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Haviṣyānna: definitions and notes in the context of puraścaraṇa

30/05/202531/05/2025 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

Haviṣyānna is to be eaten during sacred occasions like certain vratas,rites and so on. It is defined (from the Kriyākāṇḍavāridhi as cow’s milk(if unavailable,buffalo ghee),cow’s ghee(if unavailable,ghee from buffaloes),’atap’ raw rice(any naturally fragrant variety of raw rice will do).sugar from sugarcane,pigweed(beto shakh in Bengali),kalo shakh(I am not sure about the English translation for this),shashthi shakh(I am also unsure about its translation) ,sugarcane,myrobalan(haritaki),peas(matar),barley(yava),seasame(til),unroasted mung dal(green gram),sea salt,water cress(hinche shaak),jackfruit,bananas,amlaki(amla),the roots of creepers,tamarind,ginger,cumin(jeera),millets(cited as kaṅgu),coconuts,citrus fruits(cited as nāgaraṅga),pipul…and all these are ideally not cooked in oil,ie, not fried.(atailapakshvam…)

The shlokas cited are

From smārtamata

haimantikaṃ sitāviyaṃ mudgāstilā yavā|
kalāya-kaṅgu-nīvārā vāntakaṃ hilamochikā||
ṣaṣṭikā kālaśākañcha mūlakaṃkemuketarat|
lavaṇe saindhavasāmudre gavye cha dadhisarpiṣī||
payo̍nuddhṛtasārāncha panasāmraharītakī|
tintiḍī jīrakaṇchaiva nāgarañcha pippalī||
kadalī lavaṇi(li?) dhātrī phalānyaguḍamaikṣavam|
atailapaksvam munayo haviṣyānnaṃ prachakṣate||

From Agastyasaṃhitā
dadhī kṣīraṃ ghṛtaṃ gavyamaikṣavaṃ guḍavarjjitam|
nārikelaphalañchaiva kadalīm lavali(ni)?stathā||
āmrāmalakañchaiva panasañcha harītakīm|
vratāntaraprashastañcha haviṣyaṃ manyate budhaiḥ||

More shlokas from texts on purvasevā on haviṣyānna shall be posted as and when convenient. A further thing to note is the insight of Adi Shankara where he notes that AhAra is not just what we intake by our mouth but by all our sensory apertures as well like our sight,the music we listen to,and in modern times, would extend to the media we consume.

The shlokas below are posted from the Puraścaraṇollāsa tantra compiled by Swami Paramatmananda Bhairav with a few of my remarks intersperesed here and there

I am not going to deal with the question of acceptance of bhīkṣā because if the audience this is meant for has computers and electronics,they are unlikely to be the ones in austere conditions needed to accept bhīkṣa.

On the importance of bhakṣyābhakṣya niyamas at all stages of tantric practice,Gautamīya states

puraścaraṇakṛnmantrī bhakṣyābhakṣyaṃ vicārayet।
paśavānāñca vīrānām divyānāñca maheśvarī॥
śastānnañca samaśnāyanmantrasiddhasamīhayā।
tasmāt sarvaprayatnena śastānnāśi bhavennaraḥ॥

Kulārṇava
yasyānnapānapuṣṭāṅgaḥ kurute dharmasañcayaṃ
annadātuḥ phalasyārdhaṃ kartruścārdhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

(bhīkṣāyāṃ tu vihitatvāt na doṣaḥ)
(If one takes from from another’s house,they get half the merits,there is no doubt about it).

śāradātīlaka

bhaikṣyaṃ haviṣyaṃ śākāni vihitāni phalaṃ payaḥ
mūlaṃ śakturyavotpanno bhakṣyānnetāni mantriṇām
puraścaraṇakāle tu sarvakarmeṣu śāmbhavī
bhuñjānā vā haviṣyānnaṃ śākañca vihitaṃ tathā

puraścaraṇabodhinī

kalāya kālaśākañca vāstukaṃ hilamocikā।
kṣīrāhāri phalāśī vā śākāśī vā haviṣyabhuk
bhikṣāśī vā japed yad vā kṛcca cāndrāyaṇādikṛt
āmramāmalakañcaiva phalaṃ keśari sambhavaṃ
rambhāphalaṃ tintiḍīkaṃ kadalī nāgaraṅgakam
phalānyetāni bhojyāni tadanyāni vivarjayet

rudrayāmala

cārumūlaphalakṣīra dadhyā bhikṣānna śaktavat
śākāñcaṣṭhavidhānnaṃ sādhakasyocaite budhaiḥ
yadvā tavā parityajya duṣṭannaṃ kutsitaṃ phalam
payovratasyasiddhiḥ syāllakṣaṇaiva na saṃśayaḥ
śākabhakṣyahaviṣyāśī kalau lakṣatrayaṃ japet
yatiśca brahmacārī ca bhikṣānnajīvanau matau
sarvadharmabahirbhūyāt gṛhī bhikṣānna jīvanāt

nāradīya

mṛdusoṣṇaṃ supakvañha kuryādvalaghubhojanam
nendriyāṇāṃ yathāvṛddhistathā bhuñjīta sādhakaḥ

prapañcasāra

kandāśca piṇḍārukasarukādyā,gavāṃ dadhikṣīraghṛtāni saindhavaṃ। mudgā yavāḥ kṝṣṇatilāḥ kalāyāḥ priyaṅgavaḥ śaṣṭika taṇḍulāñca।
kadambajambupanasāmra nibānāraṅgadhātrī kadalī phalāni
kapitthamiṣṭī mṛdudāḍimāni bhakṣyāni caitāni puraṣkriyāyām

śrītattvacintāmaṇī

bhuñjāno vā haviṣyānnaṃ śākam yāvakameva vā
payo vā mūlamevātra yadvā yatropalabhyate
haviṣyārthe vrataviṣyaṃ।bodhyaṃ na tu śrāddham haviṣyaṃ।

varjya vastuni(Foods to be abandoned)

viśvasāre

aikṣavaṃ varjayenmantrī śarkarekṣu vivarjitam

yoginītantre

ciñcāñca nālikā śākaṃ kalāyaṃ lakucaṃ tathā
kadambaṃ nārikelañca vrate kuṣmāṇdakam tyajet

puraścaraṇabodhinī

vivarjayetnmadhukṣāraṃ lavaṇam tailameva ca।
tāmbūlaṃ kāṃsya pātraṃ ca divābhojanameva ca॥
māṣāḍhakī maśūrāñca kodravāścanakānapi।
annaṃ paryuṣitaṃ caiva niḥsnehaḥ kīṭadūṣitam॥

rāmārcanacandrikāyām tathā nibandhe

lavanaṃ palalañcaiva kṣāraṃkṣaudram rasāntakaṃ
kāṅjikaṃ gṛñjanam(līks) bimbam(ivy gourds) karañjaṃ lasunaṃ visaṃ
masuraṃ kodravaṃ māṣaṃ cītrakaṃ caṇakādikam
evamidāni cānyāni varjayet sādhakottamaḥ

nibandhe

tāmbulañca dvibhuktañca duḥsambhāṣapramattatān।
śrutismṛti viruddhañca tathā kāmyañca varjayet॥
kṣāraṃ ca bhaumaṃ lavaṇaṃ tathāḍhakī māṣā maśurāścaṇakāśca kodravāḥ।
tailaṃ sitaṃmudakamāra nālakaṃ kṣaudraṃ guḍaṃ kṣālitaṃ māṣādhikam
kuṣmāṇḍalṃ vṛntākaṃ palāṇḍvalābucatrākanālaṃ laśunaṃ karīvaḥ
annaṃtathā paryusitaṃ ca dagdhaṃ tyajyāni caitāni vadantidhīrāḥ

Basically the allowed greens are:grass pea shoots(kalai shakh),Senna occindentalis(kalkasunda) apart from the ones mentioned above. Amongst fruits,apart from the ones above,the Indian jujube(kul),pineapples,mangoes,pomegranetes,coconuts,water chestnuts,bael etc. Amongst grains,apart from the above,sattu as well is liked and anything that is lightly cooked and eaten in small amounts. To be abandoned are:sugar from sugarcane(but not gur from sugarcane),honey,pungent stuff,masura,toor daal,mAShataila(?)siktamUga(?),onion,garlic,sea salt(but not rock salt),oil/fry,paan,tamarind,nAltoShaka,pumpkins,gourds and rice and fruits dirtied by insects etc.

