Exorcism in Hinduism

Last updated

In many Hindu traditions, it is a belief that people can be possessed by entities such as Bhoot, [1] Pret, Pisach, Dain, Nishi, and Jatak. [2] Exorcism is used to removed the possessing entity. The exorcism is often done by use of mantra (chanting of phases from Hindu Vedic scriptures of a deity). This is sometimes accompanied by a yajna (a special hawan with special ingredients is performed for the exorcism) [3]

Contents

Places of exorcism

Some temples in India host exorcism rituals such as Kamkhya Temple (Assam), Tarapith Temple (West Bengal), Dattatrya Mandir (Karnatka), [4] and Mehandipur Balaji Temple (Rajasthan). [5]

Exorcism

In Vaishnavism, exorcisms are performed by reciting names of Narasimha, as he is considered a fierce god who eliminates and vanquishes evil spirits. [6]

In Natha Sampradaya, Kaal Bhairav is fierce god who is a manifestation, or avatar of Shiva. [7] Many mantra and rituals are used by Nath's to perform exorcism. Some Mantras also known as Shabar Mantra are majorly used. [8]

Some people also consider chanting or reading Hanuman Chalisa for protection from evil spirits and negativity and to discard them. Hanuman is considered very powerful and many evil spirits and entities are terrified of his presence, as he is the most devoted and loved devotee of Rama. [9]

Mantras

There are several mantas from different deities which are used for the act of exorcism.

As per Shakti Upasana the mantras of Kali, Tara and Bhairavi are used they are referred as the supreme goddess to vanquish all kind of evil entities and spirits and often a sacrificial ritual bali is done to complete the act. In Tantra or tantric sect this method of exorcism is highly accepted. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tantra</span> Esoteric traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism

Tantra is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the Indian subcontinent from the middle of the 1st millennium CE onwards in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Tantras in Hinduism are esoteric scriptures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaishno Devi</span> Hindu mother goddess

Vaishno Devi is a manifestation of the Hindu mother goddess Durga in some beliefs while in some beliefs she is a manifestation of goddess Lakshmi. Vaishno Devi is worshipped as a combined avatar of the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasarasvati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panchamukha</span> Iconography of five-faced deities in Hinduism

Panchamukha, also rendered Panchamukhi, is a concept in Hindu iconography, in which a deity is represented with five heads. Several Hindu deities are depicted with five faces in their iconography, such as Hanuman, Shiva, Brahma, Ganesha, and Gayatri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amreli</span> City in Gujarat, India

Amreli is a city and a municipality in Amreli district in Indian state of Gujarat.

The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Hindu culture and associated cultures’ traditions, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit or other Indic languages and Dravidian languages. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Hinduism all in one place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exorcism</span> Evicting spiritual entities from a person or area

Exorcism is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual, or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogini</span> Female practitioner of yoga

A yogini is a female master practitioner of tantra and yoga, as well as a formal term of respect for female Hindu or Buddhist spiritual teachers in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Greater Tibet. The term is the feminine Sanskrit word of the masculine yogi, while the term "yogin" IPA:[ˈjoːɡɪn] is used in neutral, masculine or feminine sense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhist tantric literature</span> Group of Indian and Tibetan texts

Buddhist tantric literature refers to the vast and varied literature of the Vajrayāna Buddhist traditions. The earliest of these works are a genre of Indian Buddhist tantric scriptures, variously named Tantras, Sūtras and Kalpas, which were composed from the 7th century CE onwards. They are followed by later tantric commentaries, original compositions by Vajrayana authors, sādhanas, ritual manuals, collections of tantric songs (dohās) odes (stotra), or hymns, and other related works. Tantric Buddhist literature survives in various languages, including Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese. Most Indian sources were composed in Sanskrit, but numerous tantric works were also composed in other languages like Tibetan and Chinese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dashain</span> Regional Hindu festival

Dashain or Bada'dashain, also referred as Vijaya Dashami in Sanskrit, is a major Hindu religious festival in Nepal and the Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, South India, and Sri Lanka. It is also celebrated by other religions of Nepal and elsewhere in the world, including among the Lhotshampa of Bhutan and the Burmese Gurkhas of Myanmar. The festival is also referred as Nauratha, derived from the Sanskrit word for the same festival Navaratri which translates to Nine Nights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mehandipur Balaji Temple</span> Hindu Temple in the Indian state of Rajasthan

Mehandipur Balaji Temple is a Hindu temple located in Mehandipur, Dausa district, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The temple is dedicated to the deity Hanuman. The name Balaji refers to the childhood form of Hanuman, revered in several parts of the country. Unlike similar religious sites, it is located in a town rather than the countryside. Its reputation for ritualistic healing and exorcism of evil spirits attracts many pilgrims from Rajasthan and elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu pilgrimage sites in India</span>

