Ghee for aarti

[lokeshvara]

Namaste Everyone

 

I wasn't sure where to put this so mods please feel free to move it if it's in the wrong category.

 

Anyway, I am starting to do aarti at home and had a question about using ghee in the aarti lamp. I just bought a jar of it and know how to make the wicks. The ghee itself though is in a liquid form in the jar, can I use it as is to make the wicks or do I need to heat the butter?

 

Thanks for the help

 

Hari Om!

[sambya]

you can use it directly . however making wicks is easier with molten ghee(ghee in liquid state can also do) as the cotton soaks up the ghee and hardens when dry . this makes the wicks firm and less messy .

 

be sure it is cow ghee . ghee from buffalo milk is not permissible .

[theist]

 

Namaste Everyone

 

I wasn't sure where to put this so mods please feel free to move it if it's in the wrong category.

 

Anyway, I am starting to do aarti at home and had a question about using ghee in the aarti lamp. I just bought a jar of it and know how to make the wicks. The ghee itself though is in a liquid form in the jar, can I use it as is to make the wicks or do I need to heat the butter?

 

Thanks for the help

 

Hari Om!

 

Lokesvara, you will definetly want to read this article before buying or using "ghee".

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/spiritual-discussions/454855-maneka-gandhi-indias-ghee.html

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Buy only government brand ghees such as Omfed, Avin and Amul. These have been tested in a laboritory by devotees and found to contain no animal fat. Amul scored the best. Among private ghees Britania and Nilgiris contained no animal fat (at the time of testing, who knows now), but both were diluted with vegetable fat in small quantities. Over all I would suggest sticking to the government brands, as there will be some level of inspection involved and lab tests indicated they were the most pure.

[lokeshvara]

Namaste

 

Thank you everyone for the help and information. The ghee I bought said it was 100% pure but I will check the label when I get home. I had no idea that there was so much trouble around ghee. It is very sad too that there are not enough cows and milk products are being altered

 

I will check and make sure the ghee is appropriate before using it.

 

Just one more question. The ghee will dry in the the cotton so I can make numerous wicks at once?

 

Thanks again

 

Hari Om!

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

The ghee I bought said it was 100% pure but I will check the label when I get home.

The problem is that the companies producing the ghee are mixing animal fat into the ghee since animal fat costs much less to produce than real ghee. So you can't believe the labels. Nearly any ghee manufactured in India except for the ones mentioned above have between 15% and 50% animal fat dilution. This has been confirmed by laboratory tests. Any ghee marketed for "puja" will have even more dilution, since it is not directed for for human consumption.

[lokeshvara]

 

The problem is that the companies producing the ghee are mixing animal fat into the ghee since animal fat costs much less to produce than real ghee. So you can't believe the labels. Nearly any ghee manufactured in India except for the ones mentioned above have between 15% and 50% animal fat dilution. This has been confirmed by laboratory tests. Any ghee marketed for "puja" will have even more dilution, since it is not directed for for human consumption.

 

This is absolutely awful! Ghee for puja should have zero dilution. I will go and get the right kind.

 

Thanks again for all of the help:)

[OmHari]

You can also prepare ghee "clarified butter" at home, as an option to commericial one.

 

I also read that you can use sesame oil , as it emits some sattva energy, in case you cant afford ghee.

 

I am wondering if coconut oil can also be used as a replacement.

[sambya]

in bengal its common to light lamps using mustard oil . however ghee is always considered the supreme . for example the lamp that is to be offered in sodashapachara should be made with ghee . but the standing side lamps that are kept just to illuminate the deity or as a main source of fire is generally burnt using mustard oil .

 

but shastra refers the use of sesame oil or til-taila . it is considered the best of oils .

 

however one must be very carefull while handling oil lamps during puja . because you are not supposed to touch vishnu-vigraha with oil smeared hands or body .

[OmHari]

 

 

however one must be very carefull while handling oil lamps during puja . because you are not supposed to touch vishnu-vigraha with oil smeared hands or body .

 

Also be careful not to have your clothing run into fire. A word of precaution. Especially women, who have their dupattas or sari flying over flames , can catch fire (silk,gorgette,nylon,etc), I think cotton or khadi clothing is approriate.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

I also read that you can use sesame oil , as it emits some sattva energy, in case you cant afford ghee.