An elucidation on Puraścaraṇa of Caṇdī navārṇa Mantra and Durgāsaptaśatī

27/03/2025 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

The text of the book Durgopāsanākalpadruma mentions the various ṛśyādi nyāsas for caṇḍī navārṇa(which,if one has even a half decent guru,one should be knowing about:At least one of them),following which the following are listed as the famed ekādaśa(eleven) nyāsas for caṇḍī navārṇa,which are:

mātṛkā nyāsa
sārasvata nyāsa
mātṛ-gaṇa nyāsa
nandinyādi nyāsa
brahmākhya nyāsa
mahālakṣmyādi nyāsa
mūlākṣara nyāsa
varṇa nyāsa
mantra-vyāpti nyāsa
ṣaḍaṅga nyāsa
khaḍginyādi śloka-nyāsa

A note for those who are looking at the above list of nyāsas:If you,the reader’s guruparamparA has a different sequence or emphasis on nyāsas,or more or less nyāsas,the krama as instructed by one’s own guru is to be followed.
Followed by the mantra-varṇa nyāsa and then the classic dhyānas of mahākālī(khaḍgam cakreṣu..ṃadhuṃ kaiṭabham),mahālakṣmī(akṣasrak..pravālaprabhām…sarojasthitāṃ) and mahāsarasvatī(ghaṇṭāśūlahalāni…daityārdinīm) and then the text specifies

evaṃ dhyātvā japellakṣaṃ catuṣkaṃ taddaśāṃśataḥ।
pāyasānnena juhuyātpūjite hemaretasi॥

and then specifies the pīṭha and āvaraṇa pūjā of the mantra-deity.The section ends by stating:
evaṃ siddhe manau mantrī bhavet saubhāgyabhājanam।
mārkāṇḍeya purāṇoktaṃ nityaṃ caṇḍīstavaṃ paṭhan।
puṭitaṃ mūlamantreṇa japannāpnoti vāñcitam॥

Meru tantra as quoted in the Caṇḍī bhakti vinodinī of Navamīsiṃha states:

caṇḍīṃ dhyātvā japellakṣacatuṣkaṃ taddaśāṃśataḥ।
pāyasānnena juhuyātpūjite hemaretasi।
tarpaṇaṃ mārjanaṃ caiva tathā brāhmaṇabhojanam।
sarvasādhāraṇam tadvacchaṇḍīpāṭhapuraścaram॥

Now on puraścaraṇa of the whole Durgāsaptaśati,Navamīsiṃha in his Caṇḍī bhakti vinodinī further quotes the vidhi of the Māricīkalpa

saptaśatyāvidhānam ca puraścaraṇapūrvakam।
yogāṃśca vividhān vakṣye sarvārthasya ca sādhakān॥
kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ samārabhya yāvatkṛṣṇacaturdaśīṃ।
japedekottarāvṛttiṃ devīsūktena pūrvakam॥
rātrisūktaṃ japedādau madhye saptaśatīstavam।
prānte devyāśca suktaṃ ca pauraścāraṇikaḥ kramaḥ॥
tadante havanaṃ kṛtvā pratiślokena pāyasam।
rātrīsūktaṃ pratiṛcaṃ tathā devyāśca sūktakam॥
hutvā’nte siddhayaḥ stotramādau pūjādikaṃ mune।
saurvarṇīṃ pratimāṃ devyāḥ kārayanniṣkamānataḥ।
yantraṃ vā kārayanmantrī tadardhaṃ cāpi śaktitaḥ॥
maṇḍale sarvatobhadre ṣaṭkoṇāṅkitakarṇike॥
vakṣyamāṇena vidhinā pīṭhaṃ devyā prapūjayet।
jayākhyā vijayā bhadrā bhadrakālī tataḥ param।
sumukhī durmukhī saṃjñā paścādvyāgramukhī tathā॥
atha siṃhamukhī durgā navaśaktīḥ prapūjayet।
svasvamantreṇa vidhinā pūjanaṃ tu yathākramam।
āsanaṃ mūlamantreṇa dadyādyktena sādhakaḥ॥
mūrtiṃ mūlena saṅkalpya tasyāmāvāhya pūjayet।
saṃpūjya vidhivatpūjyāmupacārādinā kramāt॥
mātṛkā gaṇaśaktīśca pūjayedvidhipūrvakam।
naivedyāntaṃ samabhyarcaṃ tato dhyānaṃ samācaret॥
mantreṇa navadurgāyā athavā jātavedasaḥ।
navākṣaryathavā mantro durgāmantraṃ praśasyate॥
idaṃ stavaṃ japeddevyā siddhidaṃ stavamuttamam।

May that motherly Sarasvatī who ever helps her votaries begining from the hoary days of Kavaṣa Ailuṣa be pleased.

mysterious rites

14/01/202514/01/2025 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

The probable author of all the piśāca and piśācī sādhanās was a certain Prajñāpālita. His sādhanās of the same names all exist in the Tibetan Buddhist Tengyur. His teacher in that text is recorded as a certain Mañjughoṣa. Tārānātha records a certain Prajñāpālita as a disciple of Ānandagarbha. I can’t say if both names refer to the same person, though the dates align somewhat when looking at the claimed manuscript date.Also, it is to be seen if they are the same sādhanās in translation.

