Essay name: Diksha (initiation) in Pancharatra
Author:
Shanta Srinivasan
Affiliation: University of Madras / Department of Sanskrit
This English essay studies Diksha in Pancharatra with reference to important texts. Diksha refers to initiation ceremonies into a particular esoteric tradition which is given, for example, by the teacher (Guru) to the student (Shishya). Pancharatra refers to an ancient school of Vaishnavism based on ancient Tantra-like texts called Agamas which were commonly written in Sanskrit verse.
Chapter 2 - Aspects of Diksa
4 (of 41)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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"since it helps attain divine knowledge and destroy the sins, it is called as d墨ks膩 by the great teachers". 2.2 DIK峁: It could be administered to people who are grouped under wealthy and poor. Those who are wealthy could make use of mah膩 ma峁囜笉ala, like cakr膩bja ma峁囜笉ala. For a devotee who is not well to do homa is to be performed with either sesame and ghee. 2.3 TYPES OF D莫K艢膧 : Mere words are to be used for him who is without wealth'. This is also stated in the Laksmi tantra. The Jay膩khya Samhita offers few more classifications. S膩m膩nya d墨k峁 is of three kinds namely Sank峁pta, Madhyam膩 and Ativistar膩. 1. LT.XLI 9-10 also in JS. 61
