Guest guest Posted July 8, 2006 Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Hi Raji: Not silly at all; you are quite right: Modern, processed camphor does leave a residue, though apparently purer, earlier formulations did not. Here is an interesting and relevant passage from Corinne Dempsey's recent study of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetham in Rush, N.Y. (The Goddess Lives in Upstate New York, Oxford University Press, 2006): "Because camphor is messy -- leaving a black residue on walls, ceilings and temple objects -- North American temples have almost uniformly replaced camphor flames with wick flames from oil or ghee lamps. Aiya [by contrast] will not give up camphor in spite of its drawbacks partly because its familiar blze and smell evoke devotional emotions. It also traditionally burns without leaving a trace (although this is not true for camphor processed today), symbolically associated with the burning of the ego, an appropriate metaphor for temple practices and aims. At Rush, camphor has not only blackened the temple's walls and ceilings but has also gummed up, over time, the sound system as well as the photocopier and computer in the nearby temple office. In spite of this, along with persistent suggestions by some devotees that they switch to ghee lamps, Aiya will not be swayed." In a footnote, Aiya explains to Dempsey that the temple did switch from offering silk saris to cotton saris in homams because the chemical treatments to the fabric in modern silk saris also produced a damaging sooty smoke. However, he added, "Camphor is scripturally prescribed, whereas offering silk saris, a sign of selfless, generous devotion, is not." Aiya argues that "out of the 16 modes of worship prescribed for puja, the 15th and penultimate is camphor." Hope that helps! DB , "rajeshwari iyer" <rajii31 wrote: > > l > > My observationn regarding CAMPHOR - it is often addressed as something that > does not leave any residue behind. The fact is - it does leave oily > black mark on the plate and above all it turns the entire room dark. So, in > one angle it visibily may not leave residue but it spreads residue to its > surrounding. I had to paint god's room ever year because of buring camphor > after chanting LS. Am I right or wrong. (i often wondered why camphor is > addressed in that way). Please ignore it if it sounds silly. It is only my > observation.raji. > ---------------------------- > > > >As you can see, there are variations in order and definitions, but > >both basically involve the sadhaka offering the five elements back > >to the deity that created them, and then (as a sixth offering) one's > >own self -- either as camphor (that which is consumed without > >leaving residue) or food (that which is transformed to become one > >with the entity that consumes it). > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2006 Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Hi: What is prescribed is not the present synthetic camphor thats adulterated with wax but pure natural camphor crystals that are medically pure. Among its properties is increasing the energy level. That is why one of the ingredients of Visheshaarghya is pure veggie camphor. , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta wrote: > > Hi Raji: > > Not silly at all; you are quite right: Modern, processed camphor does > leave a residue, though apparently purer, earlier formulations did > not. Here is an interesting and relevant passage from Corinne > Dempsey's recent study of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetham in Rush, N.Y. > (The Goddess Lives in Upstate New York, Oxford University Press, 2006): > > "Because camphor is messy -- leaving a black residue on walls, > ceilings and temple objects -- North American temples have almost > uniformly replaced camphor flames with wick flames from oil or ghee > lamps. Aiya [by contrast] will not give up camphor in spite of its > drawbacks partly because its familiar blze and smell evoke devotional > emotions. It also traditionally burns without leaving a trace > (although this is not true for camphor processed today), symbolically > associated with the burning of the ego, an appropriate metaphor for > temple practices and aims. At Rush, camphor has not only blackened the > temple's walls and ceilings but has also gummed up, over time, the > sound system as well as the photocopier and computer in the nearby > temple office. In spite of this, along with persistent suggestions by > some devotees that they switch to ghee lamps, Aiya will not be swayed." > > In a footnote, Aiya explains to Dempsey that the temple did switch > from offering silk saris to cotton saris in homams because the > chemical treatments to the fabric in modern silk saris also produced a > damaging sooty smoke. However, he added, "Camphor is scripturally > prescribed, whereas offering silk saris, a sign of selfless, generous > devotion, is not." Aiya argues that "out of the 16 modes of worship > prescribed for puja, the 15th and penultimate is camphor." > > Hope that helps! > > DB > > > > , "rajeshwari iyer" <rajii31@> > wrote: > > > > l > > > > My observationn regarding CAMPHOR - it is often addressed as > something that > > does not leave any residue behind. The fact is - it does leave oily > > black mark on the plate and above all it turns the entire room dark. > So, in > > one angle it visibily may not leave residue but it spreads residue > to its > > surrounding. I had to paint god's room ever year because of buring > camphor > > after chanting LS. Am I right or wrong. (i often wondered why > camphor is > > addressed in that way). Please ignore it if it sounds silly. It is > only my > > observation.raji. > > > - --- --- > > > > > >As you can see, there are variations in order and definitions, but > > >both basically involve the sadhaka offering the five elements back > > >to the deity that created them, and then (as a sixth offering) one's > > >own self -- either as camphor (that which is consumed without > > >leaving residue) or food (that which is transformed to become one > > >with the entity that consumes it). > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.