KUMBHABHISHEKAM AND OTHER SACRED RITUALS
ॐ चरणं पवित्रं विततं पुराणं येन पूतस्तरति दुष्कृतानि तेन पवित्रेण शुद्धेन पूताः अतिपाप्मानं अरातिं तरेम॥
तद्विष्णोः परमं पदं सदा पश्यन्ति सूरयःदिवीव चक्षुराततं तद्विप्रासो विपन्न्यवो जागृवासस्स्मिन्धते विष्णोर्यत् परमं पदं।
Om caraṇaṁ pavitraṁ vitataṁ purāṇaṁ yena pūtastarati duṣkṛtāni
tena pavitreṇa śuddhena pūtāḥ atipāpmānaṁ arātiṁ tarema||
tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ
divīva cakṣurātataṁ tadviprāso vipannyavo jāgṛvāsassmindhate
viṣṇoryat paramaṁ padaṁ|
That pair of feet...(of Narayana) which is sacred, wide, ancient ..
those who are sanctified by those feet can overcome all obstacles and evil deeds..
May we , being blessed and sanctified by those feet which are sacred, and pure, overcome the tortuous path of sins and obstacles..
"Just as the sun's rays in the sky are extended to the mundane vision, in the same way the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu."
"Because those supremely praiseworthy and spiritually awake devotees are able to see the spiritual world, they are also able to reveal that supreme abode of Lord Vishnu."
May that pair of feet of Krishna lead us to eternity..
Lakshmeenaraayanaabhyaam NamaH..
UTSAVAM OF NARAYANA THE VAIKHANASA WAY
=========================================
origin of Vikhanasa
It is said that there was slackness on the part of the inhabitants of this earth, including the sages, in the worship of Sriman Narayana. Therefore the Lord Himself created Srimad Vikhsana from His own mind.
विशेषेण खननात् विखनाः.. visheshena khananaat vikhanaa..meaning. it is Vikhanaa because it originated from a rare mine..
The Lord Himself imparted the knowledge of all vedas, shastras and procedures of worship to Sage Vikhanas. Therefore the followers of Vaikhanasa call this way of worship as Bhagavat Shastram..
Festivals and Vaikhanasa..
The fundamental instruction of Vaikhanasa shastram is that
विष्णुं प्रतिष्ठाप्य अर्चन महोत्सवादीनि कुर्यात्
vishnum pratishtaapya archana mahotsavaadeeni kuryaat..
Vishnu should be consecrated in the temple.. and should be offered daily pooja and elaborate festivals should be conducted.
It is also said that महता प्रयत्नेने उत्सवानि क्रियन्ते. mahataa prayatnen utsavaani kriyante.. The festivals are conducted through the concerted efforts and unrelenting labour of a lot of devotees.. So it is called Mahotsavam..
The Lords utsvam is called Mahotsavam additionally because the festival is conducted for Sriman Narayana after all the Gods in heaven are formally invited and are participating in the celebrations enthusiastically.
In fact, all the festivals, and even the daily pooja conducted the Vaikhanasa way are Mahotsavams.. This is because Vaikhanasa rituals prescribe that even for daily poojas deities and sages like Brahma, Bhrigu, Markandeya, Shankara, the Ashta Dikpalakas etc are invoked and offered proper respects through offer of Pushpanyasam or floral worship. And during the nitya Aradhana and nitya homam, all the deities are worshiped and offered havir bhagam. So even nitya pooja is in a way a mahotsavam for Narayana..
Another heartening feature to b noted here is that the Vaikhansa Agamam is filled with a lot of mantrams which are to be practiced every day, and a huge number of materials in large quantities have to be procured an arranged with very active participation of large number of devotees. This also justifies the idea that every pooja should be treated as a mahotsavam.
Kumbhabhisheka Mahotsavam
The PUNARUDDHAARANA SAMPROKSHANA and the NOOTHANA SAMPROKSHANA ( we call it Kumbhabhishekam) are all Mahotsavams.
In these Samprokshana functions, all the gods are invited through the formal announcement of the function and formal invitation. This is called Houtram or Devataahvaanam हौत्रं -देवताह्वानं.. All the gods from heaven and all the occupants of Vaikuntam are formally invited for the consecration of the idol of Vishnu. So it is again Mahotsavam.
Procedure of Utsavam
Sage Bhrigu has prescribed the Mahotsava Vidhi.. or procedure for the festival..
महोत्सवविधिः अतः परम् प्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमेणोत्सवं हरेः अयने विषुवे चैव विष्णु पञ्च दिनेषु वा. यजमानस्य जन्मर्क्षे राज्ञो जन्मर्क्ष एव च अयने मास नक्षत्रे प्रतिष्टान्त दिने तथा उत्सवन्तु सङ्कल्प्य तत्र तीर्थं प्रकल्पयेत् एतेषु एकं प्रतिग्राह्यं यजमानेच्छया दिनं.
mahotsavavidhiH.. ataH param pravakshyaami kramenotsavam hareH. ayane vishuve chaiva vishnu panch dineshu vaa yajamaanasya janmarkshe raajno janmarksha eva cha. ayane maasa nakshatre pratishtaanta dine tathaa utsavantu sankalpya tatra teertham prakalpayet. eteshu ekam pratigraahyam yajamaanecchayaa dinam..
The mahotsavam as above can be defined as the celebrations which are fixed with prior solemn determination or Sankalpam of the devotees concerned. It can be on any or one of the following occasions.
1. Utharayana Punyakalam
2 'Dakshinayanan Punyakalam
3 The Vishu Punyakalam.. the Sankramana dates on the startof every solar month..
4. The five most auspicious days for Vishnu every month
1 . Amavasya 2. Pournamasya. 3. Shukla Ekadashi 4.
Krishna ekadashi . 5.Shravana or Thiruvonam Star
5. If an individual is opting to conduct a festival, on the date of his birth star.
6. The birth star of the King or ruler of the Region or the
Country or Nation..
7. On fixed auspicious Nakshatrams occuring on particular months Like Ashtami Rohini..
8. On the date when the deity of the temple was
consecrated..the Kumbhabhishekam Day ( The
Varshikotsavam)
In fact, dvajaarohanam(flag hoisting ) is prescribed for all the mahotsavams. But for practical reasons, detailed utsavam with hoisting of flag etc.. is restricted to Brahmotsavam.. that happens usually only once in a year
Sage Bhrigu has classified the Mahotsavam into three categories.
1.. Kaalotsavam..कालोत्सवं The utsavam conducted every month or certain days and the annual utsavam
2. Shraddhotsavam..श्रद्धोत्सवं observed by people who have vowed with devotion to conduct some festival as their own offering..
3.Naimittikotsavam...नैमित्तिकोत्सवं utsavams conducted with a view to ward off all the misfortunes affecting the people of the area and celebrations and festivities praying for general affluence, good rain, good harvest etc..
The festivals can be conducted for a period of 21 days,, considered as uttama or best, or 14 or 9 days considered as madhyamam or satisfactory or for 7 days considered as adhamam not so satisfactory..
The Brahmotsavam, the annual utsavam is called by that name because it is believed that Lord Brahma Himself visits the temple and conducts the function.
The main functions in the Utsavam are..
1. The announcement of the festival and preparing the flag staff of Dvajastambham..by decorating it and keeping it ready for the hoisting of the flag marking the start of the festival,
2.Selection of cotton cloth for the flag, drawing of the picture of Garuda Azhvar on the cloth in the prescribed way..
3. Preparation of the mandapa and consecration of Garuda Azhvar in the flag
4. Bheri Tadanam... Formal beating of the Drums.. after chanting Bheri sooktham.. Upashvaasaya. prithveem etc..
5. Bali Samarpanam... Offering prescribed food materials etc to propitiate the demi gods, spirits etc
6. Dvajarohanam.. The hoisting of the flag is done with the permission of Lord Narayana,, in the presence of Lord Vishvaksena and the Chakrathu Azhvar.. or Lord Sudharshana. And it is supposed to be in the presence and with the active participation of all the gods who have come receiving our invitation..
7 The conduct of the festival.. with Agamic poojas, Vedic homas, Vedaparayanam, Daily Processions, Nritham, Vadhyam, Special Naiavedyams and so on.. These can be discussed only in another essay.. The peak of the celebratins is the ratholsavam where the Lord Narayana is taken in procession in a chariot.. Then there is the formal lowering of the flag.. and Mangalasnamam.. in a holy teertham for the lord..
The homams are prescribed every day during the mahotsavam.. and the materials offered like twigs and foodstuff all vary from day to day..
यत्रैव क्रियते विष्णोरुत्सवः सर्वशान्तिदः तस्मिन् देशे अन्यदेवानां उत्सवं नैव कारयेत्.
yatraiva kriyate vishnorutsavaH sarvashaantidaH tasmin deshe anyadevaanaam utsavam naiva kaarayet.
If the mahotsavam of Lord Narayana is going on in a place.. that would spread peace and prosperity there. During those days of that festival to Narayna, no festivals for other gods should be conducted there..
Of course, that statement is made perhaps to underline the glory of the Lord..
If the festivals are conducted with devotion and sincere involvement..
1. The devotees would attain Vaikuntam when they finally depart
2. There will be peace everywhere
3. All misfortunes and difficulties would vanish
4. Rains would come in plenty, Grains will grow in excess
5. The whole world, the Country, the state, the village and all the rulers will be blessed with strength, prosperity and capacity to lead their subjects..
6. The demons and spirits infesting the territory would take flight.
So Vaikhanasa says
तस्मात् सर्व प्रयत्नेन कारयेदुत्सवं हरेः
tasmaat sarva prayatnena kaarayet utsavam hareH..
Therefore the utsavams of Lord Hari should be conducted with all enthusiasm and willingness to serve..
( the texts of various Vaishnava scholars have been referred to in preparing this note.. I have no direct experience as a Vaikhanasa.. though I am a devotee of Narayana )
Some basic observances and protocols we have to follow when we go for worship of Lord Narayana.. as per Vaikhanasa Rules.. The principles should work for all other schools of Agama too.
the slokas are from Brigu's Prakeernakadhikaram
(the text is available in Telugu.. published by Tirupati Devasthanam )
यानैर्वा पादुकैः वापि गमनं भगवत् गृहे १
प्रदक्षिणं शनैर्गत्वा देवालयमुपव्रजेत्॥२
विमानं विष्णुरूपं स्यान्न तत्पदादिना क्रमेत्॥३
धामप्रदक्षिणे पूर्वं कुर्यात्तत्र नमस्क्रियाः॥४
न लङ्घयेत् ध्वजच्छायां प्रदक्षिणविधिं विना।
गोपुरस्य विमानस्य प्राकारस्यालयस्य च॥ ५
यज्ञसूत्रमधः कृत्वा कर्णे कृत्वा विशेषतः।
अपसव्यं च धृत्वैव धृत्वा चैव निवीतवत्॥६
न गच्छेद्देवतागारं न वा मुक्तशिखो नरः॥
अकच्छः पुच्छकच्छश्च न च कौपीनमात्रधृक्॥७
यदा विशेद्गृहं विष्णोः सेवार्थं मधुविद्विषः।
कृत्वोपवीतः सम्यगुत्तरीयं मनोहरम्।
सेवेत देवदेवेशमुपवीतः सदा शुचिः॥८
कञ्चुकेनावृताङ्गस्तु न गच्छेत् हरिमन्दिरम्।
उष्णीषी न च सेवेत नैव पाणौ धृतायुधः॥९
वस्त्रेणाच्छाद्य देहं तु कम्बलेनेतरेण वा॥ १०
yānaivo pādukaiḥ vāpi gamanaṁ bhagavat gṛhe 1
pradakṣiṇaṁ śanairgatvā devālayamupavrajet||2
vimānaṁ viṣṇurūpaṁ syānna tatpadādinā kramet||3
dhāmapradakṣiṇe pūrvaṁ kuryāttatra namaskriyāḥ||4
na laṅghayet dhvajacchāyāṁ pradakṣiṇavidhiṁ vinā|
gopurasya vimānasya prākārasyālayasya ca|| 5
yajñasūtramadhaḥ kṛtvā karṇe kṛtvā viśeṣataḥ|
apasavyaṁ ca dhṛtvaiva dhṛtvā caiva vinītavat||6
na gaccheddevatāgāraṁ na vā muktaśikho naraḥ||
akacchaḥ pucchakacchaśca na ca kaupīnamātradhṛk||7
yadā viśedgṛhaṁ viṣṇoḥ sevārthaṁ madhuvidviṣaḥ|
kṛtvopavītaḥ samyaguttarīyaṁ manoharam|
seveta devadeveśamupavītaḥ sadā śuciḥ||8
kañcukenāvṛtāṅgastu na gacchet harimandiram|
uṣṇīṣī na ca seveta naiva pāṇau dhṛtāyudhaḥ||9
vastreṇācchādya dehaṁ tu kambalenetareṇa vā|| 10 1. One should not worship in the Vishnu temple moving in a Vehicle.. also he should not go to temple for worship wearing shoes or other footwear..
2. One should enter the temple and first do Pradakshinam.. of the praakaaram.. in slow step and approach the shrine.
3. The gopuram, the flagstaff and other such structures are having the presence of the Lord Vishnu in them... So one should not step over any such structures.. and should not carelessly jump over them too.. One should cross them after paying due respects.
4. Before entering the temple and doing pradakshinam of the praakaaram, one should first offer a namaskaram to the temple.. and then alone start the darshanam process.
5. Except while doing Pradakshinam, one should not cross or step over the shadows of the flagstaff, gopuram, the structure of the temple, vimanam etc.. 6.7. while entering the temple, one should have his yajnopaveetham hanging from his left shoulder (Valam) The positions of Crossing from right shoulder.. Edam, or having the yajnopaveetham like a garland around the neck, or tucking the yajnopaveetham on the ear.. are all prohibited when entering the Shrine.. One should wear Kaccham.. with the tip neatly tucked to the back.. while entering the temple.. One should never permit the back of the Kacham to dangle behind him like a tail.. One should not enter the temple naked, or merely wearing a Kaupeenam..or mere loincloth One should not enter the temple without his Tuft or Shika.. or hair neatly tied.. 8. When a person is entering the abode of Vishnu the enemy of the demon Madhu, he should wear his Yajnopaveetham in the upaveetha or Valam position.. He should wear a neat Uttareeyam arranged beautifully.. ( vishnu is particular about order neatness and beauty) He should be clean and pleasant in body and mind when he is worshiping Narayana, the Lord of Gods.. 9. One should not visit the abode of Hari wearing a Kanchukam.. on stitched clothes like shirt covering the upper body.. He should not wear Ushneesham or coat made of heavy clothes too.. One should not hold weapons in his hand while he is worshiping Hari 10 He should not cover his body with woolen clothes while worshiping Hari. There are a few more rules of conduct.. will follow.. if someone reads this ..
रिक्तहस्तः शून्यफालस्त्यक्तसंव्यान एव च।
खादन्नपि च ताम्बूलमुपहारदि भक्षयन्।
देवालयं विशन्नैव तस्या पापं समुद्भवेत्॥
यो भुक्त्वा देवतागारे निक्षिप्योच्छिष्टमत्र तु।
गच्छेदन्यत्र वा प्राऽस्यात् सोऽपि मूढो विपद्यते॥
riktahastaḥ śūnyaphālastyaktasaṁvyāna eva ca|
khādannapi ca tāmbūlamupahāradi bhakṣayan|
devālayaṁ viśannaiva tasyā pāpaṁ samudbhavet||
yo bhuktvā devatāgāre nikṣipyocchiṣṭamatra tu|
gacchedanyatra vā prā'syāt so'pi mūḍho vipadyate||
From Bhrigus Prakeernakadhikaranam.. chapter 36.. a sacred vaikhanasa text
One incurs sin if he just enters the temple of Vishnu..
without carrying anything as offering.. that is empty handed
with no tilak or holy marks on his forehead
without an uttareeyam or proper material covering the body parts
carrying food materials which he is munching and eating'
chewing tambulam (betel, nut etc) and other similar things
One who eats the prasadams or naivedyam received at the temple partially and leaves the remaining part within the temple premises or just sits within the premises taking it easy, is also a man without sense, and he is facing great dangers because of the anger of the Lord.
आर्तो न प्रविशेद् गेहं देवस्य परमात्मनः।
वायुभूते शरीरेऽस्मिन् वायुसञ्चारकर्मणि।
मलवायुविसर्गस्तु देवगेहे विशेषतः॥
पातयेत्पुरुषं सत्यमपि वेदान्तपारगम्।
इति देवगृहं गन्तुं व्याधितो नैव चार्हति॥
मनोऽनवस्थितं यस्य न सोऽलं पूजितुं हरिं।
यस्यैव निर्मलं चित्तं सोऽर्हः सर्वेषु कर्मसु॥
यस्तु देवगृहद्वारे प्रसार्य चरणौ क्वचित्।
शेते निद्रातिसम्मोहात् स याति नरकायुतम्॥
यातनाश्चानुभूयैव दौर्ब्राह्मण्यं व्रजेन्तु सः।
यस्तु देवगृहे मूठाः शयीत मदमोहितः॥
यस्तु देवगृहं गत्वा रोदिति प्रणयाद्यथा।
दुःखितः स्तौति वा देवं तत्स्यान्मानसिकं मलम्।
निर्वाणपरमं स्थानं म्लानेन मनसा तु यः।
सेवते स न जानाति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्॥
रागाद्यपेतं हृदयं वागदुष्टाऽनृतादिता।
हिंसादिरहितः कायः केशवाराधने त्रयम्॥
नैवात्र हिंसां कुर्वीत प्राणिनां दुःखदां क्वचित्।
अहिंसा वैदिकं कर्म ध्यानमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।
तपोऽथ गुरुशुश्रूषा धर्मद्वाराः षडीरिताः॥
ārto na praviśed gehaṁ devasya paramātmanaḥ|
vāyubhūte śarīre'smin vāyusañcārakarmaṇi|
malavāyuvisargastu devagehe viśeṣataḥ||
pātayetpuruṣaṁ satyamapi vedāntapāragam|
iti devagṛhaṁ gantuṁ vyādhito naiva cārhati||
mano'navasthitaṁ yasya na so'laṁ pūjituṁ hariṁ|
yasyaiva nirmalaṁ cittaṁ so'rhaḥ sarveṣu karmasu||
yastu devagṛhadvāre prasārya caraṇau kvacit|
śete nidrātisammohāt sa yāti narakāyutam||
yātanāścānubhūyaiva daurbrāhmanyaṁ vrajentu saḥ|
yastu devagṛhe mūṭhāḥ śayīta madamohitaḥ||
yastu devagṛhaṁ gatvā roditi praṇayādyathā|
duḥkhitaḥ stauti vā devaṁ tatsyānmānasikaṁ malam|
nirvāṇaparamaṁ sthānaṁ mlānena manasā tu yaḥ|
sevate sa na jānāti tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam||
rāgādyapetaṁ hṛdayaṁ vāgaduṣṭā'nṛtāditā|
hiṁsādirahitaḥ kāyaḥ keśavārādhane trayam||
naivātra hiṁsāṁ kurvīta prāṇināṁ duḥkhadāṁ kvacit|
ahiṁsā vaidikaṁ karma dhyānamindriyanigrahaḥ|
tapo'tha guruśuśrūṣā dharmadvārāḥ ṣaḍīritāḥ||
A person who is either in physical or mental illness should not visit the abode of God.. The human body is controlled by airs.. Kapha, Pitta and Vata.. and when afflicted by illness foul and unhealthy gases are generated in the body.. And such gases and other discharges due to flatulence etc should not happen while one is visiting the temple. And if a person discharges gases and other discharges in the temple due to illness or otherwise, that action would throw him into hell, even if he is a master in Vedanta.
A person who is not in perfect mental balance or who is agitated is ineligible to worship Hari. Only a person with placid and pure mind would qualify himself for the worship of the God.
