20. Consecrating viśeṣa arghya:

This is the most significant part of navāvaraṇa pūjā.

There are three components in viśeṣa arghya; maṇḍala, the vessel or pātra and arghya. These three represent agni, sūrya and soma maṇḍala-s. 20.1 means, worshiping viśeṣa arghya maṇḍala, 20.2 means worshiping viśeṣa arghya pātra and 20.3 means worshiping viśeṣa arghya.  There are number of mantras and procedures in this part of navāvaraṇa pūjā.

First we need to prepare viśeṣa arghya in kāraṇa kalaśa, as referred in part 2 of this series under 19.1.6. For this purpose, we should have medium silver vessel or copper vessel, marginally bigger than the size of pañcapātra. Ingredients required to prepare viśeṣa arghya is given 19.2.12 in part 7 of this series. The ingredients are milk (not boiled), small quantity of tender coconut water, honey, saffron, edible camphor, very small quantity of powdered sugar, finely powdered cardamom, clove, maze and jātīpattrī (arillus of the nut or maca). All the condiments are to be nicely powdered and mixed with milk, tender coconut water and honey. Consistency of this mixture should be thicker than milk. Peel ginger and keep some pieces ready. A few pieces are required to place inside the viśeṣa arghya. A slightly bigger piece is required to hold it in tweezers for doing tarpaṇa. A silver rod or a wooden plank with a sharp edge of about 4” height can also be used instead of tweezers. Tweezers or rod should either be in silver, copper or wood only (anything in gold is always permissible). Whatever the instrument used, it should be in a position to hold ginger piece tightly. It would be ideal to have tweezers or rod in the size of uttaraṇi of pañcapātra.

Mix all the ingredients in kāraṇa kalaśa and stir without any sediment. Later this is to be transferred to viśeṣa arghya pātra. While preparing viśeṣa arghya water should be taken only from the vessel discussed in 19.5. This applies not only to viśeṣa arghya, but also for vardhanī kalaśa and sāmanya arghya.

Now draw maṇḍala as discussed in vardhanī kalaśa, which will be like this.

The diagram in the left is the one that is to be prepared as maṇḍala to keep viśeṣa arghya pātra and its base.  The diagram on the right will explain how this maṇḍala is to be worshiped. After drawing this maṇḍala apply sandal and kumkum on the maṇḍala. Now, arcana is to be done with flowers and akṣata as detailed below.

20.1.a) Worshiping outer square

(marked 1 to 5 on the outer sides and 6 in the bindu):

1.  4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं हृदयाय नमः। हृदयशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ hṛdayāya namaḥ | hṛdayaśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

2. 4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं शिरसे स्वाहा। शिरःशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ śirase svāhā | śiraḥśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

3. 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं शिकायै वषट्। शिकाशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ śikāyai vaṣaṭ | śikāśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

4. 4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं कवचाय हूं। कवचशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ kavacāya hūṁ | kavacaśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

5. 4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्। नेत्रशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ netratrayāya vauṣaṭ | netraśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

6. 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं अस्त्राय फट्। अस्त्रशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ astrāya phaṭ | astraśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

20.1.b) Worshiping six inner triangles:

(marked as 1 to 6 in red) (Mantras are similar to 20.1.a above)

1. 4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं हृदयाय नमः। हृदयशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ hṛdayāya namaḥ | hṛdayaśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

2. 4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं शिरसे स्वाहा। शिरःशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ śirase svāhā | śiraḥśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

3. 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं शिकायै वषट्। शिकाशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ śikāyai vaṣaṭ | śikāśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

4. 4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं कवचाय हूं। कवचशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ kavacāya hūṁ | kavacaśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

5. 4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्। नेत्रशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ netratrayāya vauṣaṭ | netraśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

6. 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं अस्त्राय फट्। अस्त्रशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि नमः॥

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ astrāya phaṭ | astraśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi namaḥ ||

20.1.c) Worshiping inner most triangle and the bindu within:

(marked as I to IV in red):

I. 4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं नमः। 4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ namaḥ |

II. 4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं नमः।4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ namaḥ |

III. 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं नमः। 4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ namaḥ |

IV. 4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं । क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं । सौः स क ल ह्रीं नमः।।

4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ । klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ । sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ ।।

(IV is to be repeated eight times with arcana on the bindu.)