The names of the other sādhanās are also suggestive:gaṇacakra,mahāmāya(likely paired with Buddhakapāla?), Chinnamastā and Kurukullā, who all have strong prescences in Vajrayāna.

Could this manuscript and the later Hindu practitioners be a possible remnant of what would later be called Cīnācāra?

The village school master, and master of the mantra-shAstra possessed many a mysterious mantra. The most mysterious was a manuscript of a tantric from around 900 AD from Uttaranchal which had in an archaic script a whole collection of mantra-s, some found no where else.The pishAchi prayogas: 1) pishAchI karNagR^ihyA 2) pishAchI aulumbinI 3) pishAchI […]
mysterious rites

On Navamīsiṃha a Nepalese tantrik author(translated from Dr Madhav Lamicchane’s introduction to Caṇḍī-bhakti-vinodinī)

08/12/202408/12/2024 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

Navamīsiṃha’s full name was Navamīsiṃha Bhaṇḍel. He was from the Newari community that is known nowadays as Rajbhandari(which in Nepalbhasa is called Bhanī as well).Strong proofs for his exact date of birth are not available but it is surmised to be somewhere between 1704-1707 BS(1647-1650AD) as surmised by Vidyanath Upadhyay Bhatta in his edition of his work Tantracintāmaṇī . He was born in the locality of Naghal tole on a rāma navamī ,hence was called Navamīsiṃha. In 1752BS(1695AD) we see that he was in the post of the mahāmātya of the then king of Kathmandu,who by then was Bhupalendra Malla.He was an important courtier in the court of Bhaskaramalla as well. He passed away at 1760BS(1703AD). He was famed for his sādhanā and his tāntrika vidvattā ,and he composed a number of tantrik works listed below

Caṇḍī-bhakti-vinodinī:ṭhis features his work on the upāsanā of Caṇḍikā via the durgā saptaśati
Tantracintāmaṇī
Kulamuktikallolinī
Puṣparatnākara

Japa:The main aṅga of puraścaraṇa in the framework of aṣṭāṅga yoga

01/10/2024 abhinnah_api2 Comments

In a Pātañjala/aṣṭāṅga yoga framework,according to Swami Saccidananda Saraswati in his Puraścaraṇapradīpa(পুরশ্চরণ-প্রদীপ) counts japa as the 7th limb of yoga. The others being

Yamas
Niyamas(explained earlier)
Asana(the ability for a fixed posture for an extended period of time)
Prāṇāyāma(this depends on the mantra and the practice given by one’s guru)
Pratyāhāra(withdrawal of the mind from external objects of the senses [towards the inward features of the deity in the heart])
Dhāraṇa(fixing one’s mind on the image of the deity according to the dhyānaśloka)
After all the above one actually can engage in fruitful japa .

Without the foundation of the classical strict rituals and pujas undertaken to ensure the earlier stages and restrain the sādhaka’s senses and mind,and with such unpreparedness sadhakas sit for japa and are surprised when the japa is not fruitful or they face adverse reactions.

My personal feeling is that people who naturally have a good practice of meditation under their belt that can dispel the mind’s chattering will find it easier to add power to their japa.

Yamas and Niyamas and don’ts during purashcharaNa

09/12/2023 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

Drawn from Swami Saccidananda Saraswati’s পুরশ্চরণ-প্রদীপ. One important thing is that the basic rules are to be guided by one’s own guru.

Yamas are 10fold

(1)ahiMsA(2)satya(3)achaurya(4)brahmacharya(5)dayA(6)saralatA(7)kShamA(8)dhairya(9)mitAhAra(10)shaucha

According to shrI sadAshiva in the AdiyAmala the yamas are sixfold (1)shAnti(2)santosha(3)mitabhojana or bhojana hrAsa(reduction in food) (4) reduction in sleep (5) control of the chitta (6) shunyatA and purity of the antahkaraNa

niyamas are according to ArSeyavAkya (1)tapasyA (2)getting what you want ayAchita and being satisfied with it (3)Astikyam or belief in Ishvara and the vedas and the tantras (4) dAna (5) devapUjA (6)shAstra-siddhAnta-shravaNa,manana and nidhidhyAsana or one-pointed vidhAra and meditation on its meanin(7)to shrink from kukarmas(8)Intellect or shraddhA in anuShThAnas as prescribed by shAstra (9) japa (10) vratas or homAdi kAryas

According to the shrI sadAshiva in the AdiyAmala the niyamas are sixfold as well
(1)chApalya-tyAga(2)manaHsthairya(3)vAsanA-vairAgya or udAsInatA born from unceasing meditation on one’s iShTaguru(4)being devoid of laukika(non-daiva) ambitions in all aspects(5)contentment with what one has(6)ekAgratA to parameshvara.

