The Significance of Camphor Incense and Lamps in Aarti Rituals
Have you ever wondered why camphor incense and lamps are usually lit in the aarti plate during worship? These traditional offerings serve a variety of practical and spiritual purposes that enhance the overall experience of prayer and meditation. Let's explore the rationale behind these practices.
Practical Benefits of Camphor and Incense
Camphor has several beneficial effects that make it a useful offering in religious rituals. One of the primary reasons for its use is to repel ants and other pests that might disturb reading or understanding scriptures. Additionally, camphor helps to remove bad odours from the environment. The aroma from incense sticks, when combined with Dhup Dhuna, drives away mosquitoes and other insects that could cause discomfort and spread diseases.
Beyond these practical benefits, lighting camphor and incense creates a peaceful and conducive atmosphere for learning and meditation. By burning these substances, one can minimize distractions and disturbances, enhancing the ability to focus on spiritual practices during worship. This is especially important when sharing knowledge and teachings.
Aesthetic and Ritualistic Purposes
Another significant aspect of these offerings is their aesthetic and ritualistic value. Before engaging in any ritual, it is customary to clean the area with camphor water and prepare by setting out essential items and clearing away non-essentials. This process, often enhanced with rangoli patterns, serves to create a clean and attractive space. This practice not only respects the environment but also instills a sense of beauty and order in worship.
Lamps are lit to illuminate the space where teachings and rituals take place. The act of lighting lamps symbolizes bringing light into darkness, both physically and metaphorically. Maintaining silence and practicing non-violence during these rituals teaches an attitude of serenity and respect during spiritual practices.
Principles of Yogic Theory and Bhutas
In yogic theory, the offerings of camphor incense and lamps are deeply symbolic and hold specific meanings. The camphor and lamps represent different principles of the universe according to these practices. The incense stick stands for the principle of smell, associated with the earth element (Prithvi) embedded in the root chakra, Muladhar Chakra. Waving of the camphor lamp is associated with the principle of fire, while the waving of the chamar (a ritual fan) represents the principle of air.
The piece of cloth waved in front of the deity is symbolic of water, and the sound of the conch shell represents the sound ether or Akasa. During aarti, one thanks the Deity for the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and Akasa—which together create the possibility of experiencing the universe. The lamp emitting light symbolizes light dispelling the darkness of ignorance.
Understanding Bhutas: An Insight from The Serpent Power
A deep dive into the yogic understanding of the elements, or Bhutas, provides a richer understanding. According to Sir John Woodroffe, an expert in the field, the Indian theory posits that ponderable matter does not exist permanently but is generated by five primary forces which can be reduced to Akasa. Akasa is a vibrational force within the substance of Prakrti from where the other forces arise.
Akasa, then, is not an ultimate force but a transformation itself. It is derived from the super-sensible Tanmatra, which is influenced by the mental principle of Ahamkara or personal consciousness, ultimately emanating from the root energy or Prakrti-Sakti. These elements affect the senses, providing the basis for our perceptions and experiences of the world.
Akasa is described as space, and it is the starting point for the other Bhutas. The subject matter of the Bhutas is complex, derived from yogic experience rather than ordinary perception.
The understanding of these principles helps in appreciating the depth of meaning behind the aarti rituals and the symbolic significance of the offerings. These practices not only serve a practical purpose but also connect us to the deeper forces that shape our existence.