ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ

“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”

Pradikshna is a Sanskrit word, which means ‘to the right.’

In Hinduism, Buddhism, and several other religious traditions in India, it refers to the circumambulation of a sacred place.

It is also known as Parikarma, which means ‘the path around something.

” Traditionally, a person undertakes Pradikshna as a symbol of prayer, and one would go around a temple in a clockwise direction in the Pradiksna path (which is the path around the temple marked with Bali stones).

Apart from temples, devotees also circumambulate around Agni or fire (as part of Hindu marriage ceremonies), peepal trees, and tulsi plants.

In Sivapurana, Pradikshna is a rite performed by a devotee by chanting ‘Ma No Mahanatam.

In the same text, there is a description of how Brahma asked Naradha to approach Siva and Sati to take part in sacrificial rites, as mentioned in the Gihyasutras.

Brahma asked Naradha to perform Pradiksna around Agni before he returned.

Another mythical narrative associated with Pradikshna is how Goddess Parvati asked her sons, Kartikeyan and Ganesha, to take two circles of the world to muster worldly knowledge.

When Kartikeyan took years to complete Pradikshna, Ganesha circled His mother instead.

Ganesha’s action signified the importance of the mother figure and Paradikshna in Hinduism.

Significance of Pradikshna: Circumambulation has different importance in various cultures.

There are several mythologies and legends associated with the benefits of Pradikshna.

Here we will be discussing the religious and scientific significance of performing Pradikshna.

Religious Significance: Pradikshna around the temple, Agni, peepal tree, and tulsi plant are auspicious in Hinduism.

They are known to purify our minds and bodies.

It is essential to note that one can circumambulate only in a clockwise direction.

It is because our right side will be facing the Sanctum Sanctorium, and movement in such a manner will aid in the intermingling of the Divine and the Self.

There are other religious significances as well.

1. While walking around the temple, one can gain peace of mind as well as evade negativity.

2. Pradikshna can permit us to take a step further into the energy system.

Our body absorbs energy when our hair is wet.

It is more receptive when our clothes are damp as well.

Kalyanis or Kulams are the waterbodies in temples, constructed, keeping in mind the importance of taking a dip before entering into the temple premises.

3. As per Srauta-Sutras and Gobhila-Ghura-Sutra, Pradikshna can remove evil forces and is an imitation of the daily movement of the Earth around the sun.

4. Pradikshna is equivalent to giving homage to the deity and the temple.

5. In a Siva temple, one can only complete Pradikshna up to the gomuki or the outlet of Abhisheka water.

A devotee has to turn around and move in the anti-clockwise direction.

Worshippers are also not allowed to go beyond the Bali stones when they are moving around the temple.

These are some of the religious significances associated with Pradikshna.

They are integral parts of paying respect to the deities in Hinduism.

Scientific Significance: Temples were built by giving due attention to science and geographical features. You can find more temples in the Northern Hemisphere up to the 30-degree latitude of the Equator.

It is because these places have intense consecration.

In the South, temples are scientifically constructed.

Temples are a microcosmic depiction of the Universe.

The sun acts as the center and the planets as bodies rotating as well as revolving around it. In temples, the sanctum sanatorium is equivalent to the sun.

The Pradikshna done by the devotees is similar to the movement of the planets.

By circumambulating around the temple, we gain positivity and can revitalize our energy system.

Other scientific reasons associated with Pradikshna are –

A Temple has three layers.

The first layer has a garden with medicinal plants, herbs, and trees.

When you move around the area, positive energy flows through your body, which further helps in removing any imbalances.

The breathing of the fragrances can also heal our mind and body from different ailments.

2. In the second layer of the temple, one may find statues and sculptures of the pleasures of worldly life. When you look at them, you can transcend your mind from all your desires and fantasies.

In the third layer of the temple, you are close to the divine entity.

When you reach the sanctum sanatorium, your mind gets purified due to the energy flowing from the holy figure.

Temple architecture is a pure depiction of the solar system.

As the planets revolve in a clockwise direction to absorb the sun’s energy, devotees move around the temple to gain vitality from the shrine.

Pradikshnas around the Ashwat or peepal tree has great medicinal value as they are the only trees that emit oxygen for 24 hours.
They can help us overcome ailments, including infertility issues.

The tulsi plant also has similar properties and aids in improving our health.

Pradikshna can be highly beneficial in overcoming the Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha imbalances in our bodies.

It can free your mind and also aid in moving forward into the realm of Ultimate Reality.

Types of Pradikshna: There are different types of Pradikshnas based on the manner you perform it. Many people take vows to do Pradikshnas at times of need. Atma Pradikshna, Giri Valam, Adi Pradikshna, Mutti Podudal, and Agna or Shayana Pradikshna are the types of Pradikshna.

1. Atma Pradikshna- It is the circumambulation inside one’s body. Here, you go around your own self. Atma Pradikshna focuses on the concept of the presence of the divine within us.

2. Giri Valam – It is the Pradikshna of a mountain or hill.

3. Adi Pradikshna – Here, a devotee goes around the shrine by taking small steps with the head of a foot placed against the tip of the other.

4. Agna Pradikshna – It is also known as Shayana Pradiksha, where a devotee lies flat on the ground and rolls around the temple. Friends

or family help devotees in moving forward. One may perform Shayana Pradikshna with a wet body with folded hands facing the deity. 5. Mutti Podudal – It is a Pradikshna done on knees by the devotees.

The number of Pradikshnas for each deity varies.

For temples with Ganesha as their idol, one might do one or three Pradikshna.

In Hanuman temples, it is three. In temples with Vishnu as the idol, one has to take either three or four Pradikshna.

In Ayyapa temples, it is five, and around a peepal tree, one has to take seven Pradikshnas.

Pradikshnas, thus, are vital symbols in Hinduism.

They have to be performed slowly with folded hands by visualizing the deity in our hearts.

Why do we do Pradikshna?

Parikrama
Parikrama (circumambulation) or Pradakshina is a ritual in Hinduism and some other religions in which a person circumambulates around a person or a thing in a clockwise direction. It is done around idols, temples, trees/plants, rivers, mountains, persons, and other objects.

Meaning of the Words Parikrama and Pradakshina:
‘Pari’ in Sanskrit means ‘around,’ and ‘Krama’ means ‘going’. Therefore, the word Parikrama means going around.

Pradakshina comprises two words, viz. ‘Pra’ and ‘Dakshina (right), which means ‘to the right’.

Significance of Parikrama:
Hindus believe that every sacred object in the universe contains divine energy. Although this energy is mainly concentrated in that object, it extends to a certain distance. Therefore, if a person goes around that object, he/she comes in contact with that sacred energy, which is very helpful, both spiritually and physically. It removes/lessens negativity from that person.

Benefits of Parikrama:

Removes negative energy.
It is a good exercise, especially if you do many rounds.
The god that the person circumambulates gets pleased and blesses the person.

Types of Pradakshina:

Atma Pradakshina: Going around self. It is mainly performed after daily worship or during prayer.
Pada Pradakshina: This is the most common type of Parikrama. Pada means foot. A person needs to walk on foot around the object.
Danda Pradakshina: Danda means a stick. It consists of a mixture of walking and prostration. The person needs to take a step and then prostrate (lie flat on the ground like a stick with hands in Namaste position in front of the head). Then get up and repeat the above steps. In this way, the person has to complete all the rounds around the object. It is a little bit harder to do.
Anga Pradakshina: Anga means body. In this type, the person needs to prostrate as mentioned above, and roll around the object. It is one of the hardest types of Parikrama.
Adi Pradakshinam: It is the same as Pada Pradakshina, but steps are taken very close, immediately next to previous footsteps without any gap between them.

Why Should we do Parikrama in a Clockwise Direction?

In Hinduism, the right side is considered auspicious and the left inauspicious. Hindus do not accept Prasadam in the left hand or do not touch sacred objects with it.
While circumambulating, some people touch the walls of the temple with their fingers and put the fingers back on their forehead to show respect to the deity. It is easier to do if you keep the object on your right-hand side.

How Many Parikramas of Each God?
The number of Parikramas varies with the deity. Also, there are contradictions about how many rounds one should go around a deity. In general, it is believed that one should do an odd number of circumambulations of a goddess and even numbers of a god. The Swayambhu Agama says that doing Pradakshina 21 times to any deity is sanctified.

There is a Sanskrit shloka that advises how many parikramas should be done around Hindu gods, but the source of it is not known.

एका चंड्या रवे: सप्त, तिर्स्त्र: कार्या विनायके:।

हरेश्चतस्त्र: कर्तव्या:, शिवस्यार्ध प्रदक्षिणा ।।

Eka Chandaya Raveh Sapta Tirstra Karya Vinayake||

Hareschatarstrah Kartabyah Shivasya ardha Pradkshina||

Meaning: A devotee should perform one circumambulation for a goddess, seven for the Sun, three for Lord Ganesha, four for Lord Vishnu and his incarnations, and a half for Lord Shiva.

Shiva: Half.
Ganesha: 3.
Hanuman: 3.
Durga: 1.
Lord Vishnu and his incarnations: 4.
Sun: 7.
Peepal Tree: 7.
Yajna: 5, 11, or 108.
Kartikeya: 6.
Ayyappa: 5.

Agni Parikrama:
The circumambulation around the fire is one of the most important rituals in a Hindu marriage. The bride and groom circumambulate the fire in a clockwise direction for 7, 3, or 4 times. The ritual is called Agniparinayana or Managal Phera.

Parikrama Around Plants and/or Trees:

Vat Pournima is a Hindu festival mainly observed by a married Hindu woman for the longevity of her husband. On the day of the festival, Hindu women circumambulate a banyan tree clockwise and wind a white thread around it while doing so.
Peepal is one of the sacred trees in Hinduism. Circumambulating a Peepal tree on certain days is believed to bring good luck.
Most of the Hindus have Tulsi Vrindavan in front of their houses. The ladies of the house worship her daily and circumambulate her. Tulsi is an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. Therefore, circumambulating a Tulsi plant pleases the goddess.

Mannat:
Some people pledge to do certain things or give something in return to a deity if their certain wishes are fulfilled. This is called mannat. Some of them, pledge to do a certain number of Parikrama in exchange for the fulfillment of their wishes.

Parikrama of a Dead Body:
Circumambulating a dead body is an integral part of the last rites in Hinduism. The person performing the last rites holds an earthen pot filled with water on his shoulder. Then a small hole is made in the pot, and the person circumambulates the dead body in an anti-clockwise direction once starting from the feet of the dead. After that, the second hole is made in the pot, and the person completes the second round. Then a third hole is made and the person completes the third and the final round. After this, the person breaks the pot by dropping it backward on the ground.

Why do Hindus do Half Parikrama of a Shiva Lingam?
All the Shiva lingams have an outlet called Nirmili to carry out the water/milk poured over the lingam. Hindus believe that the things we offer to gods become sacred and should not be crossed over or trampled. It is considered an insult to that deity and is malefic to the person who does so.

Why is Lord Ganesha worshipped First of all Gods?
Once Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva were discussing which god was suitable for being Prathampujya (to be worshipped first), but they could not agree. So they announced a competition. Anyone who would go around the world three times in a minimum time would be declared Prathampujya.

All the gods set off immediately, but Lord Ganesha was very slow because his vahana was a mouse. He knew that he would never be able to win the race on a mouse. So he thought of a solution. He made Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati sit together at a place and went around them three times in a clockwise direction. When asked about this, Lord Ganesha explained that parents are like a world to a child. Hence going around them is like going around the world.

The trinity and Goddess Parvati were impressed by Lord Ganesha’s intelligence and devotion towards his parents and declared him Prathampujya.

Parikrama in Other Religions:
Circumambulation is not just a part of Hinduism, but many other religions also practice it.

Tawaf is a ritual in Islam in which Muslims walk around the Kaaba in Mecca during the Hajj pilgrimage and Umrah.
Buddhists go around stupa chanting mantras to show devotion. They believe it reduces negative Karma and purifies the mind.
Jains and Sikhs also follow the same practice.

Pilgrimages:
There are many Hindu pilgrimages associated with Parikrama.

