Arati *
Arati - deutsch
Arati - english
1. Arati: (Hindi: आरती ārati, ārtī f.; zu Sanskrit: आराधन ārādhana n. “Homage” or also ārātrika, which takes away the darkness, a ritual at night) Light ceremony or light ritual. Worship of God with offerings (prasad), incense, and a camphor lamp waved clockwise in front of an image of the god. Just as the camphor burns without residue, the human ego is completely transformed into pure love by the divine spark.
Light is waved in front of the altar. It is both a sacrifice and a symbol of bringing light and enlightenment through spiritual actions and burning all negativities. The mantras repeated in the process invoke the various aspects of God and the energies of the masters. The passing of the flame over the light symbolizes the purification of our mind, the absorption of light, and the awakening of the third eye. Prasad is the offering to God. Fruit or sweets are offered to God, which are then distributed among those present.