06 Invocation of Viṣṇu (Āvāhana)

48 PREPARATION OF THE VESSELS AND OTHER MATERIALS.

This subject is handled best by BKh. The vessels were already said to be cleaned in 19. They are called “conches” (śaṅkha-) by some authorities (A, BK, BKh). There are four of them: one for the invocation (the *pranidhi *proper); it is placed to the right; one for water for Viṣṇu’s feet; one for water to sip (ācamana), and one for bathing. The four vessels are placed successively to the north of each other. They are filled with water mixed with flowers, kuśa grass, grains, and perfumes.

48.1 Besides these, there are five vessels for guests’ gifts (arghya), to be made of different kinds of metal (M). Arghya consists of eight elements: pure water, water mixed with kuśa grass, *siddhārtha *(white mustard), sesamum, rice grains, husked and roasted grains, sweet milk and curds (K, BKh). BY refers for the discussion of the vessels to BKh.

48.2 The other utensils and materials are specified by KA as follows: flowers, perfumes (aloe, costus, uśīra), incense, lamps, ghee, sesamum oil (the last two for the lamps), a parasol, a yak’s tail, a fan, a mirror, pots, lamps for protection during the dark, and all kinds of musical instruments.

48.3 Each kind of material has its presiding deity. One should meditate on them as bearing the material in question (BK) and worship them (this worship is to be done by assistants). The presiding deities are i.a. (as given by AN, p. 36): Soma of the vessels, Varuṇa of the water, Dharma of the seat, the Earth of the perfume, Bṛhaspati of the incense, Śrī of the lamp, the Sun of the guests’ gifts, Vāyu of the whisk, Sāmaveda of the songs.

49 A SCREEN IS PLACED BETWEEN THE IMAGE AND THE OUTSIDE.

This screen (called yavanika by some) is placed across the doorway. It is made preferably of linen (BP). The act is done in order that persons who are unworthy will not see the worship while it is being performed. Such persons are; outcastes, spoilers of the Veda, heretics, those afflicted with infirmities or diseases, those who are under the rules of a *diksa *(BY), those who have incurred great guilt, and women.

50 THE PRIEST’S WAY OF SITTING DURING THE INVOCATION.

The priest sits on God’s right hand, facing the east or north, kneeling on one knee, or in the pose called svastika¹. He sits on a cushion called *kurmasana *or *kurmavistara *(tortoise seat). This object is made of leaves, preferably from the *bilva *or aśvattha, two *hastas *long and wide, and six *angulas *high (BK). Its form may be round, square, or shaped like a tortoise (AN).

51 THE PRIEST RECITES THE *Atmaśukta *

or “hymn of the Self”. This is a rather obscure, but highly interesting hymn in nine verses, found only in the books of the Vaikhānasas (VMP 5,49). It stresses the identity of the reciter’s body with the cosmos, mainly by an identification of each limb of that body with constituents of the cosmos. See Appendix-IV Atmasūkta.

52 THE PRIEST MEDITATES ON THE DIVISIBLE HIGHEST SELF

(sakalaparamatma). BK and BKh say: meditation on Visnu. This meditation should be regarded as a necessary completion of the concentration on Brahman (identical with Visnu’s indivisible, nişkala, aspect) performed before (group C). God will now be requested to make a further step towards the human world by taking up His abode in the movable image, in His divisible aspect. Thus the world, represented by the priest, will be able to converse with Him. The priest now concentrates on Visnu as being golden of colour, with red mouth and red eyes, wearing a garment with the colour of a parrot’s feathers, with four arms, and wearing all kinds of ornaments. This meditation is not described with a verse in *kavya *style, as is often the case in the *Agamas *and Tantras, but in regular slokas (these slokas resemble each other very much in those handbooks which are written in sloka). The element is old: it is found in similar wordings already in V, where it is the first act after 21. In KA this meditation is found immediately after the preparation of the priest described in group C, together with many additions.

