04-21-2007, 11:08 PM
my dad used to say, we use camphor (Cinnamonum camphora) because of its ayurvedic medicinal properties. Our culture ensures we use natural products such that its use becomes part of life.
when we go to temple, normally we frequent more so, when we are in trouble or in need of some meditative mind or to get a state of free of day to day problems, and get to get some peace of time.
the camphor helps there.. its slightly antiseptic properties and its numbing properties on peripheral nervous system, helps people to give that effect we seek., when go to temple., especially when offered with holy-ash, that is burned with camphor, we get to the feeling of relieved and get a nice feeling.
this also makes you forget the problems you were occupied in your mind before you went to temple.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->here is a link that talks about Cinnamonum camphora medicinal values:-
---Medicinal Action and Uses---Camphor has a strong, penetrating, fragrant odour, a bitter, pungent taste, and is slightly cold to the touch like menthol leaves; locally it is an irritant, numbs the peripheral sensory nerves, and is slightly antiseptic; it is not readily absorbed by the mucous membrane, but is easily absorbed by the subcutaneous tissue- it combines in the body with glucuronic acid, and in this condition is voided by the urine. Experiments on frogs show a depressant action to the spinal column, no motor disturbance, but a slow increasing paralysis; in mankind it causes convulsions, from the effect it has on the motor tract of the brain; <b>it stimulates the intellectual centres and prevents narcotic drugs taking effect, but in cases of nervous excitement it has a soothing and quieting result.</b> Authorities vary as to its effect on blood pressure; some think it raises it, others take an opposite view; but it has been proved valuable as an excitant in cases of heart failure, whether due to diseases or as a result of infectious fevers, such as typhoid and pneumonia, not only in the latter case as a stimulant to circulation, but as preventing the growth of pneumococci. Camphor is used in medicine internally for its calming influence in hysteria, nervousness and neuralgia, and for serious diarrhoea, and externally as a counter-irritant in rheumatisms, sprains bronchitis, and in inflammatory conditions, and sometimes in conjunction with menthol and phenol for heart failure; it is often given hypodermically, 3 to 5 grains dissolved in 20 to 30 minims of sterile Olive oil - the effect will last about two hours. In nervous diseases it may be given in substance or in capsules or in spirit; dose 2 to 5 grains. Its great value is in colds, chills, and in all inflammatory complaints; it relieves irritation of the sexual organs.
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/...3.html#med
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.hindunet.org/faq/fom-serv/cache/28.html
Why do we apply Vibhuti or Holy Ash over our body?
Vibhuti (meaning glory) or Bhasma (that by which our sins are destroyed and the Lord is remembered) is the holy ash that Hindus apply over their forehead and body. This holy ash is created by burning cow dung along with milk, ghee, honey, etc. It is a principle sacrament in the worship of Lord Siva, representing His burning away of our ignorance to ashes.
The cow dung is obtained from a cows that are fed sixteen varieties of medicinal leaves. The dung of these cows are collected after allowing sufficient time for digestion. The collected dung would then be formed into flat cakes and dried in the sun. 108 types of herbs, and twigs ['Samithi'] of high medicinal value are used in the homa (http://www.hindunet.org/homa) in which the dried dung cakes are added. Six types of medicinal leaves are burnt along with these. The significance of using ash from the homa is that the impurities - physical and mental (ego, desires) are burnt off in the fire, and what remains is now pure - and the application of this ash serves as a reminder of this. The vibhuti we apply indicates that we should burn false identification with body and become free of the limitations of birth and death.
Applying vibhuti is a much more common practice amognst Shivites.
Vibhuti or Bhasma has medicinal properties and is used in many ayurvedic medicines. It absorbs excess moisture from the body and prevents colds and headches.
http://www.hindunet.org/faq/fom-serv/cache/10.html
Why do we apply a mark on our forehead?
The Tilaka is normally a vermilion mark applied on the forehead. This mark has a religious significance and is a visible sign of a person as belonging to the Hindu religion. The Tilaka is of more than one color although normally it is vermilion. It also does not have any standard shape and form and is applied differently by members of different Hindu sects and sub-sects. It is applied as a 'U' by worshippers of lord Vishnu and is red, yellow or saffron in colpur. It is made up of red ochre powder (Sindhura) and sandalwood paste (Gandha). Worshippers of lord Shiva apply it as three horizontal lines and it consists of ash (Bhasma). Soot (Abhira) is also used as a pigment for applying a Tilaka.
Literally, Tilaka means a mark. Sindhura which is also used to describe a Tilaka means red and Gandha which is also a term for Tilaka means pleasant odour. Hence, Tilaka normally connotes, a red mark with a pleasant odour. Some scholars have seen the red colour as a symbolism for blood. We are told that in ancient times, in Aryan society, a groom used to apply his blood, on-his bride's forehead as a recognition of wedlock. The existing practice among Indian women of applying a round shaped red Tilaka called Bindiya or Kumkum could be a survival of this.
