Varaha Purana on the 32 Offences that One Should Not Commit at All times
Varaha Purana, a Hindu scripture that predominantly praises Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti, viz., Brahmi, Vaishnavi and Raudri, has mentioned 32 cardinal offences that one ought not to perpetrate at all times:
(1) One should not appear before or enter a deity's temple in a car or palanquin. And, when one enters a temple, one should be unshod.
(2) One should not fail to observe the various festivals in honour of the deity.
(3) One should not avoid prostrating oneself on the bare floor of the temple in deference to the presiding deity of the temple. [Note: Males should perform Attaanga Namaskar, and women should do Panjanga Namaskar].
(4) One should not pay obeisance to the deity in the improper manner. For example, mimicking the act of bowing but performing it with one hand.
(5) One should not perform Atma-pratakshanam when one is in front of the deity. That is,
rotating oneself, i.e., turning around an internal axis (like the Earth turns around its axis) when one is facing the deity in the temple. (The process of circumambulating the temple is that one should begin circumambulating from the deity’s right-hand side of the temple. Such circumambulation should be performed outside the temple structure at least three times daily.)
(6) One should not enter the temple in a contaminated state. (According to Hindu scriptures, if someone, for instance, dies in the family, his family becomes contaminated for a period. The same applies when someone gives birth to a child.) This also refers to one's unclean state, when one has not taken his bath or shower, or when a female has her period.
(7) One should not extend one's legs towards the deity.
(8) One should not sit before the deity holding the ankles, elbows or knees with one’s hands.
(9) One should not lie down before the deity.
(10) One should not eat anything, even if it is prasadam, before the deity.
(11) One should never speak in confidence in the temple or before the deity.
(12) One should not talk loudly before the deity.
(13) One should not talk with others before the Deity. That is, one should not engage in any form conversation that is not related to the deity.
(14) One should not cry or howl before the Deity.
(15) One should not quarrel or fight before the Deity.
(16) One should not chastise, rebuke or reproach anyone before the Deity.
(17) One should not bless others in the temple.
(18) One should not flirt with anyone in the temple.
(19) One should not say anything that is uncharitable, or use any harsh words in the temple.
(20) One should not emit gas from the anus.
(21) One should not wear a fur blanket before the deity.
(22) One should not speak ill of others in the temple.
(23) One should not praise anyone in the temple.
(24) One should not fail to worship the deity according to one’s means.
(25) One should not eat anything which has not been offered to God.
(26) One should not fail to offer seasonal fresh fruit and grains to God.
(27) One should not offer one's food remnant to the deity.
(28) One should not sit with one's back facing the deity.
(29) One should not offer obeisances to anyone in the temple.
(30) One should not fail to honour and praise one's spiritual master.
(31) One should not praise oneself.
(32) One should not deride any deity in any form.
(1) One should not appear before or enter a deity's temple in a car or palanquin. And, when one enters a temple, one should be unshod.
(2) One should not fail to observe the various festivals in honour of the deity.
(3) One should not avoid prostrating oneself on the bare floor of the temple in deference to the presiding deity of the temple. [Note: Males should perform Attaanga Namaskar, and women should do Panjanga Namaskar].
(4) One should not pay obeisance to the deity in the improper manner. For example, mimicking the act of bowing but performing it with one hand.
(5) One should not perform Atma-pratakshanam when one is in front of the deity. That is,
rotating oneself, i.e., turning around an internal axis (like the Earth turns around its axis) when one is facing the deity in the temple. (The process of circumambulating the temple is that one should begin circumambulating from the deity’s right-hand side of the temple. Such circumambulation should be performed outside the temple structure at least three times daily.)
(6) One should not enter the temple in a contaminated state. (According to Hindu scriptures, if someone, for instance, dies in the family, his family becomes contaminated for a period. The same applies when someone gives birth to a child.) This also refers to one's unclean state, when one has not taken his bath or shower, or when a female has her period.
(7) One should not extend one's legs towards the deity.
(8) One should not sit before the deity holding the ankles, elbows or knees with one’s hands.
(9) One should not lie down before the deity.
(10) One should not eat anything, even if it is prasadam, before the deity.
(11) One should never speak in confidence in the temple or before the deity.
(12) One should not talk loudly before the deity.
(13) One should not talk with others before the Deity. That is, one should not engage in any form conversation that is not related to the deity.
(14) One should not cry or howl before the Deity.
(15) One should not quarrel or fight before the Deity.
(16) One should not chastise, rebuke or reproach anyone before the Deity.
(17) One should not bless others in the temple.
(18) One should not flirt with anyone in the temple.
(19) One should not say anything that is uncharitable, or use any harsh words in the temple.
(20) One should not emit gas from the anus.
(21) One should not wear a fur blanket before the deity.
(22) One should not speak ill of others in the temple.
(23) One should not praise anyone in the temple.
(24) One should not fail to worship the deity according to one’s means.
(25) One should not eat anything which has not been offered to God.
(26) One should not fail to offer seasonal fresh fruit and grains to God.
(27) One should not offer one's food remnant to the deity.
(28) One should not sit with one's back facing the deity.
(29) One should not offer obeisances to anyone in the temple.
(30) One should not fail to honour and praise one's spiritual master.
(31) One should not praise oneself.
(32) One should not deride any deity in any form.
Comments
Post a Comment