Krishna Seva

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna to all Vallah Vaishnavs,


Could someone please explain why we do aarti in Pusthimarg?


Thanks

Jsk
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[Sunita Punjabi]

Jai Shri Krishna,

Sitalji this is nicely explained in pushtibhakti.org by Goswamis.

This is a very old ritual performed in idol worshipping in Hindu mythology; that of performing ‘Aarati’. In this ritual cotton wicks dipped in ‘Ghee’ are lighted and this ‘Aarati’ is waved in circular motion in front of the image of worship. In ‘maryada marg’ this is a part of daily ritual and is performed from time to time. In Pushtimarga too, this ritual is performed four times, twice in the morning session of seva and twice in the evening session. In the morning session it is performed during ‘Mangala Darshan’ and during “Rajbhog Darshan’. In the evening session, it is performed in ‘Bhog-Sandhya Darshan’ and ‘Shayan Darshan’. The concept is generally to ward off any evil eyes that might have fallen upon Him. While the ‘Mangala Aarati’ and ‘Sandhya Aarati’ is performed with the ‘bhavana’ of ‘Yashoda Maiya’, who performs ‘Aarati’ to ward off any evil effect of a bad dream that her ‘Laalan’ may have seen in the night, or to ward off the evil eyes of any evil creatures while the ‘Laalan’ was busy looking after the cows in the jungle. The ‘Rajbhog Aarati’ and ‘Shayan Aarati’ is performed with the ‘bhavana’ of the ‘Gopis’ or ‘Vraj Bhakt’ who are in the service of ‘Swaminiji’. They perform ‘Rajbhog Arati’ to remove the ‘Viraha-taap’ that they experienced while He was away. This is the reason why we do not ‘take’ the ‘Aarati’ once it is performed. Once the ‘taap’ is removed, it is not to be taken back as it is the time for ‘Sanyog’. Only in Nathdwara, at ‘Shrinathji’ the ‘Aarati’ is taken because ‘Shrinathji’ is ‘Jagat-Uddharak’. In Vitthalnathji too, after ‘Rajbhog Aarati’ a conch full of water is waved around ‘Shri’ and the water is then sprinkled over the ‘Darshanarthi’s. This ritual is performed to keep the promise given to the ‘Batuk Shastri’ who brought the ‘Swaroop’ of Shri Vitthalnathji on the day of Gosainji’s ‘Prakatya’. He had requested Shri Mahaprabhuji to let this ritual (of taking Aarati) continue on his behalf, therefore instead of ‘taking’ the actual ‘Aarati’, this ‘Sheetal Aarati’ is taken. This ‘Sheetal Aarati’ symbolizes the cool relief of ‘Sanyog’ after the removal of ‘Viraha Taap’.

But in pushtimarg vaishnavs do not do Aarti at home.
_________________
Sunita Punjabi

Mero to Aadhar Shri Vallabh ke Charnarvind
Mere gale ko haar Shri Vallabh ke Charnarvind
Mero to shinghar Shri Vithal ke Charnarvind
Ga-o Varamvar Shri Vallabh ke Charnarvind Shri Vithal ke Charnarvind --------!!!!!!!

[Nirupa]

Jai Shree Krishna

Source: Yamna.co.uk
Author: Pushtidasji
Acknowledgement: My humble thanks to Pushtidasji for letting me to post this article and forefitting the rights for this posting, my sincere thanks.

The reason for Long Diwet:

In Chatursloki Bhagvaatji a very important message was relayed where Shree Thakorji said, that I was only one before the universe (Shrusti) was created, and I will be still there even when there is end of the Universe. All "Sthul" (satt-Visible entity) the truth and Asatt (suxma-invisible entity) were not present. Anything which is visible but has no steady foundation is "MAYA". For instance, when sun goes down we get nights, the darkness, but we never see darkness in Sun itself. Maya has one direction and that is upright direction and Maya will take a fold of an atma and temporarily execute progress in upper vertical mode, hence we see many Mayavi Draviya bring that rise of Falsehood and hopes that are not anant, that is, not forever.

