Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 14.08.2018, Ludasto)

(continues from the previous Friday) 

Abhisheka is the bathing ceremony and now we shall receive a description of that.

“After all inauspicious things were driven away by the chanting of the mantra, the Deity’s bathing ceremony started. First the Deity was massaged with a large quantity of oil, so that His body became very glossy. After the first bathing, further bathings were conducted with pancha-gavya and then with panchamrita. Then the maha-snana was performed with ghee and water, which had been brought in one hundred pots. After the maha-snana was finished, the Deity was again massaged with scented oil and His body made glossy. Then the last bathing ceremony was performed with scented water kept within a conchshell. After the body of the Deity was cleansed, He was dressed very nicely with new garments. Then sandalwood pulp, tulasi garlands and other fragrant flower garlands were placed upon the body of the Deity. After the bathing ceremony was finished, incense and lamps were burned and all kinds of food offered before the Deity. These foods included yogurt, milk and as many sweetmeats as were received.”[1]

Installing the Deity is a very special ceremony. There are detailed descriptions about how to provide a proper reception for Krishna to come and to accept a Deity form. Here also are mentioned the different baths He receives. It’s beautiful! You offer Him a bath of water – of course, we know this bath. But you offer a bath of honey, ghee, yogurt. Also, you offer a bath of grains – so you pour the grains over the body of the deity. Also you offer precious stones as a bath. Such a poetic reception of God!

And for a long time, even though the installation ceremony has already started, the eyes of the Deity are covered, tied up. And at the end of the ceremony with special mantras, with special prayers we ask Krishna to open His eyes to the world, to us.

“The Deity was first offered many varieties of food, then scented drinking water in new pots, and then water for washing the mouth. Finally pan mixed with a variety of spices was offered. After the last offering of tambula and pan, bhoga-aratrika was performed. Finally everyone offered various prayers and then obeisances, falling flat before the Deity in full surrender. As soon as the people of the village had understood that the Deity was going to be installed, they had brought their entire stocks of rice, dhal and wheat flour. They brought such large quantities that the entire surface of the top of the hill was filled. When the villagers brought their stock of rice, dhal and flour, the potters of the village brought all kinds of cooking pots, and in the morning the cooking began.”[2]

I think this is very familiar. We come together, we collect the bhoga foodstuffs and we start the cooking.

‘Ten brahmanas cooked the food grains, and five brahmanas cooked both dry and liquid vegetables. The vegetable preparations were made from various kinds of spinach, roots and fruits collected from the forest, and someone made bada and badi by mashing dhal. In this way the brahmanas prepared all kinds of food. Five to seven men prepared a huge quantity of chapatis, which were completely covered with ghee [clarified butter], as were all the vegetables, rice and dhal.”[3]

Unlimited quantities of chapatis, this is so nice.

(to be continued)

[1] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.60-64

[2] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.65-68

[3] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.69-71