Narmada Parikrama.
Kardalivan Parikrama.
Govardhan Hill Parikrama.
Girnar Mountain Pradakshina.
Kurukshetra Parikrama.
Vraja Mandala Pradakshina.
Vrindavan Parikrama.
Char Dham Parikrama.

Rules of Parikrama:

It should be done in a clockwise direction only.
Do not talk to anyone while doing it.
Complete a full round. Do not stop in between.
If possible, chant a mantra of the deity you are circumambulating or the one mentioned below.
Do not wear any footwear.
Do not hurry.
Try to concentrate on the deity. Don’t let mundane thoughts disturb you.
If possible, wear wet clothes. It is believed to be more beneficial.

Mantra to Chant While Doing Pradakshina:
यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मांतर कृतानि च।

तानि सवार्णि नश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणे पदे-पदे।।

“Yaani kaani cha paapaani Janmaantara krutaani cha, Taani sarvani nashyantu

Pradakshine pade pade.”

Meaning: Oh God! Whatever sins I have committed all my lives (including previous lives), please destroy them with every step of Pradakshina.

Superstitions Related to Parikrama:
In some parts of India, there is a superstition that one should not circumambulate a living person because it decreases that person’s lifespan. If someone does so unknowingly, then that person needs to do the same number of rounds in an anticlockwise direction to nullify the ill effects.

Why do we do pradakshina (circumambulate) ?
We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of pradakshina.

Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the center.

This means that wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality.

Pradakshina literally means: to the right (Dakshina means right). So in Pradakshina, one goes to the left hand direction to keep the deity around the Sanctum Sanctorum on one’s right side. Pradakshina is one of the customary aspects of going to a temple. Typically, Pradakshina is done after the completion of traditional worship (pooja) and after paying homage to the deity. Pradakshina is supposed to be done with a meditative mood.

According to Adi Sankaracharya, real Pradakshina is the meditation that thousands of universes are revolving around the Great Lord, the unmoving centre of all forms.

It is normal to do Pradakshinam always in a clockwise direction. This is because we assume that Lord is always on our right side. This reminds that we must always lead a righteous life, in the right path called Dharma.

At the end of the pujas , it is a custom to do pradakshinam around ourselves three times & this is called “Atma Pradakshinam”. The proper pradakshina is going round the Self (Atma Pradakshina) or more accurately, to realize that we are the Self and that within us all the countless spheres revolve, going round and round. We bow to the supreme divinity within us, chanting

यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मान्तरकृतानि च |
तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणपदे ||

‘yaani kaani cha paapaani janmanthara kruthaani cha
taani taani vinashyanthi pradakshina pade’

May those omissions and commissions done in this life and also in the previous births and the resulting afflictions perish with every pradakshina.

Why Hindus do Parikrama around their Temples & Deities and what is the
Significance of Pradakshina?

Parikrama (circumambulation) or Pradakshina is a ritual in Hinduism & some other religions in which a person circumambulates around a temple or a thing in a clockwise direction.
‘Pari’ in Sanskrit means ‘around,’ and ‘Krama’ means ‘going’. Therefore, the word Parikrama means going around. Pradakshina comprises two words, viz. ‘Pra’ and ‘Dakshina (right), which means ‘to the right’.
Many of us go to the Devalay (Temple) to have a darshan (viewing) of the Deity. In order to take maximum benefit of the darshan, one must do pradakshina (circumambulation) of the Deity.
To commence the pradakshina, one can start moving at normal pace from the left side of the garbha-gruha (Sanctum sanctorum) with hands folded in the Namaskar-mudra (Both the hands joined and held at the level of the Anahat-chakra;
The fourth centre in the spiritual energy flow system, located in the region of the heart in the subtle-body, but a little away from the body), while chanting the Deity’s Name.
In Shukla Paksha (15 moon days from New moon to Full moon) and Krishna Paksha (15 moon days from Full moon to New moon) the evening of the Trayodasi (thirteenth moon day) between 4.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. is called “Pradhosha”. It comes once in fifteen moon days.
Pradhosha time is especially meant for praying to God Shiva. Praying in that time is believed to free us from all our sins and gives moksha finally (hence the name Pradhosha). During Pradosha time a special type of circumambulating called Somasutra Pradhakshinam is done.
The origin of Pradhosha is related to churning of milky ocean by Devas and Asuras.

Parikrama is done around idols, temples, trees/plants, rivers, mountains, persons, around the sacred Peepal tree, tulsi (Indian basil plant), and agni (sacred fire or the fire God),
and agni parikrama is a part of the Hindu wedding ceremony. Hindus believe that every sacred object in the universe contains divine energy. Although this energy is mainly concentrated in that object, it extends to a certain distance.
Therefore, if a person goes around that object, he/she comes in contact with the aura of that sacred energy, which is very helpful, both spiritually and physically.

Parikrama in a Clockwise Direction; the right side is considered auspicious and the left inauspicious.
Hindus do not accept Prasadam in the left hand or do not touch sacred objects with it. The reason why we go clockwise is to augment our magnetic moment in the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field so as to gain energy from it.
Most of temples in ancient India were not just temples.They were hubs of positive energy.The site for temples was chosen after inspection of magnetic field inthe region.People don’t believe but our ancestors had applied much more of Science to things than what we even know today.
Pada Pradakshina: This is the most common type of Parikrama. Pada means foot. A person needs to walk on foot around the object.

Danda Pradakshina: Danda means a stick. It consists of a mixture of walking and prostration.

The person needs to take a step and then prostrate (lie flat on the ground like a stick with hands in Namaste position in front of the head). Then get up and repeat the above steps. In this way,the person has to complete all the rounds around the object. Its a bit harder to do.
Anga Pradakshina: Anga means body. In this type, the person needs to prostrate as mentioned above, and roll around the object. It is one of the hardest types of Parikrama.

Adi Pradakshinam: It is the same as Pada Pradakshina, but steps are taken very close, immediately next to previous footsteps without any gap between them.

Agni Parikrama: The circumambulation around the fire is one of the most important rituals in a Hindu marriage.
The bride & groom circumambulate the fire in clockwise direction for 7,3, or 4 times.The ritual is called “Agniparinayana” or “Mangal Phera”.

Parikrama Around Plants or Trees:Vat Purnima is a Hindu festival mainly observed by a married Hindu woman for longevity of her husband.

On the day of the festival, Hindu women circumambulate a banyan tree clockwise and wind a white thread around it while doing so. Peepal is one of the sacred trees in Hinduism. Circumambulating a Peepal tree on certain days is believed to bring good luck.
Most of the Hindus have Tulsi Vrindavan in front of their houses. The ladies of the house worship her daily and circumambulate her. Tulsi is an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. Therefore, circumambulating a Tulsi plant pleases the goddess.
Parikrama of a Dead Body: Circumambulating a dead body is an integral part of the last rites in Hinduism. The person performing the last rites holds an earthen pot filled with water on his shoulder.
Then a small hole is made in the pot, and the person circumambulates the dead body in an anti-clockwise direction once starting from the feet of the dead. After that, the second hole is made in the pot, and the person completes the second round.
Then a third hole is made and the person completes the third and the final round. After this, the person breaks the pot by dropping it backward on the ground.

Pilgrimages:There are many Hindu pilgrimages associated with Parikrama1.Narmada Parikrama.
2.Kardalivan Parikrama.
3.Govardhan Hill Parikrama.
4.Girnar Mountain Pradakshina.
5.Kurukshetra Parikrama.
6.Vraj Mandal Pradakshina.
7.Vrindavan Parikrama.
8.Char Dham Parikrama.
Rules of Parikrama:

🌸It should be done in a clockwise direction only.

Do not talk to anyone while doing it.

Complete a full round.

Do not stop in between.
If possible, chant a mantra of the deity you are circumambulating or the one mentioned below.

Do not wear any footwear.
Do not hurry and concentrate on the deity.

Don’t let mundane thoughts disturb you.

If possible,wear wet clothes. It is believed to be more beneficial.

Mantra While Doing Pradakshina:

यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मांतर कृतानि च।
तानि सवार्णि नश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणे पदे-पदे।।
Oh God! Whatever sins I have committed all my lives (including previous lives), please destroy them with every step of Pradakshina. Mannat; Some people pledge to do certain things or give something in return to a deity if their certain wishes are fulfilled.This is called mannat.
Some of them, pledge to do a certain number of Parikrama in exchange for the fulfillment of their wishes.

All of them believe that the holy spot or image is at the very centre of life and so is the main focus of their existence.
The faithful believe that God is at the centre of our existence. So when we do pradakshina or circumambulation, we accept that our actions and thoughts are always centred on God.
The number of Parikramas; varies with the deity. Also, there are contradictions about how many rounds one should go around a deity. In general, it is believed that one should do an odd number of circumambulations of a Goddess and even numbers of a God.
The Swayambhu Agama says that doing Pradakshina 21 times to any deity is sanctified. There is a Sanskrit shloka that advises how many parikramas should be done around Hindu Gods, but the source of it is not known.
एका चंड्या रवे: सप्त, तिर्स्त्र: कार्या विनायके:।
हरेश्चतस्त्र: कर्तव्या:, शिवस्यार्ध प्रदक्षिणा ।।

A devotee should perform one circumambulation for a Goddess, seven for the Sun, three for Sri Ganesha, four for Sri Vishnu and his incarnations, and a half for Shiva.
Shiva: Half. Ganesha: 3. Hanuman: 3. Durga:

Vishnu and his incarnations: 4. Sun: 7. Peepal Tree: 7. Yajna: 5, 11, or 108. Kartikeya: 6. Reason for different number of
pradakshinas to be performed around a Deity;
The general rule is that, for male Deities, the number of pradakshinas should be in ‘even’ numbers (0, 2, 4, 6), and for female Deities, it should be in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7).
The reason is as follows.

‘Zero’ denotes Brahman, meaning, Supreme God, who is the Creator of the universe. From ‘zero’, the number ‘one’, that is, Maya (The Great illusion), meaning, the universe has originated. Maya is feminine, and the number ‘one’ is an ‘odd number’.
Hence, pradakshina around the female Deities should be done in ‘odd’ numbers. ‘Even’ numbers are associated with ‘zero’ and hence, pradakshina around the male Deities should be done in ‘even’ numbers.
Male Deities are mostly associated with Anand or Shanti, whereas, the female Deities are mostly associated with Shakti. According to different schools of thought, the number of times a pradakshina to be performed around each Deity is different.
Some examples given here support this statement.

As per the Energy and function of the Deity:

एकंदेव्यांरवौसप्त त्रीणिकुर्याद्विनायके ।
चत्वारिकेशवेकुर्यात् शिवेचार्धप्रदक्षिणम् ।।

One pradakshina should be performed around the Goddess, seven around Sun Devalay,
three around Shri Ganapati, four around Shrivishnu and a half around Shiva Devalay.

Shrivishnu: Four pradakshinas have been prescribed for Shrivishnu, because Vishnu Principle contains the Divine energies of four actions of invocation, recitation, songs of praise and protection.
Courtesy: Spiritual Bharat

Why Do We Do Pradakshina?
The practice of circumbulation by Hindus is called Pradakshina. Why do we do Pradakshina? We cannot draw a circle without a centre point. The Lord is the centre, source and essence of our lives. Recognising Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about our daily chores. This is the significance of the Pradakshina. Also, every point on the circumference of a circle is equi-distant from the centre. This mean that whenever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality.

Why is Pradikshina done only in a closewise manner? The reason is not, as someone said, to avoid a traffic jam!! As we do Pradikshina, the Lord is always on our right. In India, the right side symbolises auspiciousness, it is a telling fact that even in the English language, it is called the ‘right’ side and not the wrong one!

So as we circumbulate the sanctum sanctorum we rmind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and strength as our ‘guide’ – the right hand – the dharma aspect – of our lives. We thereby overcome our wrong tendencies and avoid repeating the sins of the past.

Indian scriptures say ‘matrudeva bhava, pitrudeva bhava, acharyadevo bhava’. May you consider your parents and teacher as you would the Lord. With this in mind we also do Pradikshina around our parents and divine personages. The story of Lord Ganesha circumambulating his parents is a well-known one. After completion of traditional worship (pooja), we customarily do Pradikshina around ourselves. In this way we recognise and remember the supreme divinity within us, which alone is idolised in the form of the Lord that we worship outside.

