Maha Abhishekam of Sree Ishwara
H H Maa Purnananda
“Teshaam Satatyuktaanaam Bhajataam Preetipoorvakam; Dadaami Buddhiyogam Tam Yena Maamupyaanti Tey.” – (Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – 10/10)
“Teshaamevaanukampaartham Ahamagnyaanjam Tamah; Naashyaamyaatmbhaavastho Gnyaandeepen Bhaaswta.” – (Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – 10/11)
Ever since the consecration of Sree Ishwara in 2010, every year on the auspicious day of Kaartik Purnima, the seekers and devotees associated with SISS eagerly await the Maha Abhishekam of Sree Ishwara at Sree Ishwara Darshan Temple, SISS, Noida. This year it is falling on 23rd November and once again the Temple and the whole SISS premises will reverberate with the melodious Sookt's and Mantra's from all the four Ved's.
In the above-mentioned Shlok's of Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, Bhagwaan says that those who are constantly well-united with the divinity and worship Him with love, He blesses them with Buddhiyog, by which, they go to Him. Because, out of mere compassion towards them, He, residing in their heart, destroys the darkness-of-ignorance by the luminous Lamp-of-Knowledge.
Yes, no matter how much the seeker tries to reach the Supreme by various kinds of Saadhna's, it is only by the grace of the Almighty Lord that one can reach Him. Unless the Lord reveals Himself as the very Satchidaanand Swaroop, the egocentric being just cannot rid the darkness-of-ignorance, as, ego itself is the very product of ignorance!
So then, what is the purpose of all the Saadhna's? The purpose of any kind of Saadhna is to purify the mind so that it cooperates with the intellect to adopt scriptural ordinances; and, to integrate oneself so as to achieve steadfastness in devotion towards the Lord. If the seeker is able to achieve these two, wiz. purification of mind and steadfastness of intellect, then such a seeker would doubtlessly be blessed by the Supreme, the Lord assures.
Abhishekam is one of the sixteen steps of the Shodashaupchaar Puja Vidhi prescribed by our Shaastra's, performance of which signifies purification of the amalgamated five great Elements wiz. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth, present in the seeker, which eventually helps him to get integrated from within.Abhishekam is performed by pouring Panchaamritam, which consists of milk, curd, sugar, honey and ghee (clarified butter) signifying the aforesaid five great Elements.
These are either mixed together and poured or each is poured separately; and, could be followed by other Dravya's such as dry-fruits, fruits, herbs, spices and so on. The Holy-waters of Mother Ganga is also poured in regular intervals.
Regular and sincere Puja as per the scriptural ordinance is one of the fundamental steps for self-improvement and elevation. By the time the seeker arrives at the step of offering Abhishekam, for that time at least, the seeker’s mind is supposed to be sufficiently purified to understand and experience the glory of the Lord who has been worshiped by him in a particular form(Vigrah).Hence, the respective Vedic Hymns (Sookt's) are chanted while performing Abhishekam. There are different Sookt's for each Form-representative of the formless Absolute Reality. All of these Sookt's sing the infinite glory of the Infinite Reality. Thus, the whole environment at SISS once again gets charged with serenity reverberating due to the rhythmic and melodious Holy chants.
The brilliant full-moon in the clear skies of that Holy-night of Kaartik Purnima signifies the pure mind, fully blossomed with divine thought-flow (Sajaateeya Vritti Pravaah); a mind which is too eager to merge with the pure intellect that has the ability to distinguish between the Real and the false. A seeker having such an intellect will thereafter be blessed with Buddhi Yog (union of pure intellect with the Divine Self) by the Lord Himself.
When the seeker worships sincerely on Deepaawali, welcoming Sree Ram, Mother Seeta and Sree Lakshman in his heart, he surely needs to offer seat to Them in his pure and luminous divine Heart only. Therefore, the seeker would not like to miss the great opportunity of inculcating such a pure Heart by offering Maha Abhishekam to Sree Ishwara at SISS on Kaartik Purnima!