Flowers are very often offered during spiritual and religious rituals.
This simple chant refers to offering flowers of different nature to Lord Viṣṇu – the Eternal Friend and Teacher to all.
Flowers which offered daily through our thoughts, actions, speech transform world into sacred place of worship.
These flowers when offered with devotion blossom into knowledge in the Heart over time.
1. ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ
Ahimsa flower – non-violence in thought, words and action towards all creatures. This is first flower. In an encounter with one Hare Kṛṣṇa devotee, looking into his eyes I could understand how ahimsa can be firmly established in a person. It was not feeling of something but rather absence of ego, wishes, desires and in the space created - there was something still, rooted, and peaceful that could harm no one or nothing in thought, speech or action. There was no effort exerted – it simply was.
2. puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ
Indriya nigrahah flower– sense control and reigning in the mind
3. sarvabhūta-dayā puṣpam
Sarva bhuta daya flower – compassion
4. kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ
Kshama (special flower) flower – forgiveness
5. śānthiḥ puṣpaṁ
Shanti flower – peace even in the middle of samsara
6. tapaH puṣpaṁ
Tapah flower – personal offering of sacrificing one’s wishes, desires, comfort and will for Divine
7. jñānaM puṣpaṁ thathaiva ca
Jnanam flower – knowledge
8. satyam aṣṭavidhaṁ puṣpaṁ
Satyam flower – abiding in Truth in all circumstances
viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ bhavet||
Om Viṣṇave Namah
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