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Towards the end of every ritualistic worship(pooja or
bhajan) of the Lord or to welcome an honoured guest or saint, we perform
the aarati. This is always accompanied by the ringing of the bell and
sometimes by singing, playing of musical instruments and clapping. It is
one of the sixteen steps (shodasha upachaara) of the pooja ritual. It is
referred to as the lighted lamp in the right hand, which we wave in a
clockwise circling movement to light the entire form of the Lord. Each
part is revealed individually and also the entire form of the Lord. As
the light is waved we either do mental or loud chanting of prayers or
simply behold the beautiful form of the Lord, illumined by the lamp.At
the end of the aarati we place our hands over the flame and then gently
touch our eyes and the top of the head.
We have seen and participated in this ritual from our
childhood. Let us find out why we do the aarati?
Having worshipped the Lord of love - performing
abhisheka, decorating the image and offering fruits and delicacies, we
see the beauty of the Lord in all His glory. Our minds are focussed on
each limb of the Lord as it is lit up by the lamp. It is akin to silent
open-eyed meditation on His beauty. The singing, clapping, ringing of
the bell etc. denote the joy and auspiciousness which accompanies the
vision of the Lord.
Aarati is often performed with camphor. This holds a
telling spiritual significance. Camphor when lit, burns itself out
completely without leaving a trace of it. It represents our inherent
tendencies (vaasanas). When lit by the fire of knowledge which illumines
the Lord (Truth), our vaasanas thereafter burn themselves out
completely, not leaving a trace of ego which creates in us a sense of
individuality that keeps us separate from the Lord. Also while camphor
burns to reveal the glory of Lord, it emits a pleasant perfume even
while it sacrifices itself. In our spiritual progress, even as we serve
the guru and society, we should willingly sacrifice ourselves and all we
have, to spread the "perfume" of love to all. We often wait a long while
to see the illumined Lord but when the aarati is actually performed, our
eyes close automatically as if to look within. This is to signify that
each of us is a temple of the Lord.
Just as the priest reveals the form of the Lord
clearly with the aarati flame, so too the guru revelas to us the
divinity within each of us with the help of the "flame" of knowledge (or
the light of spiritual knowledge). At the end of the aarati, we place
our hands over the flame and then touch our eyes and the top of the
head. It means - may the light that illuminated the Lord light up my
vision; may my vision be divine and my thoughts noble and beautiful. The
philosophical meaning of aarati extends further. The sun, moon, stars,
lightning and fire are the natural sources of light. The Lord is the
source of these wonderous phenomenon of the universe. It is due to Him
alone that all else exist and shine. As we light up the Lord with the
flame of the aarati, we turn our attention to the very source of all
light which symbolises knowledge and life. Also the sun is the presiding
deity of the intellect, the moon, that of the mind, and fire, that of
speech. The Lord is the supreme consciousness that illuminates all of
them. Without Him, the intellect cannot think, nor can the mind feel nor
the tongue speak. The Lordis beyond the mind, intellect and speech. How
can these finite equipment illuminate the Lord? Therefore, as we perform
the aarati we chant;
Na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
Nemaa vidyuto bhaanti kutoyamagnib
Tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam
Tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhaati
He is there where the sun does not shine, Nor the
moon, stars and lightning. then what to talk of this small flame (in my
hand), Everything (in the universe) shines only after the Lord, And by
His light alone are we all illumined. |