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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 3 - The preliminary rites of Diksha

Page:

15 (of 18)


External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)


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Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


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the mind and Padmanābha in the buddhi. Earth, water and others mentioned here are not literally the elements but as entities to be imagined. This much is to be done in Vibhava dīkṣ� adhivāsa. The string shall be cut into seven parts and each shall have a knot which shall be smeared with saffron and other coloured material. The pupil shall then be taken to God who is there in the maṇḍala. Then he is given Pañcagavya, caru and tooth stick. After taking these the pupil shall clean his teeth and throw it away. If the stick falls in the north, west or east then the Acārya can assume of success in doing dīkṣ�, otherwise there will not be success in this undertaking. So to avert this failure he will offer one hundred oblations with Virya Mantra. He shall place in the Northern side incense, sandal paste, small pitchers, seasumum, ghee and other things. These are to be covered with new cloth which is not used and not washed and sanctified with Kavaca mantra. After worshipping God who is present there, all these shall be put in this pitcher or fire. The pupil shall be made to sleep on the darbha grass spread on the ground. The head facing the east and the body wrapped with hṛdaya mantra. Then the Acārya goes out of that place, washing his own teeth and shall sleep there on the bed of darbha with the head facing the south and touching the sleeping pupil with his feet. He shall pray to God for their successful act of dīkṣ�. The Īṣvara saṃhitā which follows the 113

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