Misconceptions on Pratyangira Homam

September 14, 2008

Dear Narasimhaji, Namaskara,Thanks for this wonderful post and explanation. The analogy really helps understand why this form of worship is not really appropriate in this Yuga.

At the same time, this raises a question in my mind. While the " weapon " has been locked and the " qualification " for practicing Pratyangira Homam has been made more " rigid " , the same does not seem to be the case with those who practice Tamasic activities (Vaamachara/Vaamamarga). From what I understand, a lot of people still resort to Vaamamarga and they seem to succeed far more easily than those who try to counter them with Pratyangira or other related weapons.

What are your thoughts on this aspect? Do you think the weapons for tamasic activities are far more easily available and usable because it is the basic nature of Kali Yuga for adharma to increase?

Kindly let us know your thoughts on this.Thanks and Regards,HariOn Sun, Sep 14, 2008 at 5:20 AM, Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr wrote:

Namaste friends,

I recently saw the chart of a person who is in some troubles. He is troubled by some professional rivals. A priest recommended Pratyangira homam and performed it for him. Some people mistakenly believe that Pratyangira homam gives relief from this kind of petty troubles.

Inspite of the risk of offending some elders, I want to put my foot down and assert one thing strongly and bluntly, for whatever it is worth. More learned ones who disagree with me may kindly forgive me and ignore me.

* * *

Pratyangira is a very very powerful deity and very very few people know today how to worship her properly. I am talking about all kinds of worship here - worshipping Her in an external fire and worshipping Her in one's own internal fire and Kundalini shakti.

I do not want to emphasize the necessity to learn to worship Her properly, because very very few people are actually *ready* for worshipping this form today. Many other forms are far more suitable for most people.

* * *

Pratyangira is an astra devata (astra=weapon). A powerful automatic gun may be used to shoot a specific object at a large distance when an expert uses it. If one is not an expert, the gun may not fire at all or may hit some other object. One is better off staying away from the gun in that case.

I can give an allegory for today's situation w.r.t. Pratyangira.

One's Mother had a very powerful automatic gun. She was a high official in military and used the gun in some important wars she participated in. Once upon a time, one of her sons learnt how to use the gun and knew how to knock down powerful enemies in a combat using that gun.

Many years later, a small young boy of the lady was being troubled by a bully at school. He wanted to solve the problem. A friend at school, who was known in his circle as a smart person, suggested using his mother's gun. They messed around with mother's gun, but nothing happened because they did not know how to use it. But that was good, because there could have been an accident and one of them could have been hurt in the exercise! Luckily, his mother put a locking mechanism on the gun because she had young children at home. Another time, a smart frind who knew how to unlock it but not knowing fully how to use the gun, unlocked it and shot it. He ended up unintentionally hurting the young boy.

In today's deepening age of Kali, " locking mechanism " is put on astra vidyas such as Pratyangira, Bala, Atibala, Mahabala, Paashupata etc. Going back to my allegory, because the home (world of sadhana) now includes a lot of young boys (most of us with half-knowledge and incomplete spiritual maturity), mother has placed locking mechanism on dangerous weapons that are risky in the hands of young children. She did not want automatic guns, assault rifles, missile launchers etc to be used for getting back at a school bully. When one is brave enough, decides that one does not fear the possibility of death and wants to go and fight the enemies of the nation in a war, then those big weapons are useful. They are not meant for standing up to a school bully.

If someone helps us unlock the weapons, it is still a bad idea to try using them. It is very risky. The best thing a child can do when a school bully is troubling is to tell his mother about it and let her handle it. Taking mother's weapons and trying to handle it oneself is a very bad idea.

Simialrly, performing Pratyangira homam to overcome the obstacles caused by an enemy or a rival or take care of some such material troubles is unwise and risky. When one is very pure and saattwik and battle with a tamasik force has agitated a highly pure one, she is to be used as a weapon to bring down that agitation and restore sattwa. Her purpose is a really high one and inapplicable to most people.

* * *

Some temples perform Pratyangira homam regularly. I see it as an obedient son taking the automatic gun of his mother, dusting it off, cleaning it, lubricating it and putting back where it belongs. The son may do this service on a regular basis, without expecting any result and out of love for mother. That is fine.

The problem comes only when a son tries to use the weapon against his enemies or rivals.

* * *

If you look at Pratyangira's story, she came into being to pacify Lord Narasimha, who drank the blood of the demon he killed. The guna caused in him by the demon's blood created big problems for the universe and Pratyangira pacified Lord Narasimha and filled him with pure sattwa again.

If a goddess could pacify a deeply agitated and angry incarnation of Narayana himself and restore sattwa in him, you can imagine what that goddess must be like. She is the ultimate power to restore saattwa and remove all kind of disturbance from one's consciousness. Such a high deity of purity, equanimity and sattwa restoration has been converted to one who ruins one's enemies and rivals and gives material success and several people perform Pratyangira homam with dried red chillies etc for petty purposes.

Just as a young boy is better off approaching one's mother when harassed by a school bully instead of trying to use his mother's machine gun, we are better off approaching the Mother and asking for help rather than trying to use Pratyangira shakti. Chandi homam, saptashati chanting, lalita sahasra nama chanting etc can be used instead of Pratyangira vidya. Surrender to the Mother and chant her prayers, instead of trying to use her sophisticated astra shakti directly.

Next time somebody suggests a Pratyangira homam for material problems, please think of what I wrote.

As I have already said, more learned ones who disagree with me may kindly forgive me and ignore me.

Best regards,NarasimhaDo a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpanaSpirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org