Q. What is the meaning of Shiv Ratri?
A. An auspicious day when one's prayer to Lord Shiva can be answered quickly.
Q. What is the significance of Diwali?
A. A lighting festival during Mahalakshmi worship: and to mark the return of Lord Rama from the forest to Ayodhya; and to mark the defeating of the demon Narkasur by Lord Krishna.
Q. What is the significance of Holika?
A. The burning of Prahalad's wicked aunt whose name was Holika.
Q. What is the meaning of Ram Navami?
A. Lord Ram's birthday which falls on the ninth (Navami) day from the New Moon.
Q. What is the meaning of Krishna Janam or Krishna Ashtami or Janamashtami?
A. Lord Krishna's birthday which falls on the 8th day from the full moon.
Q. What is Kali Pooja?
A. Kali is worshipped as the creative force of God. Killing of animals is a distorted practice. Pararnmhansa Ramakrishna and another Saint Ramprasad, worshipped Kali without killing animals.
Q. What is Kriya Yoga?
A. It is a general term. This phrase is found the first Aphorism of Paatanjal Yoga Philosophy which says that austerity (tapasya), reading scriptures and prayer to God are Kriya Yoga.
Q. What is Aarti?
A. Aarti is a ceremonial offering of love and devotion to the Lord. This is also a “welcoming prayer” to the Lord. Some auspicious symbols are used in this prayer. The symbols used represent the five primeval elements of creation - earth, water, fire, air and ether. Incense and flowers represent the earth; water in the conch-shell represents water element; five lights represent fire; fan is the symbol of air, and blowing of the conch-shell with which we start Aarti is the symbol of ether (aakash).
Courtesy: Hindutvam Vol.1. Published by: Fiji Sevashram Sangha, Suva, Fiji
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