A fellow who lies down or sits at ease in the premises of the temple with legs spread and feeling sleepy or inebriated would surely reach hell ten thousand times..He will surely undergo many sufferings lose all his religious merits if he decided to lie down and sleep in the premises of the temple, prodded by ignorance or arrogance.
A fellow who goes to the temple and cries in distress as if he is lost in love, or cries out of sorrow, that would indicate that his mind is clouded and turbid. The abode of Vishnu is meant for emancipation from worldly woes and attaining moksha, and if the prayer is with sorrow and distress, then the path of Glory of Vishnu will never be attainable for him.
A heart which is freed from silly worldly cravings, words that are honest and without untruth, a body with actions without any violence to anyone.. these are the foremost requirement for worshiping Keshava.
The devotee should stick to ahimsa and should never cause any distress or damage to any living being within the temple precincts.
The six holy doors of dharma or virtue are Ahimsa, Rituals prescribed by Vedas, Meditation, Control of sense and motor organs including mind, Penance and service to the preceptor.
CONDUCT WHILE IN THE ABODE OF VISHNU..
मुधा संभाषते यस्तु प्रविश्य देवमन्दिरम्।स निधिः पुरतः सिद्धं त्यक्त्वा भिक्षति काकिणीम्॥यस्तु संभाषते व्यर्थे देवालयमुपाश्रितः।सिद्धमन्नं परित्यज्य भिक्षामटति दुर्मतिः॥यन्मुहूर्तं क्षणं वापि परमात्मा न चिन्त्यते।सा हानिस्तन्महच्छिद्रम् सा भ्रान्तिः सा तु विक्रिया॥सन्त्यनेके प्रदेशाश्च समयाश्च विशेषतः।लोकयात्राविनिष्पत्त्यै देहयात्रोपयोगिनः।तस्माद्देवगृहं गत्वा नरो नाऽन्यपरो भवेत्॥न हि देवस्य पुरतः क्वचिदप्यनृतं वदेत्।सत्यस्वरूपी भगवान् सत्यं तस्मै न गूहयेत्॥न हि देवगृहं गत्वा शास्त्रर्थैनीरसैर्नरः।मुहूर्तं क्षपयेत् कालं तद्देवस्य विमानना।पाठनं लेखनाद्यं च नैवे कुर्यात् गृहे हरेः।स भवेदक्षरद्रोही यस्तु कुर्याद् व्यतिक्रमम्॥अनिबद्धप्रलापान् ये कुर्वन्ते देवमन्दिरे।तेऽपि तित्तिरितां भूत्वा जायन्ते जन्मपञ्चकम्॥न हि देवगृहं गत्वा विवदेत नरः क्वचित्।न तत् स्थानं विवादस्य तस्मात्तं दूरतस्त्यजेत्॥mudhā saṁbhāṣate yastu praviśya devamandiram|sa nidhiḥ purataḥ siddhaṁ tyaktvā bhikṣati kākiṇīm||yastu saṁbhāṣate vyarthe devālayamupāśritaḥ|siddhamannaṁ parityajya bhikṣāmaṭati durmatiḥ||yanmuhūrtaṁ kṣaṇaṁ vāpi paramātmā na cintyate|sā hānistanmahacchidram sā bhrāntiḥ sā tu vikriyā||santyaneke pradeśāśca samayāśca viśeṣataḥ|lokayātrāviniṣpattyai dehayātropayoginaḥ|tasmāddevagṛhaṁ gatvā naro nā'nyaparo bhavet||na hi devasya purataḥ kvacidapyanṛtaṁ vadet|satyasvarūpī bhagavān satyaṁ tasmai na gūhayet||na hi devagṛhaṁ gatvā śāstrarthainīrasairnaraḥ|muhūrtaṁ kṣapayet kālaṁ taddevasya vimānanā|pāṭhanaṁ lekhanādyaṁ ca naive kuryāt gṛhe hareḥ|sa bhavedakṣaradrohī yastu kuryād vyatikramam||anibaddhapralāpān ye kurvante devamandire|te'pi tittiritāṁ bhūtvā jāyante janmapañcakam||na hi devagṛhaṁ gatvā vivadeta naraḥ kvacit|na tat sthānaṁ vivādasya tasmāttaṁ dūratastyajet||
One who enters the temple of Hari and indulges in loose talk and gossip is, in fact, losing great wealth readily available with him and in fact is going along begging for the alms and dirt meant for crows..
One who is talking of wasteful things while inside the house of god, is actually in a condition where he is ignoring to enjoy a delicious meal of rice and is going around begging for alms
(The first two slokas above indicate that if we indulge in loose talk while in temple, we would be led to utter poverty.. Also, when it is time to praise the glories of the Lord Narayana, why should we engage in loose talk?)
Every moment in life, every split second, especially when in a temple, if it is not spent in contemplation of Lord Narayana, that moment indicates total destruction, that moment is the source of mental turmoil and schism, that moment means madness, that moment means misconduct..
There are too many opportunities and periods of time where people can do things which are of day to day worldly affairs, which could be spent for the comforts of the body and its pleasure... but the abode of Vishnu is not for that purpose.. One should not think of worldly pleasures and personal achievements while in the temple, but should concentrate on the glory and the service of Lord Narayana.
Lord Narayana is the embodiment of Truth.. Therefore, no words that imply untruth directly or by implication should be uttered in His divine presence.. An no truth should be concealed from the Lord.
Not even for a moment, one visiting the Lords abode, should talk disparagingly about the Shastras, Scriptures and divine lore. Even a little of time spent is such criticism would amount to contempt and disrespect being heaped on the Lord. One should not read of write such blasphemous material in the precincts of the Lord. If someone discredit Shastras in words, or deeds as described here, he becomes an enemy and destroyer of words and knowledge and incurs divine anger.
One who makes incoherent and meaningless prattle while present in the temple, he would be cursed to become the chatterbox tittiri bird.. for five future lives.
While visiting the abode of Narayana, one should not engage in acrimonious debate or discussion on any subject.. The Gods abode is not for debate and discussion, but just for His worship.
The directions given in the above slokas come from Bhrigu Rishi''s treatise.. about worship of the Lord
Sure, these instructions would apply to all.. in all Hindu temples and perhaps even in the abodes of God found in any other religion too.
आत्मानं यो विशेषेण स्तौत्यहङ्कार भावितः।
अनाहत्य गुरुं दैवमनिबद्धं च संवदेत्।
अवलिप्तो न जानाति दोषमात्मनि सङ्गतम्॥ ३६-६००-६०१
न जातु त्वमिति ब्रूयादापन्नोऽपि महत्तरं।
त्वंकारो वा वधो वेत्ति विद्वत्तु न विशिष्यते॥
तस्मन्निन्दां परेषं तो दैवाग्रे परिवर्जयेत्।
तथा परस्तुतिं चैव विधिना संत्यजेन्नरः॥
परः परात्मा पुरुषः पुराणः प्रोच्यते तु यः।
तदग्रेऽन्यस्य देवस्य न स्तुतिं स्तावयेन्नरः॥
तस्मात्पूजां स्तुतिं चान्यमितरेषां असंशयम्।
त्यजेद्देवगृहे यस्तु सुखं मन्येत जीवितुम्॥ ३६-५६१ ५६४-५ ५६९-७०
न हि देवगृहं गत्वा पृष्टीकृत्यासनं चरेत्।
देवाभिमुख एव स्याद् भक्तः सर्वात्मना नरः।
न पृष्टं दर्शयेत् जातु देवाग्रे हितचिन्तकः॥
पार्श्वतस्तु चरन्नेव निवर्तेतालयं प्रति॥ ३६-५९३-५९४
ātmānaṁ yo viśeṣeṇa stautyahaṅkāra bhāvitaḥ|
anāhatya guruṁ daivamanibaddha ca saṁvadet|
avalipto na jānāti doṣamātmani saṅgatam|| 36-600-601
na jātu tvamiti brūyādāpanno'pi mahattaraṁ|
tvaṁkāro vā vadho vetti vidvattu na viśiṣyate||
tasmannindāṁ pareṣaṁ to daivāgre parivarjayet|
tathā parastutiṁ caiva vidhinā saṁtyajennaraḥ||
paraḥ parātmā puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ procyate tu yaḥ|
tadagre'nyasya devasya nastutiṁ stāvayennaraḥ||
tasmātpūjāṁ stutiṁ cānyamitareṣāṁ asaṁśayam|
tyajeddevagṛhe yastu sukhaṁ manyeta jīvitum|| 36-561 564-5 569-70
na hi devagṛhaṁ gatvā pṛṣṭīkṛtyāsanaṁ caret|
devābhimukha eva syād bhaktaḥ sarvātmanā naraḥ|
na pṛṣṭaṁ darśayet jātu devāgre hitacintakaḥ||
pārśvatastu caranneva nivartetālayaṁ prati|| 36-593-594
If a person, especially if he is in the presence of God, talks in tones of self praise and bragging, especially driven by arrogance, and without expressing his devotion to his preceptor and his allegiance to Lord Narayana, and if he is talking without any sense of control or proportion, he is forgetting that he has become tainted with blemishes and sins.. and his fortunes are declining..
Even if one is in great danger, he should not address anyone else in Singular "You" .. the learned persons and the Bhagavatas consider being addressed in singular as "you" not different from receiving death at the hands of the one who addresses him that way.. Therefore when a person is in the presence of God, he should not belittle or insult anyone by talk or deed.
Also, one should never praise anyone else in the presence of God or when he is in the premises of the temple.. There is only one Supreme being.. Para, the supreme soul Paratma, the primordial being Purusha, and the most ancient one praised by Puranas.. that is Lord Narayana.. and no one else is worthy of any praise in comparison to Him.
Therefore in the Presence of Lord Narayana and in his temple, no pooja or praise of anyone else including other deities should be done, especially if the person is desirous of having a worthy and happy living..
A person, while visiting the temple should never position himself in such a way that his back and hind part are shown to the deity.
A devotee should move in the temple in a way that he is always facing the Lord. He should never show his hind part to the deity, if he is desirous of receiving divine grace and blessing for welfare.
Even when he is moving away from the temple, he should move sideways in such a way that his back is never shown to God..
( the rules come from Maharshi Bhrigu's Prakeernaadhikaram.. a standard text of Vaikhanasa Agamam.. Chapter 36)
नैवान्यं प्रणमेज्जातु प्रविश्य हरिमन्दिरम्।
स हि सर्वेश्वरः शेषी यत्राऽस्ते रमाधवः॥
यस्त्वधीकारगर्वेण देवागारमुपाश्रितः।
अकाले सेवितुं चेच्छेत्सोऽपि यास्यति दुर्गतिम्॥
उक्तेष्वेव तु कालेषु सेवेत मतिमान्नरः।
अन्त्यार्चनावसाने यत् कवाटो बध्यते ततः।
पुनरुद्धाटनं यावत्प्रत्यूषे च भविष्यति॥
तावन्नैव हरिं सेवेदकालः स विशेषतः।
अथार्चनाकालेऽपि भक्तानां सेवनाय तु॥
अकालाः बहवः प्रोत्क्तास्तथा यवनिकोदिता।
तस्मादकालसेवां तु विधिना परिवर्जयेत्॥
दुरचारो हि पुरुषो नेहायुर्विन्दते महत्।
त्रस्यति चास्य भूतानि तथा परिभवन्ति च।
तस्मादाचारवानेव कुर्याद्वै वैदिकाः क्रियाः॥
विषयाक्रान्तचित्तानां विष्ण्वर्चनमकुर्वताम्।
कर्मभूमौ नृणाम् जन्म कर्माऽपि विफलं ध्रुवं॥
यो गुरौ मानुषं भावं शिलाभावं तु दैवते।
मन्त्रेषु जीविकाभावं हिंसाभावम् मखेषु च॥
पूजकेषु च पूजायां नीरसं भावमेति सः।
सर्वथा निन्दितव्यो हि जीवितं तस्य निष्फलम्॥
naivānyaṁ praṇamejjātu praviśya harimandiram|
sa hi sarveśvaraḥ śeṣī yatrā'aste ramādhavaḥ||
yastvadhīkāragarveṇa devāgāramupāśritaḥ|
akāle sevituṁ cecchetso'pi yāsyati durgatim||
ukteṣveva tu kāleṣu seveta matimānnaraḥ|
antyārcanāvasāne yat kavāṭo badhyate tataḥ|
punaruddhāṭanaṁ yāvatpratyūṣe ca bhaviṣyati||
tāvannaiva hariṁ sevedakālaḥ sa viśeṣataḥ|
athārcanākāle'pi bhaktānāṁ sevanāya tu||
akālāḥ bahavaḥ protktāstathā yavanikoditā|
tasmādakālasevāṁ tu vidhinā parivarjayet||
duracāro hi puruṣo nehāyurvindate mahat|
trasyati cāsya bhūtāni tathā paribhavanti ca|
tasmādācāravāneva kuryādvai vaidikāḥ kriyāḥ||
viṣayākrāntacittānāṁ viṣṇvarcanamakurvatām|
karmabhūmau nṛṇām janma karmā'pi viphalaṁ dhruvaṁ||
yo gurau mānuṣaṁ bhāvaṁ śilābhāvaṁ tu daivate|
mantreṣu jīvikābhāvaṁ hiṁsābhāvam makheṣu ca||
pūjakeṣu ca pūjāyāṁ nīrasaṁ bhāvameti saḥ|
sarvathā ninditavyo hi jīvitaṁ tasya niṣphalam||
भृगुप्रणीते प्रकीर्णाधिकरे ३६-५९५ ६२७-३३ ३१६ ६३३-३६
bhṛgupraṇīte prakīrṇādhikare 36-595 627-33 316 633-36
When we are in the temple premises of Hari, we should not offer Pranams to anyone other than the Lord. He is the Lord and Master and the All pervading presence in the temple.. He the master of Rema..
A person, feeling arrogant about his power and influence, tries to enter the temple have Darshan and worship of the Lord at the wrong time without observing the schedules and proprieties of the temple. or even if he thinks of such action, he would attain very bad state in life..
A sensible person would have audience with the Lord in the temple only at times prescribed by the customs, and if the doors of the temple are closed after the last Archana in the night, they should be opened only at the scheduled time in the next morning. The person in power should not get the temple opened when it is remaining closed as per schedule.. Even during the Archana period the influential person should use his influence only for the benefit of all the devotees gathered.
Many periods of time are prescribed as not suitable for Darshan even during the normal daytime.. and these are indicated by actions like drawing of curtains.. and no attempt should ever be made to intrude into the privacy and have forced darshan of the lord even during that time. Worship outside the prescribed hours in the temple should be entirely avoided.
A person who is arrogant and uses influences to have untimely and undeserved priorities in the temple is a man with a fallen character.. People and the deities around all get agitated by him and they turn hostile to him. Therefore the Vedic and Agamic worship should be performed following the strict rules and precedents in the temple.
The birth and Karma of the following types of people are sheer waste in this earth.. Those whose minds are clouded with carnal desires and Those who do not worship Vishnu..
Those who see their preceptor of Guru as a mere human being instead of realizing the divinity in him, those who can treat the idol of the deity only as a stone, those who treat the chants and stotrams only as a means to livelihood, those who see Yajnas only as causing physical harms to beings, and those who have contempt for the worship in the temple and derision for the priests and Archakas who perform the poojas and rituals in the temple.. these people are deserving contempt.. and their lives are entirely wasted..
The above rules too appear in the Treatise of Brighu Maharshi.. Prakeernaadhikaram, Chapter 36.. where the consequences of showing disrespect to Lord Narayana and His temple are described
The dangers of having damaged Ashtabandam
The dangers of having damaged Ashtabandam fixing the idol are given in detail in Vaikhanasa Kriyaadhikaranam
अष्टबन्धनहीने तु पूर्वस्मिन् राष्ट्रनाशकृत्।
आग्नेय्यमग्निना दाहः याम्ये स्याद्वाधिपीडनम्॥
नैऋत्यां सस्यनाशः स्यात् वारुण्याम् वृष्तिनाशनम्।
वायव्यां श्रीविनाशः स्यात् कौबेर्यामर्थनाशनम्।
ऐशान्यां ग्रामनाशश्च सर्वतो राष्ट्रनाशनम्।
बिन्दुकाकृतिभिर्भिन्ने ज्वरमारीप्र्बाधनम्।
अष्टबन्धन हानौ तु पुनस्सन्धानमाचरेत्॥
वैखानसे क्रियाधिकारे ३५-१-४
aṣṭabandhanahīne tu pūrvasmin rāṣṭranāśakṛt|
āgneyyamagninā dāhaḥ yāmye syādvādhpīḍanam||
nairṛtyāṁ sasyanāśaḥ syāt vāruṇyām vṛṣtināśanam|
vāyavyāṁ śrīvināśaḥ syāt kauberyāmarthanāśanam|
aiśānyāṁ grāmanāśaśca sarvato rāṣṭranāśanam|
bindukākṛtibhirbhinne jvaramārīprbādhanam|
aṣṭabandhana hānau tu punassandhānamācaret||
vaikhānase kriyādhikāre 35-1-4
If Ashtabandhanam is damaged and defective in the eastern side of the idol, it would indicate destruction of the country
If the damage is in the direction of agni.. or south east, the danger from fire is predicted.
If the damage is in the direction of Yama.. the south.. danger would come in the shape of diseases and epidemics
If the damage is in the direction of Nirruti.. south west the plants and vegetation would perish
If the damage to ashtabandam is in the direction of Varuna, the west, there will be draughts and absence of rainfall
If the damage is in the direction of Vayu or the north west, there will be destruction in wealth and prosperity
If the damage is in the direction of Kubera or North, there will be loss of money and wasteful expenditure
If the damage is in the direction of Eashaana or north east, the village will be destroyed
If the damage is in all directions, the country will perish
If there are damages like perforations and cracks in the Ashtabandam, then there would be outbreak of epidemics like Small pox
If there is any damage to the Ashtabandam, it is essential that repairs of the damages should be attended to immediately..
Ashtabandham used partially for other deities should not be used for Vishnu..
Kriyaadhikaram of Vaikhanasa Shastra strictly prescribed exclusive use of Ashtabandham for Vishnu templ
यदि चेद् द्रव्यलोभेन अन्यदेवालयार्जितम्।
रुद्रकाल्यादिबन्धार्थं आचितञ्चाष्टबन्धनम्।
तन्नेष्टमष्टबन्धं तत् विष्ण्वर्थं नैव कारयेत्।
अज्ञादादर्थलोभाद्वा येन केनापि हेतुना।
शिष्टद्रव्येण कुर्याच्चेत् विनश्यति न संशस्यः॥
क्रियाधिकारे ३५-३९-४१
yadi ced dravyalobhena anyadevālayārjitam|
rudrakālyādibandhārthaṁ ācitañcāṣṭabandhanam|
tanneṣṭamaṣṭabandhaṁ tat viṣṇvarthaṁ naiva kārayet|
ajñādādarthalobhādvā yena kenāpi hetunā|
śiṣṭadravyeṇa kuryāccet vinaśyati na saṁśasyaḥ||
kriyādhikāre 35-39-41
If for any reason like economy or desire to save money, if Ashtabanadham
Prepared and mixed for another temple
Used partially for use in Rudra, Kali etc temples
Then such Ashtabandham is not pleasing and suitable for Vishnu. It should not be used for Vishnu
If for saving for money or for any reason the Pratishta of Vishnu is done using the Ashtabhandam or its ingredients already partially used for other deities, the perfomer, the one who uses it and the yajamana all would perish.. There is no doubt about it.
Purification of the abode of God.
The area covering the borders of the temple, where the shadows of the Vimanam would fall are to be purified before consecration as follows, as prescribed in the Vaikhanasa Agama..
( More or less identical instructions are found in Shivagamam and also in tantra samucchayam.. covering the Shiva temples, and the Kerala style of consecration..
विमानं गोभिः ब्राह्मणैश्च शोधयेत्। तद्यथा॥ विमानाङ्कणे सतृणान् दूर्वाग्रान् पलालान् सजलानि पात्राणि निक्षिप्य पञ्चरात्रं त्रिरात्रमेकरात्रं वा धेनूः स्थापयेत्। रात्रौ तासां दुग्धं नाहरेत्। दुग्धपानाधिभिः वत्साः सन्तृप्ता भवेयुः। वत्सपीतस्तनाग्रेभ्यः स्रुतैः क्षीरबिन्दुभिः गोमयमूत्रैश्च तत्स्थानं शुद्धं भवति। तदनन्तरं तत्र ब्राह्मणभोजनं कारयेत्। चतुर्विंशति वा पञ्चाशद वा शताधिकं वा ततोधिकं वा ब्राह्मणान् तत्स्थाने भोजयेत्। भोजनानन्तरं तेषामुच्छिष्टं शोधयेत्॥
vimānaṁ gobhiḥ brāhmaṇaiśca śodhayet| tadyathā|| vimānāṅkaṇe satṛṇān dūrvāgrān palālān sajalāni pātrāṇi nikṣipya pañcarātraṁ trirātramekarātraṁ vā dhenūḥ sthāpayet| rātrau tāsāṁ dugdhaṁ nāharet| dugdhapānādhibhiḥ vatsāḥ santṛptā bhaveyuḥ| vatsapītastanāgrebhyaḥ srutaiḥ kṣīrabindubhiḥ gomayamūtraiśca tatsthānaṁ śuddhaṁ bhavati| tadanantaraṁ tatra brāhmaṇabhojanaṁ kārayet| caturviṁśati vā pañcāsd vā śatādhikaṁ vā tatodhikaṁ vā brāhmaṇān tatsthāne bhojayet| bhojanānantaraṁ teṣamucchiṣṭaṁ śodhayet||
The area covered by the Vimanam should be purified by the presence of cows and brahmins.
The procedure is as follows.
All over the ground covering the area, grass like dhurva should be spread or grown..
Straw should also be distributed.
Large pitchers with water should be placed all around..
For five days and night, or at least for three days and nights, cows with their calves should be allowed to graze in that area.
The cows should not be milched in the evening or night.
The calves should be allowed to drink milk to their hearts content..
When drops of milk that are left over after the calves drink drip on the ground from the udders of the cows, the ground would become purified.
The ground would be purified by the urine and the dung of the cows too..
After purification thus by the cow, brahmins should be fed .. they should be offered meals served in that area.
Twenty four, fifty one, hundred and one or more brahmins as the case may be could be offered food like that..
The food and the other remnants left behind after the brahmins are fed when spread in that area, would purify the area and make it fit for the occupation of the Lord Narayana as His permanent abode..
Why are we worshiping the Universal Being Hari in mere idol.. Imagining that He is the idol?
The inherent contradiction in our action of limiting Lord Narayana who is present everywhere to some Idol or a bundle of Dharbha or a pot of water is appreciated by the Sages who gave us the Agamas that prescribes the building and consecration of Idols in temple..
The slokas found in the Partishtaa prakaranam of Vaikhanasa Agamam bear testimony to this line of thought
Like the curd present in Milk,
Like the oil present in Til or gingely,
like fragrance inherent in flowers,
like sweet taste inherent in fruits,
like magnetic force present in Iron, like fire inherent in logs of wood,
Narayana is present inherent in all things.
Where can we call and invoke such Divine being Narayana, and where can we ask him to go back after end of pooja?
Therefore Aavaahanam and Utsarjanam of Vishnu are considered improper and meaningless
Even then just to offer our respects and adoration for the Lord through physical worship like pooja the methods have been devised for Aavaahanam through mantras
If such a method is not followed, neither human beings, nor even gods can worship the Supreme Being Narayana.
By Avahanam, it is meant that the Lord Vishnu who is present everywhere , is meditated upon as being present in a particular object.
Just because Hari is extremely merciful towards his devotees, He is permitting us to view his glory and powers which are spread everywhere to be seen in some particular object.
Hari is just manifesting himself in a small idol like a peacock who can spread his feathers very wide just withdraws all of them and remains quiet.
Like the fire present all within the Arani log flares up when rubbed restrictedly in a particular place, when the devotee meditates upon Vishnu with intensity, the Lord Shines forth in the heart of such devotee.
This is the view of the great sage Markandeya.
We the ordinary mortals can never understand the greatness of the Lord Narayana.
However, sure, He manifests himself in the idol, in the piece of land, in a koorcha made of Dharba, or in the water, when He is invoked through Vedic and Agamic mantras and He would happily accept the offerings and worship made by us just because he is always nurturing great love and mercy for us His sincere devotees.
Alternately we can worship the Supreme Being Hari as present in the core of the Orb of the sun .. Hari who dresses Himself in Pitambara.. the yellow cloth, who is shining forth in dazzling Aura, who is manifesting Himself in a form with just a size of four inches.. Hari who is amenable to our thoughts when we concentrate on Him in deep meditation.. Hari who is adorned in all ornaments like crown or Kireetam.. Hari who is emitting bright glow like molten God..
क्षीरे सर्पिस्तिले तैलं पुष्पे गन्धः फले रसः।
यथायसि महासारः काष्ठेऽग्निरिव संस्थितः।
कुत आवाह्यते देवः कुत्र चोद्वास्यते पुनः॥
तस्मादावाहनं विष्णोरयुक्तमिति मन्यते।
तथापि पूजनामार्गे मन्त्रैरावाहनं स्मृतम्॥
अन्यथाऽभ्यर्चितुं देवं देवानां च न शक्यते।
सर्वत्र व्यापिनस्तस्य श्रीविष्णोः परमात्मनः॥
एकत्र स्मरणं यत्तदावाहनमितीरितम्।
भक्तानुकम्पया सोऽपि विभूतिं स्वां सुविस्तृताम्॥
संक्षिप्यैकत्र भवति कलापीव कलापकम्।
अरण्यां व्यापितो वह्निरेकत्र ज्वलितो यथा॥
तथा ध्यानेन भक्तस्य हृदि विष्णुः प्रकाशते।
मार्कण्डेयो महातेजाः प्राह चैवं महामुनिः॥
अस्माभिश्च हरेस्तस्य माहात्म्यं नावबुध्यते।
मन्त्रैरावाहिते बेरे स्थले कूर्चे जलेऽथवा॥
भक्तानुकंपया स्थित्वा पूजां गृह्णाति पूजितः।
अथवा हरिमर्कस्य मण्डलान्तर्गतं परम्॥
पीताम्बरधरं दीप्तं चतुरङ्गुलमात्रकम्।
ध्यानगम्यं किरीटादिभूषणैः परिभूषितम्॥
रुक्माभं स्वप्नगम्यं च तस्मादावाहयेत्तथा॥
kṣīre sarpistile tailaṁ puṣpe gandhaḥ phale rasaḥ|
yathāyasi mahāsāraḥ kāṣṭhe'gniriva saṁsthitaḥ|
kuta āvāhyate devaḥ kutra codvāsyate punaḥ||
tasmādāvāhanaṁ viṣṇorayuktamiti manyate|
tathāpi pūjanāmārge mantrairāvāhanaṁ smṛtam||
anyathā'bhyarcituṁ devaṁ devānāṁ ca na śakyate|
sarvatra vyāpinastasya śrīviṣṇoḥ paramātmanaḥ||
ekatra smaraṇaṁ yattadāvāhanamitīritam|
bhaktānukampayā so'pi vibhūtiṁ svāṁ suvistṛtām||
saṁkṣipyaikatra bhavati kalāpīva kalāpakam|
araṇyāṁ vyāpito vahnirekatra jvalito yathā||
tathā dhyānena bhaktasya hṛdi viṣṇuḥ prakāśate|
mārkaṇḍeyo mahātejāḥ prāha caivaṁ mahāmuniḥ||
asmābhiśca harestasya māhātmyaṁ nāvabudhyate|
mantrairāvāhite bere sthale kūrce jale'thavā||
bhaktānukaṁpayā sthitvā pūjāṁ gṛhṇāti pūjitaḥ|
athavā harimarkasya maṇḍalāntargataṁ param||
pītambaradharaṁ dīptaṁ caturaṅgulamātrakam|
dhyānagamyaṁ kirīṭādibhūṣaṇaiḥ paribhūṣitam||
rukmābhaṁ svapnagamyaṁ ca tasmādāvāhayettathā||
वैखानस प्रतिष्टाप्रकरणे ५-१४-२९
vaikhānasa pratiṣṭāprakaraṇe 5-14-29
The periods for Pratishta of Immovable Idols in the Sanctum dhruva beras
As prescribed in Vaikhanasa Shastram
फाल्गुनचैत्रवैशाखपुष्यज्येष्ठषु मासेषु उत्तरायणे ध्रुवबेराणां प्रतिष्ठा उत्तमा। श्रावणाश्वयुजकार्तिकेषु दक्षिणायने मध्यमा। भद्रपदाषाढयोः अथमा। मार्गशीर्षमाघौ विवर्जयेत्। नक्षत्रेषु उत्तरा रोहिणी श्रवण पुष्य पुनर्वसू स्वाती हस्त चित्रा अनूराधा अश्विन्यः उत्तमाः। शुक्लपक्षे रिक्ततिथयः वर्ज्याः॥कृष्णपक्षे प्रथमाद्वितीया पञ्चम्यः ग्राह्याः। सोमगुरुसौम्यकाव्यवासराः ग्राह्याः। करणेषु ध्रुवेषु चरेषु विष्टिरष्टविधा वर्ज्या। राशिषु चरराशयः वर्ज्याः॥ आर्द्राश्लेषमूलनक्षत्राणि कृष्णाष्टम्युल्कापाताशनिपातदिग्दाहपांसुलोहितोपलवर्षव्यतीपातभूकम्पातिमारुतराजमरणचन्द्रसूर्योपरागयुक्तानि नक्षत्राणी रात्रिकालश्च परिवर्जनीयाः॥
phālgunacaitravaiśākhapuṣyajyeṣṭhaṣu māseṣu uttarāyaṇe dhruvaberāṇāṁ pratiṣṭhā uttamā| śrāvaṇāśvayujakārtikeṣu dakṣiṇāyane madhyamā| bhadrapadāṣāḍhayoḥ athamā| mārgaśīrṣamāghau vivarjayet| nakṣatreṣu uttarā rohiṇī śravaṇa puṣya punarvasū svātī hasta citrā anūrādhā aśvinyaḥ uttamāḥ| śuklapakṣe riktatithayaḥ varjyāḥ|kṛṣṇapakṣe prathamādvitīyā pañcamyaḥ grāhyāḥ| somagurusaumyakāvyavāsarāḥ grāhyāḥ| karaṇeṣu dhruveṣu careṣu viṣṭiraṣṭavidhā varjyā| rāśiṣu cararāśayaḥ varjyāḥ|| ārdrāśleṣamūlanakṣatrāṇi kṛṣṇāṣṭamyulkāpātāśanipātadigdāhapāṁsulohitopalavarṣavyatīpātabhūkampātimārutarājamaraṇacandrasūryoparāgayuktāni nakṣatrāṇī rātrikālaśca parivarjanīyāḥ||
The Dhruvabera can be consecrated in the months of
Phalguna, Chaitra, Vaishaka, Pushya and Jyeshta..in Uttarayanam
It is of medium merit to consecrate in the Dakshinayana in the months of Shravana, Karthika and Ashvina..
It is very inferior to consecrate during the months
Bhadrapada and Ashaada
Consecration during the months Margasheersha and Magha is prohibited.
Amongs Stars.. Uttara Stars.. uthra phalgui, uttara proshtapada and uttarashada, Rohini, Shravana Pushya, Punarvasu, Swati, Chitra, Anuradha and Ashvini are the best.
During Shuklapaksha empty or shoonya tithis should be avoided.
Even in Krishna paksham Prathama Dviteeyaa and Panchami are acceptable.
Among Karanas Dhruva, Chara of eight Vishti should be avoided.
Among weeks Monday, Thursday, Friday, Wednesday are acceptable.
Chara Rasis... Mesham, Karkatakam, Thulam and Makaram should be avoided.
Stars Ardhra Ashlesha and Moola are not permitted.
Ashtami in the Krishna Paksham also is prohibited
Then days of calamity like falling of ulka or meteor, thunderbolt, earthquake, raising of thick red dust, cyclone, whirlwind, rain in the wrong period with unhealthy showers, death of a king, solar or lunar eclipse.. all these should be avoided for the installation of the deity..
importance of Adhivasam...
before consecration of the idol
according to Vaikhanasa Agamam
अधिवासं कृत्वैव स्थापनं करोति। अनधिवासितं बेरं यत्र स्थपितं चेत् तद्ग्रामयजमानस्थापकादीनामाशु विनाशाय भवति।
अधिवासं पुनः कुर्यात् बिम्बशुध्यर्थमेव च।
सान्निध्यकरणायैवं प्रतिमानां तो तद् भवेत्।
अधिवासं च कृत्वैव मन्त्रैर्हुत्वा विधानतः॥
बिम्बे संस्ठापिते तत्र सान्निध्यं कुरुते हरिः।
पश्चात् संस्थापयेद्विद्वान् स्थापनोक्तिविधानतः॥
तत्स्थापको लभेत् कामानिहामुत्र न संश्यः॥
कौतुकदिबेराणामक्ष्युन्मोचनान्ते बेराधिवासादीनि कारयेत्॥
वैखानस अगम कोश ५-१०-१ २
adhivāsaṁ kṛtvaiva sthāpanaṁ karoti| anadhivāsitaṁ beraṁ yatra sthapitaṁ cet tadgrāmayajamānasthāpakādīnāmāśu vināśāya bhavati|
adhivāsaṁ punaḥ kuryāt bimbaśudhyarthameva ca|
sānnidhyakaraṇāyaivaṁ pratimānāṁ to tad bhavet|
adhivāsaṁ ca kṛtvaiva mantrairhutvā vidhānataḥ||
bimbe saṁsṭhāpite tatra sānnidhyaṁ kurute hariḥ|
paścāt saṁsthāpayedvidvān sthāpanoktividhānataḥ||
tatsthāpako labhet kāmanihāmutra na saṁśyaḥ||
kautukadiberāṇāmakṣyunmocanānte berādhivāsādīni kārayet||
vaikhānasa agama kośa 5-10-1 2
The idol should be consecrated and fixed only after Adhivasam.. the ceremonial immersion in Panchagvyam, Milk, Kusha water etc for the prescribed periods. If a idole is consecrated in some place without taking it through the prescribed immersions or adhivasams, such action would result in the destruction of the Yajamana as well as the one who presided over such pratishta.
Adhivasam is performed for
Ensuring adequate purity for the idol
Adhivasam ensures the presence of Lord Hari in the idol
When the idol is kept in adhivasam, and the fire is propitiated through vedic and agamic chants and obltaions, and Lord Hari is invoked in the Bera or idol, then the Lord occupies that abode readily and eagerly.
When the Lord is consecrated in an idol following the rituals and rules prescribed by Shrutis and Agamas, then the person who consecrated such idol and the yajamana both would attain all the merits in this life and the life hereafter too.. there is no doubt about it..
The adhivasa of the Kautuka, Dhruva, Utsava , Bali etc beras should be done immediately after the eye opening rite.
अथ वक्ष्ये विशेषेण त्रिधा चैवाधिवासनम्।
पञ्चगव्यं तु पूर्वं स्यात् क्षीरं चैवाप्यनन्तरम्।
जलेप्यधिवासं च त्रिधा चैव प्रचोदितम्॥ ५-१०-४
नदीतटाकवापीषु देवागारसमीपतः।
जलेऽधिवासनं कृवा रक्षां सर्वत्र कारयेत्॥
पश्चाद्देवेशमादाय पञ्चगव्येऽधिवासयेत्।
जलद्रोणीं पूरयेश्च पञ्चहगयप्रयोगतः॥
पश्चाद्देवेशमादाय कुशोदे शाययेत्तथा॥
जलाधिवासमेकाहमेकाहं पञ्चगव्यके।
अहोरात्रं दिवा चैकं कुशोदे चाधिवासितम्॥
त्रयाणामधिवासानाम् प्रत्येकमहोरात्रं दिवा चैकं व अधिवासयेत्।
द्वहं तदैवमेकाहं पञ्चगव्येऽधिवासयेत्॥
एवं कर्तुमशक्यश्चेत् त्रिदिनं केवले जले॥
दिनमेकमहर्वाथ यामं वा कालमेव वा॥
मन्त्रवद्बिम्बशुध्यर्थमधिवासम् समचरेत्॥
वैखानस आगमकोशे ५-१०-५ ६ ७
atha vakṣye viśeṣeṇa tridhā caivādhivāsanam|
pañcagavyaṁ tu pūrvaṁ syāt kṣīraṁ caivāpyanantaram|
jalepyadhivāsaṁ ca tridhā civa pracoditam|| 5-10-4
nadītaṭākavāpīṣu devāgārasamīpataḥ|
jale'dhivāsanaṁ kṛvā rakṣāṁ sarvatra kārayet||
paścāddeveśamādāya pañcagavye'dhivāsayet|
jaladroṇīṁ pūrayeśca pañcahagayaprayogataḥ||
paścāddeveśamādāya kuśode śāyayettathā||
jalādhivāsamekāhamekāhaṁ pañcagavyake|
ahorātraṁ divā caikaṁ kuśode cādhivāsitam||
trayāṇāmadhivāsānām pratyekamahorātraṁ divā caikaṁ va adhivāsayet|
dvahaṁ tadaivamekāhaṁ pañcagavye'dhivāsayet||
evaṁ kartumaśakyaścet tridinaṁ kevale jale||
dinamekamaharvātha yāmaṁ vā kālameva vā||
mantravadbimbaśudhyarthamadhivāsam samacaret||
vaikhānasa āgamakośe 5-10-5 6 7
The major three Adhivasams for purification of the Bera or Idol are dealt with in Vaikhanasa Agamam.
They are Panchagavya, Ksheeram or Milk and then Jalam or water..
The order of Adhivasam can be in two ways..
Panchagavyam Milk and Water in that order or Water, Panchagavya and Soaked Darbha in that order.
The sacred idol should be immersed in the waters of either river, pond or well near to the abode of God and this process would ensure protection for the idol and the occupants of the locality.
After immersion in well or river or pond, the Lord of Lords should be taken out and immersed in Panchagavyam.
The panchagavyam filled in a floating boat, should in turn allowed to float in a water source.
After placing the lord in Panchagavya for one day, he should be immersed in water mixed with Darbha or Kusha grass..
The duration for Milk and Panchagavya Adhivasam is one day and night each.. and immersion in water mixed with Darbha Kushodhakam is two days and one night.
Some view that Panchagavya adhivasam can either be for two days or for one day.
If it is not possible to have immersion in Panchagavyam and milk etc, the Lord should be immersed in water at least for three days.
If it is not possible to have three days, the adhivasam should be at least for one day, or half a day, or at least for three hours..
Of course, the text continues to prescribe immersion even upto one and half hours .. but that is not considered to be uttamam at all.. For brevity, such slokas are not quoted here..
The pratishtaa prakaranam of Vaikhnasa agama prescribes that the Adhivasam of various deities should be separate,, and not in the same container and material
देवानन्याधिवासं च पृथगेव समाचरेत्
पृथगेवावताराणामन्येषां पार्षदानि च।
त्रीणि बेरस्य चक्रं च बलिरेवं समाचरेत्॥
वैखानस प्रतिष्ठाप्रकरणे॥५-१०-२१
devānanyādhivāsaṁ ca pṛthageva samācaret
pṛthagevāvatārāṇāmanyeṣāṁ pārṣadāni ca|
trīṇi berasya cakraṁ ca balirevaṁ samācaret||
vaikhānasa pratiṣṭhāprakaraṇe||5-10-21
Meaning
The adhivasam should be conducted separately in respect of each bera or set of idols.. or moorthy
If there are idols of Avatara moorthys or Parshadas like Garuda and other devatas, they should be given adhivasam separately
The three vigraha sets.. the Moola, Utsava and kautuka should be given separte adhivasam..