Take water from sāmānya arghya and sprinkle on the maṇḍala. As the conch cannot be moved from its base, it should not be lifted. Water can be taken from the conch using small uttaraṇi. Alternatively some water from sāmānya arghya can be poured into the after digbandha as referred at the end of the previous part. This is the better option, as generally it is not possible to take water from the conch with uttaraṇi, as the mouth of the conch will be very narrow.

4 ऐं ह्रःअस्त्राय फट्।

4 aiṁ hraḥ astrāya phaṭ |

Now show avakuṇṭhana mudra on the maṇḍala. This completes the consecration of maṇḍala.

20.2) Now take the empty viśeṣa arghya pātra’s base or ādhāra with right hand and place it on the maṇḍala, by reciting this mantra.

4 ऐं क ए ई ल ह्रीं अं अग्निमण्डलाय धर्मप्रथ दश कलात्मने श्री महात्रिपुर्सुन्दर्याः विशेश अर्घ्य पात्राताधाराय नमः।

4 aiṁ ka e ī la hrīṁ aṁ agnimaṇḍalāya dharmapratha daśa kalātmane śrī mahātripursundaryāḥ viśeṣa arghya pātrātādhārāya namaḥ |

Offer flowers and akṣata to the ādhāra by reciting the following mantra.

4 अग्निं दूतं वृणीमहे होतारं विश्वफ़ेदसं। अस्ययज्ञस्य सुक्रतुम्। रां रीं रूं रैं रौं रः॥ रमलवरयूं अग्निमण्डलाय नमः॥

4 agniṁ dūtaṁ vṛṇīīmahe hotāraṁ viśvafedasaṁ | asyayajñasya sukratum | rāṁ rīṁ rūṁ raiṁ rauṁ raḥ || ramalavarayūṁ agnimaṇḍalāya namaḥ ||

This base or ādhāra is to be mentally divided into ten parts and each part is to be worshiped with flowers and akṣata. These ten parts refer to ten kalā-s of agni.

i) 4 यं धूम्रार्चिषे नमः 4 yaṁ dhūmrārciṣe namaḥ

ii) 4 रं उष्मायै नमः 4 raṁ uṣmāyai namaḥ

iii) 4 लं ज्वलिन्यै नमः 4 laṁ jvalinyai namaḥ

iv) 4 वं ज्वालिन्यै नमः 4 vaṁ jvālinyai namaḥ

v) 4 शं विस्फुलिङ्गिन्यै नमः 4 śaṁ visphuliṅginyai namaḥ

vi) 4 षं सुश्रियै नमः 4 ṣaṁ suśriyai namaḥ

vii) 4 सं सुरूपायै नमः 4 saṁ surūpāyai namaḥ

viii) 4 हं कपिलायै नमः 4 haṁ kapilāyai namaḥ

ix) 4 ळं हव्यवाहायै नमः ḻaṁ havyavāhāyai namaḥ

x) 4 क्षं कव्यवाहायै नमः kṣaṁ kavyavāhāyai namaḥ

At this point both maṇḍala and ādhāra are consecrated. Now, we have to place the viśeṣa arghya pātra on ādhāra. Place viśeṣa arghya pātra in front and sprinkle it with sāmānya arghya water (remember that sāmānya arghya should not be moved from its place). Now, recite the following mantra and show avakuṇṭhana mudra on the pātra.

4 ऐं ह्रःअस्त्राय फट्।

4 aiṁ hraḥ astrāya phaṭ |

20.3) Decorate viśeṣa arghya pātra with sandal paste and kumkum and place viśeṣa arghya pātra on the ādhāra by reciting the following mantra.

