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Thread: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

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    Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    I took the priest to our new apartment today, and he did the blessing ceremony. As part of it, he tied a cotton thread dyed blue, white and red around my wrist, saying it was his blessing or something to that effect. I'd like to know how I'm supposed to wear the thread. Should I never take it off, or should I take it off for sleep and put it on again in the morning?

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    My understanding is that you should never take this off, until and unless it breaks by itself.

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    My understanding is the same too, only that the threads shouldn't be worn so tight that they may eat into the skin at the wrists in due course, by repeatedly getting wet and dry. Better they are worn as we wear a wrist watch, tight enough, but not so tight.

    May Lord Shiva bless you in your life in the new apartment.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    namaskar,
    If I may, the cotton thread is called 'mauli' in the north. Until recently I had not idea why we get the thread tied to our wrist. I found that it is 'reminder' to yourself of the puja or the special ritual or the yagya that you were part of.

    How long to keep it? It varies with people. I have seen people wearing it as long as it stays on. Naturally, the thread will disintegrate eventually.

    However, in my case, I take it off after a couple of days. This is more to do with hygine than anything else. I feel that keeping it on for more than a few days, it collects germs and after a few days it seems to hold water longer when wet and so it is annoying...so...off it goes...
    satay

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    Quote Originally Posted by satay View Post
    If I may, the cotton thread is called 'mauli' in the north. Until recently I had not idea why we get the thread tied to our wrist. I found that it is 'reminder' to yourself of the puja or the special ritual or the yagya that you were part of.

    How long to keep it? It varies with people. I have seen people wearing it as long as it stays on. Naturally, the thread will disintegrate eventually.

    However, in my case, I take it off after a couple of days. This is more to do with hygine than anything else. I feel that keeping it on for more than a few days, it collects germs and after a few days it seems to hold water longer when wet and so it is annoying...so...off it goes...
    Correct ! I also take it out the next day after Puja and place it near Tulsi plant where it disintegrates in due time & mixes with the earth.

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    Quote Originally Posted by devotee View Post
    Correct ! I also take it out the next day after Puja and place it near Tulsi plant where it disintegrates in due time & mixes with the earth.

    OM
    Hari Hari...devotee ji...

    Can I give one small suggestion, if you don't mind? Instead of putting it near Tulsi Devi, you can place it somewhere else, because one is not supposed to place anything near Tulsi Devi, once it is used already; though once can offer to Tulsi Devi, straight-away after offering it to the Lord, for example Mauli, flowers or chandan tilaka. But supposing in case, after offering the Lord, you have smelled the flowers already, then those cannot be offered to Tulsi Devi.

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    Namaste Krsna Das,

    Quote Originally Posted by Krsna Das View Post
    Can I give one small suggestion, if you don't mind? Instead of putting it near Tulsi Devi, you can place it somewhere else, because one is not supposed to place anything near Tulsi Devi, once it is used already; though once can offer to Tulsi Devi, straight-away after offering it to the Lord, for example Mauli, flowers or chandan tilaka. But supposing in case, after offering the Lord, you have smelled the flowers already, then those cannot be offered to Tulsi Devi.
    It is not "offered" to Tulsi Devi. It is kept near Tulsi plant on the ground, so that it is not mistreated by anyone (like spitting on it or throwing it in a dirty place etc.). That way the nature takes its own course & the thread goes back to the earth respectfully.

    Again smelling the flower does make it unfit to be offered to the Lord or even Tulsi, but this is not the case here.

    I can understand your feelings, but keeping it near Tulsi plant is certainly entirely different from offering it to Tulsi. It is a sacred thread and should be treated with due respect. What you are suggesting i.e. wearing it till it breaks is not hygienic & also when it breaks ... what will you do, throw it in a dirty dust-bin ?

    I would like to hear your views.

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    Quote Originally Posted by devotee View Post

    What you are suggesting i.e. wearing it till it breaks is not hygienic & also when it breaks ... what will you do, throw it in a dirty dust-bin ?

    I would like to hear your views.

    OM
    The ideal practice is this : All the items which we use for the Lord, like flowers, Garlands, ashes of agarbattis are collected in a large plastic bag and then thrown in a river. (Not the plastic bag). We follow this.

    In some cases the rivers may not be around, in that case, it can be buried some where, example in a garden.

  9. #9

    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    Quote Originally Posted by ScottMalaysia View Post
    I took the priest to our new apartment today, and he did the blessing ceremony. As part of it, he tied a cotton thread dyed blue, white and red around my wrist, saying it was his blessing or something to that effect. I'd like to know how I'm supposed to wear the thread. Should I never take it off, or should I take it off for sleep and put it on again in the morning?
    There is a vedmantra saying Lord Vishnu held the earth in three steps . Pauranic story tells too . King Bali orgnised a yajna in which vishnu demanded three steps of land and is also called as BALIDAN .Detail tells that Vishnu tied bali..sribhagwatam .
    This thread is the tied in same spirit saying
    Yen bandhyoraksha mam .
    That Vishnu who tied bali , the great donor , may kindly protect me .
    This is generally removed on 4th day and disposed in a sacred place .

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    Re: Cotton thread bracelet given to me by priest

    Krsna Das: Thanks for mentioning that, I've wondered what to do with offerings. I also have questions about how to go about making an offering exactly and what kinds of things can and can't be offeredn, but that may be a topic for a new thread entirely.

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