Nowadays pure sesame oil is almost the same cost as ghee. 1 liter of Idhayam brand sesame oil (a company that doesnt mix anything else with it) costs something like 160 rs, compared to 190 rs for government certified ghee.

[chandu_69]

It is highly unlikely that Ghee sources in Philadelphia are free from other fats.MaKing ghee from fresh butter would be a better idea.

 

There is always Vegetable oil to fall back on.

[lokeshvara]

 

It is highly unlikely that Ghee sources in Philadelphia are free from other fats.MaKing ghee from fresh butter would be a better idea.

 

There is always Vegetable oil to fall back on.

 

Namaste,

 

I had actually ordered online as while it is possible to get ghee here, most of the Indian grocers are far from my part of the city.

 

In regards to using vegetable oil, is the wick still prepared the same way, by soaking it and what not?

 

Hari Om!

[chandu_69]

 

Namaste,

 

I had actually ordered online as while it is possible to get ghee here, most of the Indian grocers are far from my part of the city.

 

In regards to using vegetable oil, is the wick still prepared the same way, by soaking it and what not?

 

Hari Om!

 

Namaste,

 

As i understand sesame oil wick preparation is same as that for Ghee.

 

Also please go through this article(Why is ghee lamp preferred to oil lamp during puja ritual? | Introductory Articles

[lokeshvara]

 

Namaste,

 

As i understand sesame oil wick preparation is same as that for Ghee.

 

Also please go through this article(Why is ghee lamp preferred to oil lamp during puja ritual? | Introductory Articles

 

Namaste Chandu,

 

Thank you so much for the info and the link.

 

Hari Om!

[K_lila16]

Just curious because I do nor perfom arti much either. Do you have to use a new wick each time and new oil? Or can you refil the lamp from the previous day and use the same wick and any residual oil in there

[K_lila16]

Just wondering do you have to use a new wick each time you perform aarti ir can you reuse the same wick from the previous day along with any residual oil, is that appropriate?

 

Thanks,

[Kantykot]

Dear Friend:

Would you please guide us where and in what reigeous book or script it says that we have to only use cetain kind of oil or ghee? In my undersatding that we light a deepak or lamp to pu Agni Devta as our witness to our prayers and Agni Devta doesn't change it form when apears. IF you have different explanation please post, we would all learn from yourdevine knowledge.

 

As far as the aminal fat and other substance they are always in all dairy product. You will find the meat hormons that are injected in Cows to produce more milk are the worse form of abuse that one can find. Desi Ghee can only be produced by a small domestic Cow owner who only feed his cows all natural or organic feeds. I was in Amdavad Gujrat and I swas even local cow owners leaving their cow loose on the street to munch on inhieginic garbbage or thrase which is already conteminated with with anything and become byproduct via milk from that caw.

 

I am a firm believer of Cow herds and bhagvan Krisna. i am just posting this for discussion purpose so all of us can learn something new. My sincere appologies for anything may have offended to you. But truth is AGNI. I am not allowed to post clip from other site but I would ask you to read or check Rishi Ayyappa from south performing Shiva Ayuti with Deer meat and spiting Ganga Jal gargal on Shiva as abhisekha. So it was a bhagti that counts not material what you offer. Ayyappa's Shiva bhagti was so honest and true that Shiva has to give Darshan.

 

Lets see what response we get AGNI devta v/s Ghee?

[gurunatha bhakta]

KANTYKOT

 

Hi friend, The story is that he was eating deer meet, offered the same to lord in ignorance. He tastes water before offering to lord. He never used to spit or used gargled water. Most of these are hearsays. Bhakti, of course is SUPREME. But Deer is gods creation. We are supposed to allow the calf to have as much from her mother and we are supposed to milk the remaining. As the calf grows it is supposed to be weened away for having other food for better grwoth.

 

Milk to curds, Curds to Butter and Butter to Ghee. Ghee comes at the last, after so many processes. and is in the PUREST FORM. Therefore considered to be sacred, as it is from cow. We are supposed to make cow eat good grass. We do all things for commercial gains. This is justified by pointing fingers at growing population. Going against nature is RAKSHASI PRAVRUTHI. Therefore jo Paap aur Punya hota hai, vo hi karnewale log bhaagidhaar hai.