53. सामयिका पूजा sāmayikā pūjā:
Sāmayika means same minded or like minded, referring to other upāsaka-s present during this navāvaraṇa pūjā. All those who are initiated into Śrī Vidyā would have brought their ātmapātra-s. All Śrī Vidyā upāsaka-s are expected to carry their ātmapātra-s whenever they attend navāvaraṇa pūjā outside their home. There are certain controversies here. A sādhaka initiated by a Guru does not take viṣeśa arghya of a sādhaka initiated by another Guru. This thought is against the basic principle of Śrī Vidyā and no such discriminations should be there. Secondly, in exceptional cases, if a sādhaka forgets to bring his or her ātmapātra, he or she should not be denied viṣeśa arghya. Normally, a sādhaka who frequently performs navāvaraṇa pūjā keeps extra cups for this purpose and these cups are given to those who have not brought their ātmapātra-s.
If Guru of the sādhaka is present in the place, he should be offered with sandal paste, flowers, etc and he should be offered viṣeśa arghya in Guru pātra, which is kept in pūjā maṇḍala. While offering viṣeśa arghya to Guru, viṣeśa arghya should be worshiped with Guru pādukā mantras given by him. Guru will return the pātra after consuming the viṣeśa arghya. In case Guru is not present personally during navāvaraṇa pūjā, sādhaka should take viṣeśa arghya from kāraṇa kalaśa and pour into his ātmapātra and keep it on his head and recite Guru pādukā mantras and consume viṣeśa arghya after reciting mantras given in the following section.
After doing this, sāmayika-s present should be offered sandal paste, flowers, etc and fill their ātmapātra-s with viṣeśa arghya along with a piece of ginger and offer their respective pātra-s to them. On receiving their respective ātmapātra-s, they will perform mental worship with the following mantras or as instructed by their Gurus. This worship is known as tattvaśodhanam, which is described in the next section.
54. तत्त्वशोधनम् tattvaśodhanam:
These mantras are based on virājāhomamantra-s of Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad. Though mantras are not exactly the same, the conveyance is the same. Virāj refers to the Supreme Intellect located in a supposed aggregate of gross bodies, known as Vaiśvānara.
Those who have received their ātmapātra-s filled with viṣeśa arghya do the following. Sādhaka should also follow this procedure before consuming viṣeśa arghya from his ātmapātra.
i) The following mantra purifies the gross body of the sādhaka and sāmayika-s. This mantra also removes the remnants of ego. The mantra says that by doing this yajñā (navāvaraṇa pūjā is always considered as yajñā), let my soul become pure; let me become the Divine Light, without afflictions and sins. With this in mind, the following mantra is to be recited. First kūṭa of Pañcadaśī is used twice in this mantra, one at the beginning and another after the recitation of 16 vowels with bindu, beginning from अं to अः. This oblation is through ātmatattva. Please recall tatvācamanam done in part I.3. All the four ācamana-s done there are reflected in the first four mantras here.
4 - क ए ई ल ह्रीं - प्रकृत्यहङ्कारबुद्धि मनः श्रोत्र त्वक् चक्षुर्जिह्वाघ्राण वाक्पाणिपाद पायूपस्थ शब्द स्पर्श रूप गन्धाकाश वायु वह्नि सलिल भूम्यात्मना अं - अः क ए ई ल ह्रीं आत्मतत्वेन आणवमल शोधनार्थं स्थूलदेहं परिशोधयामि जुहोमि स्वाहा।
आत्मामे शुद्ध्यन्तां ज्योतिरहं विरजा विपाप्मा भूयासगुं स्वाहा॥
4 - ka e ī la hrīṁ - prakṛtyahaṅkārabuddhi manaḥ śrotra tvak cakṣurjihvāghrāṇa vākpāṇipāda pāyūpastha śabda sparśa rūpa gandhākāśa vāyu vahni salila bhūmyātmanā aṁ - aḥ ka e ī la hrīṁ ātmatatvena āṇavamala śodhanārthaṁ sthūaladehaṁ pariśodhayāmi juhomi svāhā |
ātmāme śuddhyantāṁ jyotirahaṁ virajā vipāpmā bhūyāsaguṁ svāhā ||
ii) The following mantra purifies the subtle body of the sādhaka and sāmayika-s. This mantra also removes māyā. The mantra says that by doing this yajñā, let my subtle body become pure; let me become the Divine Light, without afflictions and sins. Second kūṭa of Pañcadaśī is used twice in this mantra, one at the beginning and another after the recitation of 25 consonants with bindu, beginning from कं - मं. This oblation is through vidyātatva.
