By Smt.Meera Tadipatri
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| Dhatri Havana @ SVK , Phoenix AZ |
This puja is done soon after the completion of Chaturmaasa i.e., during
sharat Rutu, Kartika maasa, Shukla Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, Pournima and
or any tithis closer to this.
Chandogya Upanishad says that Bhagavan stays with the name Rutu to give knowledge to us. He stays in Vasantha rutu and maintains the dharmas in that Rutu and it is period of bloom providing pasture for cattle etc., followed by Grishma, when He stays with that name and swallows all water and thereby provides firewood for the yajna.
In the Varsha, He showers joy providing the much needed water and also cleans the air so much so the sky looks clear during "Sharat Kaala" and as the very name suggests. He as "Sharat" gives prosperity [Sham + raati = giver of prosperity] as it is the harvest time. Whatever that is harvested is offered to Bhagavan who pervades all space and time along with Sridevi and Bhudevi. Those who know His role behind all these, reap the benefit not only in this world but beyond also. Just like how He doesn't have end, so does the fruits gotten by knowing Him and His presence in everything stays eternally with us.
The ghee from cow is considered as very shreshta as it is derived from the cow [one of the Saptanna] and has impact on the mind, vaak and deha. Upanishad says that it is for this reason, the very solid food that is given to the baby is along with ghee and ghee is the first one that is served on the plate for purity and it is thus used mainly in this Havana.
Chandra plays a very important role in giving "pushti" to all plants. In Chandra's brightness, Vayudeva is present [saptanna brAhmana] to give us joy through right knowledge [chandra+ma]. When we know this and do the puja, He will burn our sins [ that come through the "anna" and Chandra is the abhimani for "anna"] which are the root cause of all diseases.
The removal of sins puts us on the path of joy. He is the main indicator of tithi. In addition to this, Chandra is a Pitru Devata who guides the "pitru-gana-devatas" who take care of the departed souls. We need their blessings not only to protect our departed souls but also our progeny.
This puje is a community puje done in the company of sajjanas in the neighbourhood in a vana with all 6 types of trees near a pond/river/water source, and the prasada is partaken in the vana. This is Vana Bhojana.
During this month, the maasa niyamaka Indira Damodara has vishesha sannidhana in the Dhatri-Tulasi tree.
As always when we worship, we have to know the pancha bheda:
1. JaDa-JaDa bheda = the external deha of all plants and jivas that perish.
2. JaDa-jiva bheda = difference between the jaDa prakruta deha of the plant Dhatri, and the indweller jivas called Dhatri which undergoes sukha-dukha.
3. JaDa-Ishvara = Diff. between the jaDa Dhatri plant, and the its niyamaka Sarvavyapaka Bhagavan Dhatri.
4. Jiva-Jiva bheda - difference among the indweller vruxa jiva Dhatri, its abhimani devatas called Dhatri-s, and Laxmi devi called Dhatri.
5. Jiva and Ishvara bheda = various chetanas present in that plant Dhatri and the sarva niyamaka Bhagavan called Dhatri.
This Indira Damodara has chaturbhuja with Shankha, Gada, Chakra and Padma and His prabhavali is like that of Bandhuka flower [red aura]. He is meditated as "Svatantra", "Sarvamula", "Sarva Jagat Dharaka", and Poshaka. The very name "Dhatri" implies the Dharaka and Poshaka stri rupa present in Laxmi called Dhatri.
The purpose of the puje is to show our gratitude to the Lord for bring us into this shrushti and providing the support for our deha, indriya, prana by providing food and energy to do the karma. The karma when done properly with this gratitude and knowledge that He is the sarva karma karta and Kaarayita, removes the sorrow. It is in our experience that no matter how much we try, every human action has some defect or the other and this binds us again in samsaara. This is especially true during Daxinaayana which is considered as the "night time" of the devatas and the influence is more to do karmas that further bind us [pravrutta karma].
The all compassionate Bhagavan gives us these opportunities to overcome these flaws.
The saadhaka has to get up early in the morning and light the deepa when the naxatras are still there and pray Indira Damodara that we are going to Dhatri Vana for the puje and that He should protect us so that there is no obstacles to the puje. In the vana, the four corner peeta is placed under the Dhatri tree as the base and on top of this, 3 steps representing Svetadvipa, Ananthasana and Vaikunta are kept. A silk cloth is spread to keep Indira Damodara dressed up in all vaibhava.
Alternately, vaastu mandala can be drawn on a prepared ground or on a plate of rice and shodasha upachara puje to be done as per Tantra Saara. To the west of this, homa kundala with Agni is invoked. In the surrounding trees, in all the eight directions, all parivaara dik devatas sannidhana is thought of.
Havana or homa means [hu =daane] "giving away". That is one should give away his mamakaara and note that everything belongs to God and devatas as they are the ones who have given us all these. Thus, as a token of gratitude when this homa is done, the Lord accepts it.
This puje that we do to Devatas and their indwelling Bharathi Ramana Mukhyaprana has two parts:
1. Hutam
2. Prahutam
Hutam is that which is offered through Agni. Our nitya vaishvadeva etc., come under this category.
Prahuta is that which is outside the agni mukha like the bali harana or any puje we do with flowers, fruits etc.
The ahuti is given to the Stri rupas of Narayana present in Laxmi 21 times by invoking His 21 gunas:
**1. Dhatri
2. Shanti
3. Kanti
4. Maaya
5. Prakruti
6. Vishnu Patni
7. Mahalaxmi
8. Ramaa
9. Kamala
10. Indira
11. Loka Maata
12. Kalyani
13. Mangala
14. Saavitri
15. Jagaddhatri
16. Gayathri
17. Sudhruti
18. Avyakta
19. Vishvarupa
20. Shri
21. Abdhitanaya.
For the havis, kadamba made of apupa, Gud, supam/dhal and separately ghee is poured.
After this offering in the Agni, the second one aka Prahutam is given as bali meaning puje by keeping the havis in all eight directions starting from the East. All the bhaktas should do pradaxina namaskara to Sarva devatantargata Bharati Ramana Mukhyapranantargata Indira Damodara present in these trees and especially in the root of the plant as Dharaka.
If the above facility is not there just make a mental picture of Dhatri rupa in Dhatri tree [cf. karuna sandhi # 22] and do kaayika pradaxina namaskara.
As always it is not the mere action but the knowledge of as to whom we are worshipping, removes all our doshas. His sannidhana in us increases to guide us in the right direction.
Thus the guna chintana is:
Dhatri means Dharaka, Poshaka, Sarva Ashraya. Bhagavan is the Svanatra Dharaka not only for the world outside but also to the indwelling soul. Upanishads caution us that one who forgets the ashraya/support and does any karma, nothing meaningful will come out of it as he is ignorant and/or ungrateful to the very support on which he is taking shelter [BU # 1.4.9].
During kArtika mAsa, Indira Damodara is the niyamaka. The Laxmirupa is Indira meaning the one who gives aishvarya both in the worldly sense as well as the superior boon of knowledge about the giver of all aishvarya i.e., Damodara.
He is Damodara - [vsn #368, based on Sri Bannanje Govindacharya's VSN ]:
1. the one supports all 14 lokas
inside Him.
2. The one who is free from dosha
[udgatadoshhatvaat = udara]
3. the one who can be obtained by
those who have indriya nigraha/self-control, aka Bhaktas. To such people He
gives eternal joy. [ damana = control of
indriyas; and those who have that is daama; uda = jiva; ra = giver of ananda]
4. To those who do
"daana", He gives bliss [ da= daane; amodha = alaukika ananda; ra =
gives]
5. One who accepts the "offerings"
from the bhaktas who worship Him as the destroyer of evil.
6. One who gets bound with bhakti
paasha like what He did to his mother Yashoda. [kattuvara bhava kattu
biDisuvanu]
7. da + ama + ut + a+ ra:
a. He is the svatantra giver of
everything. How much or what He can He give?
b. Immeasurable giver = amitac. That's why the devatas worship Him as "ut" and adhika
d. For those who think about Him like this, He removes their paapa as He is "ra", the agni beeja vacchya and burns away the sins that is hindering us in the form of diseases and ignorance.
As for the Vana Bhojana, Bhagavan is present in them too. In the Talavakaara Upanishad, Chaturmukha instructs Shiva to worship Bhagavan as "Tat Vanam" meaning worship the indweller as Aniruddha as being all pervading ["Tat"] who regulates the mind towards all matters but never shows Himself fully to anyone as He is Ananta.
He is worship worthy [Vana = Vananiya]. He is the one who not only gives the bliss but also makes us experience the bliss called Bhojana.
With, this in mind, one does the dhaatri havana with vana bhojana, it becomes a yajna.
** Reference:
Dharma Sindhu dvitiya parichchheda
Vratanushtana Paddhati by Sri Chaturvedi Vedavyasacharya
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Pics courtesy : Smt.Priya Ramanathan
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Shri KrishNArpaNamastu !
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