Chakram or Sudarshana ( usually representing bali bera )should also be given separate adhivasam and all these should be considered separately while offering balis..
This would clearly mean that one should not stack together all the idols available in the temple in a single container or anointing base.. each moorthy or idol should be honoured separately..
Panchagayva Adhivasam
Preparation of Panchagavyam for Panchagavyaadhivaasam
पञ्चगव्यक्रमं वक्ष्ये सर्वेषमपि कर्मणाम्।
गोमूत्रं गोमयं चैव पयो दधि घृतं क्रमात्॥
गोमूत्रं नीलवर्णायामापतद्गवि संहरेत्।
कृष्णायां गोमयं पश्चात् पतिते भूतले सति॥
क्षीरं वै ताम्रवर्णायाः सद्यो दुग्धमपक्वकं।
श्वेताया दधि सङ्ग्राह्यं शुद्धं दोषविवर्जितम्॥
कपिलाया घृतं चैव क्षारकाभं सुपक्वकं।
भागमार्गं प्रवक्ष्यामि गृग्णित द्रव्ययोरधः॥
षड्भागं षोडशांशश्च गोमूत्रं गोमयं ततः।
चतुरंशं ततः क्षीरं त्रियंशं द्विगुणं दधि॥
एकभागं घृतं तस्य द्रव्यानेतानसङ्करम्।
हेमादिकलशेष्वेकं समापूर्य पृथक् पृथक्॥
एवमेवमशक्तश्च श्वेतायां गवि च बुधा।
आहरेद्दुर्बलो गव्यान् यथयोगम् क्रमम् चरेत्॥
pañcagavyakramaṁ vakṣye sarveṣamapi karmaṇām|
gomūtraṁ gomayaṁ caiva payo dadhi ghṛtaṁ kramāt||
gomūtraṁ nīlavarṇāyāmāpatadgavi saṁharet|
kṛṣṇāyāṁ gomayaṁ paścāt patite bhūtale sati||
kṣīraṁ vai tāmravarṇāyāḥ sadyo dugdhamapakvakaṁ|
śvetāyā dadhi saṅgrāhyaṁ śuddhaṁ doṣavivarjitam||
kapilāyā ghṛtaṁ caiva kṣarakābhaṁ supakvakaṁ|
bhāgamārgaṁ pravakṣyāmi gṛgṇita dravyayoradhaḥ||
ṣadbhāgaṁ ṣoḍaśāṁśasya gomūtraṁ gomayaṁ tataḥ|
caturraṁśaṁ tataḥ kṣīraṁ triyaṁśaṁ dvigunaṁ dadhi||
ekabhāgaṁ ghritaṁ tasya dravyānetānasaṅkaram|
hemādikalaśeṣvekaṁ samāpūrya pṛthak prithak||
evamevamaśaktaśca śvetāyāṁ gavi ca budhā|
āhareddurbalo gavyān yathayogam kramam caret||
Vaikhanasa Agama Kosha describes the preparation of Panchagavyam as above
The five ingredients of Panchagavyam are Gomutram.. the urine of the cow, Gomayam.. the dung of the cow, PayaH.. the milk of the cow, Dadhi.. the curd from the cow and Ghrutam.. ghee or clarified butter from the cow.
The gomutram should be collected from a blue grey coloured cow as he passes urine
The gomayam is the dung that is ejected by a black cow as the dung touches the earth
The milk should be collected from a cow of copper red colour.. and the milk should be fresh and should never be heated or cooked
The curd should be brewed from the milk of a white cow
and
The ghee should be made of the milk of a brownish.. tawny cow.. and the colour of the ghee should be clear and white like lime..
the compositions is
One sixth of the volume is cow urine
One sixteenth is cow dung
one fourth of the mixture is milk
one third of the mixture is concentrated curd
and
one part is ghee or cleared butter.. (balance)
the mixture should be made preferably in a vessel made of Gold
If various colours of cows are difficult or impossible to muster, then the products of a white cow can be used for making panchagavyam..
and if one in poor, he can collect the products of cows according to his material capacity..
The procedure for Panchagayva Adhivasam as given in the Text Vimaanaarchana Kalpa of Sage Marichi, a very authentic text for Vaikhanasa Shastram is given below..
The procedure for preparation of Panchagavyam was already discussed in an earlier post.
After preparing the Jaladroni or other receptacle for Panchagavyam, it should be filled with the mixture of the five products from the cow accompanied by the chant.. VasoH pavitram.. Then the adhidevata for panchagavyam, Eashaana should be worshiped. The container should be decorated with new clothes, garlands etc. and the Aupaasana Agnikundam should be kept on the Eastern side of this. Aaghaara Homam should be performed and Lord Hari should be invoked in seven Kalashas. Punyaahavachanam should be chanted. The kalashas should be decorated withe new clothes and should be offered pooja with flowers and all upacharams should be done.
The mantram Vishnorukam Veeryaani.. should be chanted. The priest should stand up and with the help of others the idol of Hari and consorts (where they are together) should be placed in the tub containing panchagavyam.. the heads of the beras or idols directed eastward. The kindled fire should be worshipped with partistharanam. Then the following chant
Vishnave, Vishveshvaraaya, Janaardhanaaya, Sarvabhootaatmane Avyakthaaya Achalaaya, DevebhyaH, BhootebhyaH NaagebhyaH LokapaalebhyaH VimaanapaalebhyaH swaahaaH.. and obltaions should be offered in fire.
Further oblations to Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Prajaapati, Varuna, Vidhi, Garuda, Vishvaksena and Digdevataas should be made.
Then the fire should be kept quiescent through anumaarjanam
While the deities are immersed in Panchagavyam, the demi gods and other spirits should be offered bali in the night with Mudga or cooked pulses and grams( Muthira chundal) and cooked cereals.
Ksheera Adhivasam
The procedure for Ksheera Adhivasam as given in the Vaikhanasa text Vimaanaarchana Kalpa of Sage Marichi.
The immersion in milk is after the immersion in Panchagavyam..
The idol would have been lying in a Jaladroni filled with panchagavyam for the prescribed number of days..
The immersion in Milk comes after that.
In the morning the Acharya should take bath and enter the temple premises where the Lord is lying in Panchagavyam. The idol should be offered abhishekam from seven Kalashams, it should be decorated with fresh clothes and should be offered flowers and other offerings. Then the Jaladroni should be empted of Panchagavyam or other materials of the earlie adhivasam. The clothes on the idol should be removed and it should be covered with new clothes.
The droni should now be filled with the milk of a cow, and the mantram chanted is Sanno devee... The adhidevata for the milk Atharvan should be invoked, offered respects and pooja.
Then the Acharya and devotees should meditate upon the Milky ocean.. Ksheeram Ksheerodadhi.. this milk is the milky ocean itself and the lord is lying there.. The idol should be placed in the milk with the head in the East direction.
Homams similar to the ones offered during the Panchagvya adhivasasm should be offered.. Bali to the demigods and parivarams, at night, as in the case of Panchagavya adhivasam should be offered.
Next morning, the acharya, after bath should chant the mantra.. Vishnornukam... and lift the idol from the droni filled with milk. The idol should be bathed with seven Kalashams of water. It should again be dressed with new clothes and poojas and archana should be offered..
Then should follow the Jala Adhivasam..
Jala Adhivasam
Procedure for Jala Adhivasam as given in the Text Vimaanaarchana Kalpa of Sage Marichi, a very authentic text for Vaikhanasa Shastram is given below..
The jala adhivasam follows the Ksheera Adhivasam.
After the idol has been placed immersed in milk for the prescribed period, the next process is immersing it in the holy waters.
The priest, lifts the idol from the Droni filled with milk, offers abhishekam with seven Kalashams of water.. Then he dressed the idol in fresh clothes and offers pooja with all upacharams.
The celebration of jala Adhivasam is preferred to be conducted in the banks of a river or a lake or in a large well.
The priest, his assistants, yajamana and the devotees all proceed to the river, the lake or the well as the case may be, carrying the idol with them. In the waterfront, appropriate floating vessel or receptacle for pure water is arranged. A temporary structure or shamiana is erected and the decorations befitting the glory of the Lord are made..
The priest and his party comes in procession carrying the idol, does pradakshinam to the water source. A place for fire is prepared and fire is kindled. The fire is offered usual vedic homams and special homams in the Vaishnava way.
Payasam with ghee should be offered to the deities. The various deities presiding over the waters as also the Lord and his parshadas should be offered worship
The worship is offered to
Yogeshvara Seshaangashaayee Sabdabrahman to the Samudras, to the Parvathas, to the Devas, to the Rishis, to the Pitrus, to the Nagas,
Fire oblations too are offered to them
The water should be consecrated by offer of poojas and respects to the adhidevatas with the mantra Idam AapaH ShivaaH..
The adhidevatas.. four in number are
Varuna, Punyatheertha (Siva), Punya and Devavasa..
The idol adorned in fresh clothes should be placed in the consecrated water, with head directed northwards.. and Vishnu Suktha and other Vaishnava mantras should be chanted..
The usual homas and balis during night should be offered to the adhidevatas, pratyadidevatas, upadevatas etc..
Shayana Adhivasam procedure.. the Vaikhanasa way
The Acharya, accompanied by the assistants and helpers for fixing the idol and arranging the rituals start the function of Shayanadhivaasam
A big vessel made of gold, silver, copper or brass as the case may be is filled with grain (rice) and the golden pratisaram.. or wrist thread is place on it. If golden thread is not available, silk or cotton thread can be used
The pratisaram is sanctified with the mantram Krinushva paaja ( svasti sooktam) and chanting the mantra Svastidaa Vishaspade.. the thread is tied on the right wrist of the idol.. Similar threads are tied to the writsts of the Mothers on their left wrists. Also threads are tied to the Dhruva Beras, Utsava Beras, Kautuka beraa, Upadevatas etc.
The special stage for placing the bedstead should be prepared and Six Dronas ( Six Paras or sixty kilos ?) of rice should be spread evenly.. Half of its measure of Yava should be spread above the rice. Tilam can also be used as the second layer. Kusha grass with upper tips facing east should be spread over the grains and over this sheets made of various materials should be spread one over the other.. First, it is skin, sking of tiger, deer etc.. Second above is sheet made of wool. third over it would be sheets made of cotton or flax.. Above that sheets with soft feathers of birds should be spread. And finally sheets woven with Silk shoul be spread. The seating part of the bed and the arm rests and pillows should be covered with clean fresh white clothes. The Lords dress and two uthareeyams should be of the same high quality material
The entire area should be sprinkled with punyaham chanting Pranavam. Then Thulasi, Fragrant fresh flowers, Sandal Paste and similar materials should be used to decorate the premises. The area should be spread with smoke from burning agaru and other incense dhoopa materials. Lamps made of karpooram should be lit and taken around to clear the air. The Nava Dhanya Ankurams, the Ashta dravyams and the five Aayudhams of the Lord.. Shankham Chakram Gada Sharnga and Khadga should be placed around. The Royal Insignia of the Lord with Garuda and all the insignia and architectural features befitting the Lords position should be symbolically displayed. Mangala vadhyam should be played. Shakuna Sooktham should be chanted.
And the Acharya then should place the lord in the bed and the mantram Yad Vaishnava.... should be chanted.. The head of the idol should be directed to where the Vimanam is situated. Then the bed cover should be spread over the idol till it covers the lord upto His neck. Our Sankalpa is that the Lord is sleeping. The kumbham filled with consecrated water should be placed on the right of the bed where the Lord sleeps.
Homams and Balis as in other adhivasams should be perfomed.
The idols for Abhishekam, Utsavam, Bali etc should also be placed for shayana adhivasam similarly but separately..
Of course, when the lord is having his Royal sleep, the people around can offer whatever they would like to the lord.. Whatever that can be offered to God, to the King or to a love relative can be offered to the Lord.. But the Lord should be allowed to sleep peacefully and to wake up happily..
Om namo Naraayanaaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaaya..
Lakshminarayanaswamy Kataksham Paripoornam..
PROCEDURE ON CONCLUSION OF PRATISHTA AS PER KARIKA IN THE VAIKHANASA AGAMAM
( SANSKRIT TEXT EXTRACTED FROM THE VAIKHANASA AGAMA KOSHA PUBLISHED BY SRIVENKATESA UNIVERSITY.. TIRUMALA TIRUPATI DEVASTANAM )
प्रतिष्ठान्तरं अर्चनोक्तवत् अर्चनं कृत्वा वेदादिघोषं कारयित्वा पायसान्नं निवेदयित्वा होमं हुत्वा बलिं दत्वा बलिबिंबं आलयस्य प्रदक्षिणं कारयत्। आपराह्णे प्रतिष्ठान्तोत्सवं कुर्यात्। नवाहं सप्ताहं पञ्चाहं त्र्यहं वा उत्सवोक्ताविधानेन उत्सवं कारयेत्। एकाहिकं चेत् द्वजारोहणं न कुर्यात्। उत्सवान्तदिने रात्रौ स्नपनं कुर्यात्। प्रतिष्टायां उपयुक्तं वस्त्रधान्याधिकं सर्वं आचार्याय दद्यात्। काष्टाधिकं तु शिष्टं दाहयेत्। अप्सु वा क्षिपेत्। स्रुवजुहूदर्विदर्भमाल्याधिकं तत्रैव परिरक्षयेत्। कुम्भस्थजलेनैव यः स्नायात् आत्मानं प्रोक्षयेत् वा सः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। विधिवत्प्रतिष्ठाकरणेन एकविंशति पूर्वान् तथा एकविंशतिपरान्श्च कुलजान् आत्मना सह विष्णुलोकं नयति॥
pratiṣṭhāntaraṁ arcanoktavat arcanaṁ kṛtvā vedādighoṣaṁ kārayitvā pāyasānnaṁ nivedayitvā homaṁ hutvā baliṁ datvā balibiṁbaṁ ālayasya pradakṣiṇaṁ kārayaet| āparāhṇe pratiṣṭhāntotsavaṁ kuryāt| navāhaṁ saptāhaṁ pancāhaṁ tryahaṁ vā utsavoktāvidhānena utsavaṁ kārayet| ekāhikaṁ cet dvajārohaṇaṁ na kuryāt| utsavāntadine rātrau snapanaṁ kuryāt| pratiṣṭāyāṁ upayuktaṁ vastradhānyādhikaṁ sarvaṁ ācāryāya dadyāt| kāṣṭādhikaṁ tu śiṣṭaṁ dāhayet| apsu vā kṣipet| sruvajuhūdarvidarbhamālyādhikaṁ tatraiva parirakṣayet| kumbhasthajalenaiva yaḥ snāyāt ātmānaṁ prokṣayet vā saḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate| vidhivatpratiṣṭhākaraṇena ekvaviṁśati pūrvān tathā ekaviṁśatiparānśca kulajān ātmanā saha viṣṇulokaṁ nayati||
On conclusion of the Pratishta the Archanam.. or procedural ritualistic worship pooja according to the texts should be one. Vedaghosham.. loud chanting of Vedas should follow.
Paayasam and Rice in good quantities should be offered as naivedya. The homams prescribed as per agama should be performed.
The bali.. offer of food to the upadevatas should be perfomed, and this should be done all around the temple to the accompaniment of the procession of the Balibimbam ( the small representative idol.. like Chakram etc representing the core deity),,
After the midday on the date of consecration, the Utsavam as a process of conclusion of the pratishta should be done.
The utsavam can be observed as per the detailed rules for nine days, seven days, five days, three days or at least one day..
If the utsavam is for one day there need not be ceremonial flag hoisting.
On the night of conclusion of this Utsavam, the deity should be offered ceremonial bath or thirumanjanam
Whatever clothes, cereals etc are left over after the ceremony should be given to the acharya..
If firewood, logs etc are left behind they should be burnt. Alternately they could be left in flowing deep waters.
The homa materials like Sruva, darvee, maalya or garlands etc can be retained in the temple premises itself (for future use)
If one takes bath, or sprinkles on himself the remnants of waters available in the Kumha after pratishta, he would be relieved of sins himself and twenty one generations of his clan who were born before him and twentyone generations after him would be relieved of all sins and they would all reach Vishnu lokam..
A VERY IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION IN VAIKSHANASA DAIVA SHASTRAM ON CONCLUSION OF PRATISHTA
प्रतिष्टानप्रभृति नित्यमहीनमविच्छिन्नं समग्रं चिरकालार्चन म् यथा गच्छेत् तथा दीर्घस्थितमविरोधात् समवेक्ष्य नानाविधभूमिभोगानत्यन्तपुष्कलान् यत्नेन भगवत्पूजनादीनाम् नित्यदक्षिणार्थं च कल्पयित्वा देवस्य परिच्छदांश्च दत्वा तथैव चिरकालं नित्यार्चनं कारयेत्। चिरकालार्चनेन अभीष्टान् सर्वाण् चिरमवाप्नोति।
pratiṣṭānaprabhṛti nityamahīnamavicchinnaṁ samagraṁ cirakālārcaram yathā gacchet tathā dīrghasthitamavirodhāt samavekṣya nānāvidhabhūmibhogānatyantapuṣkalān yatnena bhagavatpūjanādīnām nityadakṣiṇārthaṁ ca kalpayitvā devasya paricchadāṁśca datvā tathaiva cirakālaṁ nityārcanaṁ kārayet| cirakālārcanena abhīṣṭān sarvāṇ ciramavāpnoti|
Just starting from the moment of Pratishta clear arrangements for daily, uninterrupted, detailed, and permanent worship for the Lord should be made. With this end in view, the provisions and outlays should be made keeping in view the long and permanent perspective, and also the safety and the soundness of such financial outlay.
Many types of fertile lands should be bequeathed for the upkeep of the temple and the deity on a permanent footing. Sufficient number of priests and assistants shoud be engaged with good payments all through the days so that the pooja for the Lord would continue in a befitting manner for ever.
When the Lord is offered pooja in the befitting way for long periods, He will grant us all that we desire..
The final prayer by the Yajamana after the Pratishta is over.. as directed in the Khiladhikarana of Vaikhanasa Daiva shastram
प्रतिष्ठादिने यजमानकृत्यम्
गुरुं सम्पूज्य तत्काले यजमानो मुदान्वितः॥
थथा पदार्थिनस्सर्वान् नमस्कुर्यात्वदैववत्।
देवमानम्य च ब्रूयादिमं मन्त्रं स्मरन् हरिम्॥
क्षमस्व पुण्डरीकाक्ष भगवंश्चरितं मया॥
इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवेश प्रणमेच्च पुनः पुनः॥
pratiṣṭhādine yajamānakṛtyam
guruṁ sampūjya tatkāle yajamāno mudānvitaḥ||
thathā padārthinassarvān namaskuryātvadaivavat|
devamānamya ca brūyādimaṁ mantraṁ smaran harim||
kṣamasva puṇḍarīkākṣa bhagavaṁścaritaṁ mayā||
ityuktvā devadeveśaṁ praṇamecca punaḥ punaḥ||
The prayer of Yajamana on the day of Pratishta ( on conclusion of the function)
The Yajamana should offer pooja and respects to the acharya with a very happy mind . He should offer pranams to each one of the assistants and attendants who officiated in the pratishta process thinking that they are all embodiments of Lord Hari Himself.
And finally he should offer full Namaskarams repeatedly to the Lord chanting the following mantram..