4 - ह स क ह ल ह्रीं - माया कला अविद्या राग काल नियति पुरुषात्मना कं - मं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं विद्यातत्वेन मायिकमलशोधनार्थं सुक्ष्मदेहं परिशोधयामि जुहोमि स्वाहा।
अन्तरात्मा मे शुद्ध्यन्तां ज्योतिरहं विरजा विपाप्मा भूयसगुं स्वाहा॥
4 - ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ - māyā kalā avidyā rāga kāla niyati puruṣātmanā kaṁ - maṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ vidyātatvena māyikamalaśodhanārthaṁ sukṣmadehaṁ pariśodhayāmi juhomi svāhā |
antarātmā me śuddhyantāṁ jyotirahaṁ virajā vipāpmā bhūyasaguṁ svāhā ||
iii) The following mantra purifies the causal body of the sādhaka and sāmayika-s. This mantra also removes one’s karmas. Unless karmas are totally removed, liberation is not possible. This is the state of jīvanmukta. The mantra says that by doing this yajñā, let my causal body become pure; let me become the Divine Light, without afflictions and sins. Third kūṭa of Pañcadaśī is used twice in this mantra, one at the beginning and another after the recitation of 9 consonants with bindu, beginning from यं – क्षं. This oblation is through śivatatva.
4 - स क ल ह्रीं शिव शक्ति सदाशिव ईश्वर शुद्धविद्यात्मना यं रं लं वं शं षं सं हं क्षं - स क ल ह्रीं शिवतत्वेन कार्मिकमल शोधनार्थं कारणदेहं परिशोधयामि जुहोमि स्वाहा।
परमात्मा मे शुद्ध्यन्तां ज्योतिरहं विरजा विपाप्मा भूयसगुं स्वाहा॥
4 - sa ka la hrīṁ śiva śakti sadāśiva īśvara śuddhavidyātmanā yaṁ raṁ laṁ vaṁ śaṁ ṣaṁ saṁ haṁ kṣaṁ - sa ka la hrīṁ śivatatvena kārmikamala śodhanārthaṁ kāraṇadehaṁ pariśodhayāmi juhomi svāhā |
paramātmā me śuddhyantāṁ jyotirahaṁ virajā vipāpmā bhūyasaguṁ svāhā ||
iv.a) The following mantra purifies all the three bodies comprising of prakṛti tattva to śuddhavidya tattva and through this process, the individual souls of the sādhaka and sāmayika-s are purified. The mantra says that by doing this yajñā, let my jīvātman become pure; let me become the Divine Light, without afflictions and sins. Mūla mantra (the highest initiated mantra) is to be recited at the beginning and another recitation of mūla mantra after the recitation of all the alphabets with bindu, beginning from अं – क्षं. This oblation is through sarvatatva.
4 - मूलं - प्रकृत्यहङ्कारबुद्धि मनः श्रोत्र त्वक् चक्षुर्जिह्वाघ्राण वाक्पाणिपाद पायूपस्थ शब्द स्पर्श रूप रस गन्धाकाश वायु वह्नि सलिल भूमि माया कला अविद्या राग काल नियति पुरुष शिव शक्ति सदाशिव ईश्वर शुद्धविद्यात्मना अं - क्षं - मूलं - सर्वतत्वेन सर्वदेहं सर्वदेहाभिमानिनं जीवात्मानं परिशोधयामि जुहोमि स्वाहा।
ज्ञानात्मा मे शुद्ध्यन्तां ज्योतिरहं विरजा विपाप्मा भूयसगुं स्वाहा॥
4 - mūlaṁ - prakṛtyahaṅkārabuddhi manaḥ śrotra tvak cakṣurjihvāghrāṇa vākpāṇipāda pāyūpastha śabda sparśa rūpa rasa gandhākāśa vāyu vahni salila bhūmi māyā kalā avidyā rāga kāla niyati puruṣa śiva śakti sadāśiva īśvara śuddhavidyātmanā aṁ - kṣaṁ - mūlaṁ - sarvatatvena sarvadehaṁ sarvadehābhimāninaṁ jīvātmānaṁ pariśodhayāmi juhomi svāhā |
jñānātmā me śuddhyantāṁ jyotirahaṁ virajā vipāpmā bhūyasaguṁ svāhā ||
iv.b) For those initiated into Ṣoḍaśī. This mantra says “That (the Brahman) is infinite and this (universe) is infinite. The infinite proceeds from infinite. Then, taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe), it remains as the infinite (the Brahman) alone.”
