PATRASADANA
PATRA MEANS A VESSEL OR A RECEPTACLE AND ASADANA MEANS TO LAY OUT SOMETHING. PATRASADANA IS THE PRECISE PROCESS OF LAYING OUT VARIOUS POTS OR VESSELS USED IN YOUR PUJA. TOGETHER, THEY ARE CALLED PANCHA-PATRA - FIVE VESSELS USED FOR VARIOUS THINGS AND SIXTH IS A SAUCER-LIKE SMALL PLATE YOU USE TO PUT ASIDE YOUR OFFERINGS. THESE ARE USUALLY SMALL POTS, EACH ONE CONTAINING NO MORE THAN 100 ML OF WATER. IN ADDITION TO THIS, A SPOON (ACHAMANI) IS USED TO TAKE WATER FROM THESE POTS AND TO PUT THEM IN THE SAUCER OR YOUR HAND DEPENDING ON THE RITUAL YOU ARE PERFORMING.
1. WATER FOR PURIFICATION (ACHAMANA)
THIS VESSEL CONTAINS THE WATER YOU USE FOR YOUR CONSUMPTION THROUGHOUT THE PUJAZ. WHEN PERFORMING ACHAMANA, TAKE A BIT OF WATER IN YOUR RIGHT PALM USING THE SPOON. GENERALLY, ACHAMANA IS DONE FOR PURIFICATION AND CAN BE DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT SADHANAS. FOR THE FOUR SADHANAS LISTED IN THIS CHAPTER, I'VE CLEARLY WRITTEN WHEREVER YOU NEED TO PERFORM ACHAMANA. OTHER THAN DRINKING, AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY PUJA, A BIT OF WATER IS TAKEN FROM THIS POT AND SPRINKLED IN THE AIR TO PURIFY THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGIES AROUND YOU.
2. PLAIN WATER FOR OFFERING (ARGHYA)
FROM THIS VESSEL, YOU OFFER WATER TO THE DEITY OF THE MANTRA AND HIS/HER COMPANION ENERGIES. WHEN OFFERING ARGHYA, YOU TAKE A BIT OF WATER FROM THE ARGHYA POT AND PUT IT IN THE SMALL SAUCER/PLATE TO COLLECT THIS WATER. YOU CAN USE THE SAME SPOON TO OFFER WATER THAT YOU USED TO OFFE ACHAMANA OR YOU CAN KEEP A SEPERATE SPOON FOR THIS.
3. FRAGRANT WATER FOR OFFERING (SUGANDHITA ARGHYA)
AS PART OF THE 5,10 OR 16 OFFERINGS, FRAGRANT WATER MAY BE OFFERED FO THE DEITY. IF ANY PARTICULAR SADHANA REQUIRES A SPECIAL KIND OF FRAGRANCE, I'VE LISTED IT THERE. IF NOTHING IS SPECIFIED, YOU CAN MAKE THE WATER FRAGRANT BY KEEPING A FEW PETALS OF A ROSE IN IT. OR BY MIXING IT WITH SANDALWOOD PASTE. YOU CAN ALSO PUT A DROP OF ANY ALL-NATURAL EXTRACT OF ANY FRAGRANT SUBSTANCE LIKE FLOWERS, ETC.
4. WATER FOR LIBATIONS (TARPANA)
WATER FROM THIS POT IS USED FOR OFFERING LIBERATIONS TO THE DEITY, OTHER ENERGIES AND ANCESTORS. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO LIBATIONS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE LIBERATION AND YOUR SADHANA, BUT THE SIMPLEST WAY IS TO CHANT THE MANTRA FOR LIBERATION, TAKE A BIT OF WATER USING THE SPOON (YOU CAN USE THE SAME SPOON AS ACHAMANA) AND PUT IT BACK IN THE LIBERATION POT.
5. WATER FOR WASHING (PADYAM)
EVERY TIME AN ASPIRANT DOES ACHAMANA (DRINK WATER FOR PURIFICATION ) HE'S SUPPOSED TO WASH HIS HANDS. THIS IS DONE USING WATER FROM THIS POT, USUALLY USING A DIFFERENT SPOON AND NOT THE SAME ONE AS FOR ACHAMANA. A BIT OF WATER IS TAKEN IN YOUR RIGHT HAND AND THE SPOON IS PUT BACK IN THE POT. BOTH HANDS ARE THEN RUBBED ON YOUR LEFT SIDE USING THIS LITTLE WATER FOR PURIFICATION. WATER FROM THIS POT IS ALSO USED TO OFFER PADYAM TO THE DEITY WHILE MAKING 10 OR 16 OFFERINGS. TAKE A BIT OF WATER FROM THIS POT USING A SPOON AND PUT IT IN THE PLATE NEXT TO YOU.
THE SIXTH IS A SAUCER. IT'S A LITTLE PLATE USED TO COLLECT WATER. PLEASE SEE THE DIAGRAM BELOW TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTUAL INJUNCTIONS ON HOW TO LAY OT THESE POTS .
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