Abesh Purkait: update

2026-03-13T12:10:50Z

update

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:40, 13 March 2026
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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2016}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2016}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=July 2016}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=July 2016}}
	~~{{one source\|date=October 2020}}~~		'''Kumbhabhishekam''' or '''Samprokshanam''', is a [[Hindu]] ritual that is performed during the consecration of [[Hindu temples\|temples]].<ref name="Kumba">{{cite web \|url=http://pluralism.org/religions/hinduism/the-hindu-experience/consecration-kumbhabhishekam/ \|title=Consecration: Kumbhabhishekam \|work=The Pluralism Project \|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
	[[File:First day ituals of Kumbhabhishekam of retoration of Gunjanarasimha Swamy temple.jpg\|thumb\|right\|First day [[Vedic]] rituals of Kumbhabhishekham of the restoration of the Gunjanarasimha Swamy Temple]]
	''''~~'Kumbhabhishekham''''', also known as~~ '''''Samprokshanam''''' is a [[Hindu]] ~~temple~~ ritual that is ~~believed to homogenize, synergize and unite the mystic powers of the deity. It is part of~~ the consecration ~~ceremony~~ of Hindu temples.<ref>{{~~Cite~~ web\|url=http://pluralism.org/religions/hinduism/the-hindu-experience/consecration-kumbhabhishekam/\|title=Consecration: Kumbhabhishekam ~~{{!}}~~ The Pluralism Project~~\|website=pluralism.org~~\|access-date=~~2020-01-10~~}}</ref> ''Kumbha'' means the Head and denotes the ''Shikhara'' or Crown of the Temple (usually in the ''[[gopuram]]'') and ''[[Abhiṣeka\|abhisekham]]'' or ''prokshanam'' is ritual bathing. Kumbhabhishekham is widely celebrated as a festival in [[South India]].

	On the appointed day and at an auspicious time, the ''Kumbha'' is bathed with the charged and sanctified holy waters in the sacrificial pot and, by a mystic 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 until then only a [[granite]] sculptured stone image, is believed to transform into a vibrant and vivid living representation of the [[deva (Hinduism)~~\|~~deva~~]] ~~with innate beatitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all devotees.~~		== Etymology ==
			[[File:Sri Pathirakaali Amman Lord Veerabhadra Swamy temple kumbabishekam 2014.JPG\|thumb\|Kumbhabhishekham being performed]]

	~~==Ashtabandhanam==~~		'Kumbhabhishekam' is derived from the combination of two words–'[[kumbha]]' meaning 'pot' and '[[abhishekam]]' meaning 'pouring' or 'sprinkling', which denotes the pouring of sacred waters bought in the kumbha over the [[kalasha]] of the temple during the consecration ceremony.<ref name="Kumba"/> 'Samprokshanam' is used in synonymous with the consecration ceremony, which broadly means purification, and used in [[Vaishnavism\|Vaishanva]] temples.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/news_detail.php?id=83929\|title=Difference between Kumbhabhishekam and Samprokshanam\|work=[[Dinamalar]]\|language=ta\|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samprokshanam\|title=Samprokshanam\|work=Wisdom library\|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> Sometimes, the prefix 'maha' is added, which means 'great'.<ref name="Guru">{{cite book\|title=Guru's Wisdom\|author=Bodhinatha Veylanswami\|isbn=978-1-934-14573-9\|publisher=Himalayan Academy Publications\|pages=76-77}}</ref>
	~~[[File:Vishnu Yagna Kunda.jpg\|left\|250px\|thumb\|Priests performing~~ [[~~Vedas\|Vedic~~]] [[~~yajna\|yajña]] at Vishnu Kunda according to [[Vaikhanasas~~]]' ~~agamashastra as part of Kumbhabhishekam at Gunjanarasimhaswamy Temple, T. Narsipur]]~~
	''~~Ashta~~'' ~~means 8~~ in [[~~Sanskrit~~]] ~~and ''Bandhanam'' means tying or fixing~~. '~~'Ashtabandhanam'~~' is the ~~process of affixing an icon to its pedestal (''peetham'') with a clay-like paste made of 8 specific herbs mixed with wood lac~~, ~~limestone powder~~, ~~resin, red ochre, beeswax~~ and ~~butter~~. ~~The paste is formed into long rolls about 2 cm thick~~ and ~~applied directly around the base of the icon, so that the cemented joints become watertight~~. ~~This process is believed to keep the icon rejuvenated for a period of 12 years~~. ~~When~~ the '~~'Bandhanam'~~' is ~~performed with gold (~~''~~Swarnabandhanam~~'~~'), the rejuvenating power of the deity is believed to last for a period of 100 years.~~

