[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: tilak - dot on forehead
-
To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
-
Subject: Re: tilak - dot on forehead
-
From: patel@crhc.uiuc.edu (Janak H. Patel)
-
Date: 18 Jul 1995 13:23:06 -0500
-
From patel@crhc.uiuc.edu Tue Jul 18 14: 11:27 1995
-
Newsgroups: alt.hindu
-
Organization: Center for Reliable and High-Performance Computing, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
-
References: <3uf5ce$k71@babbage.ece.uc.edu>
Lokeswara Rao <lokes@selway.umt.edu> writes:
>On 11 Jul 1995, Steven A Smith wrote:
> and the subject of tilak came up. We were wondering
>> what the meaning of it was and what it's origin iss? The uusual sources
> (dictionary - encyclopedia) say its a dot on the
>> forehead, but don't explain the "why" of it.
>On a woman, a red dot signifies she is married.
I don't know when this ritual started and what the Hindu mythical
story behind this? Anyone?
>White ash is put after praying. The point in the middle of eyebrows is
>the yogic centre. The ash is supposed to filter evil/bad from entering
>you. Ash also signifies what the world comes to at the end (i.e. material
>things) - reminding you to put less emphasis on worldly things and more
>emphasis on spiritual things. Also, the forehead is the most prominent
>part on a person; the dot reminds other people of god - doing a service
>to mankind.
White ash when put on the whole body, as done by ascetics, symbolizes that
they have been creameted and what remains is ashes and the "atman" (soul).
It in turn signifies that "atman" (soul) is free from the physical form,
and they have reached a higher level of enlightenment.
So I believe that tilak (dot) of ashes is just an abreviated symbol of the
ashes on whole body.
Om Shanti.