In Hinduism, the yatra (pilgrimage) to the tirthas has special significance for earning the punya needed to attain the moksha (salvation) by performing the darśana, the parikrama (circumambulation), the yajna, the Dhyana, the puja (worship), the prarthana, the dakshina, the seva, the bhandara, etc. These sacred places are usually located on the banks of sacred waters, such as sacred rivers or their tributaries, the kundas, the ghats, or the stepwells, or the temple tanks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanuman temple, Salangpur</span> Famous Hanumanji temple in Gujarat

The Shree Kashtabhanjan Dev Hanumanji Temple, Sarangpur is a Hindu temple located in Sarangpur, Gujarat and is part of the Vadtal Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. This temple is among the most prominent sites of worship for Hanuman devotees, honoring him in the powerful form of Kashtabhanjan Dev, meaning the "Crusher of Sorrows."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalaratri</span> Seventh form of goddess Durga

Kalaratri is the seventh of the nine Navadurga forms of the goddess Mahadevi. She is first referenced in the Devi Mahatmya. Kalaratri is one of the fearsome forms of the goddess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vishvaksena</span> Commander-in-chief of the army of the Hindu god Vishnu

Vishvaksena or Vishwaksena, is the commander-in-chief of the army of the Hindu deity Vishnu, additionally serving as a gatekeeper and chamberlain of his celestial abode of Vaikuntha. As the embodiment of the tantras, Vishvaksena is worshipped before any ritual or function in the Vaikhanasas and Sri Vaishnavism sects. He occupies an important place in Vaikhanasa and Pancaratra temple traditions, where temple festivals often begin with his worship and procession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindaun Block</span> Subdistrict/Tehsil/Taluka in Rajasthan, India

Hindaun is a Block in Karauli district of the Indian state of Rajasthan in Northern India. It is a subdivisional headquarter. Its population is approximately 442,000. The block covers an area of 700 Square kilometres, which makes it the biggest block in Karauli. The subdistrict code of Hindaun Block is 00522. There are about 165 villages in Hindaun Block.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shri Shri 1008 Siya Ram Bhakt Mahavir Balaji Temple Karharia</span> Hindu temple in Bihar, India

Shri Shri 1008 Siya-Ram Bhakt Mahavir Balaji Mandir is a noted Hindu temple, otherwise known as a Mandir, in the Banka district of Bihar. It is dedicated to the Hindu God Hanuman. The name Shri Shri 1008 Sitaram Bhakt Mahavir Balaji is applied to Shri Hanuman in several areas of India, because the childhood form of the Lord is especially celebrated there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gadharona Balaji Temple</span> Hindu temple in Uttarakhand, India

Gadharona Balaji Temple is a temple in Gadharona village near Landhaura town of district Haridwar Uttarakhand, in which the idol of Lord Hanuman is installed. The temple is from ancient times.

References

  1. "Bhut | Hindu Mythology, Meaning & Ghost". Britannica . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  2. Bhattacharyya, Narendra Nath (2000). Indian Demonology: The Inverted Pantheon. Manohar Publishers & Distributors. ISBN   978-81-7304-309-3.
  3. Vishveshvar Press Varanasi. Uddish Tantra Of Ravan With Bhasha Tika Of Rameshvar Datta By Babu Baijanath Prasad Vishveshvar Press Varanasi.
  4. "8 temples in India known for exorcism practices". The Times of India . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  5. Iwanek, Krzysztof (2018). "Gods Against Ghosts: The Exorcisms of India's Mehandipur Balaji". The Diplomat . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  6. Hunt, Holly A. (2009). Emotional Exorcism: Expelling the Four Psychological Demons That Make Us Backslide. Contemporary Psychology. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. doi:10.5040/9798400645266. ISBN   979-8-4006-4526-6.
  7. "Bhuta Damara Tantra (An Authoritative Tantra of Sri Krodha Bhairava Along with His Mantras, Mandal Worship Rituals and Accomplishment Rituals of Bhutinis, Yakshinis, Snake-Girls etc.) | Exotic India Art". www.exoticindiaart.com. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  8. "भैरव तन्त्र रहस्य और भीषण भैरव शाबर- Bhairav Tantra Rahasya and Bhishir Bhairav Shabar | Exotic India Art". www.exoticindiaart.com. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  9. hanumanji.co.in (2024-08-18). "Why Hanumanji is known as Balaji? -" . Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  10. Vishveshvar Press Varanasi. Uddish Tantra Of Ravan With Bhasha Tika Of Rameshvar Datta By Babu Baijanath Prasad Vishveshvar Press Varanasi.