For a purashcharaNakArin,these yamas and niyamas are always to be followed,else it becomes something to be shown to the world vainly.

During purascharaNa,all sexuality is to be abandoned. maithuna is defined by dakSha and others to be eightfold. smaraNaM kIrtanaM keliH sparShaNaM guhyabhAShaNaM| sa~Nkalpo’dhyavasAyashcha kriyA nivR^ittirevcha|| etanmaithunamaShTA~NgaM pravandanti maniShinaH| viparItaM brahmacharyamanuStheyaM mumukShubhiH|| ie,thinking of anything sexual,discussing anything about it,playing or touching,talking secretly about it,thinking about having sex and trying for it and having it are the eight forms of maithuna which have to be given up during purvasevA of mantras. As the author ultimately said যাহাতে পেট বেশ ঠান্ডা মস্তিষ্ক তাল এবং প্রাণে উদ্যম ও মনে প্রফুল্লতা সদা বিদ্যমান থাকে,তাহাই করিতে হইবে। পূর্বকথিত সকল বিধি নিষেধের উদ্দেশ্য ও তাই। সুতরাং বিচক্ষণ ব্যক্তি বেশ বিচার বিবেচনা কোরিয়া সাধ্যমতো আহার বিহারাদি বিষয়ে নিজ কর্তব্য নিশ্চয় করিয়া লইবে।

Food cooked by others is banned. The author cites the kulArNava in translation stating that the annadAtA of the sAdhaka gets half the phala the sadhaka is doing from the sAdhaka and through parAnnabhojana the tongue is burnt,through pratigraha the hand is burnt and through kAma(sexuality) the mind is burnt and the sAdhaka does not ever attain siddhi. For a sAdhaka who is living through bhIkShA,the bhIkShA he gets ayAchita,there is no fault in that. If he does not get it,then any nearby sajjana who is nearby,from him he can ask anna. He should get it from a vaidika/sanAtana dharmAchArin pure-hearted,lakShmImanta,from a sat-kula or from a good brAhmaNa or a sAdhu vyakti and not from others. He also mentions that those who take too much bhIkShA,they will never attain siddhi in a hundred kalpas. One should make one’s AhAravyavasthA within two kroshas of the sthAna one is about to do purashcharaNa in.

One must not do purashcharaNa in an impure hand,nude state,which results in destruction of phala. Or withotu an Asana,or lying down,or while eating,or with an agitated/distracted/intently-engaged-in-something-else mind,in an angry,confused or afflicted by hunger,or in an inauspicious place,a house covered with darkness,a place where bundles or shoes or kept,on yaj~nakAShThas,stone or soil,on a high/very rich Asana,or with one’s feet wide apart one must not do japa. If during japa,any cat,cock,crane,evil minded person, or monkey or ass is seen one must do Achamana.

During japa one must not utter other sounds. If one carelessly does utter it,one should utter the praNava and start the japa again. If one speaks accidentally Persian or any other ‘yAvanika'(non-Sanskritic/un-Hindu) words one should do a prANAyAma and start the japa again. If one utters many sentences,then one does Achamana and a~NganyAsa and restarts the japa. If one sneezes or touches things not to be touched,then one does Achamana etc karmas.

During japa,one must give up Alasya(laziness),or jR^imbhana(yawming),sleep,inactivity(drowsiness),sneezing,spitting,touching one’s body parts below the navel and giving up anger,etc.

12 vidhis that aid in mantrasiddhi
(1)bhUshayyA(sleeping on the floor) (2)brahmachAritva(celibacy) (3)maunAvalamba(observing silence)(4)guru/AchAryasevA(5) nitya yathAvidhi snAna(snAna in whatever vidhi possible) (6) pUjA (7) dAna or tyAgecchA (8) svasti-vandanA of the guru and deity (9) naimittika pUjAs (10) dR^iDha vishvAsa in the guru and the deity (11) niShThA in the japayaj~na (12) giving up sneezing,yawning etc kShudrakarmas :All these are the advice of shiva.

