Annex III
GUIDANCE
Sri Sathya Sai Vratha kalpam was composed by the
authoress (Smt Sarada Devi alias Pedda Bottu), in Telugu, the Mother Tongue
of the Andhras. The procedure of worship described by her is commonly
observed by the Hindus. Those unfamiliar with it may benefit from the
following information.
1. GENERAL
Aachamanam Aachamaneeyam
Aaaghraapayaami
I am making you, the deity, smell the sweet scent of lighted joss-stick or
incense.
Akshathas
Rice grains coloured yellow with moistened turmeric powder or moistened
kumkum (vermilion).
Arghyam
Water offered to the deity for the purpose of washing his hands.
Darsayaami
I am showing you, the deity, the lighted jyothi (sacred flame).
Deepam
Also called jyothi. It is a lighted wick positioned in the
lampstand and fed with ghee (clarified butter) or gingilee oil. The jyothi
is ceremoniously shown to the deity during worship. middle three fingers and
applied on his/her forehead, shoulders, arms, chest and
Dhoopam
It means smoke. In worship, a joss-stick or incense is lighted and sweet
smelling smoke emanating is taken close to the deity.
Namah & Namaskar
Salutation offered by the devotee addressed to the deity. It is offered with
the two palms joined together.
Poojayaami
I am worshipping the deity.
Samarpayaami
I am offering to the deity (flowers, water, etc.).
Simhaasanam
Throne for the deity to be seated.
Snaanam
Bath to the deity.
Srigandham and Gandham
Sandalwood paste.
Vasthram and Vasthra Yugmam
Literally, clothes for the deity. Yugmam means a pair. In
the place of clothes, thin, flat and small pieces of cotton pressed into
shape by fingers moistened with turmeric paste may be offered.
Veejayaami
The ritualistic gentle waving of a fan (called Chaamaram) in the service of
the deity.
Vibhoothi
Sacred ash white or off-white in colour. Mixed with a little
water and made as a paste, it spreads easily. The paste is then taken by the
devotee with the middle three fingers and applied on his/her forehead,
shoulders, arms, chest and abdomen. This procedure is particularly observed
before the commencement of the Pooja. Viboothi, wet or dry, may also be
offered to the deity during worship in the same way as flowers are offered.
Yajnopaveetham
Sacred Thread offered to the deity. For the purpose of Pooja, it is made by
hand spinning out of cotton ten or twelve inches long and pressing it with
fingers to resemble a length of thread by using moistened viboothi.
Ordinarly it is made of cotton thread and is worne by men, hanging from the
left shoulder to the right side of the waist, across the torso.
2. SPECIAL
Pancha Pallavas
Reference to the five varieties of leaves (mango, banyan,
peepul, cotton or bhel) to serve as Pancha Pallavas is suggestive in nature.
Devotees are free to draw on their locally available flora (eg., pine, ivy,
olive or chrysanthemum) so long as thorny species are avoided.
Guru Praarthanah
This is a prayer to Lord Dakshinaa Moorthy, that aspect of
Lord Siva which relates to learning and teaching. Lord Siva is the supreme
master of dance; and all the 108 forms of dance known have been derived from
him. Indeed, he is as much a master of Yoga and spiritual sciences as of
music, dance and other arts. As a universal preceptor he is worshipped in
the form of Dakshinaa Moorthy.
Praanaayaam
It is a yogic technique by which breath is regulated. Simply
stated, the practitioner holds his nose with thumb and middle finger. He
then closes one nostril and deeply inhales through the second nostril. The
breath is held for several moments and is then released slowly through the
first nostril while the second one is closed. This is done several times.
Then the process is repeated with the roles of the nostrils reversed.
Pranaayaam is a matter entailing a specific technique to be learnt from a
qualified guru.
Sankalpam
The word connotes "the will to perform". Details regarding
the place, year and date (according to Hindu Calendar), the names and
relationship of the devotees as well as the purpose of worship are given in
the text under this head. Suitable changes may be made by the devotees while
reading the Sankalpam, depending upon the locale and circumstances concerned.
Kalasaaradhanam
The word means worship of the Kalasam, the copper tumbler
used by the devotee while doing Pooja. The words given under this heading
mean that the vessel and the water contained in it are sanctified by the
presence of the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara), the four Vedas, all
the world's oceans and the sacred rivers of India.
Ganapathi Pooja
Ganapathi, also extensively known as Vinaayaka, is the
elephant-headed God and son of Lord Siva and his consort, Parvathi. He is
the all powerful deity capable of removing every obstacle from the path of
every action and its final fulfilment. He can overcome all that obstructs or
restricts, hinders or prevents. No holy ritual, Pooja or activity is
performed without worshipping Ganapathi in the first instance.
Anga Pooja
Anga means part, here, of the deity's body. Here Sri Sathya
Sai Bhagavan is worshipped in his physical, bodily form, every portion of
his body being individually offered Pooja. Each line in the Anga Pooja
mentions the particular organ or part being worshipped. The devotee should
do this Pooja with the most devout conviction that Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan
is physically in front of him in the Pooja mandapam.
Ashtothara Pooja
This portion is the real, substantive Pooja. Ashtothara
means: a hundred and eight. Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan is worshipped by
invoking his name and attributes a hundred and eight times. At the end of
each line ending with the word Namah, the devotee should place a flower at
the feet of the representation of Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan in the Pooja
mandapam.
Mahaa Naivedyam
After the Pooja and the reading of the Katha section are
completed, full meal is offered to the Lord. That is called the Mahaa
Naivedyam. It is an elaborate meal comprising cooked cereals, lentils and
also delicacies, sweetmeats and fruits. It is more replete compared to the
Kalpoktha Naivedyam offered earlier during the course of the Pooja,
consisting of just a single item - sooji (cream of wheat) or daliya (broken
whole wheat) cooked in water with sugar, ghee (clarified butter) cashew nuts,
almonds and raisins.
Aarathi
This marks the conclusion of the Pooja. A large quantity of
camphor is placed in a plate or lampstand, lit. and moved before Sri Sathya
Sai Bhagavan in a clockwise direction at least three times.