Why Parikrama?

WHY PARIKARAMA
After putting gandhodaka-tilak, one should take three parikramas (moving in a circle) around the altar. Where there is no provision or space for it, an alternative should not be taken. These three pradakshinas are made for annihilation of the entangle of birth, life old age death, and as a mark of devotion, with mind, word and body. They should be undertaken from left hand side of the right. That is because आत्मन: प्रकृष्टं दक्षिणीकृत्य अयनं—गमनमिति प्रदक्षिणा According to this notion, the movement thay is made keeping the one with great attributes, in the southem phase, i.e. the right hand side, is called `pradakshina.' This is a practical rule that all artifical as well as non-artificial instruments move towards the right. Their leftward movement would be inauspicious. At a wedding too, the bhanwars (circular movement of bride groom and bride together) are performed rightwards. In ceremonial affairs, for the reason of regarding man as superior to woman, the latter is placed to the left of the former. prabably for this very reason socially, a woman is called `vamang'. Temple too is considered a symbol of `samavasharn' or holiness. Thus, at the time of parikarama. one should have the feeling of viewing the image of god present in all the four directions. Also, while making the rounds, one should keep chanting some prayer, stotra, recitation etc. After making three pradakshinas, syanding at one side of the altar, one should chant the namokar mantra nine times. Many people chant the namaokar mantra and bowing very hurriedly, go back home. They consider the whole process of dev-darshan complete with merely this much. Do you know that chanting the namokar mantra nine times takes the length (duration) of twenty sevenr namokar chanting should take as much time as that. Then alone can the fruit be had. At the moment you are standing before the Jin idol. Try to enthrone the enitire Jinbimb Jinbimb into your heart. Now you— ‘‘efvejKees Debie—Debie efpeveJej kesâ~’’ ``Nirakho anga-anga jinwar ke. ``Gaze at Jinwar's each and every part. Look at each and every part, from bottom to top, top to bottom, repeatedly. Try to embibe his totality into your heart. When Bhagwan Jinbim's whole form will completely sink into your eyes, will get settled deep within, will touch your heart, there would be radiance all around. The light in our inner being would awaken. Look at the god's nails. Those nails are emitting a glow (light). Imagine that the glow is entering your heart. It is being manifested through the means of the eyes because the nails of the god posses the glow. Those who have brightness in the heart (life) have peace in their lives. Since you have no brightness, there is no peace in it. Mantung acharya tells the same thing in the first stotra of Bhaktamar Kavya. He says that Jinendra's feet are enlivening, brightening the sparkle of the meanis (jevels) in the crowns of devotee-devas (gods) bowing in homage to him. Those feet have so much shine that the jewels in the crown start sparkling by themselves. In the same way, if the brightness of the god's lotus feet gets absorbed, merged into our hearts, divine pleasures would automatically arrive. As sometimes, it suddenly gets dark, and when after the darkness, all of a sudden light comes, everybody lets out a cry of surprise and voices start. Likewise, in our lives, when light suddenly arrives, sounds would start getting articulated of their own. So far you were standing in Jinendra Bhagwan's presence (Witness). You gazed at his image or reflection and received his sermon.