Why do we do pradakshina ?

We cannot draw a circle without a centre point The Lord is the centre, source and essence of our lives.Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of pradakshina,

Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the centre. This means that wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality.

Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner ?

The reason is not, as a person said, to avoid a traffic jam! As we do pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right In India the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. It is a telling fact that eve in the English language it is called the “right” side and not the wrong one ! So as we circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness, with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and strength as our guide the “right hand” – the dharma aspect – of our lives We thereby overcome our wrong tendencies and avoid repeating the sins of the past.

Indian scriptures enjoin – matrudevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava, acharyadevo bhava. May you consider your parents and teachers as you would the Lord With this in mind we also do pradakshina around our parents and divine personages. The story of lord Ganesha circumambulating his parents is a well-known one.

After the completion of traditional worship (pooja), we customarily do pradakshina around our-selves. In this way we recognize and remember the supreme divinity within us, which alone is idolized in the form of the Lord that we worship outside.

As we circumambulate, we chant:

Yaani kaani cha paapaani

Janmaantara krtaani cha

Taani taani vinashyanti

Pradakshina pade pade.

All the sins committed by an individual from innumerable past births are destroyed by each step taken whilst doing pradakshina.”

PRADAKSHINA—Its Significance

The term ‘Pradakshina’ is an age-old devotional practice, generally associated with the visit to a temple. Before the devotees enter the shrine that houses the deity, they go round the temple, normally three times, as a token of their reverence and self-surrender to the deity. This is called Pradakshina or circumambulation.

Any visit to a temple is generally followed by raising our thoughts from the mundane to the sublime and spiritual. Being active all- through with worldly thoughts, to raise the thoughts to a higher level cannot be achieved all of us a sudden and it does take time for the transformation. The Pradakshina provides this time. The time taken during Pradakshina gradually halts the flow of mundane thoughts and brings the deep-seated feelings of devotion to the devotee’s surface-consciousness, before he is actually face to face with the Deity. With a view to having better results, most of the devotees during Pradakshina resort to Namajapam, either reciting it in a low tone or with a Japamala [Rosary], the moment they enter the temple premises.. Having gone through these preparations, the devotee is usually rewarded by a rapturous communion with the Divine at the time of Darshan.

It is customary to do the Pradakshina in a clockwise direction, keeping the object of devotion to our right side. Right is normally considered auspicious as opposed to the anti-clockwise movement which is considered inauspicious. That is why we go round in an anti-clockwise direction during an inauspicious occasion like going round a funeral pyre during the last rites of a dead body. In fact, even in the English language we hear of the phrase ‘keep the person always on the right’, implying that the person is to be kept in good humour as we expect his guidance and help.

In the ‘Shabdakalpadruma’ [which is a Literary Encyclopedia of the Sanskrit language written in 1850A.D.and which consists of 7 volumes, each volume to running about 1,000 pages and which took 36 years for completion], the word ‘Dakshina’ has been defined as ‘efficacy’ and ‘Pradakshina’ as ‘special efficacy’. In the light of this interpretation, Pradakshina enables a devotee to be more efficacious and deserving to receive the blessings of the Deity.

There is no definite rule about the number of Pradakshinas one is supposed to do. Normally three rounds are very much in vogue. Some people go round the temple 11 times, as number 11 is also considered auspicious. Occasionally a devotee goes round as many as 108 times for a specific purpose such as acknowledging the fulfillment of a specific wish, seeking the fulfillment of a specific desire, as an atonement or a Prayaschitta for having done a wrong deed, self-purification etc. When the Pradakshina route is very long as in the case of going round a hill [like the Giri Pradakshina for Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai, which is as long as 13 kms], there is no binding that one should do it non-stop. The devotee may take rest at as many places as he wants. During such long Pradakshinas, it is customary for the devotee to go on reciting Namajapas mentally or chant the name of the Lord in a subdued tone or resort to Japa with the help of a rosary. This serves the purpose of meditation.

Just as we cannot draw a circle without a centre or a focal point, similarly the Pradaksina is a circle around the Deity as the focal point. Just as the centre is the focal point from which emanate the radii, the Grace of God emanates from the Deity and reaches the devotees who are all at equal distance from the Deity. This is just to remind the devotees that God makes no distinction whatsoever and that all the devotees are equally eligible for his grace.

It could be observed that during one Pradakshina that the devotee takes four right- angle turns by the time he returns to the starting point. It means he has turned himself around himself completely once, as he would have done if he had taken those four turns standing still at a place. Since the Self or Atma is felt to be inside the body, this would mean that he has made one Pradakshina around his own Self and this is called ‘Atma Pradakshina’ or Self-circumambulation. It is customary that after the Pradakshina around the Sanctum is completed, the devotee turns around himself, normally three times, which reminds him of the presence of Divinity within himself, which alone is idolized in the form of the Lord that we worship outside. As we circumambulate we chant:

Yani kaani cha paapani Janmantara kritani cha
Taani taani vinashyanti Pradakshina pade pade

This means “All sins committed by an individual from innumerable past births are destroyed by each step taken during Pradakshina”

In Pradakshina, it is observed that both concepts of Advaita and Dvaita are harmoniously blended. From the Dvaita standpoint, the object of Pradakshina is held to be outside, say inside the shrine. From the Advaita standpoint, the object id held inside as one’s own Self.

Pradakshina is also practiced around holy objects too, such as a Mahatma’s Samadhi, around a Brindavana [pot containing the Tulasi plant], around a hill like the Arunachala, a lake like Manasa Sarovara, a mountain like the Mount Kailas. Hindu marriages are sanctified by the Pradakshina of the bridal couple around the Agni. In the conduct of a Yagjna, going around the sacrificial fire in Pradakshina is an integral part of the proceedings.

In an esoteric language, Acharya Shankara defines Pradakshina as “Real Pradakshina is the meditation that thousands of universes are revolving around the Great God, the unmoving centre of all forms”. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi beautifully explains the benefits of Pradakshina in the following words:

PRA stands for removal of all kinds of sins
DA stands for fulfilling all desires
KSHI stands for freedom from future births
NA stands for giving deliverance through Jnana.

Science behind Pradakshina
Pradakshina, which comes from the Sanskrit word for “circumambulation,” is a way for Hindus in India to worship by walking in a circle. The worshipers walk around the garbha griha, which is the innermost room of the shrine where the temple deity lives. It is completed around the holy fire (Agni), as well as around trees and plants. So, Pradakshina is performed around the Tulsi plant and the Peepal tree. Pradakshina or Parikrama is also done in places where people go on pilgrimages.
Pradakshina means, in English, “to the right” (Dakshina means right). So, during Pradakshina, you walk to the left so that the deity all around Main Temple is on one right. Pradakshina is something that people do when they go to a temple. Pradakshina is usually done after conventional worship (pooja) and after paying respects to the deity. Pradakshina is meant to be done in a peaceful way.Why Pradakshina is done in a clockwise direction?

We always think that God is the most important thing in our lives. He is also in every place. So when we perform Pradakshinas or walk around in a circle, we accept that everything we do and think is always about God. The Centre point is always the same, no matter how far we walk during the pradakshinas. So, we are made aware of the ultimate truth that God is the center of the universe and the most important thing in our lives. This is what Pradakshinas is all about.

The universe is always spinning around the sun and around its own axis. All of the planets have their own axes that make them spin. This is called rotation, and the way they move around their orbits is termed as revolution. God should be at the center of our pradakshinas, just like the sun is at the center of the solar system and the planets revolve around it. Pradakshinas should indeed be done gradually and not in a hurry. Our actions and thoughts should be focused on God.
Pradakshinas is usually done in a clockwise manner. We think that Lord is always on our side because we believe that he loves us. This reminds us that we should always follow the right path, which is called Dharma.

So, Ganapathi gets one Pradakshina, Soorya (the Sun) gets two, Siva gets three, Devi gets four, and Vishnu gets five. People say that the best number of pradakshinas to do in a day is twenty-one.

Also, we slowly make pradakshinas (devotional rounds) with our hands folded and our minds always on the deity. All of these things, whether the devotee knows it or not, help keep the ego out of his or her mind.
Why it’s important to do Pradakshina?

A circle can’t be drawn without a point in the middle. The Lord is where our lives come from and what gives them meaning. We show that we know this by doing Pradakshina. We go about our daily tasks knowing that He is the most important thing in our lives. This is what Pradakshina is all about.

Also, every point on a circle’s edge is the same distance from its center. This means that we are just as close to the Lord no matter where we are or who we are. We all get the same amount of his grace.

Adi Shankaracharya said that genuine Pradakshina is the contemplation that a countless number of universes are spinning all around the Great Lord, who is the centre of all forms and doesn’t move.

People often tell stories about what Pradakshina means. Once, Lord Shiva told his two sons, Ganapati and Subrahmanyam, to take a “tour of the universe” so they could “gain worldly experience.” Subrahmanyam spent decades traveling the world on his peacock. Ganesh, on the other hand, just walked around his mother and father in a full circle and is said to have said, “Since the world is in you, I have already walked around the world.”

Pradakshina is a great way to channel our inner positivity and take the first step toward mindfulness. By performing it, we can worship the almighty with our full devotion.

Significance of half pradakshina around Shivlinga

Significance of Pradakshina

Every Hindu temple is strategically designed and is built where positive energy is available in abundance. The place where the idol of the deity is enthroned is known as the “Garbhagriha” or “Moolasthanam”. The Garbhagriha is located in the center of the temple where maximum magnetic waves of the earth are present. The Deity Idols are placed in the center of the temple. One of the most significant rituals of Hindu religion is Circumambulation popularly known as pradakshina.

A circle cannot be drawn without a center point. Similarly, we wouldn’t have existed in absence of the Supreme. Therefore, in order to honor, acknowledge and show gratitude to the Supreme, we perform the pradakshina . This involves, taking a walk around the Garbha griha, which is the innermost chamber of the temple, where the deity idol is placed. According to the Rig Veda verses Rig: 2.42.3 and 2.43.1 –” Pra as an adjective means very much. Pra is a prefix to verbs which means onward or forward. Dakshina literally means south. The Veda suggests that one’s right side must face the deity while taking the in the clockwise direction also known as Dakshinacharam or auspicious. The pradakshina is also carried out around Tulsi plant, Holy Fire, Peepal tree and also around the outer area of the temple. Pradakshina is done in a meditative form after the ritual of puja is over.

The Origin of Pradakshina:

According to a legend, Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati were given a divine fruit by the Gods. This fruit was said to be so divine that, the one consuming it was sure to gain supreme knowledge and immortality. Both, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya wanted to eat that fruit and started arguing over the same. In order to end the argument between the brothers, Lord Shiva asked them to do a task. The task was to circle the world three times. The one who circles the world three times and comes back first would get to consume the divine fruit. Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesh agreed to this task. Being a God of war, Lord Kartikeya immediately started off the journey without wasting anytime. Lord Ganesh knew that he won’t be able to compete with the mighty Lord Kartikeya and hence he applied his wit and started circling his parents. Lord Shiva asked Lord Ganesh, “what are you doing?” to which Lord Ganesh said “You both are my parents and within you lays the whole world”. Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati got impressed by Lord Ganesh and declared him the winner. Thus, the ritual of came into existence.

Half Pradakshina of Shiva Linga

In Shiva temple, the devotees begin the Pradakshina by walking clockwise till they reach the gomukhi. Gomukhi is the outlet where the water, milk, ghee or ashes used for abhisheka are drained out. Once the worshipper reaches the Gomukhi, he/she has to stop and start walking in anti-clockwise direction till he/she reaches the other side of the gomukhi. In this way, one Pradakshina is completed.

Significance of half Pradakshina of Shiva Linga

According to Shastras and Shivpurana, only half-parikrama must be carried out by the devotees around the Shiva Linga. This practice is justified by explaining that, Shiva is both ‘Aadi’ & ‘Anant’. Aadi meaning first or beginning and Anant means everlasting. Thus, the divine and endless energy (Shakti) flowing from him is represented in the form of Nirmili which is the narrow outlet from where the milk and water flows. It is a sacred part of the Shivling and should never be over-stepped. According to an old legend, there was a king named Gandharva who was a devotee of Shiva. Once, after performing the ‘abhishek’ on Shiva Linga, he started doing Pradakshina and by mistake over-stepped the Nirmili and in no time the king lost all his powers, might and intelligence. Because of overstepping the Nirmili, the king had to face the wrath of Lord Shiva. Hence, the ancient scriptures mention about the procedure of half Pradakshina for Lord Shiva.