4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं उं सूर्य मण्डलाय अर्थप्रद द्वादशकलात्मने श्री महात्रिपुर्सुन्दर्याः विशेष अर्घ्य पात्राय नमः॥

4 uṁ klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ sūrya maṇḍalāya arthaprada dvādaśakalātmane śrī mahātripursundaryāḥ viśeṣa arghya pātrāya namaḥ ||

At this point, viśeṣa arghya pātra without amṛta is on ādhāra and ādhāra is on maṇḍala. Now viśeṣa arghya pātra is to be filled with amṛta. Before this, viśeṣa arghya pātra is to be consecrated with the following mantras. Ādhāra viśeṣa arghya pātra is agni maṇḍala, viśeṣa arghya pātra is sūrya maṇḍala and amṛta that is going to be filled up is candra maṇḍala.

Now, after reciting the following mantra, place flowers outside the pātra is a scattered manner or spread out manner.

4 ह्रीं ऐं महालक्ष्मीश्वरि परमस्वामिनि ऊर्ध्वशून्यप्रवाहिनि सोमसूर्याग्नि भक्षिणि परमाकाश भासुरे आगच्छ आगच्छ विश विश पात्रं प्रतिगृह्ण हूं फत् स्वाहा॥

4 hrīṁ aiṁ mahālakṣmīśvari paramasvāmini ūrdhvaśūnyapravāhini somasūryāgni bhakṣiṇi paramākāśa bhāsure āgaccha āgaccha viśa viśa pātraṁ pratigṛhṇa hūṁ phat svāhā ||

Now sūrya maṇḍala is to be contemplated inside the viśeṣa arghya pātra. As a first step, sūrya maṇḍala is worshiped. Viśeṣa arghya pātra is sūrya maṇḍala. Following mantra is to be recited

4 आसत्येन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्न्मृतं मर्त्यं च हिरण्ययेन स्वैता रथेनादेवो याति भुवना विपश्यन्॥ हां हीं हूं हैं हौं हः। हमलवरयूं सूर्यमण्डलाय नमः॥

4 āsatyena rajasā vartamāno niveśayannmṛtaṁ martyaṁ ca hiraṇyayena svaitā rathenādevo yāti bhuvanā vipaśyan || hāṁ hīṁ hūṁ haiṁ hauṁ haḥ | hamalavarayūṁ sūryamaṇḍalāya namaḥ ||

Sūrya maṇḍala has twelve kalā-s. These twelve kalā-s are to be worshiped now. While doing this arcana, only akṣata is to be used as arcana is done within the viśeṣa arghya pātra.

i) 4 कं भं तपिन्यै नमः 4 kaṁ bhaṁ tapinyai namaḥ

ii) 4 खं बं तापिन्यै नमः 4 khaṁ baṁ tāpinyai namaḥ

iii) 4 गं फं धूम्रायै नमः 4 gaṁ phaṁ dhūmrāyai namaḥ

iv) 4 घं पं मरीच्यै नमः 4 ghaṁ paṁ marīcyai namaḥ

v) 4 ङं नं ज्वालिन्यै नमः 4 ṅaṁ naṁ jvālinyai namaḥ

vi) 4 चं धं रुच्यै नमः 4 caṁ dhaṁ rucyai namaḥ

vii) 4 छं दं सुषुम्नक्यै नमः 4 chaṁ daṁ suṣumnakyai namaḥ

viii) 4 जं थं भोगदायै नमः 4 jaṁ thaṁ bhogadāyai namaḥ

ix) 4 झं तं विशवायै नमः 4 jhaṁ taṁ viśavāyai namaḥ

x) 4 ञं णं बोधिन्यै नमः 4 ñaṁ ṇaṁ bodhinyai namaḥ

xi) 4 टं ढं धारिन्यै नमः 4 ṭaṁ ḍhaṁ dhārinyai namaḥ

xii) 4 ठं डं क्षमायै नमः 4 ṭhaṁ ḍaṁ kṣamāyai namaḥ

Repeat mūlamantra three times now.

