Temple Worship Procedures

Temples are the connecting points of high importance in our religion and culture. The absolute necessity of temple worship is stressed throughout by the great saints of the religion. It is not very difficult to realise the important role they play in cultivating spiritualism in people. It is the place for collective worship. Given these significant roles of the temples, it is required to have some discipline to be followed in the temples to have the real expected out of the worship. Here are a few steps that you can follow to set that harmony. Most of these apply to all Hindu temples though a few are specific to Shaivite temples.

• Going to the temple with a clean body. Legs and hands shall be cleaned upon entering the temple.
• Going to the temple adorned with holy symbols like the holy Ash, rudrakshakam.
• Taking something to offer to the Lord. It is an offering out of devotion. It would be nice if the offering is the one required in the worship.
• Not to enter the temple with footwear.
• Prostrating before the flag column (dwajastaMbham) (towards the North) on entering the temple.
• Not to prostrate anywhere else in the temple.
• Not to prostrate to anybody else on the temple premises.
• Taking the permission of Nandi dEvar mentally before entering His abode.
• Saluting the elephant-headed Lord enters the Lord's abode.
• In Lord shiva's abode, engage the mind in the thinking of God. Avoid any gossip. Temple is not the place for gossiping. Can sing or chant His name loudly and sweetly if it would not disturb others. Otherwise, it could be done internally without making noise.
• The Holy ash given as the blessings should be worn saying 'Shivaya Namah'. It should not be spilt on the ground or wasted.
• It is normally a procedure to offer something to the priest whose whole life should be in the service of the Lord. Circumambulating the Lord and saluting the Goddess and the deities in the temple. The circumambulation would be done at least three times. On special occasions like pradoshham, there are special circumambulation methods like soma sUkta pradhaxiNam are followed.
• While in the temple, either the Holy five letters or any praise could be chanted.
• Before coming out of the temple, go to the place of chandeshwarar and take permission for the materials, which are taken out of the temple as blessings after worship. One must not take anything out in excess, and things taken from the temple should be only the mark of blessings. If nothing is taken, it is the normal practice to wipe (rub) the hands together in his place.
• Should do something to promote the temple physically or materially or whichever is convenient and required.
• On coming out of the temple, again prostrate in front of the flag column towards the north. Sit facing the north and meditate on God, chanting the holy five letters.
• While inside, the temple should not make the place dirty in any way or make any noise.
• Going to the temple at least once a week with the family.
• The mind should be focused on the Lord like the dust of iron that sticks to the magnet. Any worship with such an orientation would have a very good effect on us by the grace of the Almighty.