In the ancient times, the Nirmili of the Shiv Linga was built in such a way that no one could see it as it was dug deep inside the earth surface. Therefore, there was no fear of over stepping it. But, in present times, the Nirmili is built above the earth’s surface. Hence it is advised, that one should only perform half Pradakshina of Shiva Linga.

Why do we do Pradakshina or Parikrama? (Going around Deities and Temples)
Pradakshina (Sanskrit), meaning circumambulation, consists of walking around in a ‘circle’ as a form of worship in Hindu ceremonies in India. The devotees walk around the garbha griha, the innermost chamber of the shrine housing the temple deity. It is done around sacred fire (Agni), trees and plants as well. Thus Pradakshina is done around Tulsi plant and Peepal tree. Pradakshina or Parikrama is done in pilgrimage centres also.

From the Rig Vedic verses Rig: 2.42.3 and 2.43.1 – “Pra as an adjective means very much. Pra can also come as a prefix to verbs and take on the meaning of onward, forward. Onward to Dakshinam or south is pradakshina . When one does that, one’s right side is facing the deity inside the garbhagraham and the circumambulation is Dakshinacharam or auspicous as recommended by the Veda.”

Skanda Purana Ch.9 v.68 – “In the word Pra-Da-Kshi-Na the syllable Pra dispels sin, the syllable Da bestows what is desired, the syllable Kshi causes the destruction of Karman and the syllable Na is the bestower of salvation.”

Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner?

Hindus go round the sanctum sanctorium in the temples and sometimes the deities in the pujas or yajnas at home in a clockwise direction..We always assume God is the center of our existence. He also exists everywhere. So when we do Pradakshina or circumambulation, we accept that our actions and thoughts are always centred around God. The center point is always fixed and remains the same at whatever distance we do the pradakshina. So we are reminded of the eternal truth that God is the center of gravity and the main focus of our existence. This is the main principle of Pradakshinam.

The world is always rotating around itself on its own axis as well as around the sun. All the planets also rotate on their own axes. This is called rotation and their rotation on their orbits is called revolution. Just like in solar system, the sun is at the center around which the planets rotate, our pradakshinams should be done with god at the center. The Pradakshinam should be done slowly and never in a hurry, Our thoughts and actions must dwell on God.

“The sins committed by the mind are destroyed by the first step (of pradaksina), the sins committed in speech by the second and the sins perpetrated by the body by the third step.” (Skanda Purana Ch.9 v.28)

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), generally three padakshinas are done in a temple in Kerala. Accordingly the first padakshina destroys all sins including brahmahathya papa (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 final liberation). A number of twenty one pradakshinas in a day is considered most beneficial as per Swayambhoo aagama.

Further he makes pradakshinas (devotional rounds) slowly with folded hands and visualizing the deity in his mind all the time. All these actions knowingly or unknowingly have salutary effect to ward off the ego from the mind of the devotee. It is noteworthy that the purpose of temple worship is never achieved unless one understands that visits to temples are temples are meant to help the devotee to shed his ego. The purpose of visits to temples is one’s own cultural emancipation which functions on functions on fundamental values known as dharma.

Significance of doing Pradakshina

We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. We acknowledge this by performing Pradakshina. Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of Pradakshina.

Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the centre. This means that wherever we may be or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality.

According to Adi Sankaracharya, real Pradakshina is the meditation that thousands of universes are revolving around the Great Lord, the unmoving centre of all forms.

There is a popular legend about the significance of Pradakshina. Once Lord Shiva wanted his two sons, Ganesha and Subrahmanya, to get “worldly experience” and asked them take a “tour of the universe”. While Subrahmanya spent decades traveling the world on his peacock, Ganesha just walked a full circle around his mother and father and is believed to have explained “since the world is contained within you, I have already encircled the world”!

Shayana Pradakshinam or Anga Pradakshina

Shayana Pradakshinam is done in a lying posture. It starts with a Sashtanga Namaskara in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In Sashtanga Namaskara, the devotees have eight parts of their bodies touching the ground. Thus forehead, chest, shoulders, hands and knees touch the ground. The folded hands will be directed always towards the deity.

In this pose, the devotees circumambulate on the Pradakshina path. The relatives and friends of the devotees help them to roll around. This is a tedious ritual.

The pradakshinam of the Supreme Lord with different Veda manthrams ( in different metres) and circumambulating Him in Aathma Pradakshinam and Bhahya Pradakshinams in a clockwise manner is indicated here.

Why do we do Atma Pradakshina?

yaani kaani cha paapaani janmanthara kruthaani cha
taani taani vinashyanthi pradakshina pade pade

May those omissions and commissions done in this life and also in the previous births and the resulting afflictions perish with every pradakshina.

Somasooktha (Soma-moon) Pradakshinam

Pradosha pooja is one of the most sacred and important among the poojas performed by Shivites to the Graceful Lord Shiva. In Shukla Paksha (15 moon days from new moon to full moon) and Krishna Paksha (15 moon days from full moon to new moon) the evening of the Trayodasi (thirteenth moon day) between 4.30 pm to 6.00 p.m. is called Pradosham. It comes once in fifteen moon days. Pradosha time is to pray Lord Shiva and invoke His Blessings. Praying in this time will free us from sins and gives Moksha (hence the name Pradosha). During Pradosha time, a special type of circumbulating called “Somasooktha Pradakshinam”

The story behind Pradosha is one often heard, beginning with the churning of the milk ocean by the devas and the asuras on a holy Dwadasi day. The very first product which came out of the milk ocean was the deadly poison, HalaHala. The devas and asuras were now in a fix. The poison from the sea came rushing after them, scaring them out of their wits. Vishnu was already holding the Meru mountain from below in his Kurma form, and unless the poison was removed from the milk ocean, the churning could not be resumed. It was while pondering over a possible solution, did Indra remember his grave folly No. 1. He had not seeked the blessings of Maheshwara prior to the commencement of the churning. He felt like kicking himself with the Vajraayudha. He was sure that SarpaBhooshana (The one who uses serpents as ornaments) would be the one who could pull them out of this mess. With fear clinging onto him like death and the poison chasing after them, he ran towards Mount Kailash with the rest of the devas in tow. “Namah Shivaya Om, Shivaya Namah Om”, they chanted on their helter skelter mad run towards Kailash. Kailash drew nearer and so did the gap between the poison and the devas. Finally, huffing and puffing, they made it to the foot hills of the Himalayas, and there what a sight awaited them.

A very angry Nandi stood at the gates to Kailash, looking close to murderous. “Go back, you filthy unloyal scums. You dont seek the blessings of Eashwara when you start on this earth wrecking experiment, but now in a time of difficulty you come running here”, he roared.”Go back before I gore you to death with my horns”, he warned. Having warned, he lowered his sharp tipped horns.

Flabbergasted, the devas retreated, only to be met by the rippling waves of hala hala behind. Shocked to death and having no other go, Indra and the devas ran towards the left of the mountain, chased by the Poison. They circumambulated the Holy Kailasa and came back to the starting point, where, at the entrance they were once again met by Nandi, his sharp horns glinting in the sun. “Back up”, shouted the devas all over, and they turned around, running back around the mountain once again to be driven forward by the poison. This very funny running-around-the-mounttain game went on, leaving the devas (who were already weak) totally exhausted. Shiva finally decided to have pity on them and came down from his divine abode, shining like a thousand majestic suns.

“Nandi,” he commanded,”bring me the hala hala”. Nandi immediately collected the poison and gave it to Shiva. With a smile on his lips, he rolled all the poison into a single ball and swallowed it. The Lord of the universe had swallowed the deadly poison, forgetting that all of creation was sustained within him. The three worlds were now open to the deathly effects of Hala Hala. Parvathi, the mother of all creation, sensing imminent danger to all her children, came thundering down the steps of her mountain palace and gently held up ther hands against Shiva’s neck, forcing the poison to stay there. Shiva’s neck turned violently blue and the poison started taking its toll on Him. Beckoning Parvathi, he said, “Oh Gauri, dont panic. I had to do this. I now feel light headed… Maybe its the poison…. May I rest on your lap, divine mother?”

Parvathi sat down, and gently took Shiva’s head into her lap. What a sight it was, Parameshwara, his neck all blue, resting on the lap of Jagathjanani. The devas, thanked Shiva in their hearts and waited with bated breath for the lord to show signs of normalcy. The whole of Kailash was engulfed in a deathly silence, waiting for its lord to revive. One and a half days passed, and the thithi of Thrayodasi on Saturday was nearing its end and still Shiva showed no signs of motion. The devas grew worried and their feeling of guilt increased.

The sun was sinking low on the horizon on the sacred thrayodasi day, when the anklets of Shiva moved around producing the ever resonant Om. Shiva sat up, as though from a blissful sleep and cast an eye full of grace on the devas. “Namah Parvathi pathaye”, Indra praised, immediately followed by all the devas resonating, “Hara Hara Mahadeva”. The lord was back to normal.

Nandi, was overjoyed and kept shaking his head like an adamant small child. When he had carried the poison over to Shiva, the fumes of the deadly halahala had entered him and had slightly damaged his senses. The joy that he felt now was not due to the recovery of Shiva, but rather due to a baseless pride that the poison which had affected even Shiva had done nothing to him. But ofcourse, it was only due to the damage of his senses that Nandi ever had let such blasphemous thoughts enter his head.

Parvathi threw a concerned glance at Nandi and then turned back to Neelakantha (The blue throated one), her eyes full of question. Shiva decided to to cure Nandi of his current head weight and at the same time show all of the world that he was indeed alright and that nothing could destroy him. Summoning Nandi, the God of Dance placed his tender feet on Nandi’s head and stood on his forehead. Then, with Vishnu blowing the panchajanya, Indra at the mridangam, Saraswathi playing the veena, Lakshi clanging the cymbals, Brahma clicking the nattuvangam and Gauri herself leading the vocals, Nataraja, sounding his drum all by himself, danced over the head of Nandi, between the two horns, to show to the world that he was just as normal as ever. The whole world watched this divine dance with absolute raptness. They had seen nothing as beautiful as this before. For the next one and a half hours leading to sunset, Shiva performed his Sandhya Thandava (evening dance), his lotus feet hitting on Nandi’s head, driving out his insanity. What an awesome sight it was. The world was indeed blessed.

These one and a half hours, spanning from 4:30 PM to 6 PM in normal human days, form the period of pradosha everyday. However since Bhagawan had danced on the thithi of Thrayodashi, these one and half hours on thrayodashi are observed as the time of pradosha in all the shiva temples in the world. There are five types of pradoshas known. They are:- Nithya pradosha (Daily), Paksha Pradosha (Every Thrayodashi), Maasa Pradosha (thrayodashi of Krishna paksha), Maha pradosha (when pradosha falls on a saturday) and Pralaya Pradosha (At the end of all times, when all creation will recede into shakthi and shakthi herself will recede into Shiva). There are people who observe pradosha every day too.

Pradosha vratha has a number of unique observances and was preached by Sandilya Maharishi to a woman, her son Suchivratha and an orphaned prince Dharmaguptha. It is said that after 8 pradoshas, Suchivrata got to drink the amrutha and Dharmaguptha married a celestial princess and by the grace of Shiva was able to regain his kingdom. Such is the power of the vratha.

The general procedures of the vratha match closely to the other vrathas and should essentially include Ahimsa, Sathya (truthfulness), Daya (compassion), kshama (forgiveness) and brahmacharya. The vratha is ended in the evening with the visit to a Shiva temple during pradhosha kalam and taking part in the worship there. Over the one and half hours, the lord is bathed in various substances and special pooja is offered. Nandidevar gets equal importance and is given special abhisheka in milk, sandal, water, fragrant fluids among others. He is offered a special dish made out of red rice (Puttarisi) and worshipped by everyone. People even take the liberty of whispering their wishes into his ears to pass them onto Shiva, for during pradhosha, Nandi is said to be closest to the Lord. It is also customary to have a darshan of the shiva linga through and in between the horns of Nandi, just the way he had danced at the very first pradosha.