Bhagavan, Pundareekaksha, .may your Glorious Self be pleased to condone and pardon all the mistakes and misdeeds that have happened during this ritual conducted by me "
नित्यप्रधानपूजार्थं कौतुकं संप्रकल्पयेत्
स्नपनं स्नपनार्थं चाप्युत्सवार्थं तथैवौत्सवम्।
नित्यं तु बलियात्रार्थं बलिबिम्बं च मुख्यतः।
सर्वत्र सर्वभोगार्थं भोगबेरं च केच्न॥
nityapradhānapūjārthaṁ kautukaṁ saṁprakalpayet
snapanaṁ snapanārthaṁ cāpyutsavārthaṁ tathaivautsavam|
nityaṁ tu baliyātrārthaṁ balibimbaṁ ca mukhyataḥ|
sarvatra sarvabhogārthaṁ bhogaberaṁ ca kecna||
Five types of Idols or Beras are expected to be consecrated as per Vaikhanasa system applicable to Vishnu temple
( It may be noted that there is another system of Vishnu worship.. Pancharatram.. and there can be worship under the Smartha way too.. and there are other tantric methods which vary from place to place.. Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra and Smartha are the methods adopted by Tamil brahmins and Tamil brahmin settlers in Kerala.. the most prevalent is Vaikhanasam.. But we Tamil Iyers do worship in the smartha way at home.. )
The ancient static Idol which is consecrated as the main deity in the Garbhagriham is called Dhruva Bimbam or Dhruva Bera.. This is an immovable one.. fixed for ever .. and removed if necessity arises only during Mahasamprokshanam and Jeernoddharanam..
The whole power of the Lord is concentrated here in the Dhruva Bimbam.. And the powers, temporary or permanent, are invoked to the other idols only from this Dhruva Bera.. or Dhruva Bimbam.)
For detailed alankaram and poojas, a Kautuka Bimbam or Kautuka bera.. say made of Panchaloha etc is made.. and this is placed in front of the Dhruva bera.. in the same base of the Dhruva bera if possible
Then there is the Snapana bera.. the idol for Abhishekam, thirumanjanam.. This again may be of Panchaloha etc.. and it placed on a dais in front of the Dhruva Bera.. meant for abhishekam
Then there is the Utsava Bera.. the Utsava Vigrahams which are usually kept in the Sanctum or at some special place or sannidhi but taken out and kept in the main hall of the temple during Brahmotsavam.. and similar occasions.. This set of idol is decorated, mounted on Vahanams Rathams etc and taken out in procession during festivals.
Then there is the bali bera.. The idol which is carried around the temple during offering of Bali etc and for overseeing the effective conduct of the functions and festivals. ( in our agraharam we use Chakrathaazhvaar or Sudharshanam as the Lords representative on such occasions)
Where there are no separate idols for snapana, kautuka and utsava but only one set is consecrated then that set is called bhoga bera.
The representatives of the lord like Sudarshana are often used as bali bera
It has to be noted that the power to all the idols are derived on a daily basis or as the situation arises, from the main idol consecrated in the Garbhagriha as the Dhruva Bera..
So we have to see the presence of the Lord in the Sanctum in all other idols..
Our agraharam temple is of Vaikhanasa stryle..
The system varies in Pancharatra style.. For example Sreerangam follows Pancharatra wheras Tirupati, Kanchi etc follow Vaikhanasam.
6. The birth star of the King or ruler of the Region or the
Country or Nation..
7. On fixed auspicious Nakshatrams occuring on particular months Like Ashtami Rohini..
8. On the date when the deity of the temple was
consecrated..the Kumbhabhishekam Day ( The
Varshikotsavam)
In fact, dvajaarohanam(flag hoisting ) is prescribed for all the mahotsavams. But for practical reasons, detailed utsavam with hoisting of flag etc.. is restricted to Brahmotsavam.. that happens usually only once in a year
Sage Bhrigu has classified the Mahotsavam into three categories.
1.. Kaalotsavam..कालोत्सवं The utsavam conducted every month or certain days and the annual utsavam
2. Shraddhotsavam..श्रद्धोत्सवं observed by people who have vowed with devotion to conduct some festival as their own offering..
3.Naimittikotsavam...नैमित्तिकोत्सवं utsavams conducted with a view to ward off all the misfortunes affecting the people of the area and celebrations and festivities praying for general affluence, good rain, good harvest etc..
The festivals can be conducted for a period of 21 days,, considered as uttama or best, or 14 or 9 days considered as madhyamam or satisfactory or for 7 days considered as adhamam not so satisfactory..
The Brahmotsavam, the annual utsavam is called by that name because it is believed that Lord Brahma Himself visits the temple and conducts the function.
The main functions in the Utsavam are..
1. The announcement of the festival and preparing the flag staff of Dvajastambham..by decorating it and keeping it ready for the hoisting of the flag marking the start of the festival,
2.Selection of cotton cloth for the flag, drawing of the picture of Garuda Azhvar on the cloth in the prescribed way..
3. Preparation of the mandapa and consecration of Garuda Azhvar in the flag
4. Bheri Tadanam... Formal beating of the Drums.. after chanting Bheri sooktham.. Upashvaasaya. prithveem etc..
5. Bali Samarpanam... Offering prescribed food materials etc to propitiate the demi gods, spirits etc
6. Dvajarohanam.. The hoisting of the flag is done with the permission of Lord Narayana,, in the presence of Lord Vishvaksena and the Chakrathu Azhvar.. or Lord Sudharshana. And it is supposed to be in the presence and with the active participation of all the gods who have come receiving our invitation..
7 The conduct of the festival.. with Agamic poojas, Vedic homas, Vedaparayanam, Daily Processions, Nritham, Vadhyam, Special Naiavedyams and so on.. These can be discussed only in another essay.. The peak of the celebratins is the ratholsavam where the Lord Narayana is taken in procession in a chariot.. Then there is the formal lowering of the flag.. and Mangalasnamam.. in a holy teertham for the lord..
The homams are prescribed every day during the mahotsavam.. and the materials offered like twigs and foodstuff all vary from day to day..
यत्रैव क्रियते विष्णोरुत्सवः सर्वशान्तिदः तस्मिन् देशे अन्यदेवानां उत्सवं नैव कारयेत्.
yatraiva kriyate vishnorutsavaH sarvashaantidaH tasmin deshe anyadevaanaam utsavam naiva kaarayet.
If the mahotsavam of Lord Narayana is going on in a place.. that would spread peace and prosperity there. During those days of that festival to Narayna, no festivals for other gods should be conducted there..
Of course, that statement is made perhaps to underline the glory of the Lord..
If the festivals are conducted with devotion and sincere involvement..
1. The devotees would attain Vaikuntam when they finally depart
2. There will be peace everywhere
3. All misfortunes and difficulties would vanish
4. Rains would come in plenty, Grains will grow in excess
5. The whole world, the Country, the state, the village and all the rulers will be blessed with strength, prosperity and capacity to lead their subjects..
6. The demons and spirits infesting the territory would take flight.
So Vaikhanasa says
तस्मात् सर्व प्रयत्नेन कारयेदुत्सवं हरेः
tasmaat sarva prayatnena kaarayet utsavam hareH..
Therefore the utsavams of Lord Hari should be conducted with all enthusiasm and willingness to serve..
( the texts of various Vaishnava scholars have been referred to in preparing this note.. I have no direct experience as a Vaikhanasa.. though I am a devotee of Narayana )
Some basic observances and protocols we have to follow when we go for worship of Lord Narayana.. as per Vaikhanasa Rules.. The principles should work for all other schools of Agama too.
the slokas are from Brigu's Prakeernakadhikaram
(the text is available in Telugu.. published by Tirupati Devasthanam )
यानैर्वा पादुकैः वापि गमनं भगवत् गृहे १
प्रदक्षिणं शनैर्गत्वा देवालयमुपव्रजेत्॥२
विमानं विष्णुरूपं स्यान्न तत्पदादिना क्रमेत्॥३
धामप्रदक्षिणे पूर्वं कुर्यात्तत्र नमस्क्रियाः॥४
न लङ्घयेत् ध्वजच्छायां प्रदक्षिणविधिं विना।
गोपुरस्य विमानस्य प्राकारस्यालयस्य च॥ ५
यज्ञसूत्रमधः कृत्वा कर्णे कृत्वा विशेषतः।
अपसव्यं च धृत्वैव धृत्वा चैव निवीतवत्॥६
न गच्छेद्देवतागारं न वा मुक्तशिखो नरः॥
अकच्छः पुच्छकच्छश्च न च कौपीनमात्रधृक्॥७
यदा विशेद्गृहं विष्णोः सेवार्थं मधुविद्विषः।
कृत्वोपवीतः सम्यगुत्तरीयं मनोहरम्।
सेवेत देवदेवेशमुपवीतः सदा शुचिः॥८
कञ्चुकेनावृताङ्गस्तु न गच्छेत् हरिमन्दिरम्।
उष्णीषी न च सेवेत नैव पाणौ धृतायुधः॥९
वस्त्रेणाच्छाद्य देहं तु कम्बलेनेतरेण वा॥ १०
yānaivo pādukaiḥ vāpi gamanaṁ bhagavat gṛhe 1
pradakṣiṇaṁ śanairgatvā devālayamupavrajet||2
vimānaṁ viṣṇurūpaṁ syānna tatpadādinā kramet||3
dhāmapradakṣiṇe pūrvaṁ kuryāttatra namaskriyāḥ||4
na laṅghayet dhvajacchāyāṁ pradakṣiṇavidhiṁ vinā|
gopurasya vimānasya prākārasyālayasya ca|| 5
yajñasūtramadhaḥ kṛtvā karṇe kṛtvā viśeṣataḥ|
apasavyaṁ ca dhṛtvaiva dhṛtvā caiva vinītavat||6
na gaccheddevatāgāraṁ na vā muktaśikho naraḥ||
akacchaḥ pucchakacchaśca na ca kaupīnamātradhṛk||7
yadā viśedgṛhaṁ viṣṇoḥ sevārthaṁ madhuvidviṣaḥ|
kṛtvopavītaḥ samyaguttarīyaṁ manoharam|
seveta devadeveśamupavītaḥ sadā śuciḥ||8
kañcukenāvṛtāṅgastu na gacchet harimandiram|
uṣṇīṣī na ca seveta naiva pāṇau dhṛtāyudhaḥ||9
vastreṇācchādya dehaṁ tu kambalenetareṇa vā|| 10 1. One should not worship in the Vishnu temple moving in a Vehicle.. also he should not go to temple for worship wearing shoes or other footwear..
2. One should enter the temple and first do Pradakshinam.. of the praakaaram.. in slow step and approach the shrine.
3. The gopuram, the flagstaff and other such structures are having the presence of the Lord Vishnu in them... So one should not step over any such structures.. and should not carelessly jump over them too.. One should cross them after paying due respects.
4. Before entering the temple and doing pradakshinam of the praakaaram, one should first offer a namaskaram to the temple.. and then alone start the darshanam process.
5. Except while doing Pradakshinam, one should not cross or step over the shadows of the flagstaff, gopuram, the structure of the temple, vimanam etc.. 6.7. while entering the temple, one should have his yajnopaveetham hanging from his left shoulder (Valam) The positions of Crossing from right shoulder.. Edam, or having the yajnopaveetham like a garland around the neck, or tucking the yajnopaveetham on the ear.. are all prohibited when entering the Shrine.. One should wear Kaccham.. with the tip neatly tucked to the back.. while entering the temple.. One should never permit the back of the Kacham to dangle behind him like a tail.. One should not enter the temple naked, or merely wearing a Kaupeenam..or mere loincloth One should not enter the temple without his Tuft or Shika.. or hair neatly tied.. 8. When a person is entering the abode of Vishnu the enemy of the demon Madhu, he should wear his Yajnopaveetham in the upaveetha or Valam position.. He should wear a neat Uttareeyam arranged beautifully.. ( vishnu is particular about order neatness and beauty) He should be clean and pleasant in body and mind when he is worshiping Narayana, the Lord of Gods.. 9. One should not visit the abode of Hari wearing a Kanchukam.. on stitched clothes like shirt covering the upper body.. He should not wear Ushneesham or coat made of heavy clothes too.. One should not hold weapons in his hand while he is worshiping Hari 10 He should not cover his body with woolen clothes while worshiping Hari. There are a few more rules of conduct.. will follow.. if someone reads this ..
रिक्तहस्तः शून्यफालस्त्यक्तसंव्यान एव च।
खादन्नपि च ताम्बूलमुपहारदि भक्षयन्।
देवालयं विशन्नैव तस्या पापं समुद्भवेत्॥
यो भुक्त्वा देवतागारे निक्षिप्योच्छिष्टमत्र तु।
गच्छेदन्यत्र वा प्राऽस्यात् सोऽपि मूढो विपद्यते॥
riktahastaḥ śūnyaphālastyaktasaṁvyāna eva ca|
khādannapi ca tāmbūlamupahāradi bhakṣayan|
devālayaṁ viśannaiva tasyā pāpaṁ samudbhavet||
yo bhuktvā devatāgāre nikṣipyocchiṣṭamatra tu|
gacchedanyatra vā prā'syāt so'pi mūḍho vipadyate||
From Bhrigus Prakeernakadhikaranam.. chapter 36.. a sacred vaikhanasa text
One incurs sin if he just enters the temple of Vishnu..
without carrying anything as offering.. that is empty handed
with no tilak or holy marks on his forehead
without an uttareeyam or proper material covering the body parts
carrying food materials which he is munching and eating'
chewing tambulam (betel, nut etc) and other similar things
One who eats the prasadams or naivedyam received at the temple partially and leaves the remaining part within the temple premises or just sits within the premises taking it easy, is also a man without sense, and he is facing great dangers because of the anger of the Lord.
आर्तो न प्रविशेद् गेहं देवस्य परमात्मनः।
वायुभूते शरीरेऽस्मिन् वायुसञ्चारकर्मणि।
मलवायुविसर्गस्तु देवगेहे विशेषतः॥
पातयेत्पुरुषं सत्यमपि वेदान्तपारगम्।
इति देवगृहं गन्तुं व्याधितो नैव चार्हति॥
मनोऽनवस्थितं यस्य न सोऽलं पूजितुं हरिं।
यस्यैव निर्मलं चित्तं सोऽर्हः सर्वेषु कर्मसु॥
यस्तु देवगृहद्वारे प्रसार्य चरणौ क्वचित्।
शेते निद्रातिसम्मोहात् स याति नरकायुतम्॥
यातनाश्चानुभूयैव दौर्ब्राह्मण्यं व्रजेन्तु सः।
यस्तु देवगृहे मूठाः शयीत मदमोहितः॥
यस्तु देवगृहं गत्वा रोदिति प्रणयाद्यथा।
दुःखितः स्तौति वा देवं तत्स्यान्मानसिकं मलम्।
निर्वाणपरमं स्थानं म्लानेन मनसा तु यः।
सेवते स न जानाति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्॥
रागाद्यपेतं हृदयं वागदुष्टाऽनृतादिता।
हिंसादिरहितः कायः केशवाराधने त्रयम्॥
नैवात्र हिंसां कुर्वीत प्राणिनां दुःखदां क्वचित्।
अहिंसा वैदिकं कर्म ध्यानमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।
तपोऽथ गुरुशुश्रूषा धर्मद्वाराः षडीरिताः॥
ārto na praviśed gehaṁ devasya paramātmanaḥ|
vāyubhūte śarīre'smin vāyusañcārakarmaṇi|
malavāyuvisargastu devagehe viśeṣataḥ||
pātayetpuruṣaṁ satyamapi vedāntapāragam|
iti devagṛhaṁ gantuṁ vyādhito naiva cārhati||
mano'navasthitaṁ yasya na so'laṁ pūjituṁ hariṁ|
yasyaiva nirmalaṁ cittaṁ so'rhaḥ sarveṣu karmasu||
yastu devagṛhadvāre prasārya caraṇau kvacit|
śete nidrātisammohāt sa yāti narakāyutam||
yātanāścānubhūyaiva daurbrāhmanyaṁ vrajentu saḥ|
yastu devagṛhe mūṭhāḥ śayīta madamohitaḥ||
yastu devagṛhaṁ gatvā roditi praṇayādyathā|
duḥkhitaḥ stauti vā devaṁ tatsyānmānasikaṁ malam|
nirvāṇaparamaṁ sthānaṁ mlānena manasā tu yaḥ|
sevate sa na jānāti tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam||
rāgādyapetaṁ hṛdayaṁ vāgaduṣṭā'nṛtāditā|
hiṁsādirahitaḥ kāyaḥ keśavārādhane trayam||
naivātra hiṁsāṁ kurvīta prāṇināṁ duḥkhadāṁ kvacit|
ahiṁsā vaidikaṁ karma dhyānamindriyanigrahaḥ|
tapo'tha guruśuśrūṣā dharmadvārāḥ ṣaḍīritāḥ||
A person who is either in physical or mental illness should not visit the abode of God.. The human body is controlled by airs.. Kapha, Pitta and Vata.. and when afflicted by illness foul and unhealthy gases are generated in the body.. And such gases and other discharges due to flatulence etc should not happen while one is visiting the temple. And if a person discharges gases and other discharges in the temple due to illness or otherwise, that action would throw him into hell, even if he is a master in Vedanta.
A person who is not in perfect mental balance or who is agitated is ineligible to worship Hari. Only a person with placid and pure mind would qualify himself for the worship of the God.
A fellow who lies down or sits at ease in the premises of the temple with legs spread and feeling sleepy or inebriated would surely reach hell ten thousand times..He will surely undergo many sufferings lose all his religious merits if he decided to lie down and sleep in the premises of the temple, prodded by ignorance or arrogance.
A fellow who goes to the temple and cries in distress as if he is lost in love, or cries out of sorrow, that would indicate that his mind is clouded and turbid. The abode of Vishnu is meant for emancipation from worldly woes and attaining moksha, and if the prayer is with sorrow and distress, then the path of Glory of Vishnu will never be attainable for him.
A heart which is freed from silly worldly cravings, words that are honest and without untruth, a body with actions without any violence to anyone.. these are the foremost requirement for worshiping Keshava.
The devotee should stick to ahimsa and should never cause any distress or damage to any living being within the temple precincts.
The six holy doors of dharma or virtue are Ahimsa, Rituals prescribed by Vedas, Meditation, Control of sense and motor organs including mind, Penance and service to the preceptor.
CONDUCT WHILE IN THE ABODE OF VISHNU..
मुधा संभाषते यस्तु प्रविश्य देवमन्दिरम्।स निधिः पुरतः सिद्धं त्यक्त्वा भिक्षति काकिणीम्॥यस्तु संभाषते व्यर्थे देवालयमुपाश्रितः।सिद्धमन्नं परित्यज्य भिक्षामटति दुर्मतिः॥यन्मुहूर्तं क्षणं वापि परमात्मा न चिन्त्यते।सा हानिस्तन्महच्छिद्रम् सा भ्रान्तिः सा तु विक्रिया॥सन्त्यनेके प्रदेशाश्च समयाश्च विशेषतः।लोकयात्राविनिष्पत्त्यै देहयात्रोपयोगिनः।तस्माद्देवगृहं गत्वा नरो नाऽन्यपरो भवेत्॥न हि देवस्य पुरतः क्वचिदप्यनृतं वदेत्।सत्यस्वरूपी भगवान् सत्यं तस्मै न गूहयेत्॥न हि देवगृहं गत्वा शास्त्रर्थैनीरसैर्नरः।मुहूर्तं क्षपयेत् कालं तद्देवस्य विमानना।पाठनं लेखनाद्यं च नैवे कुर्यात् गृहे हरेः।स भवेदक्षरद्रोही यस्तु कुर्याद् व्यतिक्रमम्॥अनिबद्धप्रलापान् ये कुर्वन्ते देवमन्दिरे।तेऽपि तित्तिरितां भूत्वा जायन्ते जन्मपञ्चकम्॥न हि देवगृहं गत्वा विवदेत नरः क्वचित्।न तत् स्थानं विवादस्य तस्मात्तं दूरतस्त्यजेत्॥mudhā saṁbhāṣate yastu praviśya devamandiram|sa nidhiḥ purataḥ siddhaṁ tyaktvā bhikṣati kākiṇīm||yastu saṁbhāṣate vyarthe devālayamupāśritaḥ|siddhamannaṁ parityajya bhikṣāmaṭati durmatiḥ||yanmuhūrtaṁ kṣaṇaṁ vāpi paramātmā na cintyate|sā hānistanmahacchidram sā bhrāntiḥ sā tu vikriyā||santyaneke pradeśāśca samayāśca viśeṣataḥ|lokayātrāviniṣpattyai dehayātropayoginaḥ|tasmāddevagṛhaṁ gatvā naro nā'nyaparo bhavet||na hi devasya purataḥ kvacidapyanṛtaṁ vadet|satyasvarūpī bhagavān satyaṁ tasmai na gūhayet||na hi devagṛhaṁ gatvā śāstrarthainīrasairnaraḥ|muhūrtaṁ kṣapayet kālaṁ taddevasya vimānanā|pāṭhanaṁ lekhanādyaṁ ca naive kuryāt gṛhe hareḥ|sa bhavedakṣaradrohī yastu kuryād vyatikramam||anibaddhapralāpān ye kurvante devamandire|te'pi tittiritāṁ bhūtvā jāyante janmapañcakam||na hi devagṛhaṁ gatvā vivadeta naraḥ kvacit|na tat sthānaṁ vivādasya tasmāttaṁ dūratastyajet||
One who enters the temple of Hari and indulges in loose talk and gossip is, in fact, losing great wealth readily available with him and in fact is going along begging for the alms and dirt meant for crows..
