Gudi Padwa
What is the Spiritual Significance of Hoisting of Gudi on Gudi Padwa? Why Gudi is hoisted on Gudi Padwa?
Gudi Padwa is the Hindu New Year Day that falls on the first day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu Lunar month of Chaitra that is Chaitra Shukla Paksha Pratipada. This day has natural, historical and spiritual significance. Hindu Dharma has prescribed a specific way to celebrate this day in order to derive maximum benefit at the spiritual level, which is the most subtle and effective dimension in our life. Celebrating The New Year as per the guidelines of Hindu Dharma we derive benefits that last long and facilitate our journey towards experiencing perpetual Bliss.
Let us learn more about the correct method of hoisting of the Gudi or Brahmadhwaj and the spiritual science underlying it.
Method of raising the Gudi
Position of the Gudi: Care should be taken to raise the Gudi next to the main entrance of the house. The spot selected should be on the right side of the entrance (when facing outwards from the entrance of the home).
The area selected for raising the Gudi should be cleaned and then a Swastik with rangoli powder should be drawn on the ground. Turmeric and vermilion (Haldi-kumkum) should be offered at the centre of the Swastik.
While raising the Gudi, the ‘Shiva-Shakti’ principle in the Universe should be invoked. This enables all the constituents of the Gudi to accept divine principles.
The Gudi symbolizes the ‘Sushumna nadi’ of our body. Hence, the Gudi should be raised at the entrance. And it should be kept tilted at an angle. – A Scholar (through the medium of Ms. Anjali Gadgil).
Importance:
The tilted position of the Gudi symbolises the activated Sushumna nadi (channel) of the Jiva due to his surrender unto God.
When the Gudi is raised in a tilted position its capacity to emit the raja predominant frequencies of God increases. Due to which the Jiva benefit from the divine consciousness in the environment for a longer time.
When the stick is kept on the floor just outside the main entrance, the bottom of the stick touches the ground. The effective downward flow of the sattva frequencies to the floor from the stick prevents the upward flow of distressing frequencies from the ground. Thus the house as well as the atmosphere around the house becomes charged with chaitanya due to the Gudi.
The copper pot (Kalash) on the Gudi has more capacity to attract and emit the sattvik frequencies related to the higher principles in the universe. The sattvik frequencies emitted from this pot activate the colour particles in the Neem leaves.
Raja predominant Shiva and Shakti (divine energy) frequencies are emitted from these colour particles in the leaves. The active frequencies at the unmanifest level get transformed into manifest frequencies at the level of the leaves.
These frequencies are then absorbed by the silk cloth and are emitted in the downward direction as needed.
From the description above we will come to know what happens at the subtle level when we hoist the Gudi. As this process is subtle, it is beyond five senses, mind and intellect. To understand the subtle dimension in the true sense we should have highly activated sixth sense or extra sensory perception. Doing regular spiritual practice as per the six basic principles of spiritual practice helps develop sixth sense as one progresses spiritually. Our yesteryear Sages did intense spiritual practice and understood the subtle process that happens while hoisting the Gudi and its immense benefits.
This year while hoisting the Gudi we can focus on what we feel at the subtle level, how is our mind, how is our breathing and chanting etc, which will give us a glimpse of experience of the subtle dimension.
Let us derive maximum benefit from the guidance of our great Sages and Saints by celebrating each festival as per the guidelines of Dharma.
Courtesy – Forum for Hindu Awakening