ॐ सुवर्ण वर्णं रक्तास्यं रक्तनेत्रं पाणिपादम् सुखोद्वहं ।

शुकपिञ्छाम्बरधरं विष्णुं प्रणवात्मकमव्ययम् । (प्रणवस्यरूपिणम्)

किरीटहार केयूर प्रलम्ब यज्ञोपवीतिनम् ।

श्रीवत्साङ्क्ं चतुर्बाहुं शङ्खचक्रधरं परमात्मानं परात्परम् ॥

दक्षिणेनैक हस्तेन भक्तानाम् अभयप्रदम् ।

वामेन अप्यन्न हस्तेन स्वकट्यां अवलम्बितम् ॥

oṃ suvarṇa varṇaṃ raktāsyaṃ raktanetraṃ pāṇipādam sukhodvahaṃ .
śukapiñchāmbaradharaṃ viṣṇuṃ praṇavātmakamavyayam . (praṇavasyarūpiṇam)
kirīṭahāra keyūra pralamba yajñopavītinam .
śrīvatsāṅkṃ caturbāhuṃ śaṅkhacakradharaṃ paramātmānaṃ parātparam .
dakṣiṇenaika hastena bhaktānām abhayapradam .
vāmena apyanna hastena svakaṭyāṃ avalambitam ..

53 ASSIGNMENT (nyasa) OF THE *vyährti *ON THE MOVABLE IMAGE.

The three parts of the* vyahrti, suvar, bhuvar,* and bhur, containing the essence of heaven, atmosphere and earth respectively, are fixed on the image’s head, navel and feet (by means of a gesture).

यकारं पादयोरं तरे पीठे विन्यस्य अं नम: ।

अकारं हृदये तं प्रणवेन वेष्ट यित्वा ॐ नम: ।

हृदये प्रणवेन आदिबीजाक्षरं च ॐ ‘अं’

पाद मध्ये पीठे यकारं विनस्य यं

53.1 KAV gives particulars about the formula’s parts and their concrete shape (they bear i.a. a sword, rod and flower respectively in their hands). One should meditate on these figures.

54 ASSIGNMENT OF THE PRIMEVAL SYLLABLE ON THE IMAGE’S HEART AND OF THE SYLLABLE *ya *BETWEEN ITS FEET.

This is described by all handbooks except V. The primeval syllable (adibija) is the syllable a. This is argued by A: see 30. A also adds that the syllable om may also be called the primeval syllable (bījāksara), because it is the beginning of all the Vedas.

54.1 BK: the syllable a has the colour of smoke, has two arms, a red garment, and the lustre of a kadamba flower. Meditate also on the deity of the syllable a: Visņu, enclosed by the Vaibhava Sakti (Expansive Energy), with four arms, supreme, bearing conch and disc, and wearing a yellow garment. BKh: meditate on Visņu’s Sakti. A mentions Visņu’s Sakti in the next element.

Bhrigu Samhita, Kriyadhikara, 54.2

अकारं धूम्रवर्णं च द्विभुजं रक्तवाससम् । कदम्बपुष्पवर्णाभं ध्यायेद्वागीश्वरीं पराम् ॥

akāraṃ dhūmravarṇaṃ ca dvibhujaṃ raktavāsasam |
kadambapuṣpavarṇābhaṃ dhyāyedvāgīśvarīṃ parām ||

Meaning: “One should meditate on the syllable a (akāraṃ) as having a smoky color (dhūmravarṇaṃ), two arms (dvibhujaṃ), and a red garment (raktavāsasam), with the radiant lustre of a kadamba flower (kadambapuṣpavarṇābhaṃ); this is the form of the supreme Vagishvari (Goddess of Speech, Sarasvati).”

Verse 2: Deity of the Syllable

This verse describes the presiding deity who resides within the syllable a.