The highlight of every pradosha is the Soma Sooktha Pradakshinam. The Pradosha Nayakar is a small statue of Shiva and Parvathi, standing on Nandi. He comes out only during the pradosha and hence the name. The Pradosha Nayakar is carried in a procession around the temple three times, followed dutifully by all the devotees in what is called the Somasooktha pradakshinam. But the order of the pradakshinam is the weirdest ever. The pradakshinam starts at the Kodimaram, behind Nandi. Having a darshan of the linga through Nandi’s horns, the procession goes around the temple anti-clockwose until it reaches the Gomukhi (the spout from which the abhisheka waters come out). There the procession turns back and comes back to the Kodimaram and continues its clockwise rotation until it reaches the Chandikeswara shrine. Once again the direction of travel is reversed and the procession ends up at the kodi maram. This bizzare circumambulation is repeated three times with the Pradosha Nayakar in the lead. This is called the Somasooktha pradakshinam because while doing it, the lord and the devotees describe the shape of a crescent moon (Soma-moon). And if you have been thick enough not to unravel the reason behind this odd form of pradakshinam, then here it is. It is done to commemorate the circumambulation of the Devas around Mt Kailash when they came for help. They kept running between Nandidevar and the poison, denoted respectively by the Nandi mandapam and the gomukhi, in a similar fashion until Shiva decided to sort things out. The Somasooktha pradakshinam is infact a re-enactment of the devas pleading to Shiva for help.

Importance of ”Pradakshina” in a Hindu temple and 17 interesting facts
The ”Pradakshina” (also spelled Prathakshina) in a Hindu temple involves walking barefoot around the garbagriha or the shrine in a clock-wise fashion. The number of pradakshina or circles depends on the discretion of the devotees. Almost every Hindu temple has a prakaram (corridor or Pradakshina path) or more than one within the temple premises. The pradakshina path around the shrine may be an ”open one” or with a ”covered roof” and there are temples that have both open as well as closed prakara. In Tamil Nadu The Ramanatha Swamy temple of Rameswaram has closed prakara(s) so are the Nellaiappar Shiva temple of Thirunlveli and Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. The Brihadeeswar temple at Thanjavur has an open prakara unlike the above-mentioned temples.

The following are interesting facts:

Pradakshina” has been an integral part of Hindu worship in a temple and this tradition has been in vogue for centuries. The meaning of Sanskrit word ”Parikrama” is “the path surrounding something.” It is also also known as Pradakshina (“to the right”) meaning to circle or circumambulate clock-wise ritually. The pradakshina worship ritual implies that our thoughts and actions should be centered on God. The subtle explanation is whatever we do it should be within the realm of Dharma – following the righteous path. (just like the planets that orbit on the same path) Why is pradakshina done clock-wise? Right from the smallest electrons to the planets in the universe every thing is being controlled by some force that forms the center around which they move around in the clockwise direction.
The Pradakshina worship starts right from the flag-staff – the Dwajasthambam in clockwise direction; one cycle completes upon reaching the flag-post – the starting point.
Pradakhina worship ritual should be done only after completing prayer and puja ritual in the main shrine.
The number of Pradakshina depends on the wish of the devotees, it must be in odd numbers – 3, 9 and 11 (21 and 108 circles are rare).
Some learned pundits say that we must do pradakshina in odd number in the case of goddesses and even number with respect to male gods. Specific number of Pradakshina is recommended, say 7 as there are Sapta-devtas such as Shri Ganesh, Deity Shiva, Shriram, Deity Hanuman, Deity Datta, Shri Durga and Sri krishna. Swayambhu Agama recommends Pradakshina 21 times to any deity is well and good.
Upon completing the required number of Pradakshina, the devotee must fall prostrate (namaskaram) before the main shrine on the right side of the flag-post. Your entire body must be touching the ground. It is symbolic of total surrender to the all-pervading God.
This is the reason why there are many sub shrines on the prathakshna path and they will help us focus our attention on the almighty; the eternal truth is the almighty is the center of main focus
Doing pradakshina is roughly equal to going around the fire (”Agni”) and holy trees. Devout Hindus will never fail to go around Tulsi plant that is kept in their house on a platform called ”Maadam”. They almost do it in the morning and also in the evening and it is done for the welfare of the family.
Likewise childless women , according to a common belief among Hindu women, particularly in the villages, will walk barefoot around the Peepal tree daily or on certain auspicious days for a particular period. The strong belief is they will be blessed with a child. In the interior villages of Tamil Nadu devotees walk barefoot around the shrine as well the tree and one can see a small shrine of God Ganesha under the Peepal tree.
In the temple everything is related to the divinity in the sanctum or garbagriha (the most sanctified place on the temple premises) which forms the center point and devotees actually are walking barefoot around the God, The belief is the positive energy – God’s grace radiating from him in all direction will benefit the devotees. Your mind also gets rejuvenated at the end.
Doing Pradakshina is something like cleansing our body and soul and it should done with devotion and dedication. Chanting Narayana or Shivaya namha or any short mantra like Ashtottara is good if visiting the Vishnu or Shiva temple, etc.
From the health point of view walking barefoot on the unpolished rough stone floor of the temple will improve your blood circulation to a considerable degree. Chanting of mantra is a sort of meditation and this might calm your mind if agitated. If it is a big temple walking around the prakara several times is a kind of aerobic exercise and is good for the heart.
The pradakshina must be done slowly and should not be done in a hurry. Don’t ever engage in conversation while going around the shrine.
The word Pradakshina(m) (pra-da kshi na or nam) implies devotees will be blessed with healthy and prosperous life without fear and most importantly they will ultimately get salvation
“Pra” implies removal of fears and worries, “Da” (or ‘TH”) refers to salvation or moksha / renunciation, “KSHI” implies curing of all sorts of diseases (Sarva vyadhi nivarana), “NA (M)” suggests all round prosperity and wealth.
The overall Pradakshina worship is also a way of expressing our keen desire to get moksha (salvation; free from birth and death cycles); it is a symbol of total surrender to the lord, to be with him under his divine shadow.
.Four kinds of Pradakshina:

a. Atma Pradakshina – We go around ourselves and this done on completion of daily prayer, fasting, etc. It symbolizes the removal of ego from us.

b. Pada Pradakshina – It means devotees must go around the shrine barefoot., preferably holding the hands in supplication.

c. Danda Pradakshina – A devotee is required to take a step and do sashtanga pranama, again take another step and do sashtang pranam (Sa ashta anga meaning eight parts of the body touching the ground).

d. Anga Pradakshinam – This is the most difficult one, not advisable to senior devotees. It involves a devotee lying on the floor and then roll around the shrine with wet clothes on.

Pradakshina: Why Do We Go Clockwise Around Temples explains the science behind pradakshina, the practice of going around sacred spaces clockwise.
Pradakshina means circumambulation. Circumambulation means going in a clockwise direction, particularly in the northern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere of the planet, this is a natural phenomenon. If you notice closely, many natural phenomenon turn clockwise above the Equator and anticlockwise below it. It is not just with air or water, the very energy system functions like this.

This is why if there is an energetic place in the northern hemisphere, and you want to derive benefit from or absorb the energy, you must go clockwise around it. If you want to benefit more, your hair should be wet. If you want to benefit even more, your clothes should also be wet. If you want to benefit still more, you must go around naked. But wet clothes are probably better than nakedness because the body dries up very soon. Clothes remain wet for a long time. So wet clothes are the best way to go around any energy space because you will receive it best – you are most receptive that way.

This is why every temple had a water body what was generally called a kalyani. In Tamil Nadu, it is called a kulam. You are supposed to take a dip and go through the temple with wet clothes so that you receive the energies of the consecrated space in the best possible way. But today, most of the kulams have either gone dry or mostly gone filthy.

A Vortex of Energies
When you go clockwise, you are moving with certain natural forces. Any consecrated space functions like a vortex which means that it reverberates, and it also draws. Both ways, an intermingling of what we are referring to as the divine and what we are calling as the self, happens. The idea in this culture is that we don’t want to meet God, we don’t want to go to heaven and sit on his lap. Here, we want to become God – we are very ambitious people. We are not looking at seeing the divine. We want to realize and become divine. The idea of being in a consecrated space is to constantly allow this transaction to happen, so that gradually, the living body itself becomes like a divine entity. If you want, you can keep this body like a beast. Or you can make it like a sacred form or divinity.

Going clockwise around a consecrated space is a simple way of receiving this possibility. Particularly from the equator up to thirty-three degrees latitude, this is very intense. That is why we set up most temples within this region because this is where you get maximum benefit. You can clearly see that as you go up north, temples were set up mainly for devotion. In the south, the devotion aspect is there but the most important thing is they are scientifically constructed in a certain way – magnificent structures which took lifetimes to create.

A Different Kind of Humanity
Many temples took many generations of people to build. For example, the Kailash temple at Ellora, which was built by the Rashtrakutas took 135 years of work. That means four generations of people worked to the same plan, not changing a bit. That takes a different kind of humanity. Today, the whole of humanity has become such that, anything you give them, they want to do one silly innovation. It does not matter how silly it is, they want to leave their footprint on everything. Such magnificent temples were built, but no one left a name or initial anywhere to say, “I did it.” They simply worked and died without completing it. The next generation took it on, worked and died without completing it. The next generation came along, they worked and they died. They knew that someone is going to complete it.

This is a different kind of humanity. We want to produce those kind of people because those are the people who will do things which are truly worthwhile for humanity. We want to produce that kind of humanity who are god-like. When I say god-like, this is such a magnificent creation, but did the Creator leave His signature somewhere? No. He stands back to such an extent that we can sit here and debate whether there is a Creator or not.

why do we do pradakshina

Anticlockwise Pradakshina

We cannot draw a circle without being a central goal… The Lord is the central source and the essence of our lives. Recognizing it as the focal point of our lives, we take care of our daily tasks. This is the meaning of Pradakshina.

Why we do Parikrama Around The Temple

Circumambulation Hinduism

As Pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right. In India, the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. Thus, as we turn around the sanctum sanctorum, we remember to lead a supportive life of righteousness, with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and strength, our guide – the “right hand”.

After the completion of the traditional worship (Puja), we usually practice Pradakshina around us. This means that we tend to recognize and keep in mind the supreme deity with us, who alone is loved in the Lord’s variety that we tend to worship on the outside.

WORSHIP – THE HINDU WAY
The word Puja came from the Dhathu “Puj”, which means to worship, to
honor, to welcome. The root of the word Puja is “Yaja” Deva Poojaayaam”
means the service or activities that one cannot avoid from doing to
propitiate or please God. Every country, state, religion, caste, family
and even individual has its/their/his/her own belief and ways of
performing Puja. Whatever may be the method or system or practice that
one adopts or follows, there are, as per Hindu scriptures 4, 5
(Panchopachar), 8, 10 (Dasopachar), 13, 16 (Shodashopachar), 24, 32, 64
or 108 types of Upacharas or activities or services to propitiate God

The daily worship generally consists of sixteen phases or items
according to a conventional practice usually referred to as
Shodasopachara Puja. These sixteen items are not always necessarily the
same throughout. They differ from occasion to occasion and may be from
place to place or person to person. But a common sequence popularly
followed by majority of the devotees is as follows:

Avahanam – Invocation
Asanam- Offering a seat
Padyam- Water for washing the feet
Arghyam- Water for washing the hands
Achamaneeyam- A few drops of water for sipping
Snanam- Bathing with water, milk or honey
Vastram- Garments to cover the body
Yajnopaveetam- The sacred thread placed across the left shoulder and
the right bottom part of the trunk
Gandham- Sandal paste
10.Pushpam- Flower or flowers
11.Dhoopam- Burning incense for fragrance and to intensify the feelings
of devotion
12.Deepam- Lighting to remove darkness, symbolizes enlightenment
13.Naivedyam- Food for nourishment
14.Tamboolam- Betel leaves with nut and other ingredients, a condiment
that signifies completion of a meal.
15.Neerajanam- Offering of camphor enkindled to have a better look of
the Supreme both within and without
16.Atma Pradakshina Namaskaram- Prostration before the Lord as a mark of
self-surrender after making a parikrama.

