myths of the gods venerated within. Arunachaleswar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, India, eleventh century. PROPERTY OF OXFORD The majestic gate of a Shiva temple in southern India is reflected in one of the two ritual bathing

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