28 SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL REASONS FOR WEARING TILAK (MARK ON FOREHEAD)
FIVE SCIENTIFIC REASONS OF WEARING TILAK:
(i) Wearing Tilaka boosts the memory power. How?
The spot between the eyebrows, is the seat of memory and thinking that is also called the Aajna Chakra in the language of Yoga. The tilak is applied with the prayer “May I remember the Lord. May this pious feeling pervade all my activities. May I be righteous in my deeds.” Even when we temporarily forget this prayerful attitude the mark on another reminds us of our resolve.
The tilak is thus a blessing of the Lord and a protection against wrong tendencies and forces.
(ii) How Tilaka protects us from the head ache due to worries?
The entire body releases energy in the form of electromagnetic waves, the forehead and the subtle spot between the eyebrows especially so. That is why, worry generates heat and causes a headache. The tilak cools the forehead, protects us and prevents energy loss. Sometimes the entire forehead is covered with chandan or bhasma.
(iii) HOW TILAK SAVES OUR ENERGY?
Wearing Tilak between the two eyebrows, is a spot having a major nerve point in human body. Our ancestors had known that. So, there are chances for the energy to go out through that energy point. So, we wear tilak at the spot of that energy point. The Tilak prevents the loss of energy by screening outside.
(iv) Why tilaks are recommended in red coloured Kumkum for women?
The red ‘kumkum’ retain energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration. Because the kumkum contains turmeric, calcium, While applying kumkum the points on the mid-brow region and Adnya-chakra are automatically pressed. This also facilitates the blood supply to the face muscles.
(v) Why the tilaks are recommended throughout our body?
As the tilaks are made up of soil or ashes, by applying tilaks, our body’s excess heat and water is absorbed and our body becomes cool. That is why, we are recommended to apply tilaks throughout our body where the swetting will affect the health. For example excessive sweat on the face causes colds or head aches. So, we apply on forehead that absorbs excess water and dries it. Excess sweat at the spot of chest and underarm causes cold and bad odour at the region of underarm. So, we apply more at the spot of chest and arms just below the shoulders that absorbs all the sweats and reduce secretion at underarm.
So, Don’t stop wearing tilak as you are bringing Krishna Himself on your forehead.
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23 SPIRITUAL REASONS OF WEARING TILAKA:
(1) By wearing tilak, one identifies one’s body as the temple of the Lord .
(2) He/ she is blessed by the auspicious protection of the Lord.
(3) Not only is the wearer immensely benefited, but even those who see the tilak marks are benefited.
(4) Tilak was part of the essential dress of a devotee.
(5) Tilak that is applied with the Lord’s holy names, gives protection to the whole body.
(6) Srila Prabhupada has given the example of a policeman. He can be identified by his dress. His behavior should honor his position.
(7) Simply by seeing someone wearing tilak, people are induced to utter the words, “There is a Hare Krishna” and thus they immensely benefit thus we should not see it as something external.
(8) A tilak is identified with Lord Narayana Himself in Vaishnavism. Different sect of Vaishnavas wear different type of tilaks. Some wear white and red combined, some with sharp corners and some with rounded corners, some wear only Gopi Chandan, Some wear just a straight vertical line, like that. Everyone says different meanings for every line they wear.
(9) The baseline is that wearing tilaks indicates that this person is devoted to certain God indicated by that tilak and he is not available for other paths or sampradhayas and he should not be disturbed for material affairs. BY WEARING TILAK, WE ARE SAID TO BRING LORD HIMSELF ON OUR FOREHEAD AND ALL OVER THE BODY AND MAKE THIS BODY AS THE TEMPLE FOR LORD.
(10) Sri sampradhaya says that the white line is Lord Narayana and the middle red line indicates lakshmi Devi.
(11) Gaudiya vaishnava sampradhaya says that the U shaped tilak indicates Krishna and the leaf like bottom attachment indicates Tulasi Devi.
(12) All these sampradhayas prepare tilak bases using soil only. So, in one angle, wearing of soil reminds us every time that we will mix with the soil once we leave this body. So, we will involve in devotion seriously.
(13) Saivaits also wear tilaks with ashes all over the body. These ashes indicate that all of us will become ashes once we leave this body. So, every day, we will remember this fact that will keep us attached to God and we will not dare to commit sins.
(14) By wearing tilaks, you invite only LIKE MINDED persons to associate with.
(15) By wearing tilak ONLY FOR PLEASING LORD, not for show, your ego comes down to much extent. This will help in the advancement in your spiritual practices.
(16) By seeing the devotees wearing certain type of tilaks, the people come to know about such sampradhaya and hence unique tilaks serve as the identity or even publicity for that sampradhaya.
(17) However, with the advancement of BLIND & RITUALISTIC PRACTICES of religion by the people, many devotees are wearing these symbols just as an identity as a devotee even without knowing the real scientific purpose.
Next, Let us see what Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON said about wearing tilak:
(1) SRILA PRABHUPADA IN A LETTER TO TILAKA DEVI DASI:
“Tilaka means victory personified.”
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(2) SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM 4.12.28 PURPORT:
“In Kali-yuga one can hardly acquire gold or jeweled ornaments, but the twelve tilaka marks on the body are sufficient as auspicious decorations to purify the body.”
(3) SRILA PRABHUPADA’s LETTER TO BRAHMANANDHA 14.10.67:
“I have no objection if members of the Society dress like nice American gentlemen; but in all circumstances a devotee cannot avoid tilaka, flag on head (shikha) and (tulasi) beads on the neck. These are the essential features of a Vaisnava.”
(4) SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM 10.6.27-29 PURPORT”
“While decorating the body with tilaka, we give protection to the body by chanting twelve names of Vishnu. Although Govinda, or Lord Vishnu, is one, He has different names and forms with which to act differently.”
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(5) NECTAR OF DEVOTION Ch-9:
“Persons who are decorated with tilaka or gopi–candana [a kind of clay resembling fuller’s earth which is produced in certain quarters of Vrinda-vana], and who mark their bodies all over with the holy names of the Lord, and on whose necks and breasts there are tulasi- beads, are never approached by the Yamadu-tas.” The Yamadu-tas are the constables of King Yama (the lord of death)
(6) SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM LECTURE VRINDAVAN 15.9. 75:
“Just like sometimes on the street some outsider, seeing you, they chant Hare Krsna only by the symbolic, sa-nketya. Because they see: “They have got tilaka, kunti.” Therefore these things are required. Don’t become immediately paramahamsa—no tilaka, no kunti and no bead bag. This is not good. Sa-nketya. So that others may understand, “Here is a Vaisnava. Here is a Krsna devotee…” And if he is simple, he’ll chant, “Hare Krsna.” This chance should be given. Therefore it is necessary, how people can utter. That chanting may save him from the greatest danger. Therefore it is said, sa-nketyam pa-riha-syam. If somebody jokes… Sometimes they do that. “Hare Krsna” means he is not seriously chanting, but he is trying to joke the other party who is engaged in chanting. And that is also good, pa-riha-sya.”