One who is talking of wasteful things while inside the house of god, is actually in a condition where he is ignoring to enjoy a delicious meal of rice and is going around begging for alms
(The first two slokas above indicate that if we indulge in loose talk while in temple, we would be led to utter poverty.. Also, when it is time to praise the glories of the Lord Narayana, why should we engage in loose talk?)
Every moment in life, every split second, especially when in a temple, if it is not spent in contemplation of Lord Narayana, that moment indicates total destruction, that moment is the source of mental turmoil and schism, that moment means madness, that moment means misconduct..
There are too many opportunities and periods of time where people can do things which are of day to day worldly affairs, which could be spent for the comforts of the body and its pleasure... but the abode of Vishnu is not for that purpose.. One should not think of worldly pleasures and personal achievements while in the temple, but should concentrate on the glory and the service of Lord Narayana.
Lord Narayana is the embodiment of Truth.. Therefore, no words that imply untruth directly or by implication should be uttered in His divine presence.. An no truth should be concealed from the Lord.
Not even for a moment, one visiting the Lords abode, should talk disparagingly about the Shastras, Scriptures and divine lore. Even a little of time spent is such criticism would amount to contempt and disrespect being heaped on the Lord. One should not read of write such blasphemous material in the precincts of the Lord. If someone discredit Shastras in words, or deeds as described here, he becomes an enemy and destroyer of words and knowledge and incurs divine anger.
One who makes incoherent and meaningless prattle while present in the temple, he would be cursed to become the chatterbox tittiri bird.. for five future lives.
While visiting the abode of Narayana, one should not engage in acrimonious debate or discussion on any subject.. The Gods abode is not for debate and discussion, but just for His worship.
The directions given in the above slokas come from Bhrigu Rishi''s treatise.. about worship of the Lord
Sure, these instructions would apply to all.. in all Hindu temples and perhaps even in the abodes of God found in any other religion too.
आत्मानं यो विशेषेण स्तौत्यहङ्कार भावितः।
अनाहत्य गुरुं दैवमनिबद्धं च संवदेत्।
अवलिप्तो न जानाति दोषमात्मनि सङ्गतम्॥ ३६-६००-६०१
न जातु त्वमिति ब्रूयादापन्नोऽपि महत्तरं।
त्वंकारो वा वधो वेत्ति विद्वत्तु न विशिष्यते॥
तस्मन्निन्दां परेषं तो दैवाग्रे परिवर्जयेत्।
तथा परस्तुतिं चैव विधिना संत्यजेन्नरः॥
परः परात्मा पुरुषः पुराणः प्रोच्यते तु यः।
तदग्रेऽन्यस्य देवस्य न स्तुतिं स्तावयेन्नरः॥
तस्मात्पूजां स्तुतिं चान्यमितरेषां असंशयम्।
त्यजेद्देवगृहे यस्तु सुखं मन्येत जीवितुम्॥ ३६-५६१ ५६४-५ ५६९-७०
न हि देवगृहं गत्वा पृष्टीकृत्यासनं चरेत्।
देवाभिमुख एव स्याद् भक्तः सर्वात्मना नरः।
न पृष्टं दर्शयेत् जातु देवाग्रे हितचिन्तकः॥
पार्श्वतस्तु चरन्नेव निवर्तेतालयं प्रति॥ ३६-५९३-५९४
ātmānaṁ yo viśeṣeṇa stautyahaṅkāra bhāvitaḥ|
anāhatya guruṁ daivamanibaddha ca saṁvadet|
avalipto na jānāti doṣamātmani saṅgatam|| 36-600-601
na jātu tvamiti brūyādāpanno'pi mahattaraṁ|
tvaṁkāro vā vadho vetti vidvattu na viśiṣyate||
tasmannindāṁ pareṣaṁ to daivāgre parivarjayet|
tathā parastutiṁ caiva vidhinā saṁtyajennaraḥ||
paraḥ parātmā puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ procyate tu yaḥ|
tadagre'nyasya devasya nastutiṁ stāvayennaraḥ||
tasmātpūjāṁ stutiṁ cānyamitareṣāṁ asaṁśayam|
tyajeddevagṛhe yastu sukhaṁ manyeta jīvitum|| 36-561 564-5 569-70
na hi devagṛhaṁ gatvā pṛṣṭīkṛtyāsanaṁ caret|
devābhimukha eva syād bhaktaḥ sarvātmanā naraḥ|
na pṛṣṭaṁ darśayet jātu devāgre hitacintakaḥ||
pārśvatastu caranneva nivartetālayaṁ prati|| 36-593-594
If a person, especially if he is in the presence of God, talks in tones of self praise and bragging, especially driven by arrogance, and without expressing his devotion to his preceptor and his allegiance to Lord Narayana, and if he is talking without any sense of control or proportion, he is forgetting that he has become tainted with blemishes and sins.. and his fortunes are declining..
Even if one is in great danger, he should not address anyone else in Singular "You" .. the learned persons and the Bhagavatas consider being addressed in singular as "you" not different from receiving death at the hands of the one who addresses him that way.. Therefore when a person is in the presence of God, he should not belittle or insult anyone by talk or deed.
Also, one should never praise anyone else in the presence of God or when he is in the premises of the temple.. There is only one Supreme being.. Para, the supreme soul Paratma, the primordial being Purusha, and the most ancient one praised by Puranas.. that is Lord Narayana.. and no one else is worthy of any praise in comparison to Him.
Therefore in the Presence of Lord Narayana and in his temple, no pooja or praise of anyone else including other deities should be done, especially if the person is desirous of having a worthy and happy living..
A person, while visiting the temple should never position himself in such a way that his back and hind part are shown to the deity.
A devotee should move in the temple in a way that he is always facing the Lord. He should never show his hind part to the deity, if he is desirous of receiving divine grace and blessing for welfare.
Even when he is moving away from the temple, he should move sideways in such a way that his back is never shown to God..
( the rules come from Maharshi Bhrigu's Prakeernaadhikaram.. a standard text of Vaikhanasa Agamam.. Chapter 36)
नैवान्यं प्रणमेज्जातु प्रविश्य हरिमन्दिरम्।
स हि सर्वेश्वरः शेषी यत्राऽस्ते रमाधवः॥
यस्त्वधीकारगर्वेण देवागारमुपाश्रितः।
अकाले सेवितुं चेच्छेत्सोऽपि यास्यति दुर्गतिम्॥
उक्तेष्वेव तु कालेषु सेवेत मतिमान्नरः।
अन्त्यार्चनावसाने यत् कवाटो बध्यते ततः।
पुनरुद्धाटनं यावत्प्रत्यूषे च भविष्यति॥
तावन्नैव हरिं सेवेदकालः स विशेषतः।
अथार्चनाकालेऽपि भक्तानां सेवनाय तु॥
अकालाः बहवः प्रोत्क्तास्तथा यवनिकोदिता।
तस्मादकालसेवां तु विधिना परिवर्जयेत्॥
दुरचारो हि पुरुषो नेहायुर्विन्दते महत्।
त्रस्यति चास्य भूतानि तथा परिभवन्ति च।
तस्मादाचारवानेव कुर्याद्वै वैदिकाः क्रियाः॥
विषयाक्रान्तचित्तानां विष्ण्वर्चनमकुर्वताम्।
कर्मभूमौ नृणाम् जन्म कर्माऽपि विफलं ध्रुवं॥
यो गुरौ मानुषं भावं शिलाभावं तु दैवते।
मन्त्रेषु जीविकाभावं हिंसाभावम् मखेषु च॥
पूजकेषु च पूजायां नीरसं भावमेति सः।
सर्वथा निन्दितव्यो हि जीवितं तस्य निष्फलम्॥
naivānyaṁ praṇamejjātu praviśya harimandiram|
sa hi sarveśvaraḥ śeṣī yatrā'aste ramādhavaḥ||
yastvadhīkāragarveṇa devāgāramupāśritaḥ|
akāle sevituṁ cecchetso'pi yāsyati durgatim||
ukteṣveva tu kāleṣu seveta matimānnaraḥ|
antyārcanāvasāne yat kavāṭo badhyate tataḥ|
punaruddhāṭanaṁ yāvatpratyūṣe ca bhaviṣyati||
tāvannaiva hariṁ sevedakālaḥ sa viśeṣataḥ|
athārcanākāle'pi bhaktānāṁ sevanāya tu||
akālāḥ bahavaḥ protktāstathā yavanikoditā|
tasmādakālasevāṁ tu vidhinā parivarjayet||
duracāro hi puruṣo nehāyurvindate mahat|
trasyati cāsya bhūtāni tathā paribhavanti ca|
tasmādācāravāneva kuryādvai vaidikāḥ kriyāḥ||
viṣayākrāntacittānāṁ viṣṇvarcanamakurvatām|
karmabhūmau nṛṇām janma karmā'pi viphalaṁ dhruvaṁ||
yo gurau mānuṣaṁ bhāvaṁ śilābhāvaṁ tu daivate|
mantreṣu jīvikābhāvaṁ hiṁsābhāvam makheṣu ca||
pūjakeṣu ca pūjāyāṁ nīrasaṁ bhāvameti saḥ|
sarvathā ninditavyo hi jīvitaṁ tasya niṣphalam||
भृगुप्रणीते प्रकीर्णाधिकरे ३६-५९५ ६२७-३३ ३१६ ६३३-३६
bhṛgupraṇīte prakīrṇādhikare 36-595 627-33 316 633-36
When we are in the temple premises of Hari, we should not offer Pranams to anyone other than the Lord. He is the Lord and Master and the All pervading presence in the temple.. He the master of Rema..
A person, feeling arrogant about his power and influence, tries to enter the temple have Darshan and worship of the Lord at the wrong time without observing the schedules and proprieties of the temple. or even if he thinks of such action, he would attain very bad state in life..
A sensible person would have audience with the Lord in the temple only at times prescribed by the customs, and if the doors of the temple are closed after the last Archana in the night, they should be opened only at the scheduled time in the next morning. The person in power should not get the temple opened when it is remaining closed as per schedule.. Even during the Archana period the influential person should use his influence only for the benefit of all the devotees gathered.
Many periods of time are prescribed as not suitable for Darshan even during the normal daytime.. and these are indicated by actions like drawing of curtains.. and no attempt should ever be made to intrude into the privacy and have forced darshan of the lord even during that time. Worship outside the prescribed hours in the temple should be entirely avoided.
A person who is arrogant and uses influences to have untimely and undeserved priorities in the temple is a man with a fallen character.. People and the deities around all get agitated by him and they turn hostile to him. Therefore the Vedic and Agamic worship should be performed following the strict rules and precedents in the temple.
The birth and Karma of the following types of people are sheer waste in this earth.. Those whose minds are clouded with carnal desires and Those who do not worship Vishnu..
Those who see their preceptor of Guru as a mere human being instead of realizing the divinity in him, those who can treat the idol of the deity only as a stone, those who treat the chants and stotrams only as a means to livelihood, those who see Yajnas only as causing physical harms to beings, and those who have contempt for the worship in the temple and derision for the priests and Archakas who perform the poojas and rituals in the temple.. these people are deserving contempt.. and their lives are entirely wasted..
The above rules too appear in the Treatise of Brighu Maharshi.. Prakeernaadhikaram, Chapter 36.. where the consequences of showing disrespect to Lord Narayana and His temple are described
The dangers of having damaged Ashtabandam
The dangers of having damaged Ashtabandam fixing the idol are given in detail in Vaikhanasa Kriyaadhikaranam
अष्टबन्धनहीने तु पूर्वस्मिन् राष्ट्रनाशकृत्।
आग्नेय्यमग्निना दाहः याम्ये स्याद्वाधिपीडनम्॥
नैऋत्यां सस्यनाशः स्यात् वारुण्याम् वृष्तिनाशनम्।
वायव्यां श्रीविनाशः स्यात् कौबेर्यामर्थनाशनम्।
ऐशान्यां ग्रामनाशश्च सर्वतो राष्ट्रनाशनम्।
बिन्दुकाकृतिभिर्भिन्ने ज्वरमारीप्र्बाधनम्।
अष्टबन्धन हानौ तु पुनस्सन्धानमाचरेत्॥
वैखानसे क्रियाधिकारे ३५-१-४
aṣṭabandhanahīne tu pūrvasmin rāṣṭranāśakṛt|
āgneyyamagninā dāhaḥ yāmye syādvādhpīḍanam||
nairṛtyāṁ sasyanāśaḥ syāt vāruṇyām vṛṣtināśanam|
vāyavyāṁ śrīvināśaḥ syāt kauberyāmarthanāśanam|
aiśānyāṁ grāmanāśaśca sarvato rāṣṭranāśanam|
bindukākṛtibhirbhinne jvaramārīprbādhanam|
aṣṭabandhana hānau tu punassandhānamācaret||
vaikhānase kriyādhikāre 35-1-4
If Ashtabandhanam is damaged and defective in the eastern side of the idol, it would indicate destruction of the country
If the damage is in the direction of agni.. or south east, the danger from fire is predicted.
If the damage is in the direction of Yama.. the south.. danger would come in the shape of diseases and epidemics
If the damage is in the direction of Nirruti.. south west the plants and vegetation would perish
If the damage to ashtabandam is in the direction of Varuna, the west, there will be draughts and absence of rainfall
If the damage is in the direction of Vayu or the north west, there will be destruction in wealth and prosperity
If the damage is in the direction of Kubera or North, there will be loss of money and wasteful expenditure
If the damage is in the direction of Eashaana or north east, the village will be destroyed
If the damage is in all directions, the country will perish
If there are damages like perforations and cracks in the Ashtabandam, then there would be outbreak of epidemics like Small pox
If there is any damage to the Ashtabandam, it is essential that repairs of the damages should be attended to immediately..
Ashtabandham used partially for other deities should not be used for Vishnu..
Kriyaadhikaram of Vaikhanasa Shastra strictly prescribed exclusive use of Ashtabandham for Vishnu templ
यदि चेद् द्रव्यलोभेन अन्यदेवालयार्जितम्।
रुद्रकाल्यादिबन्धार्थं आचितञ्चाष्टबन्धनम्।
तन्नेष्टमष्टबन्धं तत् विष्ण्वर्थं नैव कारयेत्।
अज्ञादादर्थलोभाद्वा येन केनापि हेतुना।
शिष्टद्रव्येण कुर्याच्चेत् विनश्यति न संशस्यः॥
क्रियाधिकारे ३५-३९-४१
yadi ced dravyalobhena anyadevālayārjitam|
rudrakālyādibandhārthaṁ ācitañcāṣṭabandhanam|
tanneṣṭamaṣṭabandhaṁ tat viṣṇvarthaṁ naiva kārayet|
ajñādādarthalobhādvā yena kenāpi hetunā|
śiṣṭadravyeṇa kuryāccet vinaśyati na saṁśasyaḥ||
kriyādhikāre 35-39-41
If for any reason like economy or desire to save money, if Ashtabanadham
Prepared and mixed for another temple
Used partially for use in Rudra, Kali etc temples
Then such Ashtabandham is not pleasing and suitable for Vishnu. It should not be used for Vishnu
If for saving for money or for any reason the Pratishta of Vishnu is done using the Ashtabhandam or its ingredients already partially used for other deities, the perfomer, the one who uses it and the yajamana all would perish.. There is no doubt about it.
Purification of the abode of God.
The area covering the borders of the temple, where the shadows of the Vimanam would fall are to be purified before consecration as follows, as prescribed in the Vaikhanasa Agama..
( More or less identical instructions are found in Shivagamam and also in tantra samucchayam.. covering the Shiva temples, and the Kerala style of consecration..
विमानं गोभिः ब्राह्मणैश्च शोधयेत्। तद्यथा॥ विमानाङ्कणे सतृणान् दूर्वाग्रान् पलालान् सजलानि पात्राणि निक्षिप्य पञ्चरात्रं त्रिरात्रमेकरात्रं वा धेनूः स्थापयेत्। रात्रौ तासां दुग्धं नाहरेत्। दुग्धपानाधिभिः वत्साः सन्तृप्ता भवेयुः। वत्सपीतस्तनाग्रेभ्यः स्रुतैः क्षीरबिन्दुभिः गोमयमूत्रैश्च तत्स्थानं शुद्धं भवति। तदनन्तरं तत्र ब्राह्मणभोजनं कारयेत्। चतुर्विंशति वा पञ्चाशद वा शताधिकं वा ततोधिकं वा ब्राह्मणान् तत्स्थाने भोजयेत्। भोजनानन्तरं तेषामुच्छिष्टं शोधयेत्॥
vimānaṁ gobhiḥ brāhmaṇaiśca śodhayet| tadyathā|| vimānāṅkaṇe satṛṇān dūrvāgrān palālān sajalāni pātrāṇi nikṣipya pañcarātraṁ trirātramekarātraṁ vā dhenūḥ sthāpayet| rātrau tāsāṁ dugdhaṁ nāharet| dugdhapānādhibhiḥ vatsāḥ santṛptā bhaveyuḥ| vatsapītastanāgrebhyaḥ srutaiḥ kṣīrabindubhiḥ gomayamūtraiśca tatsthānaṁ śuddhaṁ bhavati| tadanantaraṁ tatra brāhmaṇabhojanaṁ kārayet| caturviṁśati vā pañcāsd vā śatādhikaṁ vā tatodhikaṁ vā brāhmaṇān tatsthāne bhojayet| bhojanānantaraṁ teṣamucchiṣṭaṁ śodhayet||
The area covered by the Vimanam should be purified by the presence of cows and brahmins.
The procedure is as follows.
All over the ground covering the area, grass like dhurva should be spread or grown..
Straw should also be distributed.
Large pitchers with water should be placed all around..
For five days and night, or at least for three days and nights, cows with their calves should be allowed to graze in that area.
The cows should not be milched in the evening or night.
The calves should be allowed to drink milk to their hearts content..
When drops of milk that are left over after the calves drink drip on the ground from the udders of the cows, the ground would become purified.
The ground would be purified by the urine and the dung of the cows too..
After purification thus by the cow, brahmins should be fed .. they should be offered meals served in that area.
Twenty four, fifty one, hundred and one or more brahmins as the case may be could be offered food like that..
The food and the other remnants left behind after the brahmins are fed when spread in that area, would purify the area and make it fit for the occupation of the Lord Narayana as His permanent abode..
Why are we worshiping the Universal Being Hari in mere idol.. Imagining that He is the idol?
The inherent contradiction in our action of limiting Lord Narayana who is present everywhere to some Idol or a bundle of Dharbha or a pot of water is appreciated by the Sages who gave us the Agamas that prescribes the building and consecration of Idols in temple..
