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The significance of besmearing the place with the cow-dung has been said already. The cow-dung has some special curative powers and modern science too has accepted it.
According to all the works on ritualism, an aspirant doing such japa will have to recite at least 650 times a day. If he wants to complete 1,25,000 times of recitation in six months and 1250 times a day, if he wants to complete 12,500 times in about 10 days. Exceptionally great, and people with mantric powers may be able to complete it in three days. But 10 days period seems to be good and ideal for a serious aspirant. As the programme of the recitation may last for ten days or more the place must be kept clean and pure by the application of cow-dung. An aspirant must keep everything in mind before launching on a worship and keep the place clean. The necessity to keep the body clean has been spoken of and also the need to apply the sandal paste. By its application body will be cool and fragrant. The aspirant must try to keep the entire surrounding, his body and materials for worship sweet-smelling. He must very carefully avoid the place being infested with bad-odours. Scriptures say the badodours spread to far-off places and the gods invoked may not come over there. This fact, must be sufficient enough for the aspirants to understand the connection between divinity and fragrance. The point that one must drape himself on yellow garment also has a significance about it. Any worshipper for wealth must be very strict about this aspect. It is better the place of worship too is painted yellow. Yellow durries, mats etc., may be hung on the walls and spread on the earth.' We come to know from the 5th and 23rd clauses that the Cakresvari idol must be placed in the north facing south and the worshipper sit facing it. The pancamrta poured into the pot/pitcher on the first day cannot last for ten days. Hence it appears that the pot must be emptied and filled up daily. Or the pot should be filled up with pure water and to avoid the appearance of lives (worms etc) fragrants (like sandal, menthol, cardamom) must be added in proper proportion. Establishment of the four lokapalas too is a matter of great significance. Even during "nandi ceremony" i.e., recitations of sections of Nandi sutra performed at the time of initiation, acceptance of new posts etc., the names of the deities of the protectors of the world viz., Soma, Yama, Varuna and Kubera (the names of deities of four directions from east onwards) and Vasava are invoked. The significance of this invocation is that these acts are done in their presence, with these deities acting as witnesses. These deities must be placed in the respective directions. It appears so from the accounts given in the works on rituals. Though different objects are used to invoke and consecrate them, generally these deities are invoked and consecrated in coconuts. Soma is placed in the east and Vaisravana in the north.
According to the tenets of Jainism Soma, Yama, Varuna and Kubera are considered to be the protectors of the world (lokapalas) vide the Seventh section of the third hundred of Bhagavati sutra. The dialogue between Sri Gautama and Sri Mahavirasvami had been recorded there. Sri Gautama asked his Noble Sire as to the number of lokapalas known in Jainism. The preceptor replied him that four deities Soma, Yama, Varuna and Kubera were known in Jainism as deities of protectors of the world. At the time of founding a temple these lokapalas are placed and consecrated as dvarapalas and placed at the doors. The idol of Soma is recognised by the possession of human figure, Yama by that of rod, Varuna by that of noose and Kubera mace. The chariots of those deities are known as Sandhyaprabha, Varasista, Svanjala and Valgu respectively. The idols of these deities are placed in the form of dvarapalas in the first prakara.(or the first round of
ritualistic placements of deities before reaching the main God in the centre) according to Nirvanakalika. It appears proper to make the ghee-lamp burn through out the period of such special worship. Even the wick is prepared from some special material. All these can be learnt from the practitioners.
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Aradhana Darshan
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