We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. We go about doing our daily chores, recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives. This is the significance of pradakshina, which is a Sanskrit word meaning circumambulation or walking in a circle around the deity.

Pradakshina is done only in a clockwise manner. The right side symbolizes auspiciousness. During pradakshina, we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness, with the Lord on our right side. Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the center. This means that wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality.

Indian scriptures enjoin us – “Matru devo Bhava, Pitru devo Bhava, Acharya devo Bhava” - May you consider your parents and teachers as you would the Lord. With this in mind, we also do pradakshina around our parents and divine personages.

After the completion of the traditional worship (pooja), we customarily do pradakshina around ourselves. In this way we recognize and remember the supreme divinity within us, which alone is idolized in the form of the Lord that we worship outside.