Will note more when more time is there…

Bṛhat Tantrasārādinibandhebhyaḥ Nṛṣiṃhaikākṣaravidhi | बृहत् तन्त्रसारादिनिबन्धेभ्यः नृषिंहैकाक्षरविधि

20/11/2023 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

अपरिकलित तन्त्रात् नारदपुराणेषु नृसिंहैकाक्षरविधि

मन्त्रोद्धार,ऋश्यादि कराङ्गन्यास च:-
सनत्कुमार उवाच
शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि दिव्यान्नरहरेर्मनुम्।
यान्संसाराध्य ब्रह्माद्याश्चक्रुः सृष्ट्यादि कर्म वै॥
संवर्तकश्चन्द्रमौलिमनुवह्निविभूषितः।
एकाक्षर्ः स्मृतो मन्त्रो भजतां सुरपादपः॥
मुनिरत्रिश्च जगती चन्दो बुद्धिमतां वर।
देवता नृहरिः प्रोक्तो विनियोगो’खिलाप्तये॥
क्षं बीजं शक्तिरौं प्रोक्ता षड्दीर्घेण षडङ्गकं॥

ध्यानम्:-
अर्केन्दुवह्नीनयनं शरदिन्दुरुचं करैः।
धनुश्चक्राभयवरान्दधतं नृहरिं स्मरेत्॥

जपसंख्या होमाहुतिद्रव्य च:-

लक्षं जपस्तद्दशांशहोमच घृतपायसैः।

पीठार्चनाविधि:-

यजेत्पीठे वैष्णवे तु केसरष्वङ्गपूजनं।
खगेशं शङ्करं शेषं शतानन्दं दिगालिषु॥
श्रीयं ह्रीयं धृतिं पुष्टिं कोणपत्रेषु पूजयेत्।
दंतच्छदेषु नृहरींस्तावतः नृहरिंस्तावतः पूजयेत्क्रमात्॥

कृष्णो रुद्रो महाघोरो भीमो भीषण उज्ज्वलः।
करालो विकरालश्च दैत्यान्तो मधुसूदनः।
रक्ताक्षः पिङ्गलाक्षश्चाञ्जनो दीप्तरुचिस्तथा॥
सुघोरकश्च सुहनुर्विश्वको राक्षसान्तकः॥
विशालको धूम्रकेशो हयग्रीवो धनस्वनः।
मेघवर्णः कुम्भकर्णः कृतान्ततीव्रतेजसौ॥
अग्निवर्णो महोग्रश्च ततो विश्वविभूषणः।
विघ्नक्षमो महासेनः सिंहा द्वात्रिंशदीरिताः॥

तद्बहिः प्रार्चयेद्विद्वान्ल्लोकपालान्सहेतिकान्।
एवं सिद्धे मनौ मन्त्री साधयेदखिलेप्सितान्॥

एकाक्षरस्य अन्य विधि(बृहत्तन्त्रसारोक्त विधेः उद्धृत)

क्षकारो वह्निमारूढो मनुबिन्दुसमन्वितः।
एकाक्षरो मनुः प्रोक्तः सर्वकामफलप्रदः॥
अस्य पूजादिकं सर्वं मन्त्रराजवत्। (इह प्रसङ्गे मन्त्रराज नृसिंहस्य विख्यात द्वात्रिंशाक्षर मन्त्र)
विशेसस्तु अत्रि ऋषिर् गायत्रीच्च्छन्दो नृसिंहो देवता क्षकारो बीजं औकार शक्तिः। शड्दीर्घयुक्तबीजेनाङ्गकल्पना। अस्य पुरश्चरणमष्टलक्षजपः। तथा च:- वसुलक्षं जपेन्मन्त्रं इत्यादि वचनात्।

मन्त्रराजस्य अर्चना विधि

ध्यानं:

माणिक्याद्रिसमप्रभां निजरुचासंत्रस्तरक्षोगणं जानुन्यस्त रत्नोल्लसद्भूषणं।
बाहुभ्यां धृतशङ्खचक्रमनीशं दंष्ट्रोग्रवक्त्राल्लसज्ज्वालाजिह्वमुदारकेशरचयं वन्दे नृसिंहं विभुं॥