The slokas found in the Partishtaa prakaranam of Vaikhanasa Agamam bear testimony to this line of thought
Like the curd present in Milk,
Like the oil present in Til or gingely,
like fragrance inherent in flowers,
like sweet taste inherent in fruits,
like magnetic force present in Iron, like fire inherent in logs of wood,
Narayana is present inherent in all things.
Where can we call and invoke such Divine being Narayana, and where can we ask him to go back after end of pooja?
Therefore Aavaahanam and Utsarjanam of Vishnu are considered improper and meaningless
Even then just to offer our respects and adoration for the Lord through physical worship like pooja the methods have been devised for Aavaahanam through mantras
If such a method is not followed, neither human beings, nor even gods can worship the Supreme Being Narayana.
By Avahanam, it is meant that the Lord Vishnu who is present everywhere , is meditated upon as being present in a particular object.
Just because Hari is extremely merciful towards his devotees, He is permitting us to view his glory and powers which are spread everywhere to be seen in some particular object.
Hari is just manifesting himself in a small idol like a peacock who can spread his feathers very wide just withdraws all of them and remains quiet.
Like the fire present all within the Arani log flares up when rubbed restrictedly in a particular place, when the devotee meditates upon Vishnu with intensity, the Lord Shines forth in the heart of such devotee.
This is the view of the great sage Markandeya.
We the ordinary mortals can never understand the greatness of the Lord Narayana.
However, sure, He manifests himself in the idol, in the piece of land, in a koorcha made of Dharba, or in the water, when He is invoked through Vedic and Agamic mantras and He would happily accept the offerings and worship made by us just because he is always nurturing great love and mercy for us His sincere devotees.
Alternately we can worship the Supreme Being Hari as present in the core of the Orb of the sun .. Hari who dresses Himself in Pitambara.. the yellow cloth, who is shining forth in dazzling Aura, who is manifesting Himself in a form with just a size of four inches.. Hari who is amenable to our thoughts when we concentrate on Him in deep meditation.. Hari who is adorned in all ornaments like crown or Kireetam.. Hari who is emitting bright glow like molten God..
क्षीरे सर्पिस्तिले तैलं पुष्पे गन्धः फले रसः।
यथायसि महासारः काष्ठेऽग्निरिव संस्थितः।
कुत आवाह्यते देवः कुत्र चोद्वास्यते पुनः॥
तस्मादावाहनं विष्णोरयुक्तमिति मन्यते।
तथापि पूजनामार्गे मन्त्रैरावाहनं स्मृतम्॥
अन्यथाऽभ्यर्चितुं देवं देवानां च न शक्यते।
सर्वत्र व्यापिनस्तस्य श्रीविष्णोः परमात्मनः॥
एकत्र स्मरणं यत्तदावाहनमितीरितम्।
भक्तानुकम्पया सोऽपि विभूतिं स्वां सुविस्तृताम्॥
संक्षिप्यैकत्र भवति कलापीव कलापकम्।
अरण्यां व्यापितो वह्निरेकत्र ज्वलितो यथा॥
तथा ध्यानेन भक्तस्य हृदि विष्णुः प्रकाशते।
मार्कण्डेयो महातेजाः प्राह चैवं महामुनिः॥
अस्माभिश्च हरेस्तस्य माहात्म्यं नावबुध्यते।
मन्त्रैरावाहिते बेरे स्थले कूर्चे जलेऽथवा॥
भक्तानुकंपया स्थित्वा पूजां गृह्णाति पूजितः।
अथवा हरिमर्कस्य मण्डलान्तर्गतं परम्॥
पीताम्बरधरं दीप्तं चतुरङ्गुलमात्रकम्।
ध्यानगम्यं किरीटादिभूषणैः परिभूषितम्॥
रुक्माभं स्वप्नगम्यं च तस्मादावाहयेत्तथा॥
kṣīre sarpistile tailaṁ puṣpe gandhaḥ phale rasaḥ|
yathāyasi mahāsāraḥ kāṣṭhe'gniriva saṁsthitaḥ|
kuta āvāhyate devaḥ kutra codvāsyate punaḥ||
tasmādāvāhanaṁ viṣṇorayuktamiti manyate|
tathāpi pūjanāmārge mantrairāvāhanaṁ smṛtam||
anyathā'bhyarcituṁ devaṁ devānāṁ ca na śakyate|
sarvatra vyāpinastasya śrīviṣṇoḥ paramātmanaḥ||
ekatra smaraṇaṁ yattadāvāhanamitīritam|
bhaktānukampayā so'pi vibhūtiṁ svāṁ suvistṛtām||
saṁkṣipyaikatra bhavati kalāpīva kalāpakam|
araṇyāṁ vyāpito vahnirekatra jvalito yathā||
tathā dhyānena bhaktasya hṛdi viṣṇuḥ prakāśate|
mārkaṇḍeyo mahātejāḥ prāha caivaṁ mahāmuniḥ||
asmābhiśca harestasya māhātmyaṁ nāvabudhyate|
mantrairāvāhite bere sthale kūrce jale'thavā||
bhaktānukaṁpayā sthitvā pūjāṁ gṛhṇāti pūjitaḥ|
athavā harimarkasya maṇḍalāntargataṁ param||
pītambaradharaṁ dīptaṁ caturaṅgulamātrakam|
dhyānagamyaṁ kirīṭādibhūṣaṇaiḥ paribhūṣitam||
rukmābhaṁ svapnagamyaṁ ca tasmādāvāhayettathā||
वैखानस प्रतिष्टाप्रकरणे ५-१४-२९
vaikhānasa pratiṣṭāprakaraṇe 5-14-29
The periods for Pratishta of Immovable Idols in the Sanctum dhruva beras
As prescribed in Vaikhanasa Shastram
फाल्गुनचैत्रवैशाखपुष्यज्येष्ठषु मासेषु उत्तरायणे ध्रुवबेराणां प्रतिष्ठा उत्तमा। श्रावणाश्वयुजकार्तिकेषु दक्षिणायने मध्यमा। भद्रपदाषाढयोः अथमा। मार्गशीर्षमाघौ विवर्जयेत्। नक्षत्रेषु उत्तरा रोहिणी श्रवण पुष्य पुनर्वसू स्वाती हस्त चित्रा अनूराधा अश्विन्यः उत्तमाः। शुक्लपक्षे रिक्ततिथयः वर्ज्याः॥कृष्णपक्षे प्रथमाद्वितीया पञ्चम्यः ग्राह्याः। सोमगुरुसौम्यकाव्यवासराः ग्राह्याः। करणेषु ध्रुवेषु चरेषु विष्टिरष्टविधा वर्ज्या। राशिषु चरराशयः वर्ज्याः॥ आर्द्राश्लेषमूलनक्षत्राणि कृष्णाष्टम्युल्कापाताशनिपातदिग्दाहपांसुलोहितोपलवर्षव्यतीपातभूकम्पातिमारुतराजमरणचन्द्रसूर्योपरागयुक्तानि नक्षत्राणी रात्रिकालश्च परिवर्जनीयाः॥
phālgunacaitravaiśākhapuṣyajyeṣṭhaṣu māseṣu uttarāyaṇe dhruvaberāṇāṁ pratiṣṭhā uttamā| śrāvaṇāśvayujakārtikeṣu dakṣiṇāyane madhyamā| bhadrapadāṣāḍhayoḥ athamā| mārgaśīrṣamāghau vivarjayet| nakṣatreṣu uttarā rohiṇī śravaṇa puṣya punarvasū svātī hasta citrā anūrādhā aśvinyaḥ uttamāḥ| śuklapakṣe riktatithayaḥ varjyāḥ|kṛṣṇapakṣe prathamādvitīyā pañcamyaḥ grāhyāḥ| somagurusaumyakāvyavāsarāḥ grāhyāḥ| karaṇeṣu dhruveṣu careṣu viṣṭiraṣṭavidhā varjyā| rāśiṣu cararāśayaḥ varjyāḥ|| ārdrāśleṣamūlanakṣatrāṇi kṛṣṇāṣṭamyulkāpātāśanipātadigdāhapāṁsulohitopalavarṣavyatīpātabhūkampātimārutarājamaraṇacandrasūryoparāgayuktāni nakṣatrāṇī rātrikālaśca parivarjanīyāḥ||
The Dhruvabera can be consecrated in the months of
Phalguna, Chaitra, Vaishaka, Pushya and Jyeshta..in Uttarayanam
It is of medium merit to consecrate in the Dakshinayana in the months of Shravana, Karthika and Ashvina..
It is very inferior to consecrate during the months
Bhadrapada and Ashaada
Consecration during the months Margasheersha and Magha is prohibited.
Amongs Stars.. Uttara Stars.. uthra phalgui, uttara proshtapada and uttarashada, Rohini, Shravana Pushya, Punarvasu, Swati, Chitra, Anuradha and Ashvini are the best.
During Shuklapaksha empty or shoonya tithis should be avoided.
Even in Krishna paksham Prathama Dviteeyaa and Panchami are acceptable.
Among Karanas Dhruva, Chara of eight Vishti should be avoided.
Among weeks Monday, Thursday, Friday, Wednesday are acceptable.
Chara Rasis... Mesham, Karkatakam, Thulam and Makaram should be avoided.
Stars Ardhra Ashlesha and Moola are not permitted.
Ashtami in the Krishna Paksham also is prohibited
Then days of calamity like falling of ulka or meteor, thunderbolt, earthquake, raising of thick red dust, cyclone, whirlwind, rain in the wrong period with unhealthy showers, death of a king, solar or lunar eclipse.. all these should be avoided for the installation of the deity..
importance of Adhivasam...
before consecration of the idol
according to Vaikhanasa Agamam
अधिवासं कृत्वैव स्थापनं करोति। अनधिवासितं बेरं यत्र स्थपितं चेत् तद्ग्रामयजमानस्थापकादीनामाशु विनाशाय भवति।
अधिवासं पुनः कुर्यात् बिम्बशुध्यर्थमेव च।
सान्निध्यकरणायैवं प्रतिमानां तो तद् भवेत्।
अधिवासं च कृत्वैव मन्त्रैर्हुत्वा विधानतः॥
बिम्बे संस्ठापिते तत्र सान्निध्यं कुरुते हरिः।
पश्चात् संस्थापयेद्विद्वान् स्थापनोक्तिविधानतः॥
तत्स्थापको लभेत् कामानिहामुत्र न संश्यः॥
कौतुकदिबेराणामक्ष्युन्मोचनान्ते बेराधिवासादीनि कारयेत्॥
वैखानस अगम कोश ५-१०-१ २
adhivāsaṁ kṛtvaiva sthāpanaṁ karoti| anadhivāsitaṁ beraṁ yatra sthapitaṁ cet tadgrāmayajamānasthāpakādīnāmāśu vināśāya bhavati|
adhivāsaṁ punaḥ kuryāt bimbaśudhyarthameva ca|
sānnidhyakaraṇāyaivaṁ pratimānāṁ to tad bhavet|
adhivāsaṁ ca kṛtvaiva mantrairhutvā vidhānataḥ||
bimbe saṁsṭhāpite tatra sānnidhyaṁ kurute hariḥ|
paścāt saṁsthāpayedvidvān sthāpanoktividhānataḥ||
tatsthāpako labhet kāmanihāmutra na saṁśyaḥ||
kautukadiberāṇāmakṣyunmocanānte berādhivāsādīni kārayet||
vaikhānasa agama kośa 5-10-1 2
The idol should be consecrated and fixed only after Adhivasam.. the ceremonial immersion in Panchagvyam, Milk, Kusha water etc for the prescribed periods. If a idole is consecrated in some place without taking it through the prescribed immersions or adhivasams, such action would result in the destruction of the Yajamana as well as the one who presided over such pratishta.
Adhivasam is performed for
Ensuring adequate purity for the idol
Adhivasam ensures the presence of Lord Hari in the idol
When the idol is kept in adhivasam, and the fire is propitiated through vedic and agamic chants and obltaions, and Lord Hari is invoked in the Bera or idol, then the Lord occupies that abode readily and eagerly.
When the Lord is consecrated in an idol following the rituals and rules prescribed by Shrutis and Agamas, then the person who consecrated such idol and the yajamana both would attain all the merits in this life and the life hereafter too.. there is no doubt about it..
The adhivasa of the Kautuka, Dhruva, Utsava , Bali etc beras should be done immediately after the eye opening rite.
अथ वक्ष्ये विशेषेण त्रिधा चैवाधिवासनम्।
पञ्चगव्यं तु पूर्वं स्यात् क्षीरं चैवाप्यनन्तरम्।
जलेप्यधिवासं च त्रिधा चैव प्रचोदितम्॥ ५-१०-४
नदीतटाकवापीषु देवागारसमीपतः।
जलेऽधिवासनं कृवा रक्षां सर्वत्र कारयेत्॥
पश्चाद्देवेशमादाय पञ्चगव्येऽधिवासयेत्।
जलद्रोणीं पूरयेश्च पञ्चहगयप्रयोगतः॥
पश्चाद्देवेशमादाय कुशोदे शाययेत्तथा॥
जलाधिवासमेकाहमेकाहं पञ्चगव्यके।
अहोरात्रं दिवा चैकं कुशोदे चाधिवासितम्॥
त्रयाणामधिवासानाम् प्रत्येकमहोरात्रं दिवा चैकं व अधिवासयेत्।
द्वहं तदैवमेकाहं पञ्चगव्येऽधिवासयेत्॥
एवं कर्तुमशक्यश्चेत् त्रिदिनं केवले जले॥
दिनमेकमहर्वाथ यामं वा कालमेव वा॥
मन्त्रवद्बिम्बशुध्यर्थमधिवासम् समचरेत्॥
वैखानस आगमकोशे ५-१०-५ ६ ७
atha vakṣye viśeṣeṇa tridhā caivādhivāsanam|
pañcagavyaṁ tu pūrvaṁ syāt kṣīraṁ caivāpyanantaram|
jalepyadhivāsaṁ ca tridhā civa pracoditam|| 5-10-4
nadītaṭākavāpīṣu devāgārasamīpataḥ|
jale'dhivāsanaṁ kṛvā rakṣāṁ sarvatra kārayet||
paścāddeveśamādāya pañcagavye'dhivāsayet|
jaladroṇīṁ pūrayeśca pañcahagayaprayogataḥ||
paścāddeveśamādāya kuśode śāyayettathā||
jalādhivāsamekāhamekāhaṁ pañcagavyake|
ahorātraṁ divā caikaṁ kuśode cādhivāsitam||
trayāṇāmadhivāsānām pratyekamahorātraṁ divā caikaṁ va adhivāsayet|
dvahaṁ tadaivamekāhaṁ pañcagavye'dhivāsayet||
evaṁ kartumaśakyaścet tridinaṁ kevale jale||
dinamekamaharvātha yāmaṁ vā kālameva vā||
mantravadbimbaśudhyarthamadhivāsam samacaret||
vaikhānasa āgamakośe 5-10-5 6 7
The major three Adhivasams for purification of the Bera or Idol are dealt with in Vaikhanasa Agamam.
They are Panchagavya, Ksheeram or Milk and then Jalam or water..
The order of Adhivasam can be in two ways..
Panchagavyam Milk and Water in that order or Water, Panchagavya and Soaked Darbha in that order.
The sacred idol should be immersed in the waters of either river, pond or well near to the abode of God and this process would ensure protection for the idol and the occupants of the locality.
After immersion in well or river or pond, the Lord of Lords should be taken out and immersed in Panchagavyam.
The panchagavyam filled in a floating boat, should in turn allowed to float in a water source.
After placing the lord in Panchagavya for one day, he should be immersed in water mixed with Darbha or Kusha grass..
The duration for Milk and Panchagavya Adhivasam is one day and night each.. and immersion in water mixed with Darbha Kushodhakam is two days and one night.
Some view that Panchagavya adhivasam can either be for two days or for one day.
If it is not possible to have immersion in Panchagavyam and milk etc, the Lord should be immersed in water at least for three days.
If it is not possible to have three days, the adhivasam should be at least for one day, or half a day, or at least for three hours..
Of course, the text continues to prescribe immersion even upto one and half hours .. but that is not considered to be uttamam at all.. For brevity, such slokas are not quoted here..
The pratishtaa prakaranam of Vaikhnasa agama prescribes that the Adhivasam of various deities should be separate,, and not in the same container and material
देवानन्याधिवासं च पृथगेव समाचरेत्
पृथगेवावताराणामन्येषां पार्षदानि च।
त्रीणि बेरस्य चक्रं च बलिरेवं समाचरेत्॥
वैखानस प्रतिष्ठाप्रकरणे॥५-१०-२१
devānanyādhivāsaṁ ca pṛthageva samācaret
pṛthagevāvatārāṇāmanyeṣāṁ pārṣadāni ca|
trīṇi berasya cakraṁ ca balirevaṁ samācaret||
vaikhānasa pratiṣṭhāprakaraṇe||5-10-21
Meaning
The adhivasam should be conducted separately in respect of each bera or set of idols.. or moorthy
If there are idols of Avatara moorthys or Parshadas like Garuda and other devatas, they should be given adhivasam separately
The three vigraha sets.. the Moola, Utsava and kautuka should be given separte adhivasam..
Chakram or Sudarshana ( usually representing bali bera )should also be given separate adhivasam and all these should be considered separately while offering balis..
This would clearly mean that one should not stack together all the idols available in the temple in a single container or anointing base.. each moorthy or idol should be honoured separately..
Panchagayva Adhivasam
Preparation of Panchagavyam for Panchagavyaadhivaasam
पञ्चगव्यक्रमं वक्ष्ये सर्वेषमपि कर्मणाम्।
गोमूत्रं गोमयं चैव पयो दधि घृतं क्रमात्॥
गोमूत्रं नीलवर्णायामापतद्गवि संहरेत्।
कृष्णायां गोमयं पश्चात् पतिते भूतले सति॥
क्षीरं वै ताम्रवर्णायाः सद्यो दुग्धमपक्वकं।
श्वेताया दधि सङ्ग्राह्यं शुद्धं दोषविवर्जितम्॥
कपिलाया घृतं चैव क्षारकाभं सुपक्वकं।
भागमार्गं प्रवक्ष्यामि गृग्णित द्रव्ययोरधः॥
षड्भागं षोडशांशश्च गोमूत्रं गोमयं ततः।
चतुरंशं ततः क्षीरं त्रियंशं द्विगुणं दधि॥
एकभागं घृतं तस्य द्रव्यानेतानसङ्करम्।
हेमादिकलशेष्वेकं समापूर्य पृथक् पृथक्॥
एवमेवमशक्तश्च श्वेतायां गवि च बुधा।
आहरेद्दुर्बलो गव्यान् यथयोगम् क्रमम् चरेत्॥
pañcagavyakramaṁ vakṣye sarveṣamapi karmaṇām|
gomūtraṁ gomayaṁ caiva payo dadhi ghṛtaṁ kramāt||
gomūtraṁ nīlavarṇāyāmāpatadgavi saṁharet|
kṛṣṇāyāṁ gomayaṁ paścāt patite bhūtale sati||
kṣīraṁ vai tāmravarṇāyāḥ sadyo dugdhamapakvakaṁ|
śvetāyā dadhi saṅgrāhyaṁ śuddhaṁ doṣavivarjitam||
kapilāyā ghṛtaṁ caiva kṣarakābhaṁ supakvakaṁ|
bhāgamārgaṁ pravakṣyāmi gṛgṇita dravyayoradhaḥ||
ṣadbhāgaṁ ṣoḍaśāṁśasya gomūtraṁ gomayaṁ tataḥ|
caturraṁśaṁ tataḥ kṣīraṁ triyaṁśaṁ dvigunaṁ dadhi||
ekabhāgaṁ ghritaṁ tasya dravyānetānasaṅkaram|
hemādikalaśeṣvekaṁ samāpūrya pṛthak prithak||
evamevamaśaktaśca śvetāyāṁ gavi ca budhā|
āhareddurbalo gavyān yathayogam kramam caret||
Vaikhanasa Agama Kosha describes the preparation of Panchagavyam as above
The five ingredients of Panchagavyam are Gomutram.. the urine of the cow, Gomayam.. the dung of the cow, PayaH.. the milk of the cow, Dadhi.. the curd from the cow and Ghrutam.. ghee or clarified butter from the cow.
The gomutram should be collected from a blue grey coloured cow as he passes urine
The gomayam is the dung that is ejected by a black cow as the dung touches the earth
The milk should be collected from a cow of copper red colour.. and the milk should be fresh and should never be heated or cooked
The curd should be brewed from the milk of a white cow
and
The ghee should be made of the milk of a brownish.. tawny cow.. and the colour of the ghee should be clear and white like lime..
the compositions is
One sixth of the volume is cow urine
One sixteenth is cow dung
one fourth of the mixture is milk
one third of the mixture is concentrated curd
and
one part is ghee or cleared butter.. (balance)
the mixture should be made preferably in a vessel made of Gold
If various colours of cows are difficult or impossible to muster, then the products of a white cow can be used for making panchagavyam..
and if one in poor, he can collect the products of cows according to his material capacity..
The procedure for Panchagayva Adhivasam as given in the Text Vimaanaarchana Kalpa of Sage Marichi, a very authentic text for Vaikhanasa Shastram is given below..
The procedure for preparation of Panchagavyam was already discussed in an earlier post.
After preparing the Jaladroni or other receptacle for Panchagavyam, it should be filled with the mixture of the five products from the cow accompanied by the chant.. VasoH pavitram.. Then the adhidevata for panchagavyam, Eashaana should be worshiped. The container should be decorated with new clothes, garlands etc. and the Aupaasana Agnikundam should be kept on the Eastern side of this. Aaghaara Homam should be performed and Lord Hari should be invoked in seven Kalashas. Punyaahavachanam should be chanted. The kalashas should be decorated withe new clothes and should be offered pooja with flowers and all upacharams should be done.
The mantram Vishnorukam Veeryaani.. should be chanted. The priest should stand up and with the help of others the idol of Hari and consorts (where they are together) should be placed in the tub containing panchagavyam.. the heads of the beras or idols directed eastward. The kindled fire should be worshipped with partistharanam. Then the following chant
Vishnave, Vishveshvaraaya, Janaardhanaaya, Sarvabhootaatmane Avyakthaaya Achalaaya, DevebhyaH, BhootebhyaH NaagebhyaH LokapaalebhyaH VimaanapaalebhyaH swaahaaH.. and obltaions should be offered in fire.
Further oblations to Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Prajaapati, Varuna, Vidhi, Garuda, Vishvaksena and Digdevataas should be made.
Then the fire should be kept quiescent through anumaarjanam
While the deities are immersed in Panchagavyam, the demi gods and other spirits should be offered bali in the night with Mudga or cooked pulses and grams( Muthira chundal) and cooked cereals.
Ksheera Adhivasam
The procedure for Ksheera Adhivasam as given in the Vaikhanasa text Vimaanaarchana Kalpa of Sage Marichi.
The immersion in milk is after the immersion in Panchagavyam..
The idol would have been lying in a Jaladroni filled with panchagavyam for the prescribed number of days..
The immersion in Milk comes after that.
In the morning the Acharya should take bath and enter the temple premises where the Lord is lying in Panchagavyam. The idol should be offered abhishekam from seven Kalashams, it should be decorated with fresh clothes and should be offered flowers and other offerings. Then the Jaladroni should be empted of Panchagavyam or other materials of the earlie adhivasam. The clothes on the idol should be removed and it should be covered with new clothes.
The droni should now be filled with the milk of a cow, and the mantram chanted is Sanno devee... The adhidevata for the milk Atharvan should be invoked, offered respects and pooja.
Then the Acharya and devotees should meditate upon the Milky ocean.. Ksheeram Ksheerodadhi.. this milk is the milky ocean itself and the lord is lying there.. The idol should be placed in the milk with the head in the East direction.
Homams similar to the ones offered during the Panchagvya adhivasasm should be offered.. Bali to the demigods and parivarams, at night, as in the case of Panchagavya adhivasam should be offered.
Next morning, the acharya, after bath should chant the mantra.. Vishnornukam... and lift the idol from the droni filled with milk. The idol should be bathed with seven Kalashams of water. It should again be dressed with new clothes and poojas and archana should be offered..
Then should follow the Jala Adhivasam..
Jala Adhivasam
Procedure for Jala Adhivasam as given in the Text Vimaanaarchana Kalpa of Sage Marichi, a very authentic text for Vaikhanasa Shastram is given below..
The jala adhivasam follows the Ksheera Adhivasam.
After the idol has been placed immersed in milk for the prescribed period, the next process is immersing it in the holy waters.
The priest, lifts the idol from the Droni filled with milk, offers abhishekam with seven Kalashams of water.. Then he dressed the idol in fresh clothes and offers pooja with all upacharams.
The celebration of jala Adhivasam is preferred to be conducted in the banks of a river or a lake or in a large well.
The priest, his assistants, yajamana and the devotees all proceed to the river, the lake or the well as the case may be, carrying the idol with them. In the waterfront, appropriate floating vessel or receptacle for pure water is arranged. A temporary structure or shamiana is erected and the decorations befitting the glory of the Lord are made..
The priest and his party comes in procession carrying the idol, does pradakshinam to the water source. A place for fire is prepared and fire is kindled. The fire is offered usual vedic homams and special homams in the Vaishnava way.
Payasam with ghee should be offered to the deities. The various deities presiding over the waters as also the Lord and his parshadas should be offered worship
The worship is offered to
Yogeshvara Seshaangashaayee Sabdabrahman to the Samudras, to the Parvathas, to the Devas, to the Rishis, to the Pitrus, to the Nagas,
Fire oblations too are offered to them
The water should be consecrated by offer of poojas and respects to the adhidevatas with the mantra Idam AapaH ShivaaH..
The adhidevatas.. four in number are
Varuna, Punyatheertha (Siva), Punya and Devavasa..
The idol adorned in fresh clothes should be placed in the consecrated water, with head directed northwards.. and Vishnu Suktha and other Vaishnava mantras should be chanted..
The usual homas and balis during night should be offered to the adhidevatas, pratyadidevatas, upadevatas etc..
Shayana Adhivasam procedure.. the Vaikhanasa way
The Acharya, accompanied by the assistants and helpers for fixing the idol and arranging the rituals start the function of Shayanadhivaasam
A big vessel made of gold, silver, copper or brass as the case may be is filled with grain (rice) and the golden pratisaram.. or wrist thread is place on it. If golden thread is not available, silk or cotton thread can be used
The pratisaram is sanctified with the mantram Krinushva paaja ( svasti sooktam) and chanting the mantra Svastidaa Vishaspade.. the thread is tied on the right wrist of the idol.. Similar threads are tied to the writsts of the Mothers on their left wrists. Also threads are tied to the Dhruva Beras, Utsava Beras, Kautuka beraa, Upadevatas etc.
The special stage for placing the bedstead should be prepared and Six Dronas ( Six Paras or sixty kilos ?) of rice should be spread evenly.. Half of its measure of Yava should be spread above the rice. Tilam can also be used as the second layer. Kusha grass with upper tips facing east should be spread over the grains and over this sheets made of various materials should be spread one over the other.. First, it is skin, sking of tiger, deer etc.. Second above is sheet made of wool. third over it would be sheets made of cotton or flax.. Above that sheets with soft feathers of birds should be spread. And finally sheets woven with Silk shoul be spread. The seating part of the bed and the arm rests and pillows should be covered with clean fresh white clothes. The Lords dress and two uthareeyams should be of the same high quality material
The entire area should be sprinkled with punyaham chanting Pranavam. Then Thulasi, Fragrant fresh flowers, Sandal Paste and similar materials should be used to decorate the premises. The area should be spread with smoke from burning agaru and other incense dhoopa materials. Lamps made of karpooram should be lit and taken around to clear the air. The Nava Dhanya Ankurams, the Ashta dravyams and the five Aayudhams of the Lord.. Shankham Chakram Gada Sharnga and Khadga should be placed around. The Royal Insignia of the Lord with Garuda and all the insignia and architectural features befitting the Lords position should be symbolically displayed. Mangala vadhyam should be played. Shakuna Sooktham should be chanted.
And the Acharya then should place the lord in the bed and the mantram Yad Vaishnava.... should be chanted.. The head of the idol should be directed to where the Vimanam is situated. Then the bed cover should be spread over the idol till it covers the lord upto His neck. Our Sankalpa is that the Lord is sleeping. The kumbham filled with consecrated water should be placed on the right of the bed where the Lord sleeps.
Homams and Balis as in other adhivasams should be perfomed.
The idols for Abhishekam, Utsavam, Bali etc should also be placed for shayana adhivasam similarly but separately..
Of course, when the lord is having his Royal sleep, the people around can offer whatever they would like to the lord.. Whatever that can be offered to God, to the King or to a love relative can be offered to the Lord.. But the Lord should be allowed to sleep peacefully and to wake up happily..
Om namo Naraayanaaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaaya..
Lakshminarayanaswamy Kataksham Paripoornam..
PROCEDURE ON CONCLUSION OF PRATISHTA AS PER KARIKA IN THE VAIKHANASA AGAMAM
( SANSKRIT TEXT EXTRACTED FROM THE VAIKHANASA AGAMA KOSHA PUBLISHED BY SRIVENKATESA UNIVERSITY.. TIRUMALA TIRUPATI DEVASTANAM )
प्रतिष्ठान्तरं अर्चनोक्तवत् अर्चनं कृत्वा वेदादिघोषं कारयित्वा पायसान्नं निवेदयित्वा होमं हुत्वा बलिं दत्वा बलिबिंबं आलयस्य प्रदक्षिणं कारयत्। आपराह्णे प्रतिष्ठान्तोत्सवं कुर्यात्। नवाहं सप्ताहं पञ्चाहं त्र्यहं वा उत्सवोक्ताविधानेन उत्सवं कारयेत्। एकाहिकं चेत् द्वजारोहणं न कुर्यात्। उत्सवान्तदिने रात्रौ स्नपनं कुर्यात्। प्रतिष्टायां उपयुक्तं वस्त्रधान्याधिकं सर्वं आचार्याय दद्यात्। काष्टाधिकं तु शिष्टं दाहयेत्। अप्सु वा क्षिपेत्। स्रुवजुहूदर्विदर्भमाल्याधिकं तत्रैव परिरक्षयेत्। कुम्भस्थजलेनैव यः स्नायात् आत्मानं प्रोक्षयेत् वा सः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। विधिवत्प्रतिष्ठाकरणेन एकविंशति पूर्वान् तथा एकविंशतिपरान्श्च कुलजान् आत्मना सह विष्णुलोकं नयति॥
pratiṣṭhāntaraṁ arcanoktavat arcanaṁ kṛtvā vedādighoṣaṁ kārayitvā pāyasānnaṁ nivedayitvā homaṁ hutvā baliṁ datvā balibiṁbaṁ ālayasya pradakṣiṇaṁ kārayaet| āparāhṇe pratiṣṭhāntotsavaṁ kuryāt| navāhaṁ saptāhaṁ pancāhaṁ tryahaṁ vā utsavoktāvidhānena utsavaṁ kārayet| ekāhikaṁ cet dvajārohaṇaṁ na kuryāt| utsavāntadine rātrau snapanaṁ kuryāt| pratiṣṭāyāṁ upayuktaṁ vastradhānyādhikaṁ sarvaṁ ācāryāya dadyāt| kāṣṭādhikaṁ tu śiṣṭaṁ dāhayet| apsu vā kṣipet| sruvajuhūdarvidarbhamālyādhikaṁ tatraiva parirakṣayet| kumbhasthajalenaiva yaḥ snāyāt ātmānaṁ prokṣayet vā saḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate| vidhivatpratiṣṭhākaraṇena ekvaviṁśati pūrvān tathā ekaviṁśatiparānśca kulajān ātmanā saha viṣṇulokaṁ nayati||
On conclusion of the Pratishta the Archanam.. or procedural ritualistic worship pooja according to the texts should be one. Vedaghosham.. loud chanting of Vedas should follow.
Paayasam and Rice in good quantities should be offered as naivedya. The homams prescribed as per agama should be performed.
The bali.. offer of food to the upadevatas should be perfomed, and this should be done all around the temple to the accompaniment of the procession of the Balibimbam ( the small representative idol.. like Chakram etc representing the core deity),,
After the midday on the date of consecration, the Utsavam as a process of conclusion of the pratishta should be done.
The utsavam can be observed as per the detailed rules for nine days, seven days, five days, three days or at least one day..
If the utsavam is for one day there need not be ceremonial flag hoisting.
On the night of conclusion of this Utsavam, the deity should be offered ceremonial bath or thirumanjanam
Whatever clothes, cereals etc are left over after the ceremony should be given to the acharya..
If firewood, logs etc are left behind they should be burnt. Alternately they could be left in flowing deep waters.
The homa materials like Sruva, darvee, maalya or garlands etc can be retained in the temple premises itself (for future use)
If one takes bath, or sprinkles on himself the remnants of waters available in the Kumha after pratishta, he would be relieved of sins himself and twenty one generations of his clan who were born before him and twentyone generations after him would be relieved of all sins and they would all reach Vishnu lokam..
A VERY IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION IN VAIKSHANASA DAIVA SHASTRAM ON CONCLUSION OF PRATISHTA
प्रतिष्टानप्रभृति नित्यमहीनमविच्छिन्नं समग्रं चिरकालार्चन म् यथा गच्छेत् तथा दीर्घस्थितमविरोधात् समवेक्ष्य नानाविधभूमिभोगानत्यन्तपुष्कलान् यत्नेन भगवत्पूजनादीनाम् नित्यदक्षिणार्थं च कल्पयित्वा देवस्य परिच्छदांश्च दत्वा तथैव चिरकालं नित्यार्चनं कारयेत्। चिरकालार्चनेन अभीष्टान् सर्वाण् चिरमवाप्नोति।
pratiṣṭānaprabhṛti nityamahīnamavicchinnaṁ samagraṁ cirakālārcaram yathā gacchet tathā dīrghasthitamavirodhāt samavekṣya nānāvidhabhūmibhogānatyantapuṣkalān yatnena bhagavatpūjanādīnām nityadakṣiṇārthaṁ ca kalpayitvā devasya paricchadāṁśca datvā tathaiva cirakālaṁ nityārcanaṁ kārayet| cirakālārcanena abhīṣṭān sarvāṇ ciramavāpnoti|
Just starting from the moment of Pratishta clear arrangements for daily, uninterrupted, detailed, and permanent worship for the Lord should be made. With this end in view, the provisions and outlays should be made keeping in view the long and permanent perspective, and also the safety and the soundness of such financial outlay.
Many types of fertile lands should be bequeathed for the upkeep of the temple and the deity on a permanent footing. Sufficient number of priests and assistants shoud be engaged with good payments all through the days so that the pooja for the Lord would continue in a befitting manner for ever.
When the Lord is offered pooja in the befitting way for long periods, He will grant us all that we desire..
The final prayer by the Yajamana after the Pratishta is over.. as directed in the Khiladhikarana of Vaikhanasa Daiva shastram
प्रतिष्ठादिने यजमानकृत्यम्
गुरुं सम्पूज्य तत्काले यजमानो मुदान्वितः॥
थथा पदार्थिनस्सर्वान् नमस्कुर्यात्वदैववत्।
देवमानम्य च ब्रूयादिमं मन्त्रं स्मरन् हरिम्॥
क्षमस्व पुण्डरीकाक्ष भगवंश्चरितं मया॥
इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवेश प्रणमेच्च पुनः पुनः॥
pratiṣṭhādine yajamānakṛtyam
guruṁ sampūjya tatkāle yajamāno mudānvitaḥ||
thathā padārthinassarvān namaskuryātvadaivavat|
devamānamya ca brūyādimaṁ mantraṁ smaran harim||
kṣamasva puṇḍarīkākṣa bhagavaṁścaritaṁ mayā||
ityuktvā devadeveśaṁ praṇamecca punaḥ punaḥ||
The prayer of Yajamana on the day of Pratishta ( on conclusion of the function)
The Yajamana should offer pooja and respects to the acharya with a very happy mind . He should offer pranams to each one of the assistants and attendants who officiated in the pratishta process thinking that they are all embodiments of Lord Hari Himself.
And finally he should offer full Namaskarams repeatedly to the Lord chanting the following mantram..
Bhagavan, Pundareekaksha, .may your Glorious Self be pleased to condone and pardon all the mistakes and misdeeds that have happened during this ritual conducted by me "
नित्यप्रधानपूजार्थं कौतुकं संप्रकल्पयेत्
स्नपनं स्नपनार्थं चाप्युत्सवार्थं तथैवौत्सवम्।
नित्यं तु बलियात्रार्थं बलिबिम्बं च मुख्यतः।
सर्वत्र सर्वभोगार्थं भोगबेरं च केच्न॥
nityapradhānapūjārthaṁ kautukaṁ saṁprakalpayet
snapanaṁ snapanārthaṁ cāpyutsavārthaṁ tathaivautsavam|
nityaṁ tu baliyātrārthaṁ balibimbaṁ ca mukhyataḥ|
sarvatra sarvabhogārthaṁ bhogaberaṁ ca kecna||
Five types of Idols or Beras are expected to be consecrated as per Vaikhanasa system applicable to Vishnu temple
( It may be noted that there is another system of Vishnu worship.. Pancharatram.. and there can be worship under the Smartha way too.. and there are other tantric methods which vary from place to place.. Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra and Smartha are the methods adopted by Tamil brahmins and Tamil brahmin settlers in Kerala.. the most prevalent is Vaikhanasam.. But we Tamil Iyers do worship in the smartha way at home.. )
The ancient static Idol which is consecrated as the main deity in the Garbhagriham is called Dhruva Bimbam or Dhruva Bera.. This is an immovable one.. fixed for ever .. and removed if necessity arises only during Mahasamprokshanam and Jeernoddharanam..
The whole power of the Lord is concentrated here in the Dhruva Bimbam.. And the powers, temporary or permanent, are invoked to the other idols only from this Dhruva Bera.. or Dhruva Bimbam.)
For detailed alankaram and poojas, a Kautuka Bimbam or Kautuka bera.. say made of Panchaloha etc is made.. and this is placed in front of the Dhruva bera.. in the same base of the Dhruva bera if possible
Then there is the Snapana bera.. the idol for Abhishekam, thirumanjanam.. This again may be of Panchaloha etc.. and it placed on a dais in front of the Dhruva Bera.. meant for abhishekam
Then there is the Utsava Bera.. the Utsava Vigrahams which are usually kept in the Sanctum or at some special place or sannidhi but taken out and kept in the main hall of the temple during Brahmotsavam.. and similar occasions.. This set of idol is decorated, mounted on Vahanams Rathams etc and taken out in procession during festivals.
Then there is the bali bera.. The idol which is carried around the temple during offering of Bali etc and for overseeing the effective conduct of the functions and festivals. ( in our agraharam we use Chakrathaazhvaar or Sudharshanam as the Lords representative on such occasions)
Where there are no separate idols for snapana, kautuka and utsava but only one set is consecrated then that set is called bhoga bera.
The representatives of the lord like Sudarshana are often used as bali bera
It has to be noted that the power to all the idols are derived on a daily basis or as the situation arises, from the main idol consecrated in the Garbhagriha as the Dhruva Bera..
So we have to see the presence of the Lord in the Sanctum in all other idols..
Our agraharam temple is of Vaikhanasa stryle..
The system varies in Pancharatra style.. For example Sreerangam follows Pancharatra wheras Tirupati, Kanchi etc follow Vaikhanasam.