Pooja lamp with Cow's Ghee-Its significance

[sandesh]

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            Pooja lamp with Cow's Ghee-Its significance

 

We worship a deity with faith and
sincerity. We build a temple room in our
house to increase sattvikta (purity). We
also designate the images or idols of the
deities we worship in our home, and
perform daily puja according to our
means. We are familiar with the kalash
(a water vessel generally of metal),
shankh (Conch), copper plate, copper
vessel, small spoon, lamp and other puja
items. Every article of puja has its own
significance. Let us understand the
significance of an important article of puja
that is the lamp.
The lamp has its own special place
in Sanatan Vedic Hindu Dharma. It is a
form and symbol of Tej (Absolute fire
principle). The lamp leads us from
darkness towards light. It burns only to
give the message of peace and light to
man. Amongst the articles of puja the lamp
is an important article.Characteristics of Ghee and Oil
lamps
Agni Puran clearly states that only
Ghee (Clarified butter) or oil be used in the
lamp meant for puja and no other
combustible substance. According to the
science of spirituality the ghee lamp is more
sattvik (spiritually pure) and has more
capacity to attract the sattvik vibrations
present in the surrounding atmosphere as
compared to oil lamp. The oil lamp can
attract sattvik vibrations spread over a
maximum distance of 1 meter while the
ghee lamp can attract sattvik vibrations
spread till Swarga Lok (heaven). When the
oil lamp stops burning the predominance
of raja particles in the atmosphere is
enhanced and lasts for half an hour whereas
when the ghee lamp stops burning the
impact of sattvikta on the atmosphere is
experienced even after four hours.Effect on the worshipper
- The oil lamp generates a subtle
armour of inferior quality around the
worshipper while ghee lamp generates a
subtle armour of superior quality.
- The subtle vibrations emitted from
the oil lamp activate the Mind-energy
(Manashakti) of the worshipper whereas
those emanating from the ghee lamp
activates the soul energy (Atma-shakti) of
the worshipper.
According to Kundalini Yog there are
seven principle chakras or energy centers
in the human being which influence
practically every aspect including his
physical body, mind and intellect. The oil
lamp is effective in purification of Muladhar
and Swadhishthan Chakra only to a certain
extent, but the ghee lamp purifies Manipur
and Anahat chakras to a significant extent.
Just as there are seven chakras in the
human body, there are paths for the flow of
vital energy (Chetana). These are called as
Nadis or channels. The three principle nadis
are Chandra nadi (Moon channel), Surya
nadi (Sun channel) and Sushumna nadi.
When Chandra nadi is active the person
perceives coolness. The activation of Surya
nadi imparts energy to the person. The
Sushumna nadi is activated when the
person starts progressing spiritually. The oil
lamp activates the Surya nadi of the person
while ghee lamp activates only that nadi
which is essential to the worshipper in a
particular action.Effect on the subtle sheaths of
the worshipper
According to the science of
spirituality the body which is visible to our
eyes is called Annamaya Kosha or food
sheath. Besides this there are four other
Koshas namely Pranmaya Kosha or vital
air sheath, Manomaya Kosha or the
mental sheath, Vidnyanmaya Kosha or
sheath of intellect and Anandmaya Kosha
or bliss sheath. The Pranmaya Kosha is
a seat for the Pancha pranas (five vital air
elements) which provides energy to the
gross body. Manomaya kosha is the seat
of emotions. Vidnyanmaya Kosha is the
seat of intellect and the Anandamaya
Kosha is the seat of the Soul which is of
the nature of existence, consciousness
and bliss (satchidananda). Even these
subtle sheaths or koshas are affected by
the oil or ghee lamps. The oil lamp imparts
power to the raja particles in the
Pranamaya kosha which makes the
individual restless. The ghee lamp
strengthens the sattva particles of
Pranamaya Kosha and Manomaya Kosha
and as a result of this the jiva (individual,
embodied soul) becomes peaceful, stable
and happy.Why only ghee prepared from
cow's milk should be used?
Generally any oil lamp emits
vibrations consisting of raja particles but
the sesame oil emits some sattva
vibrations also. Therefore the lamp with
sesame oil is comparatively more sattvik
than any other oil lamp. The ghee lamp
however, emits maximum sattvik
vibrations compared to any oil lamp. Only
ghee prepared from cow's milk should be
lit in front of Deity. This is because the
Deites' principles are already existent in
this ghee. It is dominant in sattva
component and emits luminous figures in
the atmosphere which are forms of Tej
tattva or absolute fire element. Even
though ghee is recommended because
of its capacity to emit maximum sattva
vibrations, sesame oil lamp can be used
alternatively.Points to be considered while
using a lamp
* Do not kindle an oil lamp with a
ghee lamp and vice versa
* Do not kindle one lamp with
another similar lamp. For example if there
are two niranjans (a type of lamp) in an
arti platter then do not light one niranjan
with another niranjan. Similarly do not light
one pillar of lamps with another.
* Sometimes while performing puja
we unknowingly touch the lamp. We should
immediately wash our hands then. This is
because when we worship a deity the
sattva component of the lamp increases.
When we touch the lamp the raja-tama
particles from our body enter the lamp by
way of touch. This reduces the purity of
the lamp. Water has the property ofencompassing everything. Anything which
is offered to a deity through the medium of
water reaches Him/Her faster. When we
wash our hands, we are in a way dissolving
our sins in the water.Electric bulbs should not be used
instead of ghee lamps
Now a days, electric bulbs are used
during the puja ritual instead of ghee lamp.
Our ancestors gave priority to the worship of
lamp after profound experience and through
the attitude of gratitude. The light emitted from
the electrical bulb blinds our eyes while the
gentle flame of ghee lamp reminds us of
Atma-Jyoti or flame of soul. The electrical
bulb makes us extroverted and then the mind
runs towards external objects. The ghee lamp
makes us introverted.
Why should a straight wick be used
instead of a puffed up wick (fulwat)?
Nowadays a puffed wick (fulwat) is
used in a ghee lamp or niranjan and used
as lamp of worship. The wick is puffed up
from below to offer it stability to stand in
the center of niranjan. This type of wick is
relatively of recent origin. The second type
of wick is the straight wick wherein two
straight wicks are joined together like a
thread and used in a lamp. There is a
difference between the straight and puffed
wick on a gross and spiritual level.
* The lower portion of the fulwat is
puffed up while the straight wick is whole like
a thread. This represents raja-guna thoughts
in the mind while straight wick is symbolic of
detachment and represents the thread which
joins Panchaprans with Atamjyoti.
* When a fulwat is kindled, the
inferior deities are attracted while the
straight wick when kindled attracts
principles of higher deities.
* The vibrations emitted by the fulwat
are of circular form while those emitted
by straight wick are in the form of waves.
The colour of Chaitanya (divine
consciousness) emitted by the fulwat is
reddish yellow while that emitted by
straight wick is of yellow colour.
* Sattvik earth vibrations get
attracted towards fulwat while more sattvik
vibrations moving in the upward direction
are attracted towards straight wick. The
atmospheric vibrations get momentum
due to fulwat while their momentum is
slowed down by the use of straight wick.
* An armour of Pruthvi (Absolute
earth element) and Aap tattva (Absolute
water element) is generated around the
worshipper by use of fulwat while straight
wick generates an armour of Tej tatva
(Absolute fire element) around the
worshipper. According to science of
spirituality Tej tattva is more powerful than
either Pruthvi tatva or Aap tattva. As a
result the use of fulwat imparts heaviness
to the physical body while the straight wick
imparts cheerfulness to the mind.