Praying In Hinduism: How To Do It Right

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Prayer is the backbone that supports the Hindu spiritual framework. It is a compulsory protocol for a believer or Asthikas who follow different types of rituals that suit their purposes and beliefs., Some people stick to a particular pattern of ritual, and regular worship for them means, praying at a particular time of the day, for a particular duration. Others have their own set of practices according to their level of perception and experience.

Hinduism, is a way of living and it is flexible in the sense that it does not force anyone to pray daily nor condemns anyone for not praying. Moksha is not guaranteed just due to performing ritualistic prayers. It is the spiritual effort that forms the background of any religious activity.

You can choose temples or home mandirs to worship and having a pooja altar is not totally necessary at home. Any space wherein you can concentrate on god for a couple of minutes wherein you are connected heart mind and soul with him. One can pray to his favourite deity or pray to several deities in the way one perceives it. Despite all this flexibility, Hinduism advocates the following set of practices for those who would like to follow this path.

• Rituals and offerings by the devotee or priest
• Performing the japa or using a mala having 108 beads. Using a rosary preserves your concentration while you are at it.
• Chanting of slokas meant for reciting on all prescribed occasions
• Singing of kirtans or bhajans and chanting slokas for universal peace. "Sarve janah sukhino bhavantu"
• Meditation sessions
• Studying scriptures to educate oneself spiritually and religiously.

How To Follow and Perform Puja And Rituals Correctly

Puja or worship is performed to idols, or yantras of God. Prayers also are a way of worship which can be done either in a temple or at home. The idol can be installed at home and worshipped or one can visit a nearby temple to offer worship to the idol installed there.

Hindu worship is a purely private and personal communication you are entitled to have with God, wherein you make offerings and pray to your heart's content. During pujas, chanting of the names of one's favourite deity repeatedly and offering the puja ingredients to god gets you blessings from above.

Hindu homes are known to have a home mandir built especially for offering prayers. It can be a big hall, a room, or only a small altar, or pictures and statues randomly placed in some corner of the house. But when you bow your head in silence and connect to the eternity within it, you have submitted your prayers to the universal consciousness. Rituals are normally performed three times a day.

Talking about rituals in a Hindu temple, along with its different parts can imply several things. The sanctum symbolises the heart of the worshipper. The tower denotes the flights of steps to heaven.

Hindu religious rites are classified into three categories: Nitya, Naimittika and Kamya. Nitya rituals are practised daily and offerings are made after the puja. Naimittika are occasional rituals performed during celebrations. Kamya are optional rituals that can be done for fulfilling specific desires. Pilgrimage is an example.

Pilgrimage is a quest for truth and ultimate purpose of life. It is a sacred journey, with underlying spiritual connotations. It is a place to purify your entire being and to pray for your soul uplift. For Hindus, there is no weekly prayers or service, wherein the community gathers to perform mass prayers. One need not worship openly in public as it is believed that god can hear his prayers from any distance.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption.