tilaka - parvati

[heartfully]

What is the tilaka (if that's the right term...i mean the symbol on the forehead) for devotees of parvati?

also does anyone know of reliable websites on parvatis and mantras/puja/etc for Her?

in love,
<3

[sambya]

i dont know of any sect excludively devoted to pravati , but if it is devotees of devi that you are reffering to , then i can think of two types of tilak .

the first is a tripundra or three horizontal lines across forehead ,
second is the semicircular tripundra on forehead like a cresent moon .
they also put a big dot with the bija mantra writen in between .

practices vary with sampradya .

[devotee]

Namaste HF,

You can use just a red dot (a small circular) (vermillion, if you are married) which the Hindu women use.

OM

[heartfully]

namaste,

i've seen the red dot on parvati so i wondered what that meant. what is the symbolism of it?

love,
<3

[sambya]

namaste,

i've seen the red dot on parvati so i wondered what that meant. what is the symbolism of it?

love,
<3

its called a 'bindi' in north indian dialects which is probably deribed from the sanskrit word bindu meaning a dot . it is applied with the help of vermillion powder which is considered auspicious and ritually used for many hindu ceremonies . it is specially held sacred by married women who wear it both as a dot on forehead and a streak between the parting line of hair , which shows that they are married . it is highly glorified in indian culture .

probably the ornamental use of bindi is derived from the practice of adorning the forehead for realigious purpose -- the tilaka . saints have always used variuos materials like ashes , vermillion , clay , sandalwood paste to mark their foreheads .
this is the area(the region between the two eyes) where the ajna-chakra lies . according to kundalini yoga the latent spiritual energy of evry man lies dormant at the base of the spine . as the spiritual hunger in the man grows it awakens from its slumber and begins its vertical journey up the spine to the center of the skull . when this happens a person transecds material existence to reach the level of moksha . but before reaching the head it passes through four other points or chakras , one of which lies between the two eyes . when the energy is awakened upto this point one has the first vision of the supreme .
gita and other yogic shastras also tells us to meditate on that point . hence this area is specialy held sacred .

but i also have a feeling that the mass popularity of bindi as we see today is a relatively later phenomenon . because in the ajanta cave paintings( donw between 200 b.c to 600 a.d ) , which reflects indian lifestyle acurately we do not come across many women wearing bindi .

however shaktas normally chose any of the three marks as i have said before -- a tripundra or a semicircular tripundra or a red dot .

[devotee]

Namaste HF,

Difficult question to answer ! :)

Just behind the forehead point where the dot is applied lies Aajnaa chakra. Focussing on that point helps us to enter into super-consciousness ... the abode of God. May be it has something to do with it.

Red dot on the forehead of a woman is considered auspicious for married ladies whose husbands are alive. Actually, it is a sign of "suhaagan" (word used for a woman whose husband is alive).

OM

[heartfully]

namaste! thanks for taking the time for such a detailed response. it is greatly appreciated.

love,
<3


its called a 'bindi' in north indian dialects which is probably deribed from the sanskrit word bindu meaning a dot . it is applied with the help of vermillion powder which is considered auspicious and ritually used for many hindu ceremonies . it is specially held sacred by married women who wear it both as a dot on forehead and a streak between the parting line of hair , which shows that they are married . it is highly glorified in indian culture .

probably the ornamental use of bindi is derived from the practice of adorning the forehead for realigious purpose -- the tilaka . saints have always used variuos materials like ashes , vermillion , clay , sandalwood paste to mark their foreheads .
this is the area(the region between the two eyes) where the ajna-chakra lies . according to kundalini yoga the latent spiritual energy of evry man lies dormant at the base of the spine . as the spiritual hunger in the man grows it awakens from its slumber and begins its vertical journey up the spine to the center of the skull . when this happens a person transecds material existence to reach the level of moksha . but before reaching the head it passes through four other points or chakras , one of which lies between the two eyes . when the energy is awakened upto this point one has the first vision of the supreme .
gita and other yogic shastras also tells us to meditate on that point . hence this area is specialy held sacred .

but i also have a feeling that the mass popularity of bindi as we see today is a relatively later phenomenon . because in the ajanta cave paintings( donw between 200 b.c to 600 a.d ) , which reflects indian lifestyle acurately we do not come across many women wearing bindi .

however shaktas normally chose any of the three marks as i have said before -- a tripundra or a semicircular tripundra or a red dot .

[heartfully]

namaste,

what an interesting culture... i love learning about both hinduism and the culture of india.

love to you,
<3


Namaste HF,

You can use just a red dot (a small circular) (vermillion, if you are married) which the Hindu women use.

OM

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Heartfully: Let me give you another more mystical view of forehead markings. It doesn't contradict anything that has been said, nor am I intending to do so.

In mystical traditions, we believe that Gods and Devas can see through the barriers between the worlds: their subtle world, and our physical heavier world. So those of us who believe this way feel that gaining darshan at a powerful temple is more Him looking at us that us looking at Him. We are all students of God(s), and the different markings are a way for them to distinguish whose class we are in. So a Vaishnava`s markings indicate to Krishna or to Venkateswara (Vishnu) that this student is here and wants help in the Vaishnava way. Similarly for Saivas, Saktas etc.

The materials used in this mystical sense are also important. Vibhuti, Sandalwood, and traditional kumkum, (The red powder) all are made from recipes discovered eons ago in Vedic times. They are like good paint, and can be seen through the barrier. That is why some devotees will go out of their way to check sources of such materials. They`ll only but vibhuthi made from a certain place, or only use a certain brand of kumkum.

So the placement of an accurate dot would be a signal something like the center of a target for the Lord`s darshan or energy to penetrate and focus on the ajna chakra, as he looks out at you.

The more mystical sampradayas usually hold that much of this mystical knowledge has been lost or watered down at least by such things as British schooling, over-intellectualisation, etc.

Aum Namasivaya

[Stephen]

I did find one mantra for Parvati for you in a book called "Shakti Mantras: Tapping into the Great Goddess Energy Within" by Thomas Ashley-Farrand. It is Hrim Shrim Klim Param Eshwari Swaha (Hreem Shreem Kleem Pah-rahm Ehsh-wah-ree Swah-hah). The book can be found at amazon.com or the author's web site. If you google his name his web site can be easily found.
One interesting thing about this mantra is in the author's first book "Healing Mantras" he made the Goddess' name one word "Parameshwari", but now it is broken into two words. Maybe it looks less intimidating that way, in two words.