20.4) Suddhi saṁskāraḥ सुद्धि संस्कारः

At this point maṇḍala, ādhāra and viśeṣa arghya pātra are consecrated. Now this pātra is to be filled viśeṣa arghya, which is already prepared in kāraṇa kalaśa. This is an extensive procedure.
Suddhi saṁskāraḥ सुद्धि संस्कारः (this is not followed in some traditions)

Draw a maṇḍala as shown here.

4 ॐ क्लीं पशु हुं फट् 4 om klīṁ paśu huṁ phaṭ

Now recite the following mantras which form pañcāṅga nyāsa of mahānyāsaḥ. Place akṣata and flowers to the place on which ginger piece and wooden ladle (or tweezers) are kept.

i) 4 सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजाताय वै नमो नमः।

भवे भवे नाति भवे भवस्य मां भवोद्भवाय नमः॥

4 sadyojātaṁ prapadyāmi sadyojātāya vai namo namaḥ |

bhave bhave nāti bhave bhavasya māṁ bhavodbhavāya namaḥ ||

ii) 4 वामदेवाय नमो जेष्ठाय नमः श्रेष्ठाय नमो रुद्राय नमः कालाय नमः कलविकरणाय नमो बलविकरणाय नमो बलाय नमो बलप्रमथनाय नमः सर्वभुतदमनाय नमो मनोन्मनाय नमः॥

4 vāmadevāya namo jeṣṭhāya namaḥ śreṣṭhāya namo rudrāya namaḥ kālāya namaḥ kalavikaraṇāya namo balavikaraṇāya namo balāya namo balapramathanāya namaḥ sarvabhutadamanāya namo manonmanāya namaḥ ||

iii) 4 अघोरेभ्योऽथ घोरेभ्यो घोरघोरतरेभ्यः। सर्वेभ्यः सर्वशर्वेभ्यो नमस्ते अस्तु रुद्रेरूपेभ्यः॥

4 aghorebhyo'tha ghorebhyo ghoraghoratarebhyaḥ | sarvebhyaḥ sarvaśarvebhyo namaste astu rudrerūpebhyaḥ ||

iv) 4 तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि तन्नो रुद्र प्रचोदयात्॥

4 tatpuruṣāya vidmahe mahādevāya dhīmahi tanno rudra pracodayāt ||

v) 4 ईशानः सर्वविद्याना-मीश्वरः सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्माधिपतिर्ब्रह्मणोऽधिपतिर्ब्रह्मा शिवो म अस्तु सदाशिवोम्॥

4 īśānaḥ sarvavidyānā-mīśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ brahmādhipatirbrahmaṇo'dhipatirbrahmā śivo ma astu sadāśivom ||

20.5) Recite the following mantra before pouring nectar into viśeṣa arghya pātra.

4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं मं सोम मण्डलाय कामप्रध षोडश कलात्मने श्री महात्रिपुर्सुन्दर्याः विशेष अर्ग्य अमृताय नमः।

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ maṁ soma maṇḍalāya kāmapradha ṣoḍaśa kalātmane śrī mahātripursundaryāḥ viśeṣa argya amṛtāya namaḥ |

Now take a piece of peeled ginger and hold in the left hand with tattva mudra (joining thumb and ring finger of the left hand is tattva mudra). Now take kāraṇa kalaśa in the right hand and pour amṛta (viśeṣa arghya) slowly through into the viśeṣa arghya pātra. While doing so, we have to recite mentally all the alphabets of Sanskrit first in the regular manner and next in reverse manner. That is first we have to begin with अ and finish at क्ष and then begin at क्ष and finish at अ (akārati kṣakārāntam). Bindu is to be placed at the top of each akṣara. For example a (अ) should be aṁ ( अं), ka (क) should be kaṁ (कं), etc.

