Fw: paTi-tal and icons...Sanskrit pratima an Indo-European word ?

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Bhakti Ananda E.O.H.N.

bhakti.eohn

Monday, July 02, 2001 12:05 PM

paTi-tal and icons...Sanskrit pratima an Indo-European word ?

 

 

Tamil paTi-tal 8. close as eyes

 

Sanskrit pratima idol, icon, image

 

Sanskrit pathah ! phat ! invocations used in rites to

invite the Deity to possess the murti / archana.

(Also used in Mahayana Buddhist rites.)

This word is found in various forms used as a

blessing, for instance on a combatant before a

contest. When the eyes are painted on the

murti, and the rites of consecration performed,

with the invocation the Deity descends into the

body-temple provided, and the eyes are 'opened'.

 

Various forms of this word are used in initiation

rites and temple consecrations as well.

 

The open eye or open mouth is a symbol of consciousness

or being 'awake'. The all-pervasive eye of HARI or

Lokesvara, ( the Vishnu or Sambhogya Kaya Form of the

transcendant Adi Buddha / HRIH in Mahayana Buddhism),

is related to the all-seeing eye of HERU in Egypt. Heru-

PTAH was 'THE OPENER'. He was associated with all

forms of prayer, opening the tomb, womb, eyes, mouth,

gates,doors, mysteries, consciousness, understanding etc.

 

Egyptian PTAH to open THE OPENER (Form of HERU)

the open eye = conscious, AWAKE

(Pata, patha, budh is to be open or be awake...

as in Buddha's answer 'i am awake'.)

 

Hebrew pathach, pethach, paquch to open, be opened

 

Hebrew compound names of God PETHAH-YAHU

'"Jah opens" and PETHU-EL "God delivers"

 

Significantly, Hebrew pathach / pethach is used throughout

the Hebrew Scriptures in the context of God (YAHU or ELI)

'opening' the eyes, mouth, womb, grave, heaven etc. as

above (see Ptah).

 

Especially important is the use of pathach as an invocation

of God to inhabit the Great Temple in Jerusalem, and 'open His eyes upon it'.

 

Greek ephphatha 'from Chaldean Eph phatha' used by

Christ to 'open' the mouths of the mute and eyes of

the blind in the Christian New Testament.

 

possibly related

 

Latin fiat ! German bitte (plea) English bid, bede (to pray)

 

Any Biblical concordance should have the above Hebrew and Greek references.

 

your aspiring servant, Bhakti Ananda Goswami