(1) Aavahan or Invocation or Praan Prathishta: We invite the Invisible
Supreme Soul to manifest through the idol or photo that we keep in front
of us for our prayers or Puja, or we imagine that God is residing in it
or we imagine that God manifested in and through the idol or photo
accepting our prayers or imagine that the idol or photo has life and God
is accepting our prayers through the Idol or photo.

(2) Asan or Simhasan or Throne: As we cannot and do not have the
capacity to offer a magnificent throne to Lord, Who is the owner of the
whole universe, we offer HIM a seat, according to our capacity, thinking
that HE feels comfortable, and start decorating it inwardly with all
kinds of precious stones, jewels, gold, flowers, cushions, etc., the
best we can think of and request the Lord to be seated to accept our
offerings.

(3) Padyam. This includes the symbolic offering of water for washing the
feet. This custom dates back since the days when very few used to wear
shoes or chappals and those days without convenient transport facility.
Offering water to wash the dust and dirt off the feet. It is also a sign
of respect to offer water to wash one’s feet. We can see the references
to this act in our scriptures, especially with reference to Rishis,
Sages, etc. We also do Pada Puja (worshipping the holy feet) to Saints
in our houses.

(5) Achaman: We do Achaman (i.e., we sip water three times with mantras
like Om Govindaya Namaha, Om Narayana Namaha, Om Madhavaya Namaha,
etc.)
facing or sitting towards East to cleanse our inner-self (Antharangam)
with the water purified with Mantras, so that any thoughts that we might
have entertained either before or after starting Puja will vanish from
our mind. Like this, we purify ourselves. As we cleanse our body by
taking bath, we cleanse our inner-self by taking water saturated or
purified with Mantras.
Again here water is offered to God with a view that HE washes HIS face.
It is the tradition in our houses that whenever any guest comes from
outside, after ushering him into the house, we give him water for
drinking as well as washing or at least sprinkling water on the face so
that the guest feels relieved of the tiredness and strain of the
journey.

(6) Snanam/Bath: Bath given to the God with Ganga Jal or milk, or honey,
or with perfumed water, etc.

(7) Vastra Yugmam: Then we offer good clothes to God and decorate HIM
with excellent quality clothes, according to our capacity, as we do to
our children on their birthdays

(8) Yagnopaveetam: We then offer HIM Yagnopaveetam, a sacred thread
placed across the left shoulder and the right bottom part of the trunk

(9) Gandham: We offer God scented chandan (sandal paste) so as to give
coolness to HIS body. The royal kings used to do this in the olden days.
We offer Oordhwapundram or decorate God with Tilak or some such
decoration to God’s face. The next step is Alankar God with Abharanas or
jewels. As we feel that by wearing such and such ornaments, we look
beautiful or we beautify ourselves with all kinds of alankaras, the same
way, we should also feel that the Lord is Self only and we should
decorate HIM with the same feeling and purpose so that HE looks
beautiful.

(10) Pushpa Puja (Archana): We offer flowers to God with a lot of love
and devotion to please HIM. Of late it has become a practice to offer
broken or withered flowers, may be due to scarcity and sky-racketing
prices of flowers, but, in fact, it must not be done so. God is full of
compassion and mercy and HE does not protest, as HE understands our
compulsions. We should offer a flower for each one of HIS sacred and
kalyana name that we recite, whether it is Ashtothra or Sahasranama.
Here we should always remember one very important point that most of us
just throw flowers and Akshatas at God, in a routine way. But, it is not
the right procedure. We should recite the names of our Lord with a lot
of love and affection and with each name that we recite with love and
bhava (feeling), we offer a flower to the Lord in such a way that first
we bring the flower near to our chest or heart and offer it at the feet
of Lord with a feeling that, Oh God! I am offering my heart (Colorful
Hridaya Pushp) at Your Lotus Feet. Kindly accept it and remove all my
Doshas such as Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Mada, Macharya, Irsha, Dwesha,
Ahankara, etc. Kindly take me into your fold my Lord. That is the
essence or meaning behind offering colorful flowers to Lord. Bhava is
very important in all our spiritual (of course, even in social)
activities. The same method is applicable while offering Akshitas or
Kumkum or any such offering to Lord. It should always be humble, and
never routine and mechanical. In other words, Archana is the heartfelt
offering of Love to God. In Archana a devotee calls God with a variety
of names as a loved one is called by different names affectionately.

(11) Dhoopam: Dhoop represents the Gandh (fragrance) aspect of the
senses. A Satvic sense of depicting a pure Gandha sense is the Dhoop. As
we give Dhoop to babies in our residences, which is still in vogue in
villages, especially in rainy season, so as to make the skin dry and
fresh and protect them from diseases like cold, etc., due to high
content of water in the air, we offer Dhoop to Lord also.

(12) Deepam: Deepam is the Tejas or fire aspect. We light the lamp
immediately after Dhoop with a view to see Lord more clearly and also to
witness the beauty and majesty of the Lord is after alankaras.

The words Tamasoma Jyothirgamaya, indicate the essence of bhava behind
keeping a lamp in front of the Lord. The spiritual significance is: Oh
God! Light my heart with the prakasha of knowledge and dispel the
darkness of ignorance. It also signifies that the (true) Atman is
revealed if one lights his heart with the lamp of Pure Love and Right
Knowledge. With this bhava at heart, we light a lamp (Diya) or lamps in
front of God. The other angle to this is that the lamp indicates
auspicious sign. It has an important position in the Puja of Hindus. The
main reason for keeping the lamp in front of God is that it is a sign of
good omen (Mangala or Shubha kaarakam). The other reason is that in the
olden days, where there was no electricity or limited use of
electricity, our ancestors used to keep lamp(s) in front of God, so as
to see HIS image or photo or HIS Divya Rupa clearly. Probably, even
today one can notice in olden temples, in the sanctum sanctorum, that
they do not keep or allow electricity bulbs. They show the God to
devotees with the help of Aarati. Another reason, which I feel true, is
that after we decorate God we perform Aarati, immediately after offering
Dhoop with an anxiety or eagerness or desire to see how the Lord looks
and see the Deity to one’s heart content. The light in front of the
Deity will help us to see the image more clearly, especially in the
smoke of Dhoopam

(13) Naivedyam: Naivedyam is the Rasa (taste) aspect of the senses. We
offer all kinds and varieties of delicious food items, which include
sweets, fruits, etc., to God, with all love, as if Ma Yashoda is feeding
Krishna, or Mata Sabari is offering fruits, although tasted first, to
Lord Rama. See the Bhava here. In fact, I was told that coconut is not
compulsory in Puja, but somehow it has become a part of it now. (The
meaning and purpose of breaking a coconut is dealt with separately and
will follow later).

(14) Thaambulam/Betel Leaves: As we offer Nut-powder (Supari) or Paan to
guests at the end of a meal, we offer Lord betel leaves with supari (nut
powder and spices) so that HE digests easily whatever we offered to HIM
to eat. Here we should not offer HIM money, as it is offered only when
we offer Dakshina.

(15) Neeraajanam: After completing all the above Upachaaraas to Lord, we
do Neerajanam with a view to remove any Drishti Dosha (evil sight) as we
all know that HE has a wonderful personality and added to it, HE has
been decorated so well and looking so handsome that it is very difficult
for a devotee to take away his sight from HIM. This we do with pure love
as we do it to our own small children. It is the practice in our
houses/temples that immediately after Aarati, we pay our respects to
that camphor flame by putting our palms over it and putting those hands
on our eyes. But, I was told that, it is wrong, because the intention
behind giving Aarati is to remove any evil sight (Drishti Dosha) and
also to show God more clearly to the devotees, but not for any other
purpose. As we do not pay respects to such activity when we do it for
our children, the same way, we should not do it in temples or at homes
after Aarati. And that flame should be kept aside and sprinkle a few
drops of water to remove Dosha, as we wash the legs and hands of our
children and wipe the eyes with water, immediately after removing
Drishti Dosha.

Neerajanam signifies the end of Sakara or Bahya (outward) Puja and is at
the end to denote that all the Doshas and impurities will vanish in thin
air after burning the Ajnan in the Jnanagni or Tapas.

(16) Atma pradakshina, Mantra pushpam and Uavasana: We offer flowers and
Akshatas with Mantras to Lord. It is done mainly to highlight and
explain the divinity, greatness, compassion and love of God over HIS
subjects or devotees.

Significance of Arunachalam Temple Giri Pradakshina
The act of walking around the hill in a clockwise direction, with the right side facing the object of adoration, is known as “Giri Pradakshina.”
Pradakshina signifies the removal of sins, fulfillment of desires, freedom from future births, and deliverance through knowledge (jnana).
According to Sri Ramana Maharshi, each step taken during Pradakshina brings increasing levels of happiness: one step for happiness in this world, two steps for happiness in heaven, and three steps for the bliss of Satyaloka.
During Pradakshina, one can choose to maintain silence (mouna), engage in meditation (dhyana), repeat the Lord’s name (japa), or participate in devotional singing (sankeertana), while constantly contemplating on God.
Siddhars, revered spiritual practitioners, are believed to still reside on the hill according to tradition.
The town of Tiruvannamalai features an octagonal structure due to the presence of eight lingams placed in eight directions.
The eight lingams are Indra Lingam, Agni Lingam, Yama Lingam, Niruthi Lingam, Varuna Lingam, Vayu Lingam, Kubera Lingam, and Esanya Lingam.

Arunachalam Giri Pradakshina Full Details
The total Arunachalam Temple Giri Pradakshina distance covered to walk around the hill is 14km which takes 3hrs to 4hrs.
Preferably Arunachalam Temple Giri Pradakshina’s timings to walk would be 4:00 am, 4:00 pm, or 10 pm onwards.
Darshan may take 6 to 7 hours, be prepared to stand in long queue lines.
Giri Pradakshina can be performed any time in a year, but its auspicious on full moon days.
One can witness higher crowds during Full moon days.
Two pathways: outer pathway (commonly traveled) with Temples, Asta Lingams, Tirthams, and Shrines.
The inner path is available for Girivalam but closed due to security reasons.
The inner path passes through the forest and is covered with stones, making it difficult to walk without footwear.

Aunachalam Temple Giri Pradakshina Map Routes
You have to start your Arunachala Giri Pradakshina (girivallam) from Arunachaleswarar Temple, and then follow Ashta Lingas starting with Indra linga, Agni, Yama, Niruthi, Surya, Vayu, Kubera and finally Eesanya Linga.

Tips for Arunachalam Giri Pradakshina
Giri Pradakshina can be tiring, especially for those unaccustomed to daily walking.
Start early, preferably from 4 am onwards, for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.
Some lingam temples along the way open after 5 am, so plan accordingly.
Stop at the Hanuman temple to see a 150-year-old Sanyasi in meditation for personal benefit.
Continuously gaze at the mountain while reciting the Siva mantra within oneself, particularly auspicious on full moon days.
Many people walk barefoot during the pilgrimage as spirituality is a personal experience.
Consider taking an auto tour the day before to familiarize yourself with the Girivalam route.
Read up on the proper way to complete the Girivalam for a fulfilling experience (agasthiar.com website).
Encounter sadhus living on the streets and sleeping under trees along the route.
The complete walk takes around 4 hours or more, with short stops at main Lingam temples en route.
In conclusion, the Arunachalam Temple Giri Pradakshina in Tiruvannamalai is a worshiped pilgrimage that holds immense significance for Hindu devotees. While the walk can be physically challenging, it is considered a must for those seeking spiritual blessings. Starting early in the morning, paying visits to the Lingam temples, and experiencing the presence of ancient sages add depth to the journey. The Giri Pradakshina provides an opportunity for introspection, devotion, and a deep connection with the divine. Embarking on this sacred path is a transformative experience that leaves a lasting imprint on the hearts and minds of the pilgrims.

How does one prepare for Girivalam (Giri Pradakshina) at Thiruvannamalai? Seeking advice on stay, items needed to carry with, making reservations etc.
Thiruvannamalai is a reasonably big town. There are plenty of hotels to suit various budgets. If you want to stay in some Ashrams (like Ramanasramam, Yogi Ramsurath Kumar Ashram, Seshadri swamigal ashram etc) you have to make advance inquiries. Search and get details from the respective websites. Ramanasramam normally puts the condition that those who intend to stay there should be devotees of Ramana Maharshi.