Fifty one alphabets of Sanskrit are as follows:

अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ॠ ऌ ॡ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः (16)

a ā i ī u ū ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ e ai o au aṁ aḥ

क ख ग घ ङ (5) च छ ज झ ञ (5)

ka kha ga gha ṅa ca cha ja jha ña

ट ठ ड ढ ण (5) त थ द ध न (5)

ṭa ṭha ḍa ḍha ṇa ta tha da dha na

प फ ब भ म (5)

pa pha ba bha ma

य र ल व श ष स ह ळ क्ष (10)

ya ra la va śa ṣa sa ha ḻa kṣa

Now the viśeṣa arghya is filled in the viśeṣa arghya pātra. Now the amṛta in the viśeṣa arghya pātra is to be consecrated. Amṛta in the viśeṣa arghya pātra is soma maṇḍala.

Following mantra is to be recited and offer akṣata into the pātra at the end of the mantra. Rest of the mantras in this part is for Sudhā Devi (सुधा देवि), who presides over amṛta.

4 आप्यायस्व समेदु ते विश्वतः सोमवृष्णियम्। भवावाजस्य संगते॥ सां सीं सूं सैं सौं सः समलवर्यूं सोममण्डलाय नमः॥

4 āpyāyasva samedu te viśvataḥ somavṛṣṇiyam | bhavāvājasya saṁgate || sāṁ sīṁ sūṁ saiṁ sauṁ saḥ samalavaryūṁ somamaṇḍalāya namaḥ ||

Now take pure honey in a small cup and have a small and pointed wooden spoon or silver spoon. There are special instrument specially made for performing navāvaraṇa pūjā like the one shown here. A drop of honey is to be transferred to viśeṣa arghya pātra by reciting the following mantras. This worship is to amṛta inside the viśeṣa arghya pātra. 

AB

Mantras here are the names of sixteen kalā-s (ṣoḍaśa kalā) candra maṇḍala. Amṛta inside the viśeṣa arghya pātra is to be mentally divided into sixteen parts. In each of these mantras after 4 (om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ), all the sixteen vowels of Sanskrit are prefixed. These arcana-s are to be done with honey, using side A, which can hold only a drop of honey. The other side B is meant for performing tarpaṇa. A ginger piece can be inserted here. The above piece can be used instead of tweezers.  It is important that arcana-s to be done in anticlockwise manner.

i) 4 अं अमृतायै नमः 4 aṁ amṛtāyai namaḥ

ii) 4 आं मनदायै नमः 4 āṁ manadāyai namaḥ

iii) 4 इं पूषायै नमः 4 iṁ pūṣāyai namaḥ

iv) 4 ईं तुष्ट्यै नमः 4 īṁ tuṣṭyai namaḥ

v) 4 उं पुष्ट्यै नमः 4 uṁ puṣṭyai namaḥ

vi) 4 ऊं रत्यै नमः 4 ūṁ ratyai namaḥ

vii) 4 ऋं धृत्यै नमः 4 ṛṁ dhṛtyai namaḥ

viii) 4 ॠं शशिन्यै नमः 4 ṝṁ śaśinyai namaḥ

ix) 4 लुं चन्द्रिकायै नमः 4 luṁ candrikāyai namaḥ

x) 4 ॡं कान्त्यै नमः 4 ḹṁ kāntyai namaḥ

xi) 4 एं ज्योत्स्नायै नमः 4 eṁ jyotsnāyai namaḥ

xii) 4 ऐं श्रियै नमः 4 aiṁ śriyai namaḥ

xiii) 4 ओं प्रीत्यै नमः 4 oṁ prītyai namaḥ

xiv) 4 औं अङ्गदायै नमः 4 auṁ aṅgadāyai namaḥ

xv) 4 अं पूर्णायै नमः 4 aṁ pūrṇāyai namaḥ

xvi) 4 अः पूर्णामृतायै नमः 4 aḥ pūrṇāmṛtāyai namaḥ

After adding honey thus to the amṛta inside viśeṣa arghya pātra, the following mṛtyuṃjaya mantra is to be repeated eight times.

ॐ जुंसः स्वाहा ॥ om juṁsaḥ svāhā ||

Now, repeat mūlamantra eight times.

(viśeṣa arghya to be continued)