Guest guest Report post Posted October 20, 2003 Hariom, The shastras proclaim that touching fire purifies a person from sins as also surya darshana, tapta ghruta prashana (Drinking ghee)etc. The process of taking mangalarathi should be therefore by actually touching the fire. Whenever, I take mangalarathi I generally pass my hands across the fire as moving fire does not burn (Check it out!! This is the principle which is used in fire walking in some shakti temples). I agree completely with Mrs. Ganapathi as to the concept of neerajana. A very popular shloka used in Navavarna puja during neerajana also resounds the same: Anthastejo Bahistejo Eki krutyamitha prabhaam Tridha deepam paribhramya kula deepam nivedaye. This is for offering Kula deepa or deepa in tumbittu (Kannada, I dont know the equivalent in tamil) or lamps made from flour, jaggery and ghee. But the concept is the same. As regards taking it to the eyes, Its a practise rather than a stipulation. The essence is more to touch fire. I have heard some people say that since from the eyes of the viraata purusha came surya (Ref Purusha Sukta- Chakshu suryo ajayata) and since surya and agni are the forms of jyothi (Ref . Taiterreya Samhita - "Agnir Jyothir jyothiragni suryojyothir jothirsuryaha")the eyes should be touched wpon neerajana indicating the presence of the same within the body, more like nyasa. Some related the same to chakshushmati vidya also!! I am not convinced with both these answers as it seems to be too far fetched an explanation and the bhashya on these mantras are really referring to a different scenario totally. However, in the sampradaya in which I have been taught nitya puja, we generally wash our hands with a uddarana of water after taking neerajana and before mantra pushpa as we would have touched fire. One should wash hands after touching fire directly. The same is echoed in agnimukha prayoga during ajya samskara. The Bodhayana parishishta says that one should wash ones hands after touching fire and after an ahuti to rudra in agni mukha (This is done at the end in case of rudra homa). This washing is popularly called apaupasprushya. My two cents to this discussion. Namste GP --- ganapathy = = vijaya <srividya101 wrote: > In every Puja it is a common act to conclude the > puja by waving of light lit with either Camphor or > lamp lit with Ghee, before the deity, as an act of > adoration. > > The philosophy behind this act is to understand and > appreciate that there is only one light Ambaal as " > Swayam Prakasha" behind all Chith--Shakthi and there > is no other light other than HER. The Vedic Manthra > chanted on this accasion also means " that nothing > shines on its own, But they shine by the Light of > supreme Being. " > > After Arti it is a common practice for the devotees > to touch the flame seeming or apparently and take it > over the eyes. > > Can any of the member explain the why this is taken > over the eyes only. > > ganapathy > > > > Ganapathy --- Vijaya > > " Jai Bhavani " - - - - " Jai Sri Lalitha Maha Maha > Tripura Sundari " > > " Sarvam Shakti Mayam Jagath " > > > > > The New with improved product > search > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > The New with improved product search Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