2000-Oct-13 7:05pm webmaster@hindunet.org
There are a couple more explanations for why Hindus apply the "tilak" mark on their foreheads. A spiritual explanation is that the "tilak" symbolises the third eye that we believe in. A practical explanation is that the "tilak" is a way to draw attention to the eyes which in traditional Indian culture have been very strongly associated with beauty.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
another interesting link:
http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar...story/life.html
when we go to temple, normally we frequent more so, when we are in trouble or in need of some meditative mind or to get a state of free of day to day problems, and get to get some peace of time.
the camphor helps there.. its slightly antiseptic properties and its numbing properties on peripheral nervous system, helps people to give that effect we seek., when go to temple., especially when offered with holy-ash, that is burned with camphor, we get to the feeling of relieved and get a nice feeling.
this also makes you forget the problems you were occupied in your mind before you went to temple.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->here is a link that talks about Cinnamonum camphora medicinal values:-
---Medicinal Action and Uses---Camphor has a strong, penetrating, fragrant odour, a bitter, pungent taste, and is slightly cold to the touch like menthol leaves; locally it is an irritant, numbs the peripheral sensory nerves, and is slightly antiseptic; it is not readily absorbed by the mucous membrane, but is easily absorbed by the subcutaneous tissue- it combines in the body with glucuronic acid, and in this condition is voided by the urine. Experiments on frogs show a depressant action to the spinal column, no motor disturbance, but a slow increasing paralysis; in mankind it causes convulsions, from the effect it has on the motor tract of the brain; <b>it stimulates the intellectual centres and prevents narcotic drugs taking effect, but in cases of nervous excitement it has a soothing and quieting result.</b> Authorities vary as to its effect on blood pressure; some think it raises it, others take an opposite view; but it has been proved valuable as an excitant in cases of heart failure, whether due to diseases or as a result of infectious fevers, such as typhoid and pneumonia, not only in the latter case as a stimulant to circulation, but as preventing the growth of pneumococci. Camphor is used in medicine internally for its calming influence in hysteria, nervousness and neuralgia, and for serious diarrhoea, and externally as a counter-irritant in rheumatisms, sprains bronchitis, and in inflammatory conditions, and sometimes in conjunction with menthol and phenol for heart failure; it is often given hypodermically, 3 to 5 grains dissolved in 20 to 30 minims of sterile Olive oil - the effect will last about two hours. In nervous diseases it may be given in substance or in capsules or in spirit; dose 2 to 5 grains. Its great value is in colds, chills, and in all inflammatory complaints; it relieves irritation of the sexual organs.
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/...3.html#med
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
==================
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.hindunet.org/faq/fom-serv/cache/28.html
Why do we apply Vibhuti or Holy Ash over our body?
Vibhuti (meaning glory) or Bhasma (that by which our sins are destroyed and the Lord is remembered) is the holy ash that Hindus apply over their forehead and body. This holy ash is created by burning cow dung along with milk, ghee, honey, etc. It is a principle sacrament in the worship of Lord Siva, representing His burning away of our ignorance to ashes.
The cow dung is obtained from a cows that are fed sixteen varieties of medicinal leaves. The dung of these cows are collected after allowing sufficient time for digestion. The collected dung would then be formed into flat cakes and dried in the sun. 108 types of herbs, and twigs ['Samithi'] of high medicinal value are used in the homa (http://www.hindunet.org/homa) in which the dried dung cakes are added. Six types of medicinal leaves are burnt along with these. The significance of using ash from the homa is that the impurities - physical and mental (ego, desires) are burnt off in the fire, and what remains is now pure - and the application of this ash serves as a reminder of this. The vibhuti we apply indicates that we should burn false identification with body and become free of the limitations of birth and death.
Applying vibhuti is a much more common practice amognst Shivites.
Vibhuti or Bhasma has medicinal properties and is used in many ayurvedic medicines. It absorbs excess moisture from the body and prevents colds and headches.
http://www.hindunet.org/faq/fom-serv/cache/10.html
Why do we apply a mark on our forehead?
The Tilaka is normally a vermilion mark applied on the forehead. This mark has a religious significance and is a visible sign of a person as belonging to the Hindu religion. The Tilaka is of more than one color although normally it is vermilion. It also does not have any standard shape and form and is applied differently by members of different Hindu sects and sub-sects. It is applied as a 'U' by worshippers of lord Vishnu and is red, yellow or saffron in colpur. It is made up of red ochre powder (Sindhura) and sandalwood paste (Gandha). Worshippers of lord Shiva apply it as three horizontal lines and it consists of ash (Bhasma). Soot (Abhira) is also used as a pigment for applying a Tilaka.
Literally, Tilaka means a mark. Sindhura which is also used to describe a Tilaka means red and Gandha which is also a term for Tilaka means pleasant odour. Hence, Tilaka normally connotes, a red mark with a pleasant odour. Some scholars have seen the red colour as a symbolism for blood. We are told that in ancient times, in Aryan society, a groom used to apply his blood, on-his bride's forehead as a recognition of wedlock. The existing practice among Indian women of applying a round shaped red Tilaka called Bindiya or Kumkum could be a survival of this.
2000-Oct-13 7:05pm webmaster@hindunet.org
There are a couple more explanations for why Hindus apply the "tilak" mark on their foreheads. A spiritual explanation is that the "tilak" symbolises the third eye that we believe in. A practical explanation is that the "tilak" is a way to draw attention to the eyes which in traditional Indian culture have been very strongly associated with beauty.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
another interesting link:
http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar...story/life.html