Where should I perform abhishekam? Should it be at the shrine or am I allowed to perform it outside or in another part of the house? I have only recently started performing abhishekam so I'm not very sure if I'm ever doing it right!
Where should I perform abhishekam? Should it be at the shrine or am I allowed to perform it outside or in another part of the house? I have only recently started performing abhishekam so I'm not very sure if I'm ever doing it right!
Hi there Divine Kala, I move my deities from the shrine onto a metal dish. I guess it's best not to move consecrated idols but I need to; I use yogurt and it washes off immediately under the tap, though I'd also like to hear more on this from others. Abhishekam is another highly aesthetic and refined puja experience. Here's a picture of my Parvati abhishekam on another surface-
One offers 5, 10, 16 or 64 items in puja and bathing is one of them - which can be done with multiple items. I believe this is the essential aspect of south indian temple worship and comes from Agama shastra. Abhisheka is not that common or elaborate in NE, except for a shiva linga.
Right now I know little about agamas, I started reading the Kirana Agama, but its too big for me right now.
I am interested why so many items and so much of it is used as I see in temples. Maybe EM and others who are more familiar with Agamic temple rituals can throw some light.
What is Here, is Elsewhere. What is not Here, is Nowhere.
Vannakkam Divine Kala:
Ideally, the murthis shouldn't be moved. It will disturb the built up vibration. If you do move them, you should just lift them straight up to wipe underneath, and then set back down. The best alternative would be to build a shrine using tile that has its own drainage system. For awhile I had one of those, but because I'm an incompetent builder and tiler, it suffered some leakage.
Placing them on a metal tray is the next best alternative. Home abhishekhams are usually never as elaborate as the temple ones. Often it is only water that is used. However, if you want to get more elaborate, you can use milk, yoghurt (check the label to see it has no gelatin) panchamurtham, (mixture of 5 fruits) cane juice (from twisting the cane) lime juice (squeezing the lime above the murthi) , chandanam (sandalwood paste) , vibhuthi, young coconut, and rosewater. (I may even have missed a couple. The order may vary from temple to temple.)
However the standard is usually just water, milk, water. Aarti is performed after each item. At the end it is acceptable to either let the murthi air-dry or to cloth dry it. Here;s a nice one to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOY-qhg7kdk
Aum Namasivaya
Last edited by Eastern Mind; 15 February 2011 at 08:12 AM. Reason: addition
I'll try and take a look at that video. My local Venkateswara Vishnu temple tends to use milk and orange juice...
Namaste Eastern Mindji,
Very interesting, I always put the murtis on a metal tray for abhishekam, but I've never thought of the idea of building a shrine with a drainage system. Partly because that's completely outside my area of expertise, but I suppose down the road I can get somebody to do it for me. That makes sense with not moving the murtis because it disturbs the built up vibration.
Jai Sri Ram
If you do abhishekam with yoghurt or any sticky bathing substance, you should not leave it on the murti to take a picture of it. Right after offering the yoghurt, milk, honey or ghee you should give the deity a pure water bath (shudhodaka snana). I have seen in tamil temple that also clean the deity with limes after the abhishekam. It's like when you are in the shower putting shampoo on your head, you don't just leave the shower like that. You first wash off the shampoo and then you put on clothes.
Sahasranama, thanks for that. I didn't mean to give the impression I was leaving the idol for any more than necessary! I also asked Parvati for permission.
Namaste,
I understand that it's not a good idea to move installed murtis, but my shrine is inadequate for performing regular abhishekam. Having to use what's available I use a ceramic bowl (strictly used for abhishekam only) to contain the shivalingam, along with the various liquids used to bathe Shiva. I always pray for His forgiveness in moving and touching Him or any of the other installed Devas in my shrine. Maybe this will help compensate somehow, and not disturb any of the gathered vibrations so much. Well, what little vibrations accrued in my poor shrine. Such is the inconvenience one must put up with when there are not enough rooms in the house for a place of worship!
Om namah Shivaya
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye namah
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu
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