Sai Prana Prathistha Kumbhabhishekam

[Aparna Nedunoori]

Dear Sai Devotees

                     Sai Ram!! Lately lot of devotees have been asking  why they are not getting emails on Baba Updates. As you all know, Baba is part of Temple and all the communications that you would have received before is coming through Hindu Temple Communication. Please sign up to Hindu Temple Communication if you haven't already.

             I am excited that our long time dream of having "Sai Baba" Sanctum in Omaha is coming to reality with your support. We will start Sanctum Consecration from Nov 7 evening and will continue until Saturday Morning (Nov 10). Please find the flier for Sai Baba Prana Pratistha. Don't miss the event. Every event is important one and has lot of significance. It's ONCE in a LIFE Time Opportunity!!  Keeping devotees work schedules in mind, the events that have lot of devotee involvement are planned for the evening. You can witness how the idol manifests to deity...Participate and sponsor the event... With out blessings of  Prasanna Ganapthi, Sai Baba and community support, we couldn't have done this. Thank you!!

Prana Pratistha and Kumbhabisekham… Importance... 

  It is a ceremony by which a deity is infused to inhabit a murti or icon of that deity.

The Prana Pratishta and Kumbhabhishekam rituals will start with Maha Ganapati puja and punyahavachanam (purificatory rite). During this time, we will have we will have kalasa sthapana ; agni pratishta; vastu puja and homam to worship the Vastu Purusha, Ganapathi, SAraswathi, Datta treya and Sai Baba.

Ankuraarpanam (seeding of the soil; the growth of plants from these seeds symbolizes the prosperity of the temple); the purificatory rites of the images through various adhivasams where the images are kept in dhaanyam , jalam (water), ksheeram , Pushpam,Phalam and the final adhivasam, called sayyadhivasam, which is the resting of the images in new clothes on beds under blankets. 

The moola mantra homams are performed on several days to invoke the power of the deities in the images. 

Netronmeelanam is another ritual in which the sthapathi opens the eyes of the murtis. 

The Pratishta ritual aims at bringing the unmanifest nirguna Brahman to a manifest form in the murti, giving energy and attributes, fit for worship and endowed with divine powers. This is accomplished by the power of the mantras with the conduct of the rituals as per the agamas. 

The yantra, which is a geometric representation of the power of the deity, is installed in the place where the murti is installed subsequently. Along with the yantra, precious metals, precious stones, etc. are placed.

 

This is followed by elaborate abhishekams with the sanctified waters from the kalasas, along with the recitation of appropriate mantras. After the installation ceremony thus performed, the regular rituals such as abhishekam, homam, alankaram, archana, etc. are performed routinely.

Kumbhabhishekam
The process of homogenizing, synergizing and uniting the powers with the VIGRAHA of god constitutes Kumbhabhishekam. Kumbha means the Head and denotes the Shikhara or Crown of the Temple. On the final day  (Nov 10) , the Kumbha is bathed with the charged and sanctified holy waters in the sacrificial pot and by a mystique process, these pranic powers trickle down a silver wire and enter the Deity installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Temple. The Deity, which was till then only a granite, sculptured stone image, is transformed into a vibrant and vivid living form of the LORD with innate beauty, grace and grandeur, conferring HIS divine ASHIRWAD on all those BHAKTAS, DEVOTEES, and SEVARTHIS, who surrender themselves absolutely and take shelter in HIM.