Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner?

[praveen]

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As we do pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right. In India the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. So as we circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness, with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and strength, as our guide - the "right hand".

 

[anandb]

The only exception is the Somasutra Pradakshinam done in Shiva temples on Pradosham. In certain Shiva temples, I believe this is the only way it is done. It involves going in an anti-clockwise direction up to Gomukhi but never crossing it. To see how it is done visit this link

Welcome to Pradosham - May Lord Shiva Bless You..

 

[vikrama]

Do you know why it is called Pradakshinam? It is made of two words.
प्र+ दक्षिणम् - The first is a prefix indicating importance and the second word means, among other things, right side. We keep the object of importance at our right side. So it is called Pradakshinam.

When you stand facing the rising sun, the direction on your right side is south, that is another meaning of दक्षिण. The god facing south is called Dakshinamoorthy.

दक्षिण derived from दक्ष also means 'able'. In this sense it is related to 'dextrous' the English word derived from Latin 'dexter'. There also it means right hand.
It is one of the evidences for the close relationship between Latin and Sanskrit.

 

[Eastern Mind]

As we do pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right. In India the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. So as we circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness, with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and strength, as our guide - the "right hand".

I have also heard that it has to do with the direction of spinning chakras, mystically. Think of an auger, or a drill bit. If it spins one way, the wood or dirt comes up. Spin it the other way, it goes down. So you want energy going up the spine. The energy from the sanctum sanctorum permeates your being, including chakras. Walking clockwise has the energy going upwards.

Aum Namasivaya