When my guru taught me about the usage of temple bells, he quoted some paddhati śloka-s of Somaśambhu. I will share them here:
एकनादं तु मोक्षाय
विरत्तानां प्रशस्यते
घण्टातादनं एवं स्यात्
द्विनादो भोगमोक्षतः
भोगार्थं द्विनादं च
नाद-त्रयं सर्व-सिद्ध्यै
घण्टा नादम् फलं लभेत्
ekanādaṃ tu mokṣāya
virattānāṃ praśasyate
ghaṇṭātādanaṃ evaṃ syāt
dvinādo bhogamokṣataḥ
bhogārthaṃ dvinādaṃ ca
nāda-trayaṃ sarva-siddhyai
ghaṇṭā nādam phalaṃ labhet
Meaning:
1. ekanādaṃ tu mokṣāya
eka-nādam – single sound / one tone
tu – indeed / but / however
mokṣāya – for liberation / for attaining mokṣa
2. virattānāṃ praśasyate
virattānām – for the dispassionate ones / renunciates / detached beings
praśasyate – is praised / is considered suitable
3. ghaṇṭā-tādanaṃ evaṃ syāt
ghaṇṭā-tādanam – striking of the bell
evaṃ – thus / in this way
syāt – should be / is (optative/indicative of "to be")
4. dvinādaḥ bhoga-mokṣataḥ
dvi-nādaḥ – two-toned sound / dual sound
bhoga-mokṣataḥ – for both enjoyment and liberation
(bhoga = enjoyment; mokṣataḥ = with regard to liberation)
5. bhogārthaṃ dvinādaṃ ca
bhoga-artham – for the purpose of enjoyment
dvi-nādam – dual sound
ca – and
6. nāda-trayaṃ sarva-siddhyai
nāda-trayam – triple sound / three-toned bell
sarva-siddhyai – for all accomplishments / attainments of all siddhis
ghaṇṭā – bell
nādam – sound / resonance
phalam – result / fruit / benefit
labhet – one obtains / one gains (optative mood, meaning "may one gain" or "one gains")
Commentary: Those who seek renunciation and monkhood should perform the pūjā with the ghaṇṭā giving a single sound tone. The mumukṣus or householders should perform pūjā by using a ghaṇṭā with double sound tone (the typical ghaṇṭā we use at home). The dual tuned ghaṇṭā grants both mokṣa and bhoga. In Śaiva temples, it is a norm to see a single-tuned ghaṇṭā because Paramaśiva is regarded as the granter of mokṣa. In Vaiṣṇava temples it is a norm to see dual-tuned ghaṇṭā because He is seen as the one who grants bhoga. The ghaṇṭā with three sounds grants all siddhis. Thus, does the sound of the bell grant the benefits.
जानुनाभे रधो नाभि
जानुनाभे रधो नादः
कर्तव्यो न कदाचना
नाभे ऊर्ध्वम् तु कर्तव्यम्
घण्टा तादनम् उत्तमम्
jānunābhe radho nābhi
jānunābhe radho nādaḥ
kartavyo na kadācanā
nābhe ūrdhvam tu kartavyam
ghaṇṭā tādanam uttamam
jānu-nābhe – from the knee to the navel
radhaḥ – region / space / area
nābhiḥ – the navel
jānu-nābhe – from the knee to the navel
radhaḥ – area / space
nādaḥ – (is the seat/source of) sound / tone
kartavyaḥ – should be done
na – not
kadācana – at any time / never
nābhe – from the navel
ūrdhvam – above / upward
tu – indeed / however
kartavyam – should be done
ghaṇṭā – bell
tādanam – striking / ringing
uttamam – excellent / best
Commentary: One should never strike the bell at or below this level. The bell-striking should be done above the navel, as it is considered uttama (most appropriate and sacred).
पुण्याह धूप नैवेद्य बल्यादौ द्विनादकम्
एकनादं दीपे स्यात्
त्रिनादं देवतां करे
puṇyāha dhūpa naivedya balyādau dvinādakam
ekanādaṃ dīpe syāt
trinādaṃ devatāṃ kare
puṇyāha – the auspicious rite (e.g., puṇyāhavācana)
dhūpa – incense offering
naivedya – food offering
bali-ādau – in bali (offering to subordinate spirits) and so on
dvi-nādakam – the dual-toned bell (i.e., bell producing two resonant tones)
Meaning: A dual-tuned bell is to be used during puṇyāha, dhūpa, naivedya, bali, etc.
eka-nādam – single-toned sound
dīpe – during the lamp offering (deepa-ārati)
syāt – should be / is (optative form of "to be")
Meaning: A single-tuned bell should be used during the lamp offering.
tri-nādam – three-toned bell / bell producing three tones
devatām – for the deity
kare – in the hand (of the devotee/priest), or "when held" / "during action"
Meaning: A three-tuned bell is to be held or used for the (main) deity (especially in non-Śaiva traditions)
Why do we ring the bell?
|| घण्टानादः ||
आगमार्थं तु देवानां गमनार्थं तु रक्षसाम्।
घण्टानादं करोम्यादौ देवताह्वान-लाञ्चनम् ॥
घण्टादेवताभ्यो नमः॥
|| ghaṇṭānādaḥ ||
āgamārthaṃ tu devānāṃ gamanārthaṃ tu rākṣasām।
ghaṇṭānādaṃ karomyādau devatāhvāna-lāñcanam ॥
ghaṇṭādevatābhyo namaḥ॥
āgama-artham — for the purpose of arrival
tu — indeed / and
devānām — of the deities
Meaning: For the arrival of the deities
gamana-artham — for the purpose of departure
tu — and
rākṣasām — of the rākṣasā
Meaning: and for the departure of rākṣasā
ghaṇṭā-nādam — bell sound
karomi — I do / I make
ādau — at the beginning
Meaning: I make the bell sound at the beginning
devatā — deity
āhvāna — invocation / summoning
lāñcanam — mark / symbol / sign
Meaning: as a symbol of invocating the deity
ghaṇṭā-devatābhyaḥ — to the bell deity
namaḥ — namaḥ
Meaning: namaḥ to the bell deity
Commentary: In short, the bell is rung to invite the deities, to invoke them, and to chase away the negative entities.
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