When in Mariyada bhava, we have that rise of Mayavi udbhava and this becomes sadhan (Material) bhakti. That means use Maya, vedas and rituals to get that Satt (true) and Asatt fal (false fal) which is widely known as "Moksha".

To revitalize this kindle of Moksha fal, one has to have nishtha (Faith) towards Lord Shiva (Sankarbhagvan), as He wants Param - ful of Pushtifal and does not desire the Moksha that is plenty in his bode. So Mariyada Bhava is to use Shree ling shaped round vertical Diwet where the "aart" bhava is of Mokshada-bhakt (the entity of realising god to achieve the worldly, materialistic elements for deeds, done by that bhakta. So Moksha is measured according to how much bhakti is done and measure to measure that much Moksha fal is being paid in the return of that Mariyada Bhakti).

Now the vertical position of Diwet is a samadhi awashtha. Samadhi means to evolve one self into God, control all our sense (Indriyo) into one sublime treastie (auntmurkh). So the senses were Bhaimurkh (separated from its actual belonging to God and defying the law of atma is widely known as Bahimurkh and Auntmurkh is opposite of Bahimurkh).

But in Pushtimarga, samadhi means to acquire horizontal sarnagati towards thakorji and finally acquire that Pushti-Parimal fal.

"Aarti" has several meanings. Aarti means to be infactuated (ashkti), it also means once bitten ever smitten, that is once fell in love for Thakorji, then forever that atma longs to stay in that state and the ability to, or state of none darshan, that atma still keeps on working to keep the momentum to be with Thakorji. Aarti also means a light of happiness in atmarama and the light burns to reveal a small salakas (streaks) of smoke, which is Smaran, Ashray and Navdhabhakti arpanam elements. So when Pushti Margiya Vaishnava does Aarti he is burning bhakti, ashtha, Navdha-bhakti vidhaan and as the smoke rises upward, the vaishnava tilts his aarti in a dandvaati-akar so that happiness virtue, elements, bhava, nishtha etc., etc. will flow towards swaroop. Hense we do dandvaat in a physical mode but our atma also does the dandvaat in aarti mode. It is also an attempt to direct the arti-dhuwa (smoke from Diwet) towards Thakorji so he can feel what that vaishnava feels.

Why we always use two vertical shape diwets and not just one?
"Aarti ruchiha Shravanam prem-bhaktayagani, aatmagnanam tatvagnanam bhagvajgnanam gnanam virbhaktivatprabodhah ||"

As "Ruchi" (feelings), "shravan" (digest) and "Prem" (love) are three elements (anga) of Bhakti, these are the elements depicted in the presentation of Aart.

The main body of Aarti is "PREM BHAKTI" and it is called "atma gnan". The two diwets are "Ruchi" and "Shravan" and these two diwet represents "Gnan" and "Tatva Gnan". As vaishnava shows their Bhavyukt and gathers "bhukh"(hunger) and "chit aklaman" (mental anticipation) and Ashakti (infectuation) these are symbolised in the aarti. So two diwet is representing hunger of Bhavna and hunger of Ashakti.

This way the aarti is being a sajavaat of gnan varagiya, hilag bhava and the love (aarti) towards thakorji.
_________________
Jai Shree Krishna
Darshan Abhilasi
Nirupa

[gopal]

Jai Jai ShriGokulesh,

To my best understanding Aarti is the swaroop of taap. Every vaishnavs have the taap bhaav in inner heart. So to represent that taap bhaav, we do aarti.
_________________
Jai Jai ShriGokulesh Parivaar,
Baroda

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna

Thankyou to all vaishnavs for your wonderful explanations, I was amazed to read how much bhav there is related to doing Aarti its wonderful

Thanks

JSK
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital