Essay name: Devi Tantra, Mantra, Yantra (study)
Author:
Srider Basudevan Iyer
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Sanskrit, University Department
This essay studies the history of Devi (the Goddess) in relation with worship using Tantra, Yantra and Mantra. The study explores the concept of the 'Female Principle' or Goddess, examining her role and significance in ancient Indian society.
Chapter 4 - Worship and The Worshipper
35 (of 95)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Worship & worshipper 336 sin. The procedure of Kum膩r墨p奴j膩 is systematically dealt with in the SVT60.
The s膩dhaka has to go the house of the girl child one day prior to the actual
day of worship and invite her to come and accept the worship and make him
blessed. The s盲dhaka with a coconut, betel nut and leaves, fruits etc...is
supposed to offer his invitation. The next day the girl-child is welcomed and
offered sandal-paste, oil, garlands etc... and in a mandapa outside the p奴j膩 -
mandapa, he himself is supposed to wash her legs with warm water, wipe
the feet with a fine cloth and then sprinkle the washed water on his head.
Having done so, he should lead her to the place of worship and offer her a
seat facing the west. This seat is offered a seat parallel to the goddess who
faces the east. The seat of the kanya is in the form of an eight petalled lotus
drawn with read-lead. The s盲dhaka meditates the virgin to be the goddess
Mah膩lak峁i and offers worship to her. The worship which is offered to her
is in a manner such that she is the goddess manifest in person. The following
services are offered to her -
(i) Acamana on arrival,
on arrival,
(ii) Clothes, (iii) Bangles, finger-rings
etc...decorations, (iv) A chain for the neck, smearing of sandalpaste, (iv)
Offering of flower garlands, burning of incenses, (v) waving of lamp, the
upacaras befitting a king, (vi) Feeding with payasam, sugar and ghee, (vii)
Rice and other dishes be offered without tossing, (viii) Sweet fruits be
offered again and again, (ix) Betelnut, beatel leaf etc... (x) Acamana after
the completion of food, (xi) Dana should be given without offering arghya,
(xii) Circumambulate around the virgin and offer salutations with joined
palms placed above the head, (xiii) the virgin should then be dispersed back
to her house.
60 SVT ch.XVIII
