When we visit a temple. after offering prayers, we circumambulate the santum sanctorum. This is called pradakshina

We cannot draw a circle without a centre point. The Lord is the centre, source and essence of our lives. Recognising Him as the focal point in out lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of pradakshina Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the centre. This means that whereever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality.

The pradakshina is always down only in clockwise manner because, as we do pradakshina the Lord is always on our right. In Hinduism, the right side symbolises auspiciousness. It is a telling fact that even in the English language it is called the "right" side and not the worng one! So as we circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness, with the Lord 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" - the dharma aspect of our lives. We thereby overcome our wrong tendencies and avoid repeating the sins of the past.

Indian scriptures enjoin - matrudevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava, acharyadevo bhava. Meaning : May you consider your parents and teachers as you would the Lord. With this in mind we also do pradakshina around our parents and divine personages. The story of Lord Ganesh circumambulating his parents is a well known one.