Prana pratistha is the Hindu theological term for a rite or ceremony (Samskara in Sanskrit) by which the spirit or being of a deity is infused or brought to inhabit a murti or idol of that deity. A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of India (Bharat). ... Theology is reasoned discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason). It also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act. ... A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a certain occasion. ... Samskaras are tendencies inherited from previous births which form a persons propensities in this life. ... The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ... In religion and spirituality, the term spirit has two core meanings: The nature and essential substance of human souls, through which each is connected to all others, and by the experience of such connection is a primary basis for spiritual belief. ... A being, in the most general sense, is anything that is alive. ... A deity or a god, is a postulated preternatural being, usually, but not always, of significant power, worshipped, thought holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, or respected by human beings. ... An infusion is a beverage made by steeping a flavoring substance in hot or boiling water. ... Murtis are statues or images used by Hindus and also by some Mahayana Buddhists during worship as points of devotional and meditational focus. ... The term idol (derived from Greek eid-, videre, to see. ...

According to orthodox Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma, this rite can only be performed by a practising Hindu Brahmin and it is only after this rite is properly performed, that divine worship can be offered to the murti or idol. This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu caste. ...

Further, according to Hindu theology, persons belonging to certain classes or castes, who have not performed or who are ineligible to have the Upanayana samskara performed on them, so that they can become true Hindus (i.e., Dvijas), are forbidden to come in the presence of such a murti after the Prana pratistha ceremony, even if, as in certain areas, the murti was prepared by them. Class ASCII art NFO header by a!b. ... A caste system is a rigid system of social stratification, which divides members of a society into different castes. ... Upanayana is a Hindu samskara for children of the three highest castes. ...

These prohibited classes or castes are the Shudras besides every non-Hindu, including Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Muslims, etc., besides all foreigners; these are considered to belong to the class of men considered even lower than the Shudras, and specifically called the Mlecchas. Shudra, or Sudra, is the fourth caste, or varna, in the traditional four-caste division among Indian castes. ... The hand with a wheel on the palm symbolizes the Jain Vow of Ahinsa, meaning non-injury and nonviolence. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a religious faith originating in the Punjab. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. ... Zoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia very roughly around 1000 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimates are as late as 600 BC). ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) is an adherent of Islam. ... A foreigner, or an alien, is a natural person who is not a citizen of the State in question. ... Mleccha (from Sanskrit म्लेच्छ mleccha, meaning non-Aryan, barbarian) is an Indian derogatory term for foreigners or people who do not speak Sanskrit and do not conform with conventional Hindu beliefs and practices. ...

Additionally, menstruating women are also prohibited to present themselves until cleansed. The menstrual cycle is the periodic change in a womans body that occurs every month between puberty and menopause and that relates to reproduction. ...

The practical applications of these rules, however, vary according to the strength of popular Hinduism and anti-Brahmin traditions in particular regions.