In almost all Poojas (worship) nãrikel (coconut) is used.

Image source: picdif.com

What is the significance of using nãrikel in pooja?

  • 3
    Good question.. I feel the shrifal is used in puja because it has sweetness inside so it may reflect a symbolic belief that a person who is doing the puja should keep sweetness inside him. – Mr. Alien Jul 4 '14 at 9:09
  • @Mr.Alien and be super hard from outside? – user3459110 Jul 4 '14 at 12:18
  • 1
    @AwalGarg that will apply for ones ego, we do break shrifal right? so we break means that signifies that we break our ego before worshiping the god.. thats what I believe – Mr. Alien Jul 4 '14 at 12:19
  • @Mr.Alien yes, it symbolizes one's head. Like bowing head means submitting one's ego. Offering coconut means offering one's head, the ego. – Be Happy Jul 4 '14 at 13:54

The coconut (Gujarati. – nãriyel, Sanskrit. – nãrikel) is used as an auspicious pujã offering. It has several virtues and underlying sentiments.

Its important virtue is that the coconut tree takes in salty water and gives sweet and nutritious water through the fruit. Similarly, man is inspired to mould himself by eradicating his ‘saltish’ swabhãvs and to become sweet within.

In ancient times, Vishvamitra rishi created the coconut, to be used as an offering to appease the deities to halt animal sacrifice. In this manner the rishis propounded ahimsã during ritual offerings.

Since then the coconut has become a symbol of sacrifice. Therefore in any auspicious venture or ritual, a person offers a coconut to a deity with the sentiment, ‘I offer myself at your feet’.

It is offered to a deity on certain lunar tithis such as Purnimã and Ekãdashi, often with a small packet of sãkar (sugar crystals) and 1.25 rupees in coin form. In some mandirs and sampradãys, the pujãri cracks the coconut and offers one piece to the deity and returns the other piece to the devotee as prasãdam. It is commonly offered to Hanumanji on Saturdays.

It is placed on top of a kalash, with mango or betel vine leaves during kalash sthãpan in pujã rituals.

Coconut water is also used during abhishek in some south Indian temples.

It is cracked on the doorstep of a new building during Vãstu pujã and during pujan of new heavy machinery. This is after performing pujan of Thãkorji and imprinting red chãndlo on the shrifal, while chanting shantipaath and other Vedic mantras and shloks. The water from the cracked shrifal is then sprinkled inside, as well as on those present, to confer purity and auspiciousness.

During a marriage proposal, it is sent by the girl’s parents to the proposed groom. If he accepts it, then the engagement is fixed. This is known as ‘having accepted the nãriyel’.

All parts of the coconut and tree are useful, to make: thatch roof, mats, stick brooms, screens, coir rope and edible oil. The soft or dried flesh is often sliced into chips and offered with sãkar as prasãdam

It is also tied to a bier in six places before taking a body for cremation.

SOURCE - kids.baps.org


Excerpts from a talk by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:



You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .