Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c10.s1.56

c10.s1.56

The process in its different stages is then described in detail. First comes the Saṃskāra of the image. This is done by washing it with water, if it is of a kind other than Lepya or Lekhya (i.e. meant to be besmeared or painted); and the Mūla-mantra is to be repeated during the act eight times. This is called Mūrti-śuddhi or purification of the image; but the purification may also involve (i) self-purification (Ātma-śuddhi), which follows as a direct result, (ii) purification of the place of worship (Sthāna-śuddhi), (iii) purification of the articles employed in worship (Dravya-śuddhi), (iv) purification of the formula of incantation (Mantra-śuddhi) and (v) purification of the mind (Citta-śuddhi) by the relinquishment of every other thought. These six forms of Śuddhi are permissible as auspicious, and they are to be preferred according to the custom of one's own sect. After this, comes the Pīṭha-pūjā or consecration of the seat of the image. In a square drawn on the seat, which is made of copper, should be painted a lotus of eight petals. On the left and right side of the divine seat, the devotee should perform Tāntric Nyāsas, and worship the Pūrva-gurus and their footwears, as well as Nārada and the great Vaiṣṇavas, Durgā, Gaṇeśa, Sarasvatī, the Ādhāra-śaktis and the Maṇḍalas of Sun, Moon and Fire. The worshipper should then place the image on the seat with the citation of the Mūla-mantra and offer of flowers. Then mentally identifying the image with the particular deity he adores (Iṣṭa-devatā), offering flower three times and placing his foot on the ground, he should perform the eight operations, called Āvāhana (invocation), Sthāpana (establishment), Saṃnidhāpana¹ (showing complete surrender by the words ‘I am yours’), Saṃnirodhana² (restraining the deity till the end of the worship), Sakalīkaraṇa³ (displaying all the limbs of the deity), Avaguṇṭhana⁴ (display of great joy), Amṛtikaraṇa⁵ (restraint by all the limbs) and Paramīkaraṇa⁶ (accomplishment of the desired object), with their respective eight Mudrās (called Āvāhanī, Sthāpanī, etc.) According to the custom of his sect, he can also, with his fingers besmeared with sandal, show seventeen other Mudrās, named after the weapons, ornaments and appendages of the deity, namely, Śaṅkha, Cakra, Gadā, Padma, Musala, Śārṅga, Khaḍga, Pāśa, Aṅkuśa, Garuḍa, Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha, Veṇu, Abhaya, Vara, Vanamālā and Bilva, which are elaborately explained in the commentary.