Guest guest Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 There is much controversy about the use of Panchmakaras. There is also a great controversy about whether they should be considered literal or symbolic part of shakta puja. The next controversy is about their symbolic meaning. A lot has been written about this also i never had the impression that i could add something worthwhile to these discussions. Now these 5 ms are offerings in a puja, please consider that everything offered turns to prasad, it turns to something that is flowing as a blesing from the deity to the worshipper. This is possible because we do not consider that these offerings are ours anymore they do belong to the deity and become part of her/him. That is the meaning of an offering, we offer things that are dear to us, and in return we receive them back sanctified and changed into something divine which can bless us. The only thing that has changed is that before we had the idea this is ours, and now we have the idea that this offering belong to the deity and is a present to us. We do this offering in Puja but in our everyday life we still think that everything is our property. That means that we receive the blessing only for a short time, and then we return to our normal life and hope that this blesing will help us in our everyday life. The things we offered did not change they are the same as before, part of the universe, part of shakti, all we did was to release our monkey finger grip on it and acknowledge that they never belonged to us, all we did give up was our attachment and idea of ownership, our ego self. Now in Puja normally we give up Attachment to ownership of some rice or some water or some incense, not very much usually, a symbol only. Now if there is so much gain in peace and prosperity if you give up the idea of ownership of some little water or smoke, imagine what could happen if you give up attachment to something more important in your daily life? It is said that devi is pleased by the secret offering, secret can mean that thee is no ritual involved, it may mean that it is realising that those things we cherish are part of the devi,and that by giving up the idea of ownership of things we cherish, we move closer to atma janan to brahma jnana, unite with devi. We do not loose anything by offering, this is only a fear of the ego, instead we gain divinity. It is not only that we are restricted by the idea that our little selfes do own the material objects, this error (avidya) is also present in the ideas we have about our own feelings and sense impressions, smell, taste, touch, etc, thats why symbols of these sense impressions are also offered. It is not important whether someone uses the real 5 m´s or prathinkas, it is important to understand why these sense impressions, touch, tastes etc and feelings are offered by some people. The Knowledge contained in rituals has to be applied anyway in real life if there are only some things done in a symbolic way without understanding, the effect is very small compared to what can be gained when one understands the reasons. Application of the understanding of this method of transformation, in everyday life and the change effected in the person and his surrounding is that what matters, it does not matter at all whether one uses supplements or real substances in some ritual. I like to append a commetary to the bhagavadgita from a lecture held by Swami Lakshman joo to illustrate my viewpoint: Abhinavagupta has given conclusion of second chapter of Bhagavad Gita aho nu cetasascitraa gatistyaagena yatkila aarohatyeva visayaanchrayamstaamstu parityajet 2 This is wonderful treatment of mind found by yogis, and exclusive, unique treatment. If you get attached with objective world you are in fact detached. If you get yourself detached from objective world you become attached to it. For instance you renounce this whole world and go in dense wood and cave and start meditating. When you meditate there in cave, while meditating you think of what you have abandoned and renounced. You think, "I had a box there in my bedroom, and I had silver set in that bedroom and I have left it." Actually you have not left it, you are not leaving it, you are holding it! This is the way, this is the treatment of mind, so you must be cautious about it. One must be cautious about this treatment of mind, how it works. So in fact, by abandoning nothing will happen, by enjoying everything will happen. Enjoying you will be detached. While enjoying you won't think of that any more; that traces of impression won't remain. Traces also will be vanished while enjoying. And while detaching, being detached, you will get entangled with that. Conclusion of third chapter of Bhagavad Gπtå is. dhanaani daaraandeham ca yo'nyatvenaadhigacchati / kim naama tasya kurvanti krodhaadyaßcittavibhramå˙ // 3 // You see, when you have got two thousand rupees cash in dollars; you ask your wife to take care of this and go to office. When he comes back Viresh has burnt them to ashes in Kongari-(fire pot) or in stove without your knowing. You become very rash with Denise. You say, "what you have done, you have lost everything, you have done great loss to me." The conclusion of this is dhanaani daaraandeham ca, whenever you have earned, that bundle of dollars which was lying on that shelf, think "it is not mine"! At that very moment think "it is not mine", think "Denise is not mine", think Viresh "is not mine," kim naama tasya kurvanti then this wrath and losing of your temper won't happen at all. So you must do like that, you must remain in this world in this way, not in attached way. This is the conclusion of third chapter. Now the conclusion of the fourth chapter. vidhatte karma yatkincidaksecchaamatrapurvakam / tenaiva subhabhaaja˙ syustriptaa˙ karanadevataa˙ // 4 // The conclusion of this chapter is, the flow of your organs of senses towards enjoying objective world . . . what you have to do there? You have not to control your organs of senses. Don't control your organs. Viddhatte karma yat kincit aksecchaamaatra purvakam, whatever you think, your mind says that, "I want that thing", get that thing and enjoy. Don't control your mind in that way. If you control your mind nothing will happen, you will only suffer. Don't control it, do it according to the choice of your mind. Tenaiva subhabhaaja˙ syuh, then your mind will be directed, focused uninterruptedly with meditation; then you can meditate properly. John: So the point here is, if you try to control your mind and do all these giving up this and that, then you're taking your attention away from maintaining awareness and controlling this. And that only causes more agitation. Svamiji: Yes, that is the main point of this chapter. Denise: So you should do whatever your want? Svamiji Whatever you want, you do and meditate! Don't waste your time, don't waste your time in controlling. If you want to eat something, eat and sit and meditate. If you want to enjoy go to pictures, go and see and come and meditate. Denise: But meditate! Svaamiji: Yes Meditate, it is meant for meditation. Enjoyment of world of senses is meant for meditation. It is not meant for not-meditation. You have to meditate and you have to enjoy this world for the sake of meditation. Go, do everything, but be focused towards meditation–remember Lord. (swami lakshman joo raina) , Venkata Ramana Abbaraju <ramanaabbaraju wrote: > > SriMAtre NAmaha > Sri SnakarNarayanan ji and other learned Persons > Namaskarams / Salutations > > Please provide info on Panch Makaras and its > relevence today . > > We heard a lot on (-)ve side. But there could be some > positive sides on it. Some one eplained to me pancha > makaras as Prana apana vyana udana samana sthithis. > > Is tere any relation between Pancha makaras VS Pancha > Tatvas / Phancha Vayus. > > Regards > Ramana > > [Moderator's note: See our companion web site for archived > discussions -- > http://shaktisadhana.org/Newhomepage/TheForum.html > > http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/Newhomepage/Frames/messageboard/maithu na.html > http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/Newhomepage/Frames/messageboard/master yof5M.html > ] > > > > > > > > --- sangar narayanan <mackro1932 wrote: > > > The fourth is mudras and the fifth is union to > > realise oneness with the Divine energy. > > God bless us all. > > s.shangaranarayanan > > > > Nanda <nandakumarn wrote: > > In the shakti upasana, there are five > > things used to pooja all > > starting with M (makara) which are generally > > referred as > > > > Prathamam (the First) > > Dviteeyam (the Second) > > Triteeyam ( the third) > > Chaturtham ( the fourth) > > and > > Panchamam (the fifth) > > > > Does anyone know what is Chaturtham, the fourth? > > > > = Taranandanatha > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > All-new Mail - Fire up a more powerful email > > and get things done faster. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________ > India Answers: Share what you know. 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Guest guest Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 5 Ms, all specious theories aside, are simply about cutting through dualisms so as to reside in the essence without discrimination. All further elaboration is icing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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