Food is generally good in most Tamil Nadu towns, but they will be predominantly south Indian. If you look for north Indian food, do Google search and locate appropriate hotels to stay.

For going to Annamalayar Temple or for ‘girivalam’ (Giri Pradakshina), modest Indian dress code is desirable. For men the dress code is Shirt & full trouser, Dhoti or Pyjamas with upper cloth. For women the preferred dress code is saree or half-saree with blouse or chudidhar with pyjama and upper cloth.

Thiruvannamalai is normally a hot place. October, November, December are rainy seasons. I don’t think it rains heavily in Thiruvannamalai. December, January and February are nice, reasonably cool times. Not so cool needing sweaters! But if you intend to go on Girivalam early morning in these months, some extra protection may be needed. Once the sun comes out bright, it gets hot.

I noramally prefered starting the girivalam early morning by 4 AM , and ending by 10 AM. Girivalam should mean walking only. Taking a round in two-wheeler, auto, or taxi is of no use. If you are staying somewhere in the route of Girivalam, you can start from there and end there. (I normally stayed at Ramanasramam and started and ended my pradakshina at it, after visiting the Temple which is in the route). Many people begin the walking from Arunachala temple and end it there.

There is yet another temple known as the Adi Annamalayar temple somewhere at half the travel route. It requires a little extra walk from the girivalam path to reach the temple and comeback to track. There are several small lingas to worship en route.

Almost half of the girivalam route actually constitutes a couple of busy main roads of Thiruvannamalai. The other side is more peaceful, scarcely crowded, with much less traffic. It is more scenic, greener, rural and serene. It is also a tarred road only.

You can carry drinking water with you and some fruits and snacks if you prefer. You will find lots of alms seekers en route and, if you prefer to donate some money to them and also to the small-temple priests, please carry loose cash in small denominations.

The ideal way to undertake girivalam is to go alone, chanting your mantra and filling your mind with devotion. Ramana Maharshi recommends slow walking. He says girivalam is walking-meditation. Of course the Arunachala hill is always there in your vicinity as you walk around, and the hill is verily the physical manifestation of Lord Shiva.

If you are going with a company, it is better to avoid unnecessary chitchatting and concentrate on chanting your mantra.

Many people say that doing girivalam on the full moon night is highly rewarding. But it will be an extremely crowded affair, with lots of noise and commercial distractions. I personally prefer to avoid it, since the girivalam is meant for personal spiritual experience, and not to be treated as a picnic or fair.

All the best to you for a peaceful and spiritually enriching pilgrimage.

The Significance of the Giri-Pradakshina on each day of the week!
The Significance of the Giri-Pradakshina on each day of the week!

Sunday – A devotee who circumambulates the Hill on a Sunday penetrates the region of the Sun and attains Liberation. He gains the world of Shiva.

Monday – He who circumambulates the Hill on a Monday lives free from the affliction of old age and death.

Tuesday – He who circumambulates the Hill on a Tuesday is released from all debts and becomes an emperor.

Wednesday – If Pradakshina is done on a Wednesday, one becomes omniscient and wise.

Thursday – On Thursday, the devotee who circumambulates the Holy Hill, is worshipped by all Devas and attains fame as a Guru.

Friday – Circumambulating the Hill on a Friday brings prosperity and takes one to the abode of Vishnu.

Saturday – A Saturday Pradakshina brings worldly success and averts the ill-effects threatened by the planets in one’s horoscope.

Adi Pradakshina (Step by Step Walk) – Powerful Remedy for Saturn
Pradakshina is a sanskrit word that means circumambulation where you walk around the deity in a circle as a form of expressing our devotion and worship.

Adi Pradakshina is a special type of Pradakshina and it is one of the best remedies for Saturn. You can do this for a few minutes every day at home or at a temple.

How to do Adi Pradakshina?

Keep a strong intention of what you want, and surrender it to the divine.
If you are doing it at home, keep your favorite deity as the central point and go around it in clockwise direction.
You start walking with right foot in front, then the left foot comes in close contact with the right foot, then again the right foot comes in close contact with the left foot, and it goes on like it.
You take short strides based on the size of your feet.
It is important to maintain silence and keep your attention on the divine during this process.
You can chant the mantra given below when you begin and you can continue with your favorite mantra until you complete.

यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मान्तरकृतानि च ।

तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणपदे पदे ॥

पदे पदे या परिपूजकेभ्यः सद्योऽश्वमेधादिफल ददाति ।

तां सर्वपापक्षयहेतुभूतां प्रदक्षिणां ते परितः करोमि ॥

Yaani Kaani Cha Paapaani Janmaantara-Krtaani Cha |

Taani Sarvaanni Nashyanti Pradakssinna-Pade Pade ||

Pade Pade Yaa Paripuujakebhyah Sadyoshvamedha-adi-Phala Dadaati |

Taam Sarva-Paapa-Kssaya-Hetu-Bhuutaam Pradakssinnaam Te Paritah Karomi ||

Meaning:

(O Lord, Please accept this Pradakshina)

1: Whichever Sins have been committed in various Births, …

2: … All those gets destroyed with every Step of the Pradakshina (Circumambulation),

3: She who at every Step (of the Pradakshina performed) every day, offers worship (to the God), (that act) which gives the Fruits of Ashwamedha Yagya and others, …

4: … and becomes the cause of the destruction of all her Sins, … I do the Pradakshina (Circumambulation) all around You (with the same attitude)

Lyrics and Translation Credit – Greenmesg

Significance

The 12th house represents our feet in astrology. Saturn is the karaka (significator) of the 12th House. Jupiter owns the natural 12th house of the zodiac (Pisces) and Venus gets exalted in the natural 12th house.

When you do the Adi Pradakshina with complete devotion it brings a lot of patience and perseverance (the qualities that Saturn wants us to learn), it is also a form of tapasya (Saturn is the karaka of tapasya).

When done with utmost sincerity and devotion it brings out the unconditional love for the divine (exalted venus) and fulfillment of all our desires (Jupiter).

Get the Personalized Saturn in Capricorn report for more such remedies.

Pradakshinam’s advantages in Hinduism
The Sanskrit term “circumambulation,” or walking around in a “circle,” is “Pradakshinam.” In Hindu ceremonies, this is a part of the worship. The devotee walks around the garbha griha, the temple deity’s innermost chamber in the shrine. A sacred fire (Agni), the Tulsi plant, and the Peepal tree are also used by Hindus. Parikrama is also a name for it.
Pradakshinam literally means “to the right” (dakshina means “right”). To keep the deity on our right side, we therefore perform Pradakshinam on our left side. Pradakshina is usually performed after traditional worship (pooja) and paying respects to the deity have been completed. Pradakshinam must be performed meditatively by devotees.

According to the Rig Vedic verses, the word “Pra” means “very much.” It also serves as a verb prefix and means “forward” or “onward.” Pradakshinam continues south to Dakshinam. Therefore, inside the garbha griha, one faces the deity on their right side. As a result, the circumambulation is Dakshinacharam, or fortunate.

The Skanda Purana says that “Pra” gets rid of sin, “Da” gives you what you want, “Ksi” gets rid of Karma, and “Na” gives you salvation.
When performing yajnas or poojas, Hindus circumnavigate the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and the deities at home in a clockwise direction. Our existence is centered on God. He is everywhere. As a result, when we practice Pradakshinam, we acknowledge that God is at the center of everything we do and think.

Regardless of the distance we travel during the Pradakshina, the center point remains constant. The eternal truth that God is the focal point of human existence and the center of gravity is brought to mind by this. Pradakshinam is based on this idea.
The distance between each point on a circle’s circumference and its center is the same. Therefore, we are all equally close to God, regardless of where we are or who we are. He extends his grace without favoritism or bias.

According to Adi Sankaracharya, real Pradakshinam is meditating on the fact that thousands of universes revolve around God, the unchanging center of all forms.

The sun is the center of the solar system, and the planets revolve around it. In a similar manner, God occupies the center of Pradakshinam. The Pradakshinam must be performed slowly and never hurriedly, and our thoughts and actions must be directed toward God. Because we believe that God is on our right side, Pradakshinam always moves in the opposite direction of the clock. We are reminded to live a righteous life by it.

Benefits of Pradakshinam
The first Pradakshinam gets rid of all sins, including the sin of killing Brahmins (Brahmahathya). The second Pradakshinam makes you an adhikaari, which means you are qualified for material and spiritual pursuits, and the third Pradakshinam helps you get naindra-sampaada, which are the pleasures of life that lead to salvation. The most beneficial dosage is 21 Pradakshinams per day. They can get rid of one’s ego, whether they are aware of it or not. The ability to let go of one’s ego is one important reason to visit temples.

There must be a center point in order to draw a circle. God is our life’s center, source, and essence. This is acknowledged by Pradakshinam. We carry out our daily tasks because we know that God is the center of our lives. The significance of Pradakshinam lies in this.

Legend behind Pradakshinam
The significance of Pradakshina is the subject of a well-known legend. One time, Shiva instructed his sons Muruga and Ganesha to travel the universe to acquire “worldly experience.” While Muruga rode his peacock around the world for many years, Ganesha only traveled around his parents once. He claimed that he had already circumvented the universe because his parents contained the entire universe!

Significance of Pradakshinam
One aspect of Hinduism’s Shodashopachara, or the sixteen-step worship of a deity, is Pradakshinam. Positive energies build up around the idol or temple because Veda Mantras are chanted frequently in the temple grounds. As a result, practicing Pradakshinam purifies the mind and allows one to absorb the divine aura and positive energy that surround the deity.

Pradakshinam is also a type of expansion called Prayaschitta. In a meditative state, one must perform it with complete humility and devotion and focus on the deity in question. Pradakshina is both a state of total surrender before the deity and a way to show respect and obeisance. It should be done slowly and with your hands folded.

Types of Pradakshinam
Atma Pradakshinam is the practice of circumambulating oneself and recognizing one’s own Atma. Giri Valam means to walk around a hill. Adi Pradakshinam: Walking very slowly around a city; When walking forward, one foot’s heel touches the other foot’s toes. Anga Pradakshinam: After bathing in the well or pond of the temple, one rolls around in wet clothes and chants the deity’s name. Poduthal Mutti: kneeling around the temple for the circumambulation.

The following are the main tenets of parikrama: Tulsi plant Peepal tree Sacred Cow (Gho Pradakshinam) The sacred fire (Agni, the fire God) Sometimes, the outermost parikrama path covers the entire village, town, or city.

In the event that their prayers are granted, many devotees swear to carry out Pradakshinam. Therefore, individuals may perform 10, 108, or 1000 rounds following a successful wedding, childbirth, or surgery. Pradakshinams are said to remove sins from one’s present and past lives with each step.

Temples are not necessary locations for the Pradakshina.

Scientific Reason That One Should Visit Temples
Did you know that visiting temples isn’t a moronic practice?

There is indeed science behind it. Read this article till the end to know what it is.

Temple is a word that has Latin origin derived from the Latin word templum.

It is a sacred place reserved for religious and spiritual practices and mainly for idol worship.

Our ancestors haven’t done anything without a reason.

We ignorant people think of them as superstitions. But our ancestors weren’t dumb like us.

They applied science in every aspect of their life.

And there is also an amazing scientific reason for them to introduce temples about which I am gonna share to you my knowledge in this article.

History
During the VEDIC period, there was no concept of idol worship.

They had believed that FIRE is a form of god to which deities of vedic period had offered their worship! It was Indo-Aryans who started building temples.

The concomitant reason for them to build temples was idol worship.

Parts of a typical temple

Reservoir
A reservoir often referred to as kalyani is present in front of the temple if the temple is away from a natural water source. The water from this kalyani is used for doing abhisheka or giving a divine bath for the idol. It is used for cleaning the temple premises as well as a taking bath before entering the temple.
Out of Yard Pavilion
The out yard of the temple often called NATA MANDAPA OR OR JAGATI which is decorated with paintings or stories of god. It is a raised platform where deities sit and meditate, dancers perform their dance and people sit for a while after their visit to temples.
Vestibule
It is a transition hall between jagati and garbhagriha. It is also pillared and bells are hung from the temple ceiling for deities to ring when an offering is performed. It is the place where deities are asked to stand and pray to the god when an offering is performed.
Sanctum Sanctorum
It is often called garbhagriha where the idol which is worshiped is placed. Only priests are allowed to enter garbhagriha and pray on behalf of deities.
Dome and Steeple
It is often called as shikara and kalasa. Shikara is mountain shaped and is of great height. And is normally made of stone. And kalasa is placed on the topmost part of the shikara which is made of metal or alloy.