4 - मूलं - पूर्णमदः पूण्नमिदम् पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते। पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥
4 - mūlaṁ - pūrṇamadaḥ pūṇnamidam pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate|
pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate ||
v) This mantra is taken from Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad. That Supreme Light which projected Itself as the universe like a soaked seed which sprouts as I am that Supreme Light. I am that supreme light of Brahman, which shines as the innermost essence of all that exists. In reality, I am the same infinite Brahman, even when I am experiencing myself as a finite self, owing to ignorance. Now, by the onset of knowledge, I am really That Brahman which is my eternal nature. Therefore, I realize this identity by making myself, the finite self, an oblation into the fire of the Infinite Brahman, which I am always. May this oblation be well made. After reciting this mantra, both sādhaka and sāmayika-s who are holding the viṣeśa arghya pātra with viṣeśa arghya in their right palm using thumb, middle and ring fingers, should now consume the viṣeśa arghya.
4 - आर्द्रं ज्वलति ज्योतिरहमस्मि। ज्योतिर्ज्वलति ब्रह्माहमस्मि। योऽहस्मि ब्रह्माहमस्मि। अहमस्मि ब्रह्माहमस्मि। अहमेवाहं मां जुहोमि स्वाहा॥
4 - ārdraṁ jvalati jyotirahamasmi | jyotirjvalati brahmāhamasmi | yo'hasmi brahmāhamasmi | ahamasmi brahmāhamasmi | ahamevāhaṁ māṁ juhomi svāhā ||
Now wash the ātmapātra and keep it back in the maṇḍala. Sāmayika-s also should wash their ātmapātra-s and take them back.
Avijit Poddar
October 06, 2013 09:25 PM
If a sadhaka is not able to make silver atmapatra then kanshya patra could be used or not?
some tradition receive five patras with five mantra. one patra with all. mantra. or five patra?patra should be held in right hand or left hand?
left hand for vamacharins?
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MANBLUNDER
October 06, 2013 10:00 PM
Except iron any other metal can be used for ātmapātrā. Only one ātmapātrā is used irrespective of the mantras. Ātmapātrā is to be taken only in the right hand and not in the left hand. I am not sure about vāmācāra .
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Avijit Poddar
October 06, 2013 10:06 PM
Please clear the remaining question of five patra with five mantra or one patra with all mantra'some said that atmapatra should always be placed on one small plate, should not be kept on earth directly. is it right rule?
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MANBLUNDER
October 06, 2013 10:19 PM
Ātmapātrā is meant for the soul, hence there is no question of five pātrā-s. There is no specific rule that prohibits ātmapātrā should not be placed on the floor. A maṇḍala is drawn and only in the maṇḍala, it is placed. Similar is the case with Guru pātrā. But those who regularly perform navāvaraṇa pūjā make these maṇḍala-s engraved either on a wood or metal plate. In a nutshell, ātmapātrā can be placed within the maṇḍala, on the ground or one may choose to use a separate base, which can be placed on the maṇḍala and on this plate ātmapātrā can be placed. In this case, the plate is to be purified with astra mantra.
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Sriram
October 07, 2013 09:25 AM
I have heared that if a sāmayikā participating in the pooja dint bring their aathma patra, he can use a coconut shell for this purpose. so it is clear that aathma patra need not be in silver, it can also be of coconut shell.
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Avijit Poddar
October 07, 2013 06:46 PM
Yes. in general coconut shell is cleaned and polished with oil. this is known as vishwamitra patra.
Bilwa shell is known as malur patra. Rajata and kanshya are used commonly.
kapalikas use human skull cup known as mahapatra.
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