	~~The ''''''''Ashtabandhanam~~'''''' paste is ~~pliable like rubber. Through repeated interactions with ''abhishekha dravyams'' - materials~~ used to ~~bathe~~ the ~~icon during daily worship like water~~, ~~milk~~, ~~buttermilk~~, ~~sandal paste~~ and ~~oils~~ - and ~~atmospheric~~ [[~~oxidant~~]]s, the ~~paste loses its flexibility~~, ~~becomes rigid~~ and ~~gets riddled~~ with a ~~lot~~ of ~~fissures~~. ~~Through these fissures~~, the ~~''abhisheka dravyams'' percolate~~ and ~~attack the ''~~[[~~Yantra~~]]~~'' embedded under~~ the ~~''peetham''~~, ~~obliterating~~ the ~~''Bijaksharamantras'' -~~- [[~~mantra~~]]~~s of sacred syllables (''~~[[~~Bīja\|bija~~]]'') ~~-- that~~ are ~~inscribed on~~ the ~~''Yantra''~~, and ~~this~~ is believed to ~~contribute~~ to the ~~lowering~~ of the ~~pranic spiritual power~~ of ~~the deity with the passage~~ of ~~time~~.		'Astabandhana', a term usually used in association with the consecration of temples, is derived from the [[Sanskrit]] words 'asta' meaning eight and 'bandhana' meaning tying or fixing, and denotes the eight ingredients that form the paste that is used to fix an icon or idol of a Hindu god to the pedestal. These eight ingredients include [[shellac]] (jatu), [[hematite]] (gairika), [[beeswax]] (siktha), [[agarwood]] [[resin]] (guggulu), [[molasses]] (gula), [[sesame oil]] (taila), [[limestone]] powder (sarkaracurṇa), [[Vateria indica\|white dammar]] resin (sarja), and [[butter]] (navanita).<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ashtabandhana\|title=Ashtabandhana\|work=Wisdom library\|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

			== Rituals ==
			[[File:Vishnu Yagna Kunda.jpg\|thumb\|[[Yagna]] being performed at the yaga sala]]

			Kumbhabhishekam is an important ritual in the consecration of a [[Hindu temple]].<ref name="Nair">{{cite book\|title=Who is a Hindu?\|author=N. T. Nair\|year=1991\|isbn=978-8-185-45707-9\|publisher=Panther Publishers}}</ref> It is usually part of a multi day event which culminates in the ceremony. The rituals are performed by a group of Hindu priests, who chant various [[mantra]]s and perform [[yajna]]s. The yajna, which involves lighting the sacred [[fire]], and offerings to the fire, is conducted in a temporary yaga sala, set up for the ceremony.<ref name="Kumba"/><ref name="Guru"/> The priests often tie a protective thread (raksha bandhana) around their wrists signifying their commitment to the rituals.<ref name="Kumba"/> The ceremony often begins with prayers to [[Ganesha]] to remove any obstacles to the event, and a bhumi puja, performed to invoke the blessings of [[Bhumi (goddess)\|Bhuma Devi]] (mother Earth).<ref name="Kumba"/>

			In the yaga sala, kumbhas (pots), filled with sacred water and decorated with [[mango]] leaves and [[coconuts]] placed on top, are arranged near the fire pits, and [[puja (Hinduism)\|pujas]] are performed. Various offerings such as food grains, flowers, [[ghee]], and [[honey]] are offered to the sacred fire. The rituals at the yaga sala conclude with purnahuati, the final offering and prayer of completion.<ref name="Kumba"/><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/purnahuti\|title=Purnahuti\|work=Wisdom Library\|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> The priests then carry the sacred water pots in a procession around the temple. The water is then poured over the kalashas, mounted atop the [[shikhara]] or [[gopuram]]s (towers).<ref name="Kumba"/><ref name="Guru"/> The idols of the gods are also bathed with the water, and special abhisheka and pujas are performed.<ref name="Guru"/> The consecrated water is sprinkled over the temple premises and the gathered devotees.<ref name="Kumba"/>

