Pradakshiṇa
Pradakshiṇa · pra-dakshiṇa, “going round keeping it on the right”
Grammar: neuter noun, from pra and dakshiṇa (right): “towards the right”.
Meaning: circumambulation: going round a holy person, place or object, keeping it on one’s right, as an act of reverence.
In the scriptures: at the wedding of Bhagavān Śiva and Devī Pārvatī, Hara with Girijā went round the fire three times and offered the havis-lājas (parched grain) into the fire (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 27).
Indra said to Kumāra: “Whoever first goes round this Mount Krauñca is the stronger.” At once Skanda got down from his peacock and, on foot, made the pradakshiṇa of the mountain; Indra got down from Airāvata, made the pradakshiṇa, and was standing there when Guha arrived. Each said he had finished first, and Bhagavān Vishṇu told them to ask Krauñca himself. Krauñca said that Indra had made pradakshiṇa of him first (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 32).
The word in use:
- When Śrī Hari showed the devas the Īśvara-liṅga in his own body, they did abhisheka to it, japa of the 108 names, and pradakshiṇa and namaskāras (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 36).
- On his way to the Malaya mountain, Indra saw Kāmadhenu and went round that Gomātā in pradakshiṇa (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 45).
- On his tīrthayātrā, Prahlāda bathed in Brahmadhvaja at Gayā, did pradakshiṇas and gave piṇḍas to the pitṛdevatās (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 57).
- The pilgrimage of Kurukshetra begins by going round the Sthāṇu sarovara, steadfast in the vow (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 12).
- One who does pradakshiṇa of Sthāṇu on the ashṭamī and caturdaśī tithis gains the fruit of a yajña at every step. Darśana and pradakshiṇa of the Sthāṇuvaṭa give the fruit of going round the earth with its seven dvīpas (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 25).
Related terms: Namaskāra · Tīrthayātrā · Sthāṇu Tīrtha · Krauñca
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 27, 32, 36, 45, 57
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapters 12, 25