Why do Hindus offer/break coconuts to god?

      The Hindus believe that the coconut is the purest form of offering that one can
render unto God. The fruit is unique in many respects.

The sweet, nectar-like water that it holds is pure and untouched by the human
hand. The tree draws from its very base to its highest level.

The coarsely knit outer fibers of the coconut represent the jealousy, greed,
lust, selfishness and other vices of man, which must be broken up and removed if
one is to penetrate and reach the white inner purity and thereafter taste the
sweet untouched nectar of spiritual purity and bliss.

No other fruit has the three distinct eyes of the coconut. These symbolize the
Trinity of Evolution - Creation, Preservation and Dissolution.

The eyes also represent the three eyes of man - the two physical eyes plus the
third or 'inner eye' can penetrate the false, outer facade and reach the
ultimate truth. It alone distinguishes right from wrong.

The composition of the coconut is characteristic of the three elements of man.
The hard, outer shell, with its coarse fibers, represents the physical
composition. The inner white fruit represents man's psychological element, and
the untouched water signifies his spiritual composition.

Having been offered to God by way of prayer, the coconut is then eaten by Hindus
as blessed food or prasaada in the belief that it has now received divine
vibrations from God and will therefore give us good health and prosperity.

      The coconut (Sriphala) which is used in the making of a Purna-Kumbha (kalash) is also an independent object of worship. A coconut - Sriphala - the fruit of God, alone is also used to symbolize 'God' while worshipping any deity. The three eyes of the coconut represent the three eyes of Shiva (Trayambaka- Rudra).

      In India one of the most common offerings in a temple is a coconut. It is also offered occasions like weddings, festivals, the use of a new vehicle, bridge, house etc. It is offered in the sacrificial fire whilst performing home. The coconut is broken and placed before the Lord. It is later distributed as prasaada.

The fiber covering of the dried coconut is removed except for a tuft on the top. The marks on the coconut make it look like the head of a human being. The coconut is broken, symbolizing the breaking of the ego. The juice within, representing the inner tendencies (vaasanas) is offered along with the white kernel - the mind, to the Lord.

A mind thus purified by the touch of the Lord is used as prasaada ( a holy gift). In the traditional abhishekha ritual done in all temples and many homes, several materials are poured over the deity like milk, curd, honey, tender coconut water, sandal paste, holy ash etc. Each material has a specific significance of bestowing certain benefits on worshippers. Tender coconut water is used in abhisheka rituals since it is believed to bestow spiritual growth on the seeker. The coconut also symbolizes selfless service. Every part of the tree -the trunk, leaves, fruit, coir etc. Is used in innumerable ways like thatches, mats, tasty dishes, oil, soap etc. It takes in even salty water from the earth and converts it into sweet nutritive water that is especially beneficial to sick people. It is used in the preparation of many ayurvedic medicines and in other alternative medicinal systems.

     

      On Rakhi Purnima (Rakshabandhan day) the coconuts are thrown into the sea as offerings to sea-God Varuna. In western India, the festival is called Nariyal Purnima (Coconut Full Moon).

Significance of Namaste

‘Namaste’ or ‘namaskar’ is the Indian way of greeting each other. Wherever they are – on the street, in the house, in public transport, on vacation or on the phone – when Hindus meet people they know or strangers with whom they want to initiate a conversation, namaste is the customary courtesy greeting to begin with and often to end with. It is not a superficial gesture or a mere word, and is for all people - young and old, friends and strangers.

Namaste and its common variants ‘namaskar,’ ‘namaskaara’ or ‘namaskaram’, is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas. This is normally understood as prostration but it actually refers to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today, when we greet each other.

Meaning :

In Sanskrit the word is namah + te = namaste which means “I bow to you” - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. The word ‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence of another.

Spiritual Significance:

The reason why we do namaste has a deeper spiritual significance. It recognizes the belief that the life force, the divinity, the Self or the God in me is the same in all. Acknowledging this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we honor the god in the person we meet.

Namaste in Prayers:

During prayers, Hindus not only do namaste but also bow and close their eyes, as it were, to look into the inner spirit. This physical gesture is sometimes accompanied by names of gods like ‘Ram Ram’, ‘Jai Shri Krishna’, ‘Namo Narayana’, ‘Om Namah Sivaya’ or just ‘Om Shanti’ – the common refrain in Hindu chants. This is also quite common when two devout Hindus meet - indicating the recognition of the divinity within ourselves and extending a warm welcome to each other.

May the Lord help us also to see His divinity in everybody! Namaste!

Why do Hindu's wear Bindi or dot?

To Signify and protect the third eye.

A bindi represents the third eye in humans for spiritual sight. This third eye is used to see things, which cannot be seen through physical eyes. The bindi helps us cultivate this spiritual vision. It stands as a reminder of the third eye.

It is more significant for Indians to wear Kumkuma than an artificial bindi/sticker. Kumkuma is most often applied by Hindus to the forehead. The reason for this particular location has to do with the ancient Hindu belief that “the human body is divided into seven vortices of energy, called chakras, beginning at the base of the spine and ending at the top of the head. The sixth chakra, also known as the third eye, is centered in the forehead directly between the eyebrows and is believed to be the channel through which humankind opens spiritually to the Divine”. Thus the kumkum is placed at the location of the body which is believed by Hindus to be the most holy.

Do you know what is Kumkuma? It is usually made from  Turmeric root called  Curcuma longa is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. Turmeric is commonly called Pasupu in telugu.  The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color.

When a girl or a married woman visits a house, it is a sign of respect (in case of an elderly lady) or blessings(in case of a young girl) to offer kumkuma to them when they leave. However, it is not offered to widows.

When visiting a Hindu temple, married women from southern India usually dip their ring finger in yellow turmeric powder, and apply a dot on their neck. Men, women, girls, and boys apply a dot on their forehead of red turmeric powder (Kumkuma), also when visiting a temple or during a pooja. In most of India, everyday, married women apply red kumkuma in front of their parting on their forehead as a symbol of marriage. This is called vermilion, or in Hindi, sindoor. Kumkuma in temples is found in heaps. People dip their thumb into the heap and apply it on the forehead or between the eyebrows.

Kumkuma is also widely used for worshiping the Hindu goddesses, especially Shakti , Durga, and Lakshmi, and a kumkuma powder is thrown (along with other mixtures) into the air during Holi (the Festival of Colours), a popular Hindu spring festival.