एवं ध्यात्वा मानसैः संपूज्य शङ्खस्थापनं विधाय वैष्णवोक्तपीठपूजां कृत्वा पुनर्ध्यात्वा आवाहनादि पुश्पाञ्जलीदानपर्यन्तं विधायावरणपूजामारभेत्। तद्यथा – केशरेश्वग्रादि कोणे मध्ये क्ष्रां हृदयाय नमः, क्ष्रीं शिरसे स्वाहा, क्ष्रूं शिखायै वषट्, क्ष्रैं कवचाय हुं, क्ष्रौं नेत्रत्रयाय वौषाट्,क्ष्रः अस्त्राय फट्। ततः पूर्वादिदले गरुडं शङ्करं शेशं ब्रह्माणञ्च पूजयेत्।विदिग्दलेषु श्रीयं ह्रीयं धृतीं प्रणवादिनमो’न्तेन पूजयेत्। तद्बहीरिन्द्रादिन् वज्रादिंश्च पूजयेत्। ततो धूपादि विसर्जनान्त कर्मं समापयेत्।

होमद्रव्य: पायसान्नैः प्रजुहुयाद् विधिवत् पूजिते’नले।

mantroddhāra,ṛśyādi karāṅganyāsa ca:-
sanatkumāra uvāca
śṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi divyānnaraharermanum।
yānsaṃsārādhya brahmādyāścakruḥ sṛṣṭyādi karma vai॥
saṃvartakaścandramaulimanuvahnivibhūṣitaḥ।
ekākṣarḥ smṛto mantro bhajatāṃ surapādapaḥ॥
muniratriśca jagatī cando buddhimatāṃ vara।
devatā nṛhariḥ prokto viniyogo’khilāptaye॥
kṣaṃ bījaṃ śaktirauṃ proktā ṣaḍdīrgheṇa ṣaḍaṅgakaṃ॥

dhyānam:-
arkenduvahnīnayanaṃ śaradindurucaṃ karaiḥ।
dhanuścakrābhayavarāndadhataṃ nṛhariṃ smaret॥

japasaṃkhyā homāhutidravya ca:-

lakṣaṃ japastaddaśāṃśahomaca ghṛtapāyasaiḥ।

pīṭhārcanāvidhi:-

yajetpīṭhe vaiṣṇave tu kesaraṣvaṅgapūjanaṃ।
khageśaṃ śaṅkaraṃ śeṣaṃ śatānandaṃ digāliṣu॥
śrīyaṃ hrīyaṃ dhṛtiṃ puṣṭiṃ koṇapatreṣu pūjayet।
daṃtacchadeṣu nṛharīṃstāvataḥ nṛhariṃstāvataḥ pūjayetkramāt॥

kṛṣṇo rudro mahāghoro bhīmo bhīṣaṇa ujjvalaḥ।
karālo vikarālaśca daityānto madhusūdanaḥ।
raktākṣaḥ piṅgalākṣaścāñjano dīptarucistathā॥
sughorakaśca suhanurviśvako rākṣasāntakaḥ॥
viśālako dhūmrakeśo hayagrīvo dhanasvanaḥ।
meghavarṇaḥ kumbhakarṇaḥ kṛtāntatīvratejasau॥
agnivarṇo mahograśca tato viśvavibhūṣaṇaḥ।
vighnakṣamo mahāsenaḥ siṃhā dvātriṃśadīritāḥ॥

tadbahiḥ prārcayedvidvānllokapālānsahetikān।
evaṃ siddhe manau mantrī sādhayedakhilepsitān॥

ekākṣarasya anya vidhi(bṛhattantrasārokta vidheḥ uddhṛta)

kṣakāro vahnimārūḍho manubindusamanvitaḥ।
ekākṣaro manuḥ proktaḥ sarvakāmaphalapradaḥ॥
asya pūjādikaṃ sarvaṃ mantrarājavat। (iha prasaṅge mantrarāja nṛsiṃhasya vikhyāta dvātriṃśākṣara mantra)
viśesastu atri ṛṣir gāyatrīccchando nṛsiṃho devatā kṣakāro bījaṃ aukāra śaktiḥ। śaḍdīrghayuktabījenāṅgakalpanā। asya puraścaraṇamaṣṭalakṣajapaḥ। tathā ca:- vasulakṣaṃ japenmantraṃ ityādi vacanāt।

mantrarājasya arcanā vidhi

dhyānaṃ:

māṇikyādrisamaprabhāṃ nijarucāsaṃtrastarakṣogaṇaṃ jānunyasta ratnollasadbhūṣaṇaṃ।
bāhubhyāṃ dhṛtaśaṅkhacakramanīśaṃ daṃṣṭrogravaktrāllasajjvālājihvamudārakeśaracayaṃ vande nṛsiṃhaṃ vibhuṃ॥

evaṃ dhyātvā mānasaiḥ saṃpūjya śaṅkhasthāpanaṃ vidhāya vaiṣṇavoktapīṭhapūjāṃ kṛtvā punardhyātvā āvāhanādi puśpāñjalīdānaparyantaṃ vidhāyāvaraṇapūjāmārabhet। tadyathā – keśareśvagrādi koṇe madhye kṣrāṃ hṛdayāya namaḥ, kṣrīṃ śirase svāhā, kṣrūṃ śikhāyai vaṣaṭ, kṣraiṃ kavacāya huṃ, kṣrauṃ netratrayāya vauṣāṭ,kṣraḥ astrāya phaṭ। tataḥ pūrvādidale garuḍaṃ śaṅkaraṃ śeśaṃ brahmāṇañca pūjayet।vidigdaleṣu śrīyaṃ hrīyaṃ dhṛtīṃ praṇavādinamo’ntena pūjayet। tadbahīrindrādin vajrādiṃśca pūjayet। tato dhūpādi visarjanānta karmaṃ samāpayet।

homadravya: pāyasānnaiḥ prajuhuyād vidhivat pūjite’nale।

Prayogas of Batuka Bhairava

30/10/2023 abhinnah_api2 Comments

Nibandhas like Bṛhat Tantrasāra or Īśānaśivagurudeva paddhati view Baṭukabhairava as mainly a kṣetrapāla who is offered balis to, however He’s a deity with much more wider range. These are notes from Rudradev Tripathi’s book who cites a Bhairava tantra (about prayogas of His famous 108 nāma stotra/nāmāvalī)

Dhanaprāpti
Iṣṭasiddhiprāpti
Freedom from debts
Sarvasiddhi
Saving from great dangers
Combination with Durgā Saptashati: Another genre of Batuka aṣtottara prayogas. Maithilis use a special combination for fulfillment of all desires.
Kramas of pāṭha for various purposes

Needless to say, all these need upadeśa and subsequent anuṣṭhāna/puraścaraṇa of the Batuka mūlamantras from a living guru.

On the historical origins of Dakṣiṇāmūrti(archiving an online conversation)

29/09/2023 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

From X/Twitter

gunagarbhah:What is the earliest textual/iconographic depiction of dakShiNAmUrti/antecedents of this form of shiva?
blog_supplement:the term devasya dakShiNamurteH is very old and seen in the sutra texts of the pAshupata-s. This is generally taken to mean the southern side of the li~Nga or image: i.g aghora. choLa images of classical dakShiNAmUrti appear much later
gunagarbhah:The appearance of the mantras of classical dakShiNAmurti:-When do they first appear? (And yes,the earlier references I found seemed more like references to aghora).
blog_supplement:not so simple: he appears earliest TMK as a narrator in the unmattabhairava-tantra, a tradition later continued into shrIkula i.e. dakShinAmUrti-saMhitA. That implies that he existed earlier than unmattabhairava as a deity who was worshipped. Various saiddhAntika texts explicitly mention his installation like kAmika and kAlottara. However, I think the most primitive form of the mantra is that from lakShmaNa-deshikendra’s shAradA-tilaka. This I think is drawn from “para”-netra-like source which might be at least as old as the netra or some old bhUta texts…the 36 syllabled one beginning with OM hrIM… and ending with rudrAya shambhave hrIM OM.

The shrines of Barahakshetra

27/08/202327/08/2023 abhinnah_apiLeave a comment

Lakṣmī next to the main shrine (has Lakṣmī Sarasvatī Kālī and Mahāśrī Ārya Tārā)

Guruvarāha (actually a Śivaliṅga next to a broken Varāha mūrti)

There was also new shrines of Śanideva(very popular) and Gaṅeśa(listed as to be visited first in a new signboard) which seemed to be much more recent than the paurāṅika attestations and do not seem to be rebuildings of old structures in the way these structures of Hari,Śrī,Indra and Śiva and Sūrya are. Indra is worshipped in a Śivaliṅga. This kṣetra is near the saṅgama of the Kokā and Kośi rivers in Sunsari district, Nepal.

The main Varāha shrine, whose image I have not taken, has 4 Varāhas. The main Varāha is a structure somewhat superficially akin to a South Indian Brindavana kept covered in leaves.