prana prathisthA - A summary

[thebigthinkg]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

Background

This was my post on prAna prathisthA. Here is a summary of it.

idol to mUrti

mUrti' is not just an idol. mUrta is that which has settled into a form or shape. mUrti means embodiment or manifestation of something.

When scultpors carve or painters paint or we create, idol is created. prAna prathistha is the process by which we make the idol into an embodiment or manifestation or mUrti of a divinity.


Unless an idol or picture has gone through prAna prathisthA it is not an embodiment or manifestation. In all pUjas, we do prAna prathisthA to make that idol or picture into an embodiment or manifestation.


For eg. in Ganapati pUja, we invoke the Ganapati in the Idol. In Sarasvati Puja we invoke the sarasvati in the idol. We make the idols/pictures embodiment or manifestation of the divinity that we invoke.

The Concept

if we believe 'aham brahma -asmi', that we have the brahman/evolution in us, we are giving that evolutionary power to the idol and make it an embodiment of a divinity that we are invoking. That's the concept.

Steps of prAna prathisthA

1. RSayadi nyAsa


2. Kara nyAsa


3. hrdayAdi nyAsa


4. dhyAna mantra


5. prAna prathisthA mantra


6. Offering to mUrti


7. Seeking the return


RsyAdi nyAsa

What does brahman, the evolution do..? It invokes the originators of Universe, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara (which I translate as spacetime, mass, energy).

From them it invokes the Rk, Yaju, sAma (which I translate as quantum, classical and biological). This invocation when done by us on the idol, by reciting the mantras is called RSyAdi nyAsa.

kara nyAsa

Then comes Kara nyAsa. It appears at the outset as certain hand gestures through which energy is given to the idol. Brahman, the evolution progresses the biological evolution through evolution of signaling system that regulates biological functioning.

In humans it is through endocrine system. Our hands (notably the digit ratio) represents the influences of pre-natal endocrine. Hence we use the fingers of our hand to symbolically evolve that chemical messenger system in the idol. That is the kara nyAsa.

hrdyAdi nyAsa

Then comes hrdyAdi nyAsa. Again it appears as if we are invoking energy in the idol through our heart, brain and other parts of our body. There are different organ systems for a living body. They are central and peripheral nervous (siras and shikha), circulatory (hrdaya), integumentary (kavasa), respiration, digestion, excretion (tri-netra) and locomotor (astra). We symbolically invoke these organ systems in the idol to make it a living body. This is the hrdyAdi nyAsa.

dhyAna mantra

Then comes the pancha-prAna dhyAna mantra. Here panch-prAna is visualized as one 'devi' (the property of the idol) present in five different organ systems, with five weapons and three eyes. This pancha-prAna devi is invoked in the idol.

The five organ systems invoked are 1. raktam bodhi sta (awakened in the blood, circulatory) 2. poTa ullas (excretory) 3. sad aruNa (seated in digestive fire) 4. sarah ja (born in the movement, respiratory) 5. adhiruda karabjai (in the brain, nervous system). The three eyes by which she is recognized are sRsti, sthithi and samhAra. This pancha-prAna in us is meditated upon or invoked in the idol as prAna shakti that comes into the idol from us.

prAna prathisthA mantra

Then comes the prAna prathista mantra. This is in the form of 10 sounds followed by words 'Hamsa soham soham Hamsa". Then we invoke the ten indriyas in the idol and say life (jiva) has come into this idol making it a mUrthi, the embodiment. Then we pray to this mUrti and give some offerings to the mUrti.

Following the signaling system, the other organ systems being invoked in the idol, the five core functions are meditated upon and invoked in the idol, we invoke the ten indriyas (as in us) in the idol with ten different sounds. Then we recite aHam sa sa aham; sa aham aHam sa. This invokes the 'self' (aham) in us in the idol.

The aham in us is the Brahman, the evolution. We invoke this Brahman in us, in the idol, which already has all biological functions and the indriyas. This invocation of aham sa sa aham in the idol invokes the brahman, gives it the 'jiva', the life. Thus the idol has become a mUrti, the embodiment of the devata.


Seeking the Return

Then we make some offerings to the mUrti.

Then we seek the return of our 'aham', 'indriyas', 'prAna' which we invoked in the idol, back to us, so that we enjoy this body of ours.

Essentially the mUrti we worship is an embodiment of the divinity, which is invoked with our power, by us.


-TBT

 

[Vaagmi]

Well presented. Thanks.

 

[prasad1]

If I can create GOD, what good is that God?

I take a lemon and chant some Hocus-pokus and it turns into a beautiful Princess, if you buy that I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

[FONT=&quot]George C. Parker was known as [/FONT]the greatest con-man[FONT=&quot] in American history, managing to sell landmark items like Madison Square Gardens, the Statue of Liberty and, you guessed it, the Brooklyn Bridge.[/FONT]

 

[Raji Ram]

Heard in one of Sri. Krupananda Variyar's discourses:

If you write "ட" and show to a man who knows only English, he will read it as "L".

A man who know only Tamil will read as letter 'ta'.

 

[thebigthinkg]

If I can create GOD, what good is that God?

I take a lemon and chant some Hocus-pokus and it turns into a beautiful Princess, if you buy that I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

I understand your point. But please look at it like this.

Upanishads tell you clearly that whatever that is required for evolution is inside the matter and being. You have the 'brahman' in you already. You can evolve yourself.

Upanishads also say 'iSa', the desire or love is also inside you, it spills out on other matter and beings as desire or love, giving energy or say driving the evolution.

In this process of evolution, human beings have evolved a more conscious, evolved mind which can do more processing. Their 'isa' which is desire or love spills out and so it is always explicitly seen. It cannot be hidden.

But the brahman is deep inside. This brahman, the evolutionary potential inside each of us enables us to use the processing capability that we have acquired, to evolve us further with courage, confidence, faith, intelligence etc etc.. This brahman, which is inside/our 'self' (aham) has to be invoked externally to our conscious mind, to do that.

Some people do that just like that. People do things with confidence, as a matter of fact without any issues. Let's say this is internal mode. Some people may need an external help to invoke the 'self' in us, so that our conscious mind can be effectively utilized. Let's say this is external mode.

Many people keep working in internal mode until they face some critical problem that switches them to external mode. Many people grow up in external mode, practice it as a routine. As our ears filter our background noise over a period, the external mode becomes background noise and they switch to internal mode.

For external mode people, we 'invoke' our 'self' in an idol or picture. Remember we are invoking the brahman, which is our 'self', which is inside us on the idol to make it a mUrti. So the evolutionary potential, the brahman present in the idol is 'our self'. It is nothing but what is inside us.

If you carefully look at the mantras, the first ask we have of the mUrti, is to return what all we invoked in the mUrti.

So now we have our 'self' externally in a 'mUrti'. The idea is, for those people who could not bring up their aham to their conscious mind, this helps.

There is an Atma, which vedas say we may know only partially or we may not know at all. But what that Atman has done is to embed the brahman in all the matter and beings. So it's all about invoking that brahman in us.

There is no 'God' concept or Worshipping to an external force concept in prAna prathisthA. In every worship of idol, we are invoking our self without knowing the meaning of the mantras.

-TBT

 

[tbs]

hi

in prana prathishta...pancha nyasas are importants....about pancha tatva in the body....jaladhi vasa/dhanyadhi vasa/sheerabhdi

vassa .. etc...

 

[renuka]

I somehow cant get the logic of Prana Prasthistification.

A human " invoking " Divinity?
Wow..God Tussi Cheap Ho!

God isnt that cheap as to be readily available to be handled by humans.

 

[renuka]

I understand your point. But please look at it like this.

Upanishads tell you clearly that whatever that is required for evolution is inside the matter and being. You have the 'brahman' in you already. You can evolve yourself.

Upanishads also say 'iSa', the desire or love is also inside you, it spills out on other matter and beings as desire or love, giving energy or say driving the evolution.

In this process of evolution, human beings have evolved a more conscious, evolved mind which can do more processing. Their 'isa' which is desire or love spills out and so it is always explicitly seen. It cannot be hidden.

But the brahman is deep inside. This brahman, the evolutionary potential inside each of us enables us to use the processing capability that we have acquired, to evolve us further with courage, confidence, faith, intelligence etc etc.. This brahman, which is inside/our 'self' (aham) has to be invoked externally to our conscious mind, to do that.

Some people do that just like that. People do things with confidence, as a matter of fact without any issues. Let's say this is internal mode. Some people may need an external help to invoke the 'self' in us, so that our conscious mind can be effectively utilized. Let's say this is external mode.

Many people keep working in internal mode until they face some critical problem that switches them to external mode. Many people grow up in external mode, practice it as a routine. As our ears filter our background noise over a period, the external mode becomes background noise and they switch to internal mode.

For external mode people, we 'invoke' our 'self' in an idol or picture. Remember we are invoking the brahman, which is our 'self', which is inside us on the idol to make it a mUrti. So the evolutionary potential, the brahman present in the idol is 'our self'. It is nothing but what is inside us.

If you carefully look at the mantras, the first ask we have of the mUrti, is to return what all we invoked in the mUrti.

So now we have our 'self' externally in a 'mUrti'. The idea is, for those people who could not bring up their aham to their conscious mind, this helps.

There is an Atma, which vedas say we may know only partially or we may not know at all. But what that Atman has done is to embed the brahman in all the matter and beings. So it's all about invoking that brahman in us.

There is no 'God' concept or Worshipping to an external force concept in prAna prathisthA. In every worship of idol, we are invoking our self without knowing the meaning of the mantras.

-TBT

Qoute me any Upanishad that directly supports Prana Prasthista?
Solid evidence...not hadrons or quarks.

 

[renuka]

They enter darkness those who worship natural things.They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti (created things)" (Yajurved 40:9)

"God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape" (Yajurved chapter 32 verse 3)

“Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires they worship demigods (Bhagavad Gita 7:20)



All the above do not sound Prana Prathista friendly.

 

[renuka]

Background

This was my post on prAna prathisthA. Here is a summary of it.

idol to mUrti

mUrti' is not just an idol. mUrta is that which has settled into a form or shape. mUrti means embodiment or manifestation of something.

When scultpors carve or painters paint or we create, idol is created. prAna prathistha is the process by which we make the idol into an embodiment or manifestation or mUrti of a divinity.


Unless an idol or picture has gone through prAna prathisthA it is not an embodiment or manifestation. In all pUjas, we do prAna prathisthA to make that idol or picture into an embodiment or manifestation.


For eg. in Ganapati pUja, we invoke the Ganapati in the Idol. In Sarasvati Puja we invoke the sarasvati in the idol. We make the idols/pictures embodiment or manifestation of the divinity that we invoke.

The Concept

if we believe 'aham brahma -asmi', that we have the brahman/evolution in us, we are giving that evolutionary power to the idol and make it an embodiment of a divinity that we are invoking. That's the concept.

Steps of prAna prathisthA

1. RSayadi nyAsa


2. Kara nyAsa


3. hrdayAdi nyAsa


4. dhyAna mantra


5. prAna prathisthA mantra


6. Offering to mUrti


7. Seeking the return


RsyAdi nyAsa

What does brahman, the evolution do..? It invokes the originators of Universe, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara (which I translate as spacetime, mass, energy).

From them it invokes the Rk, Yaju, sAma (which I translate as quantum, classical and biological). This invocation when done by us on the idol, by reciting the mantras is called RSyAdi nyAsa.

kara nyAsa

Then comes Kara nyAsa. It appears at the outset as certain hand gestures through which energy is given to the idol. Brahman, the evolution progresses the biological evolution through evolution of signaling system that regulates biological functioning.

In humans it is through endocrine system. Our hands (notably the digit ratio) represents the influences of pre-natal endocrine. Hence we use the fingers of our hand to symbolically evolve that chemical messenger system in the idol. That is the kara nyAsa.

hrdyAdi nyAsa

Then comes hrdyAdi nyAsa. Again it appears as if we are invoking energy in the idol through our heart, brain and other parts of our body. There are different organ systems for a living body. They are central and peripheral nervous (siras and shikha), circulatory (hrdaya), integumentary (kavasa), respiration, digestion, excretion (tri-netra) and locomotor (astra). We symbolically invoke these organ systems in the idol to make it a living body. This is the hrdyAdi nyAsa.

dhyAna mantra

Then comes the pancha-prAna dhyAna mantra. Here panch-prAna is visualized as one 'devi' (the property of the idol) present in five different organ systems, with five weapons and three eyes. This pancha-prAna devi is invoked in the idol.

The five organ systems invoked are 1. raktam bodhi sta (awakened in the blood, circulatory) 2. poTa ullas (excretory) 3. sad aruNa (seated in digestive fire) 4. sarah ja (born in the movement, respiratory) 5. adhiruda karabjai (in the brain, nervous system). The three eyes by which she is recognized are sRsti, sthithi and samhAra. This pancha-prAna in us is meditated upon or invoked in the idol as prAna shakti that comes into the idol from us.

prAna prathisthA mantra

Then comes the prAna prathista mantra. This is in the form of 10 sounds followed by words 'Hamsa soham soham Hamsa". Then we invoke the ten indriyas in the idol and say life (jiva) has come into this idol making it a mUrthi, the embodiment. Then we pray to this mUrti and give some offerings to the mUrti.

Following the signaling system, the other organ systems being invoked in the idol, the five core functions are meditated upon and invoked in the idol, we invoke the ten indriyas (as in us) in the idol with ten different sounds. Then we recite aHam sa sa aham; sa aham aHam sa. This invokes the 'self' (aham) in us in the idol.

The aham in us is the Brahman, the evolution. We invoke this Brahman in us, in the idol, which already has all biological functions and the indriyas. This invocation of aham sa sa aham in the idol invokes the brahman, gives it the 'jiva', the life. Thus the idol has become a mUrti, the embodiment of the devata.


Seeking the Return

Then we make some offerings to the mUrti.

Then we seek the return of our 'aham', 'indriyas', 'prAna' which we invoked in the idol, back to us, so that we enjoy this body of ours.

Essentially the mUrti we worship is an embodiment of the divinity, which is invoked with our power, by us.


-TBT

Seems like Dissociative Identity Disorder...that is we have our own Aham/Indriya/ Prana(A.I.P)..but we create another identity of the same Aham..Indriya and Prana and then suddenly everyone else too can worship this new creation

Its like Ambi creating a Remo and Anniyan..
Ambi has an A.I.P.and makes 2 A.I.P called Remo and Anniyan...Seriously?
Is this even Hinduism or some later on addition?
Why no upanishadic support for this?

Shot tru the heart and you' re to blame.
You give God a bad name!

All this A.I.P will make me R.I.P

 

[agopal]

They enter darkness those who worship natural things.They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti (created things)" (Yajurved 40:9)

"God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape" (Yajurved chapter 32 verse 3)

“Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires they worship demigods (Bhagavad Gita 7:20)



All the above do not sound Prana Prathista friendly.

Quoting Nasdaya Sukta:
...
"At first there was only darkness wrapped in darkness,
All this was only unillumined cosmic water.
That One which came to be, enclosed in Nothing,
arose at last, born of the power of the heat."

So, yes you need to sink into deeper darkness to realize the One.
as the Truth or Light is enclosed in darkness.
This is also corroborated in Tantric texts ( Please see "The Serpent Power" by Arthur Avalon).

 

[renuka]

Quoting Nasdaya Sukta:
...
"At first there was only darkness wrapped in darkness,
All this was only unillumined cosmic water.
That One which came to be, enclosed in Nothing,
arose at last, born of the power of the heat."

So, yes you need to sink into deeper darkness to realize the One.
as the Truth or Light is enclosed in darkness.
This is also corroborated in Tantric texts ( Please see "The Serpent Power" by Arthur Avalon).

Hello...the Darkness in Nasadiya Shukta is the Darkness of creation..its almost like a Big Bang Theory..cos it talks about intense heat that follows.

And at the end of the Shukta it says.." and He who surveys the higher heavens..does He know or does He not know"

So you see when a " doubt" is hinted here not as in doubting God but a possibility hinting at Saguna Brahman might not know about Nirguna Brahman...so just imagine the.state of a human being?..possible but again I have no evidence for my assumption.

A human being would surely know nuts..none of us really know how the universe began..we can only speculate..no scientist or swamiji too knows for sure ..but somehow the ignorant humans we are...we are cock sure about Prana Prasthistification as to " trap" Aham/Indriya/Prana?

Darkness is best described by Elon Musk.

"When I was a little kid, I was really scared of the dark. But then I came to understand, dark just means the absence of photons in the visible wavelength--400 to 700 nanometers. Then I thought, well, it's really silly to be afraid of a lack of photons. Then I wasn't afraid of the dark anymore after that."

 

[thebigthinkg]

Qoute me any Upanishad that directly supports Prana Prasthista?
Solid evidence...not hadrons or quarks.

Br. Up talks about aham brahma asmi and iSa comes from within and manifest as preyas and priyam. Upanishads are vedAnga. They are about the way Universe is.

prAna prathisthA is an Agama sAstra, which is based on this principle. Sa-astra means that which keeps moving/changing. sAstras are human created procedures/observances.

It is all about bringing out the 'self' in us to evolve ourselves, in various ways. That's what the procedure is. Read the last line above again.

-TBT

 

[renuka]

Br. Up talks about aham brahma asmi and iSa comes from within and manifest as preyas and priyam. Upanishads are vedAnga. They are about the way Universe is.

prAna prathisthA is an Agama sAstra, which is based on this principle. Sa-astra means that which keeps moving/changing. sAstras are human created procedures/observances.

It is all about bringing out the 'self' in us to evolve ourselves, in various ways. That's what the procedure is. Read the last line above again.

-TBT

Exactly!Man Made!

There is no VEDIC Support for this or Upanishadic Support for this...this is ONLY AGAMA SHASTRA..so best is not twist and turn the Upanishads to fit into the your convulated perception as how you twist concepts of Upanishads to fit it into physics for your Neo Bhashyams but without any shred of evidence
or remorse for that matter.

Agama shastras is OPTIONAL and certainly NOT PRAMANYAM.


It does not define Sanathana Dharma.

Its high time we know the difference.
At times we Hindus excel in creating concepts becos we dont have fatwas to decapitate us for bid'ah( innovating religion)


Take home point for the day: Upanishads never said.."Trap or Invoke or Invite Aham...Indriya or Prana into an idol"

Upanishads as you.stated talks about preyas and priyam but NOT PRATIMA!

 

[renuka]

If the Universal Consciousness is an Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent One...Then Prana Prasthista only " dethrones" its potency...the only IDOL worthy of worship would be a Swayambhu one.
So if Swayambhu idols are not popping up around the world except for a few Lingams and the Guruvayoor idol that shows all the rest are just man made.
God showed He didnt need a human to recreate Him.

 

[tbs]

If the Universal Consciousness is an Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent One...Then Prana Prasthista only " dethrones" its potency...the only IDOL worthy of worship would be a Swayambhu one.
So if Swayambhu idols are not popping up around the world except for a few Lingams and the Guruvayoor idol that shows all the rest are just man made.
God showed He didnt need a human to recreate Him.

hi

god is saakar/niraakar too....

 

[renuka]

hi

god is saakar/niraakar too....

But the saakara is not a Pratima.
Idols are not Saguna Brahman.

 

[Jaykay767]

Renukaji,

shastras have existed from time immemorial. Ravana was known as maha Brahmanan and he was known to have 10 heads symbolically to signify his unrivalled knowledge on the 4 Vedas and 6 shastras.

Our philosophy of Vedam, Upanishads, vedantam have coexisted with rituals right through time,

one is is the philosophical understanding of Brahman, the other is the how of invoking the Brahman !! So prana prathista is not an offshoot of Hinduism, it is central !!! Idol worship is the core part of our religion.

i will also write a separate note on why do we humans pray and why did we need this in the first place.

 

[renuka]

Renukaji,

shastras have existed from time immemorial. Ravana was known as maha Brahmanan and he was known to have 10 heads symbolically to signify his unrivalled knowledge on the 4 Vedas and 6 shastras.

Our philosophy of Vedam, Upanishads, vedantam have coexisted with rituals right through time,

one is is the philosophical understanding of Brahman, the other is the how of invoking the Brahman !! So prana prathista is not an offshoot of Hinduism, it is central !!! Idol worship is the core part of our religion.

i will also write a separate note on why do we humans pray and why did we need this in the first place.

Idol worship core of our religion?
Says who?
If so then we only contradict ourselves yet again and again.

Lord Buddha didnt talk about Idol worship..Sikhism doesnt have idol worship and all seem fine.


Ok.since you are going to write I better get marijuana ready cos you might write that you did Prana Prasthista for Pyramids of Giza.

 

[thebigthinkg]

Like the underlying quantum world is probabilistic, our conscious mind also operates probabilistic.

What we call as 'faith' or zraddha is probabilistic. It is a 'bet'. It's a bet on a particular belief that we have faith on, amongst many possible belief options.

When we have to bring up the 'brahman/evoltuionary potential' in us, invoke it, there are multiple belief options possible. Each one of us follow a different option.

But we also classify the bets as good bet and bad bet. Bets chosen by others appear bad to us, unless that bet is also chosen by us sometime. It's like sneering at other's traits when we don't have the trait in us.

Like some atheists who sneer at religious faith, formless worshippers sneer at idol worshippers, mono theists sneer at polytheists etc, finding other's bets as bad compared to theirs..

Atheist scientists have faith in science. That's their bet. Idol worshippers have faith in an idol or idols. That's their bet. It's the same way for everyone's bet.

Rationality is reasoning from evidences. But reasoning from evidence never proves anything absolutely. That's also a bet. We take some faith in the power of interpretation of evidence to arrive at conclusion.

There are some bets more reliable than others, based on our individual and cumulative experience. The bets that we find as more reliable from cumulative experience becomes science and knowledge. The bets that we find as more reliable only from individual experience becomes our individual faith.

What we all need to realize is, our zraddha is a probabilistic bet as much as others. It is not because of some deficiency in us. But our mind operates probabilistic and that's its nature.

-TBT

 

[Jaykay767]

Idol worship core of our religion?
Says who?
If so then we only contradict ourselves yet again and again.

Lord Buddha didnt talk about Idol worship..Sikhism doesnt have idol worship and all seem fine.


Ok.since you are going to write I better get marijuana ready cos you might write that you did Prana Prasthista for Pyramids of Giza.

Hello Renukaji,

our lives start in the morn with the idol worship at our homes. Then we go to nearby temples, during the week and the weekends.

Every Pooja and punaskarams are done in front of the idols. Even during Agni homams, we keep idols along with them.

we visit holy temples in Kashi and Rameshwaram to pray in front of the idols in our lives to escape from our bad karmam, purify our selves !!!

and on and on...

so would you call that central or core of the religion ??

more than 99% follow this in our religion, only 1% debate on Advaitha and Brahman -

 

[Jaykay767]

As I said, the philosophical and ritualistic coexisted in our religion right through the ages.

My view is the ritualistic started first as the primitive man prayed to God to get rid of the problems he was facing, and then over time, the philosophical evolved which in turn influenced the rituals, etc..

sure feel free to get as much marijuana as required. Lol

 

[Jaykay767]

The fundamental difference between Jainism/Buddhism and Hinduism is -

Karma is supreme in Jainism/Buddhism, in Hinduism God is supreme and that God can overcome our bad Karmas. That God can protect us from evil and its influences etc..

Thats why we have so many rituals aka karmic rituals to overcome our bad Karmas in this janmam and the past Janmams!!!

In Jainism/Buddhism, the guru is supreme and he can lead us to enlightenment and liberate from this deadly karmic cycle. In Hinduism, God can liberate us from this karmic cycle,

And we can go to Kailasam or Vaikuntam depending on which God we pray. Brahmalokam is also available for people who pray to Brahman.

If not, yamalokam or thrishanku is freely available. Yamadootas are constantly on the look out for such people aka the atheists..and then take them to yamalokam... Lol

Christianity and Islam follow the same tenets of Hinduism, that's why they have heaven and hell.

 

[Jaykay767]

Our lives revolve around the idols, and we have a personal connection with the idol at home and the temples nearby. We share our problems, we pray to them, we fight with them, and we bond with them....and on and on...

Anymore confusion mam Renukaji !!!!

 

[Jaykay767]

Btn, I carry a very small idol with me at all times. And also travel with !!!

sikhism is an offshoot of Buddhism, guru is supreme !!!

just in case...