Āratī (Aarti): light and devotional song
Āratī (Aarti)
Read the cited source passages on this page →
Explore Āratī (Aarti) through a Skanda Purāṇa passage on waving lights with hymns, then prepare to follow a local ceremony.
A textual description of waving lights
Skanda Purāṇa, Vaiṣṇava-Khaṇḍa, Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya 13.2–6 describes a devotional vigil associated with Ekādaśī. In G. V. Tagare’s translation, it includes Nīrājana and Ārārtika, the latter explained as waving lights with devotional hymns. This is a specific textual setting for studying the offering of light.
Read the source
Source passages to read on this page
Read the selected passages in English below. Translation, commentary and handbook guidance are labeled separately; the adjacent links let you check the source.
Skanda Purāṇa, Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya 13.1–6
The full selected reading is summarized here so that the page’s questions do not require a separate book. The exact chapter is linked for checking.
Reference: G. V. Tagare; Identified English edition on Wisdom Library. Check the cited passage or chapter →
Brief translation excerpt
the devotee should perform Ārārtika (waving of lights with devotional hymns) after every three hours
English meaning · handbook paraphrase of the cited Indian translation
1: The speaker introduces staying awake in worship during the Kali age. 2–6: An Ekādaśī vigil brings together music, dance, Purāṇa readings, incense, lamps, offerings, devotion, gifts, restraint, truthfulness, wakefulness, worship, circumambulation, and prostration. Nīrājana and waving lights with hymns appear within this wider account, with a stated interval of a yāma. This describes the chapter’s vigil, not the timetable for every temple’s Āratī.
Brief quotation from the identified edition; the longer English account is an attributed handbook paraphrase, not the full translation.
Read the ceremony in its setting
The passage places the light offering among activities such as singing, scripture reading, incense, and flower offerings. Its instructions belong to the vigil being described. A reader should not convert that setting into the daily timetable or prayer text of every temple.
Terms to keep in your notebook
This handbook uses Āratī (Aarti), with Arati and arti as searchable spellings. In the linked passage, record the terms Nīrājana and Ārārtika exactly as the edition presents them. Ask a teacher how those terms relate to the name used in the community you visit.
Following a local ceremony
Before participating, ask where visitors should stand, which prayer is sung, and whether a translation is available. Follow the attendant’s instructions about the lamp and local gestures. Observing is a useful first step when you are unfamiliar with the words or sequence.
- Which prayer is being sung, and what is its source?
- How may visitors take part?
- What does the host explain about the offering?
- How is the lamp brought to participants?
Connect the offering with worship
The pūjā guide introduces a different textual passage on offerings and devotion. The temple visit guide helps prepare questions for a first visit. Keep a local prayer’s name and source alongside its translation before adding it to your study collection.
Sources & scope
Skanda Purāṇa, Vaiṣṇava-Khaṇḍa, Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya 13 — G. V. Tagare translation — Selected verses 2–6 on the devotional vigil. This is a textual example, not a claim to establish the earliest origin, a universal Āratī (Aarti) song, or instructions for every ceremony.
Source consulted October 7, 2026. This handbook’s orientation is not a substitute for the source’s complete text and explanation.
Prepare a small prayer record
Ask for the title of the song used at this gathering, its language, the printed or recorded source, and an identified translation. Keep transliteration and translation separate: one helps you follow the sounds, the other helps you study meaning.
Record unfamiliar words for later rather than interrupting the ceremony. When the gathering is over, ask which explanation belongs to the song itself and which describes the community’s way of using it.
- Prayer: title, opening words and language.
- Source: booklet, author or collection, and page where known.
- Understanding: translation source and one question.
- Local practice: what the host explained, with the temple or gathering identified.
This record format is handbook guidance, not a requirement stated by the cited Purāṇa.
Questions readers often ask
Is there one Āratī (Aarti) song for everyone?
The selected passage does not establish a universal song. Identify the prayer actually used by your host instead of filling that gap with an assumed title.
Do I have to know all the words before attending?
Ask the host whether visitors may observe, follow a printed text or join a refrain. Choose the participation they welcome and that you understand.
Does the passage set every temple’s timetable?
Its setting is an Ekādaśī vigil. Confirm a temple’s current programme with that temple; the passage does not establish its opening times or daily order.
How should I handle the lamp or make a gesture?
Ask the attendant to explain the local procedure. This guide does not prescribe one pattern of movement, fuel or handling for every ceremony.
Check your reading
Without looking above, name the textual setting of the light offering. Which part of your preparation needs a scripture reference, and which needs the host’s current explanation?
Compare your reading
The selected Skanda Purāṇa passage describes an Ekādaśī vigil. It supports the identified textual example of waving lights with hymns. The local song, visitor participation and programme need information from the host; this passage alone does not establish them.
Revisit your prayer record later. Try explaining one line using its identified translation, then check the wording and correct your note. Keep your own interpretation labelled as such.