he Hindu Religion. The Daily Offering.

Daily Offerings.

There are five obligatory offerings: (1) offerings to the gods (food taken from the meal); (2) a cursory offering (bali) made to "all beings"; (3) a libation of water mixed with sesame offered to the spirits of the deceased; (4) hospitality; and (5) recitation of the Veda. Although some traditions prescribe a definite ritual in which these five "sacrifices" are performed, in most cases the five daily offerings are merely a way of speaking about one's religious obligations in general.Other private ritesThe morning and evening adorations (sandhya), being a very important duty of the traditional householder, are mainly Vedic in character, but they have, by the addition of Puranic and Tantric elements, become lengthy rituals. If not shortened, the morning ceremonies consist of self-purification, bathing, prayers, and recitation of mantras, especially the Gayatri mantra (Rigveda 3.62.10), a prayer for spiritual stimulation addressed to the Sun. The accompanying ritual includes (1) the application of marks on the forehead, characterizing the adherents of a particular religious community, (2) the presentation of offerings (water, flowers) to the Sun, and (3) meditative concentration. There are Shaiva and Vaishnava variants, and some elements are optional. The observance of the daily obligations, including the care of bodily purity and professional duties, leads to mundane reward and helps to preserve the state of sanctity required to enter into contact with the divine.