Symbolism is employed to its acme in Hinduism

Every tradition in the world employs symbolism but the symbolism is employed to its acme in Hinduism. If one has to appreciate the real essence of Hinduism, one must learn to appreciate this science of periphery of Hinduism will appear funny, unintelligent and absurd. In the meaning of the real Hindu tradition which apparently appears to be superficial.

For example, let us take the ritual of going to a temple. This is one of the simple rituals which a Hindu generally is supposed to perform. This ritual is very symbolic in nature. If one enters an orthodox Hindu temple, the inside of the temple is absolutely dark. There is an idol in the temple but you cannot see it because it is enveloped by darkness. You go to the priest and hand over the camphor and coconut you have brought. The priest burns the camphor. The moment the camphor is burnt, the light dispels the darkness enveloped the area Once the darkness is dispelled, the idol is visible in front. Earlier, even though the idol was in front of you, you could not see it due to the darkness.

The priest then breaks the coconut given by you - the devotee. Once it is broken, the sweet water that emerges is taken as ‘Tirtha’.

The beauty of this ritual can be comprehended only when you understand the symbolism behind this which is as follows:-

Going to the temple is like entering into this world, just as there is darkness in the temple when you enter, so also when we are born, we are bon with darkness, which is the form of ignorance.

Just as the presence of darkness you cannot see the idol, which is right in front of you, so also you are not in a position to see what is right in front of you due to ignorance.

Lord Krishna in the Gita says ‘Ajnane Na Tu Jnanam Tena Muhyanti Jantavah’. By ignorance one’s intellect is covered, hence the delusion.

You can not see what ‘IS’ because your discretion is enveloped by your ignorance.

In such a state, you go to the priest and hand over the camphor and coconut. The priest symbolizes the master ‘Guru’. The camphor stands for all our Samskaras & Vasanas i.e., the whole bundle of your past – your notions, dogmas, conclusions, beliefs etc. when camphor is given to the priest, it means you are surrendering all this past of yours to the master. The teacher or master in Sanskrit is called ‘Guru’ there are two letters in the word GURU viz. ‘GU’ stands for ignorance and ‘RU’ stands for the wchich eliminates this ignorance. “Gukaro Tu Andhakarah Rukaro T Tak Nivartakah”.

The priest burns this camphor in the fire. The fire here stands for fire of knowledge – Jnanagnih. Agni always stands for knowledge. In the fire of knowledge, fire of wisdom, fire of enquiry the priest burns all our past (notions, beliefs, conclusions etc). the moment the camphor is burnt, the light emerged out of the fire dispels darkness. Just as darkness is dispelled in the presence of light, Ignorance is dispelled in the fire of wisdom. The act of burning of camphor stands for Guru Upadesha. As dawns and this cognition which is the fire of wisdom burn away the ignorance and you become aware of your true self i.e., the murti becomes visible before you.

The priest breaks the coconut and once the coconut is broken the sweet water in the coconut comes out which is taken as Tirtha. Coconut represents Ahankara (EGO) and with the support of the master this coconut is broken in front of the idol i.e., at the altar of truth. The sweet water of happiness, the sweet water of joy becomes the Tirtha.

Just as Ahankara is hard to break, the coconut is also hard to break. Every time a coconut is broken it is a suggestion that Ego has to be broken. The water in the coconut existed even before it was broken but you were not able to experience it, because of the hard shell covering it.

Similarly, in our lives also the sweet water of happiness exists but the shell of our ego is so hard that it us from experiencing it.
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Thus, this simple ritual of going to a temple has a profound connotation which unveils itself only when one explores and attempts to understand it.