Why should we not go near God, during periods?

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

~~OM~~

Hi,

Found this information on the net.



Ambuvaci is a festival to honor and respect Divine Mother Earth during Her menstrual period. It is celebrated once a year at the temple of Kamakhya Devi. This year Ambuvaci is from June 22nd to June 25th.
There is never a time when the Divine Mother of the Universe is impure, so the idea that the Goddess hides during Her period is a misunderstanding. The period of menstruation is a time when women can become extremely still and silent, and get in touch with the ultimate consciousness of their feminine nature.
In ancient India a woman's puja consisted of chopping wood, carrying water, preparing the prasad, cooking over a open flamed wood stove, in addition to making offerings at the altar. The Vedic Rishis suggested that women living in a joint family community, have no need for such strenuous activities during their monthly menstrual period, when their sensitive nature will allow them to go deeply inside. This time would be better spent in meditation.
There was no issue of impurity. There was a proscription against strenuous activity in preparing for worship during the time of menstruation. Allowing other family members to participate in the woman's share of physical responsibilities, created a greater sense of understanding and appreciation for her contributions to the family.
Ambuvaci is the celebration of the Divine Mother's retreat from the demands of Her devotees, who are constantly beseeching Her for intercession in their lives. For three days She resides in the solitude of Her feminine nature and enjoys the freedom from the concerns for Her children.
For three days we do not disturb the earth, we do not move fire, and the devotees make kirtan and mental worship. The sadhus sit outside Her temple and chant and sing and allow the Divine Mother the privacy of Her solitude.
At the end of the three days the temple is opened, and everyone enjoys darshan and blessings of the Divine Mother. In the Kamakhya Temple a famous piece of red cloth is offered as prasad. It is said to be cloth upon which Divine Mother sits during Her period, and it is highly cherished because it conveys powerful blessings.

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

Thanks Madhu for the information.

Abha, the other temple is in Kerala and the amman is called 'Senganoor Bhagavathy'.
Ambal has white cloth during those days and they see 'spotting' and then they close the 'karbagruham' for those three days and then she takes a bath in the nearby river and comes in procession with Lord Shiva and enter the temple. From then usual pooja starts.

sriniketan

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

Hi,

Although I follow the practice of not touching the idols of God, not going to temple etc, I don't think there is any specific reason not to do so. In my parents house there was no such taboos, but my in laws are a little more traditional so I do it not to offend them. It's no big deal. However, I do wish that we followed the practice of staying aside for 3 days. I remember whenever we go to our native place all ladies would sit separately for 3 days - no work at all! my aunt even told me stories of how she would manipulate it by a day or so here and there as if there was a big festival or if lots of guests were expected, her m-i-l would have to do all the work while she just relaxed!!!

Mythraeyi

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

dear friends,
i remember many of my friends not going to temple or doing pujas during periods ,but i never did believe in concept of being impure .i always asked them if the God has made us so he must have thought this thing is imp for us (which is true), then why should we consider it as bad.also as GOD is everywhere ,even within us so how can we consider ourself impure.
luckly,my mother though she believed in this concept of being impure during periods & would avoid puja, but she never stopped me.so period or not if i feel like going to temple i go.
still ,one has to consider others feelings.my mil believes in this so for one of imp pujas at in- laws place i had to take medicine to delay my periods.

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

Good post Madhu....

My very exact thoughts. The reverse is true for women during periods. If there is any time that there is a need to worship women, it should be during these times.

1. when reached puberty
2. menstruating
3. pregnancy
4. childbirth
5. breast feeding.

when due to any unforseen cause any of the above goes wrong in the entire female population can one imagine what the repercussions would be?

(incidentally there is an english movie based on this scenario. I just can't remember the name of it. There is some outbreak which affected the reproductive capacity of the entire female population of the world. What ever the best brains in the world do is in vain. Finally a young black woman succeeds in getting pregnant and all the governments of the world are after her to use her as a guinea pig. She is given shelter by the male lead and the story continues. Does anyone remember the title? the most touching scene in the movie was when a whole battalion of commandos become deathly still and break down into tears when they hear the cries of a new born. )

Who made these taboos and enforced them any way? not women i am sure.

As for the negative and positive energy flows and their clash....are these energies contained solely in female bodies? how about men who enter a temple with nothing but lust in their minds at the other female devotees?

Not touching / be in a body of water i can understand since scientifically it is proven women are more prone to infections if they take a long tub bath (equivalent to taking a bath in a standing body of water) during these times.

But to be prevented from doing / attending things in the name of giving rest is no longer relevant in these modern times. Since our mode of transportation has changed since ages and people no longer ride the bullock carts or walk to places.

So my two cents is do as you are comfortable with....and do not be ridden with guilt.

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

Hi all,

This is again a delicate topic to discuss. I definitely do not believe in not touching vessels or clothes or people. I also do not get to understand what will happen in that touch. What is going to stick from our hand? Are we polluting the air around us that other inmates will go at a distance? What are the meanings behind these? But I definitely do respect the same be it my parents house or in-laws house.

In those days the queens or the princess would not come to the King's court when they are in their periods. In fact I have come across a story that Draupadi was in her periods and she refused to come with the messenger to the King's court after the Pandavas lost her in the gamble when she got her first call to appear before Duryodhana. This practice is not only in the Hindu religion alone. Even the Muslims have a similiar concept. They do not touch the Holy Kuran book or tell the verses.

I do agree with Madhu as that was what should have happened in the past during the ages of Rishis and munivars. Years have lapsed since then and also due to most male dominitaion, little by little it must have got corrupted / twisted and so we lack the actual informations. But there should be some concrete meaning behind these superstitions. I definitely would not touch puja things or do worship as I do in normal days. But some would ask us not to even think of God in those days. I dont accept that. He is our protector be it in "days" or "non-days". Whatever be the reasons, I personally feel we still can think of God or do anything for God in our mind so that we do respect others feelings also. Let us see if we can get more light on this topic.

regards,
rajisri

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

Hi dears
GOD is the supreme power . Only a clean, pure and healthy mind can realise HIM. It is out of lot of practice and practical experments, the elders have decided or rather have passed on this rule(If u feel so) that we sd not go near GOD when we r physically not so pure. This problem can b well undestood by the lady folks.Otherwise too ,cleanliness matters in all the walk of life
umabaloo

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

I think giving rest to ladies from all jobs had been the reason of keeping thm away from evrything..

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

hi,
i agree with most of the opinions that say that the need for physical rest is the underlying cause for all the taboos related to periods. if we believe in the omnipresence of God, then you see that all these taboos are on a purely physical level. And after all we are something beyond our bodies. So if we do adhere to these taboos we do it so as not to upset our elders, which is a really fine and mature thing to do.

andal

 

Re: Y Shoulnt We Go Near God During Periods

Hi all,

I know a temple in Tamilnadu called Melmarvathur where you can do all the poojas to the main deity even during your periods.

I feel that those days women had to work a lot, so she was given total rest for three days. And another theory I had read somewhere is that there is an electro magnetic field around the individual and a lower level of immunity.

Regards
Lalitha