			As per [[Hindu literature]], the ritual is believed to invoke and attract divine energy. The ritual usually attract large crowds as the participants are said to get positive benefits from the sprinkling of the holy water.<ref>{{cite book\|title=Journal of Indian History Volume 89, Issues 1-3\|year=2010\|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=zCVoWTgE_G4C\|publisher=[[University of California]]\|pages=52-53}}</ref><ref>{{cite book\|title=Heritage of Bharata Varsha & Sanatana Dharma\|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=B28AAAAAMAAJ\|author=[[Chandrashekharendra Saraswati VIII]]\|year=1973\|publisher=Oriental Cultural Education Society\|pages=73-74}}</ref>

	==References==		==References==
	~~<references />~~		{{reflist}}

	{{Worship in Hinduism}}		{{Worship in Hinduism}}
	~~{{Hinduism footer small}}~~

	[[Category:Rituals in Hindu worship]]		[[Category:Rituals in Hindu worship]]

>Kohlrabi Pickle: Adding short description: "Hindu temple consecration ritual" (Shortdesc helper)

2020-11-24T09:53:06Z

Adding short description: "Hindu temple consecration ritual" (Shortdesc helper)

New page

{{short description|Hindu temple consecration ritual}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{one source|date=October 2020}}
[[File:First day ituals of Kumbhabhishekam of retoration of Gunjanarasimha Swamy temple.jpg|thumb|right|First day [[Vedic]] rituals of Kumbhabhishekham of the restoration of the Gunjanarasimha Swamy Temple]]
'''''Kumbhabhishekham''''', also known as '''''Samprokshanam''''' is a [[Hindu]] temple ritual that is believed to homogenize, synergize and unite the mystic powers of the deity. It is part of the consecration ceremony of Hindu temples.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pluralism.org/religions/hinduism/the-hindu-experience/consecration-kumbhabhishekam/|title=Consecration: Kumbhabhishekam {{!}} The Pluralism Project|website=pluralism.org|access-date=2020-01-10}}</ref> ''Kumbha'' means the Head and denotes the ''Shikhara'' or Crown of the Temple (usually in the ''[[gopuram]]'') and ''[[Abhiṣeka|abhisekham]]'' or ''prokshanam'' is ritual bathing. Kumbhabhishekham is widely celebrated as a festival in [[South India]].

On the appointed day and at an auspicious time, the ''Kumbha'' is bathed with the charged and sanctified holy waters in the sacrificial pot and, by a mystic 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 until then only a [[granite]] sculptured stone image, is believed to transform into a vibrant and vivid living representation of the [[deva (Hinduism)|deva]] with innate beatitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all devotees.

==Ashtabandhanam==
[[File:Vishnu Yagna Kunda.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Priests performing [[Vedas|Vedic]] [[yajna|yajña]] at Vishnu Kunda according to [[Vaikhanasas]]' agamashastra as part of Kumbhabhishekam at Gunjanarasimhaswamy Temple, T. Narsipur]]
''Ashta'' means 8 in [[Sanskrit]] and ''Bandhanam'' means tying or fixing. ''Ashtabandhanam'' is the process of affixing an icon to its pedestal (''peetham'') with a clay-like paste made of 8 specific herbs mixed with wood lac, limestone powder, resin, red ochre, beeswax and butter. The paste is formed into long rolls about 2 cm thick and applied directly around the base of the icon, so that the cemented joints become watertight. This process is believed to keep the icon rejuvenated for a period of 12 years. When the ''Bandhanam'' is performed with gold (''Swarnabandhanam''), the rejuvenating power of the deity is believed to last for a period of 100 years.

The ''''''''Ashtabandhanam'''''' paste is pliable like rubber. Through repeated interactions with ''abhishekha dravyams'' - materials used to bathe the icon during daily worship like water, milk, buttermilk, sandal paste and oils - and atmospheric [[oxidant]]s, the paste loses its flexibility, becomes rigid and gets riddled with a lot of fissures. Through these fissures, the ''abhisheka dravyams'' percolate and attack the ''[[Yantra]]'' embedded under the ''peetham'', obliterating the ''Bijaksharamantras'' -- [[mantra]]s of sacred syllables (''[[Bīja|bija]]'') -- that are inscribed on the ''Yantra'', and this is believed to contribute to the lowering of the pranic spiritual power of the deity with the passage of time.

==References==
<references />

{{Worship in Hinduism}}
{{Hinduism footer small}}

[[Category:Rituals in Hindu worship]]

Kumbhabhishekham - Revision history

Abesh Purkait: update

>Kohlrabi Pickle: Adding short description: "Hindu temple consecration ritual" (Shortdesc helper)