Left hand and index finger

[Harinama]

The one thing I have a big disdain about Vaishnava Dharma, and Hinduism in general, is this idea of auspiciousness or inauspiciousness based on certain practices; orthopraxy seems to be considered more important.

For example, eating with one's left hand and using the left hand is considered inauspicious. I am now used to eating with my right, but I was chastised a few times for utilising my left hand in eating and scooping up rice.

Also, why indeed is the index finger so inauspicious to use? We are forbidden to point it at people because it is akin to rudeness and cursing our fellow friends, but also it goes far as to avoid using that finger when fingering a japa-mala.

In this kind of modern age where we no longer make the left hand our 'bathroom' hand, this cultural/religious practice is still being enforced.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

More on fingers can be found in this string:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2578&highlight=finger

...bathroom hand still applies in India.


praṇām

[Water]

In addition to yajvan's excellent explanation about the connection of Shani and the Index finger, there is another explanation I have heard over the years in many practices....

In Aikido and Tai Chi, it is sometimes practiced that the chi (internal energy) is directed out of the index finger when pointed. It is most obvious if you watch Aikido videos - you'll notice the index finger is pointed in the direction the Aikidoka wishes to go for nearly all practices. This can be disruptive to other living things.

I believe Hinduism has a similar train of thought where the pranic energy of the body is channeled through the index finger and into another living thing - disrupting the natural flow of prana.

... as for "bathroom hand".... I sort of wish we had that here. I'm pretty sure if I asked a lot of Americans it would be a coin-toss on which hand they use.

Ick.

[TheOne]

I certainly agree with the first post, the attatchment to auspiciousness or lack thereof is in my opinion one of the biggest tricks of the ego.

If you would like a situation to be auspicious, create the auspiciousness yourself by acting in a Dharmic manner.


I'm not denying that there is a sort of inner energy but I am denying the amount of importance placed on it. It is important to be balanced, not to be obsessed about BEING balanced because that's not a balanced action.

[rkpande]

i get reminded of shri tulisidas when he wrote ,....kumad batiya kayo nahi.... tarjani dekh murjhayi... sure enough try it. we in our childhood were admonished not to point index finger to young sprouting lest it dies..

Even one of the reason to sit in Dhayn mudra while doing prayanama is to shot circuit internally the extra pranic energy being generated by pranayam, which is motly emitted out from index finger.

pranam

[Sahasranama]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�


...bathroom hand still applies in India.


praṇām

Yes, I also practice this and never put food in my mouth with my left hand. I think eating food is similar to agnihotra, therefore we use only our right hand.

[Harinama]

Thank you so much for your replies... I guess it makes a little more sense, especially when I was told because the left hand is my poo-poo hand, and the index finger should never be used in both spiritual and social practice.

It's hard for me to adjust mentally, because although I have adapted, I was ambidextrous to left-handed at birth, and as a child I was reprimanded at Catholic Catechism school for utilising my left hand for Eucharist practice.

These really help alot!

[Arjuni]

Namast�, all.

Harinama, I really sympathise! I'm so stubbornly left-handed that my right arm seems to exist only for purposes of decoration and/or bodily symmetry. Trying to eat and perform rituals with my right hand has been a most entertaining exercise in dropping things everywhere, and being more of a klutz than I already am, which frankly I didn't know was possible. (Thank goodness food is eaten with the right hand, instead of the right hand holding a spoon, since any utensil held in my right hand immediately - if unintentionally - becomes a food catapult.)

Until learning about finger/hand significances - which I did, weeks ago, from the same thread that Yajvan so kindly posted here - I thought of it as a delightful reminder: that in feeling like a ridiculous child while trying to serve God, I was being rather pointedly educated that next to God, I most certainly am a ridiculous child, and should probably just enjoy the silliness instead of being frustrated by it.

It's a nice way to take the ego down a notch or two.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[saidevo]

As for the physical, psychological and spiritual use of fingers in a meal, read the paragraphs from the one that has the text, "Grandpa reflects for a second and continues with a sparkle in his sharp eyes. "It is a joy to eat with hands!" in the following article at HDF:

Come with Me and Partake a South Indian Meal
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...8&postcount=27

[Arjuni]

Saidevo, thank you for posting that link! I first savoured that lovely tale some months ago and consider it a must-read story...

..and Grandpa's right. Eating with the hands is awesome. It's fun and makes everything tastes better.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.