Source: Bhrigu Samhita, Kriyadhikara, 54.3

विष्णुमक्षरदेवं च वैभव्या शक्त्याऽऽवृतम् ।चतुर्भुजं परं पीतवस्त्रं शङ्खचक्रधारिणम् ॥

viṣṇumakṣaradevaṃ ca vaibhavyā śaktyā’‘vṛtam |
caturbhujaṃ paraṃ pītavastraṃ śaṅkhacakradhāriṇam ||

Meaning: “(Within that akāra, one should meditate on) Vishnu, the deity of the syllable (viṣṇumakṣaradevaṃ), who is enveloped by the Vaibhavi Shakti. He is supreme, with four arms (caturbhujaṃ paraṃ), wears a yellow garment (pītavastraṃ), and is the bearer of the conch and discus (śaṅkhacakradhāriṇam).”

54.2 According to most sources, the syllable a should be surrounded with praṇavas. The same is prescribed by A for the priest on 30.

54.3 About the syllable ya, BK says that it should be meditated upon as Vayu embodied. The syllable should be assigned also to the pedestal. Nothing is explained about this syllable by the other authors.

55 THE PRIEST LIFTS UP THE *pranidhi *VESSEL AND INVOKES VIṢŅU INTO IT,

out of the immovable image. BKh alone says that the *Sakti *should be imagined (sankalpa) and placed into the pranidhi. BP: Hari has the *praṇava *(the syllable om) as His nature, is unmanifest and His appearance is of divine beauty. The invocation from the immovable image into the pranidhi is done just as one lamp is kindled from another. —- A: the priest should take the *pranidhi *vessel with the left hand and with the right hand make a gesture symbolizing the arrival of Visņu into it. K: The priest should lift up the *pranidhi *vessel with hands and face directed upwards.

56 VISŅU IS INVOKED FROM THE *pranidhi *VESSEL INTO THE MOVABLE IMAGE.

This is done by means of a blade or bundle of kuśa grass. The water is made, with the help of the grass, to trickle down on the image’s head. In the meanwhile the priest says: “I invoke Vişņu, I invoke Puruşa, I invoke Satya, I invoke Acyuta, I invoke Aniruddha”, in the main directions, beginning in the east, clockwise (cf. 47.2).—- Already before these words (VMP, A, M) two mantras are addressed to Vişņu: idam vişnur² and* ayatu bhagavan*. VMP 8,21: *ayatu bhagavan purusas saganas sasainyas saśrisahāyas saha devatābhir anumanyatam *“the Lord, the Primeval Man should come, accompanied by His retinue, by His army, by Śrī and His attendants; together with the gods He should consent”.

इ॒दं विष्णु॒र्वि च॑क्रमे त्रे॒धा नि द॑धे प॒दं ।समू॑ळ्हमस्य पांसु॒रे ॥

आयातु भगवान् पुरुष: सगण: ससैन्य: सश्रीर्सहाय: स: देवताभिर् अनुमन्यताम् ॥

यस्तु गरुड रधो नित्यं ऋषिभिश्चानुगामिनं तमजं पुण्डरीकाक्षं भगवन्तम् ओम् ॥

āyātu bhagavān puruṣa: sagaṇa: sasainya: saśrīrsahāya: sa: devatābhir anumanyatām ॥ yastu garuḍa radho nityaṃ ṛṣibhiścānugāminaṃ tamajaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ bhagavantam om ॥

विष्णुं॒ आवा॑हयामि । पुरुष॒मावा॑हयामि । सत्य॒मावा॑हयामि । अच्युत॒मावा॑हयामि । अनिरुद्ध॒मावा॑हयामि ।

viṣṇuṃ॒ āvā॑hayāmi । puruṣa॒māvā॑hayāmi । satya॒māvā॑hayāmi । acyuta॒māvā॑hayāmi । aniruddha॒māvā॑hayāmi ।

56.1 At this point, KAV introduces the doctrine of the kalah or power particles so well known in Saiva and Śrīvaisņava ritual and theology. For reasons of space this will not be discussed here.

