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Worship has special importance in Hinduism. The main purpose of worship is to please God and get his blessings, so people start worship by meditating on God and meditate and worship according to the rituals.
It is generally believed that any work related to worship should be done with the right hand and the left hand should not be used in work related to God. Traditionally, it is advised to perform any ritual related to God only with the right hand.
Actually, this practice is also one of the many things written in the scriptures. For centuries, we have been following the things written in the scriptures and there are strong cultural, symbolic and scriptural reasons behind this practice of not worshipping with the left hand. Let us know from Jyotishacharya Pandit Ramesh Bhojraj Dwivedi why one should always worship with the right hand and what is the concept written behind this in the scriptures?
The right hand is associated with purity
The cultural context of using the right hand in ritual activities comes from long-standing traditions that associate the right hand with holiness and auspiciousness. The right hand is traditionally seen as the hand of work, purity, and righteousness.
It is always used for sacred rituals, meals, greetings and other reverential activities. In contrast, the left hand is often considered less hygienic and is used for tasks such as personal hygiene, so this hand is not used in worship.
Why is puja done only with the right hand?
Symbolically, the right hand represents positive qualities such as strength, righteousness and good conduct. In broader cultural contexts the right hand also represents a trustworthy person.
Hindu rituals require the body as well as the mind to be positive and the right hand signifies positive energy. On the other hand, when it comes to using the left hand in worship, it emanates negative energy which hinders activities like worship. The right hand is used for the purpose of receiving divine blessings and maintaining the sanctity of rituals. In contrast, the left hand is symbolically believed to be associated with negative or less auspicious aspects, suggesting that it should not be used in rituals.
Cultural belief of not worshipping with the left hand
Deeply rooted in traditional practices is the belief in the intrinsic purity of the left hand versus the right hand. This belief is not only about physical cleanliness but extends to a broader spiritual and moral context.
The use of the right hand in worship is seen as a way to maintain ritual purity and show utmost respect to the gods. This cultural position begins at an early age, with children being taught to always use their right hand to eat food, pray, or seek blessings, while the left hand is used for touching the body.
Use of the right hand in worship, respect and reverence in rituals,
The use of the right hand in rituals is a sign of reverence and respect for the gods. Rituals and offerings are acts of devotion, meant to honor and please the gods.
The right hand, being the hand associated with auspicious and positive qualities, is considered more appropriate for such sacred actions. By using the right hand, devotees express their highest reverence and sincerity in worship and align their actions with the cultural and spiritual expectations of Hindu rituals.
Astrological reasons for not using the left hand in worship
Astrology is deeply connected to Hindu religious practices, with rituals associated with worship also emphasising the use of the right hand. In Vedic astrology, the right side of the body is associated with positive planetary influences, while the left side is associated with negative influences. The Sun, representing the spirit, righteousness and authority, is associated with the right side, while the Moon, representing emotions and mind, is associated with the left side. This astrological symbolism reinforces the use of the right hand in rituals to attract positive energy and divine blessings.
If we talk about science, then there is no proof that puja should not be done with the left hand, but if we talk about purity, then we use the left hand, hence it is better not to use it in puja.