________________
SCHOOL
TIONAL
OF
SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITY,
STUDIES
special purpose pūjās where lot of glamour, music, professional singers and ascetics are also involved along with special offerings like coconuts, incense in the fire, food for all those attending the pūjās etc.
Offerings in Pūjās:
Reasons for performing abhiseka (giving a bath to the idol) and pūjā with eight types of offerings and the benefits accrued.12
Pouring water over and in front of the idol, the devotee washes/rids the dirt (sins) associated with him. Based on the principle 'like water removes dirt associated with body /cloth etc, similarly water in the form of the true belief and knowledge (samyaktva) washes away the dirt of the karmic accumulations over the soul'.
Putting sandalwood paste on the idol, the devotee acquires good fortune. Based on he idiom 'candayati ähalädayati camdanam'i.e. like sandalwood pastes causes the bodily heat /fever to cool down, similarly samyaktva (right belief and knowledge) in the form of sandalwood paste causes the destruction of the ill effects of the inauspicious karmas associated with the soul and provides peace and tranquility to the devotee.
Using the shelled rice as offering causes the devoted to acquire the wealth (9 nidhis and 14 jewels) of the cakravarti, the devote stays always free of diseases and pain and ultimately achieves the salvation (mokṣa). 'Na kṣati eti akṣatam' i.e. an entity which can never be destroyed is called aksata (indestructible). This is based on the fact that the rice after being shelled from its husk cannot be used as a seed to give rice plants again. Similarly removing the three types of matter dirt (dravya, bhava and nokarma) from the soul, it attains the state of pure soul i.e. moksa or end of the transmigration cycle called samsara.
Using the flowers as offering causes the devotee to have a gleaming face like a lotus flower and becomes attractive and praiseworthy from the people (primarily opposite sex). 'Puspayati vikasati eti puspah'i.e. flower is an entity which transforms the mind in a state of blissful fragrance. Similarly offering flowers cause the devotee to experience the fragrance of his own soul i.e. bliss.
12 Vasunandi Śrāvakäcära, pages 483-488
Page 252 of 317
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
