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It is said that you should take prasadam with your right hand only. If you take it with your left hand, it is considered bad.

Is there any reasoning for the significance of right hand in the Hindu community? I am looking for scientific as well as traditional reasons.

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  • I don't think there's any specific reason behind it. It's just that most people are right handed, so it becomes the norm. Just like scissors.
    – tpb261
    Jun 22, 2014 at 19:00
  • @tpb261, no it is not circular reasoning. we use left hand for unholy works because there are specific distinction and rules in shastras about which body part to use for which purpose. There are lot of devatas within our body who help us in daily tasks. Surya helps us see. Indra resides in right hand. Children should sit on right lap, wife on left. We should only donate with right hand. etc.
    – mar
    Jul 12, 2016 at 7:39
  • The left hand path with the Baphomet is probably related although I haven't found much evidence of this.
    – William
    Jan 18, 2018 at 3:09

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Because the left hand is used for toilet purposes and that makes left hand unholy to do holy works. Even old people say that

Ulta haath hamesha ulte kaamon mein hi use hota hai

means left hand should be used for unholy works only.

So, its only for division of holy and unholy work among both hands.

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  • "toilet purposes" - this is more or less the explanation I have also heard from family, though I have no idea if this is the original reason for preferring the right hand.
    – senshin
    Jun 23, 2014 at 4:00
  • @ankit-sharma seems like answer, waiting for others to answer.
    – Abhijeet Kasurde
    Jun 23, 2014 at 4:51
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    This is circular reasoning. Q. Why do we use left hand for "unholy works"? A. Because we use right hand for "holy things" Q. Why do we use right hand for "holy works"? A. Because we use left hand for "unholy things". Nice.
    – tpb261
    Jun 24, 2014 at 9:42
  • @tpb261, no it is not circular reasoning. we use left hand for unholy works because there are specific distinction and rules in shastras about which body part to use for which purpose. There are lot of devatas within our body who help us in daily tasks. Surya helps us see. Indra resides in right hand. Children should sit on right lap, wife on left. We should only donate with right hand. etc.
    – mar
    Jul 12, 2016 at 7:38
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    @ram, do you have sources for these śāstras? I would be very interested in reading upon left/right hand rules. Thanks!
    – Gabe Hiemstra
    Jul 12, 2016 at 9:08
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All good deeds are done with the right hand, such as a tilak (coloured spot or mark worn by Hindus), vermillion, giving donations, or taking parsad. Generally, the left hand is used to take something which is temporarily yours, which means you have to return it. There is not much science behind it. The right hand is considered to be spiritually superior to the left hand as it is believed that the right hand is one's own while the left expresses the destiny and the traits of one's spouse.

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