Reasons
I have introduced to you parts of the temple.

Now I will tell you the scientific reason behind visiting temples.
Temples are constructed on an elevated place or on the tallest mountain in the town.

It is to trap the earth’s magnetic field! Yes, the keen reason of visiting temples is to gain magnetic energy.

The kalasa of a temple which is made of metal traps maximum magnetic energy and transfers it across the shikara. The shikara in turn transfers to the entire temple.

Garbhagriha is chosen in such a way where magnetic energy is maximum in that entire place.

Idol is placed inside the garbhagriha where magnetic energy is maximum and exactly above the idol, the temple’s kalasa is placed so that idol experience maximum magnetic energy.

Idol is made up of metals or alloys so that it can trap the earth’s magnetic field and get magnetically charged.

People are allowed to visit temples early in the morning and it remains closed during nights.

It is because the magnetic energy is high during nights and the temple could get magnetically charged for the entire night!

Early in the morning, the priest gives a divine bath to the idol. The water used for giving a divine bath is given to deities as theertha or holy water.

As the idol is magnetically charged for the entire night, the water flowing on the idol also get magnetically charged.

Deities drinking this theertha also gets magnetically charged which cures certain ailments in their body.

We often go round the garbhagriha by touching the stone made garbhagriha.

It is also to gain magnetic energy from the stones.

Women are asked to wear ornaments to temples because metals can trap maximum energy.

They are given flowers that were used to decorate the idol as it also shares a part of energy trapped overnight.

After the offering is done, people sit in jagathi and pray to god.

It clears the mind and gives peace to our soul. It alters one’s thoughts and ideas and changes his perspective of life.

There are much more advantages in visiting temples which is not a dumb practice and has a great scientific reason behind it.

I hope this article was helpful for you to know more about temples. It was really amazing writing this article. I hope you enjoyed reading this…

Significance of half pradakshina of Shiva Linga
SIGNIFICANCE OF HALF PRADAKSHINA AROUND SHIVLINGA

SIGNIFICANCE OF PRADAKSHINA

The Garbhagriha is located in the center of the temple where maximum magnetic waves of the earth are present. The Deity Idols are placed in the center of the temple.

One of the most significant rituals of Hindu religion is Circumambulation popularly known as Pradakshina.

Dakshina literally means south. The Veda suggests that one’s right side must face the deity while taking the in the clockwise direction also known as Dakshinacharam or auspicious.

The pradakshina is also carried out around Tulsi plant, Holy Fire, Peepal tree and also around the outer area of the temple. Pradakshina is done in a meditative form after the ritual of puja is over.

HALF PRADAKSHINA OF SHIVA LINGA

In this way, one Pradakshina is completed.

SIGNIFICANCE OF HALF PRADAKSHINA OF SHIVA LINGA

According to Shastras and Shivpurana, only half-parikrama must be carried out by the devotees around the Shiva Linga.

This practice is justified by explaining that, Shiva is both ‘Aadi’ & ‘Anant’. Aadi meaning first or beginning and Anant means everlasting.

Thus, the divine and endless energy (Shakti) flowing from him is represented in the form of Nirmili which is the narrow outlet from where the milk and water flows.

It is a sacred part of the Shivling and should never be over-stepped.

According to an old legend, there was a king named Gandharva who was a devotee of Shiva.

Once, after performing the ‘abhishek’ on Shiva Linga, he started doing Pradakshina and by mistake over-stepped the Nirmili and in no time the king lost all his powers, might and intelligence.

Because of overstepping the Nirmili, the king had to face the wrath of Lord Shiva.

Hence, the ancient scriptures mention about the procedure of half Pradakshina for Lord Shiva.

In the ancient times, the Nirmili of the Shiv Linga was built in such a way that no one could see it as it was dug deep inside the earth surface.

Therefore, there was no fear of over stepping it. But, in present times, the Nirmili is built above the earth’s surface.

Hence it is advised, that one should only perform half Pradakshina of Shiva Linga.

Pradakshina- The significance of circumambulation around a deity or plant
What is Pradakshina
Pradakshina is made of two syllables. “Pra” means “prominent” or “famous” or the “best” and “dakshina” indicates the direction ie. to the right.

Pradakshina means prominently moving to the right side that is auspicious and eventual.

When we perform Pradakshina we circumambulate in clockwise direction and God always remains to our right side that symbolizes auspiciousness.

This is just to remind ourselves to lead an auspicious and righteous life.

From the Rig Vedic verses Rig: 2.42.3 and 2.43.1 –” Pra as an adjective means very much. Pra can also come as aprefix to verbs and take on the meaning of onward, forward.

Onward to Dakshinam or south is pradakshina.

When one does that, one’s right side is facing the deity inside the garbhagraham and the circumambulation is Dakshinacharam or auspicous as recommended by the Veda. “

Skanda Purana Ch.9 v.68 -In the word Pra-Da-Ksi-Na the syllable Pra dispels sin, the syllable Da bestows what is desired, the syllable Ksi causes the destruction of Karman and the syllable Na is the bestower of salvation.

Pradakshina means circumambulation (Parikrama) around the intended idol/icon in a temple which is a form of worship that is in vogue in Hindu religion and culture (Bharateeya Samskruti) since time immemorial.

Generally we come across devout Hindus taking Pradakshina around;

Thulasi plant;
Aswatta Vruksha;
Sacred Cow (Gho Pradakshina);
Sacred fire;
Temple deity like;
Lord Hanuman, Ganeshji, Subramanya Swamy, Devi/Andal
Sri Raaghavendra Swamy Brindavana,
Navagraha etc.

Apart from normal Pradakshina, we come across special types of Pradakshina like…Giri Pradakshina (Girivallam of the famous Shri Arunanchaleshwara mountain in Tiruvannamalai)
Anga Pradakshina (as done at Shri Balaji Devasthanam at Tirumala)
Praakaara Pradakshina
Aatma Pradakshina etc.

Why to do Pradakshina
It is a sort of penance to beseech the God’s grace to get rid of bad karmas that one may be facing in life. The guiding principle behind this is that, if God’s worship is performed with sincere devotion and total surrender it helps in reducing the impact of bad karmas and not by the amount of offerings to the God.

Recognizing God as the focal point in our lives we go about doing our day to day tasks.

God is the centre point/source or essence of our lives and everything revolves around Him.

When we undertake circumambulation every point on the circumference is equi-distance from the centre i.e, the God and we are equally close to the God and His grace flows impartially towards us.

Benenfits of Pradakshina
With regular chanting of divine Veda manthras in the temple it is believed that there will be accumulation and roaming of positive vibrations/energy around the idol/temple.

Read here for what to do in temple.
The mind will get purified, the devotee absorbs the positive energy and gets the divine aura that surrounds the Deity.

This is a form of Prayaschitta (expiation).

It should be performed with utmost humility and devotion in a meditative mood with focus on the concerned deity and not just as a routine.
It is performed as a mark of respect, obeisance and total surrender to the deity.

It should be performed slowly and not in a hurry with our thoughts and actions dwelled on the God with folded hands.
According to its merits it will tone down the sins; cause destruction of Karma; bestows upon what is desired; leading to the path of salvation.
Yaanikaani cha paapaani janmaanthara kruthaani cha
Thaani thaani vinasyanthi pradakshina padae padae
Meaning: let lapses and blemishes made in this current as well as the previous births and resultant afflictions perish with every pradakshina.

One of the austerities prescribed for Chaturmaasya Vratha is Laksha Pradakshina.

It involves walking around an icon or idol in a temple one lakh times.

Apparently it looks difficult even for a normal healthy person to complete the same during four months period.

What is important is that, one should understand the significance of Pradakshina and Lakh is only indicative that it should be in abundant numbers according to one’s capacity (yathashakti) and physical condition.

Why do we do parikrama (go around) deity idols or temples
Pradakshina (Sanskrit), meaning circumambulation, consists of walking around in a ‘circle’ as a form of worship in Hindu ceremonies in India.

The devotees walk around the garbha griha, the innermost chamber of the shrine housing the temple deity.

It is done around sacred fire (Agni), trees and plants as well.

Thus Pradakshina is done around Tulsi plant and Peepal tree.

Pradakshina or Parikrama is done in pilgrimage centers also.

Pradakshina literally means: to the right (Dakshina means right).

So in Pradakshina, one goes to the left hand direction to keep the deity around the Sanctum Sanctorum on one’s right side.

Pradakshina is one of the customary aspects of going to a temple.

Typically, Pradakshina is done after the completion of traditional worship (pooja) and after paying homage to the deity.

Pradakshina is supposed to be done with a meditative mood.

From the Rig Vedic verses Rig: 2.42.3 and 2.43.1 –” Pra as an adjective means very much.

Pra can also come as a prefix to verbs and take on the meaning of onward, forward.

Onward to Dakshinam or south is pradakshina .

When one does that, one’s right side is facing the deity inside the garbhagraham and the circumambulation is Dakshinacharam or auspicous as recommended by the Veda.

“Skanda Purana Ch.9 v.68 -In the word Pra-Da-Ksi-Na the syllable Pra dispels sin, the syllable Da bestows what is desired, the syllable Ksi causes the destruction of Karman and the syllable Na is the bestower of salvation.

Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner?
Hindus go round the sanctum sanctorium in the temples and sometimes the deities in the pujas or yajnas at home in a clockwise direction.

We always assume God is the center of our existence.

He also exists everywhere. So when we do Pradakshina or circumambulation, we accept that our actions and thoughts are always centred around God.

The center point is always fixed and remains the same at whatever distance we do the pradakshina.

So we are reminded of the eternal truth that God is the center of gravity and the main focus of our existence.

This is the main principle of Pradakshinam.

The world is always rotating around itself on its own axis as well as around the sun.

All the planets also rotate on their own axes.

This is called rotation and their rotation on their orbits is called revolution.

Just like in solar system, the sun is at the center around which the planets rotate, our pradakshinams should be done with god at the center.

The Pradakshinam should be done slowly and never in a hurry, Our thoughts and actions must dwell on God.

It is normal to do Pradakshinam always in a clockwise direction.

This is because we assume that Lord is always on our right side.

This reminds that we must always lead a righteous life , in the right path called Dharma.

Skanda Purana Ch.9 v.28
The sins committed by the mind are destroyed by the first step (of pradaksina), the sins committed in speech by the second and the sins perpetrated by the body by the third step

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), generally there padakshinas are done in a temple in Kerala.

Accordingly the first padakshina destroys all sins including brahmahathya papa (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 final liberation).

A number of twenty one pradakshinas in a day is considered most beneficial as per Swayambhoo aagama.

Further he makes pradakshinas (devotional rounds) slowly with folded hands and visualizing the deity in his mind all the time.

All these actions knowingly or unknowingly have salutary effect to ward off the ego from the mind of the devotee.

It is noteworthy that the purpose of temple worship is never achieved unless one understands that visits to temples are temples are meant to help the devotee to shed his ego.

The purpose of visits to temples is one’s own cultural emancipation which functions on functions on fundamental values known as dharma.

Significance of doing Pradakshina
We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. We acknowledge this by performing Pradakshina.

Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores.

This is the significance of Pradakshina.

Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the centre.

This means that wherever we may be or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord.

His grace flows towards us without partiality.

According to Adi Sankaracharya, real Pradakshina is the meditation that thousands of universes are revolving around the Great Lord, the unmoving centre of all forms.

There is a popular legend about the significance of Pradakshina.

Once Lord Shiva wanted his two sons, Ganesha and Subrahmanya, to get “worldly experience” and asked them take a “tour of the universe”. While Subrahmanya spent decades traveling the world on his peacock, Ganesha just walked a full circle around his mother and father and is believed to have explained “since the world is contained within you, I have already encircled the world”!

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Why Do We Do Pradikshna?

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ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ

“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”