56.2 AN, p. 64: when Vişņu has been invoked into the movable image, yet he remains present in the immovable image, just as a lamp keeps on burning also when other lamps have been kindled from it. Vişņu is caused to flame up in the image by means of the mantra, just as a fire in the fire-pit is ‘caused to flame up by the wind. The invocation should be in- toned with devotion (bhakti); then Vişņu will descend into the movable image out of compassion for His devotees (for the last doctrine AN refers to Atri).

56.3 Also the goddesses Śri and Hariņi (the Earth) and the minor images (festival image etc.) are enlivened by invocation (cf. 56.1, where they have been connected with Visqu’s immovable image). KAV gives formulas for these acts, and also for the worship of the two goddesses (the present discussion is restricted to Vişņu himself). M, BK: according to some authorities, the invocation into the minor images is unnecessary during daily worship. It can be done in the cases when they are expressly needed.

Sri

श्रि॒ये जा॒तः श्रि॒य आ निरि॑याय॒ श्रियं॒ वयो᳚ जरि॒तृभ्यो᳚ दधाति ।
श्रियं॒ वसा᳚ना अमृत॒त्वमा᳚य॒न्भवं᳚ति स॒त्या स॑मि॒था मि॒तद्रौ᳚ ॥³ \

अयातु भगवती श्री स्स्वर्ण वर्णा स गणा स सैन्य
श्री परमपुरुषसहाय सह देवताभिरनुमन्यताम् ॥
ayātu bhagavatī śrī ssvarṇa varṇā sa gaṇā sa sainya
śrī paramapuruṣasahāya saha devatābhiranumanyatām .

या पद्मासना पद्म हस्ता हम्स निर्याख्या वाहिनी नित्यम् ऋषि भिश्चानुगामिनीम्
ताम् अजाम् पुण्डरीक नेत्रीम् भगवतीम् श्रीम् ॥
yā padmāsanā padma hastā hamsa niryākhyā vāhinī nityam ṛṣi bhiścānugāminīm
tām ajām puṇḍarīka netrīm bhagavatīm śrīm .

ॐ श्रीय॒म् अवा॑हयामि । धृती॒म् अवा॑हयामि । प॒वित्री॒म् अवा॑हायामि । प्र॒मोदायिनी॒म् आव॑हयामि ॥
oṃ śrīya̱m avā̍hayāmi . dhṛtī̱m avā̍hayāmi . pa̱vitrī̱m avā̍hāyāmi . pra̱modāyinī̱m āva̍hayāmi .

श्रीं इति हृदये न्यसेत् । śrīṃ iti hṛdaye nyaset .

bhumi

ॐ मे॒दिनी॑ दे॒वी व॒सुंध॑री स्या॒द् वसु॑धा दे॒वी वा॒सवी᳚ ।
ब्र॒ह्म॒ व॒र्च॒स: पि॑तृणाꣳश्रोत्रं॒ विष्णु॒र्मन: ॥

आयातु भगवती हरिणी श्याम वर्णा स गणा स सैन्या
श्री परमपुरुषसहाया सह देवताभिर् अनुमन्यताम् ।

या नीलोत्पलासना नीलोत्पल हस्ता महा चातक वाहिनी
नित्यम् ऋशिभिस्चानुगामिनीं ताम् अजाम् नीलोत्पल नेत्रीं भगवतीं लम् ।

ॐ हरिणीम् आवाहयामि । पौश्नीम् आवाहयामि । क्षोणीम् आवाहयामि । महीम् आवाहयामि ॥

लं इति हृदये न्यसेत् ।

ॐ धनु॒र्ध॒रायै॑ वि॒द्महे॑ सर्वसि॒द्ध्यै च॑ धीमहि । त॑न्नो धरा प्रचो॒दया᳚त् ॥

oṃ dhanurdharāyai vidmahe sarvasiddhyai ca dhīmahi | tanno dharā pracodayāt ||

56.4 KA: the presence of God is brought over into the kautuka image for 1/6 part (of its completeness as present in the immovable image); into the utsava image for 1/7 part; into the bathing image for 1/8 part; into the the bali image for 1/10 part; into the pedestal for 1/12 part.