DEEPOJVALANAM [LIGHTING LAMP]

DEEPOJVALANAM [LIGHTING LAMP]

Dr T P Sasikumar
9911484007 / dr_tps@yahoo.com

SUN
Sun is the oldest concept of god in human, probably with the realization that without sun we cannot live or seeing it as a wonder in nature; likewise wind (air), water etc. Sun GOD is prathyaksham (the visible / evident).

…nama prathyaksha devaaya bhaskaraaya namo nama….

Among the five traditional concepts in GOD (surya, ganapathy, vishnu, siva, sakthi); many temples are not seen for the SUN in contrast to the other four. But concept of sun got into many of the prayers and poojas. The dwijan (Brahmins on puja activity) are to have gayathri practice praying sun.

Sun have cleansing power. Sunrays are invited by priests to make ordinary water into theertham / sankujalam.

ima aapa siva subha
sudhaascha nirmala paavanaa seethalaaschaiva
poothaa sooryasya rasmihbihi

Sunlight can make water cells to change its shape as water gets energized. It is found that drinking energized water purifies the blood.

Sunlight concentrated to ajna chakra (center place between eye-brows at joining at nose) through crystal is being used for treating psychic patience, called crystal therapy. This justifies the Gayathri chanting with inner meaning - asking for sun to enlighten.

ENLIGHTENMENT

om bhor bhuvasuvaha,
om tat sa vithurvarenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi,
dheeyo-yonah pracho dayathu

May there be peace on mortal, immortal and divine planes. I meditate upon the most brilliant splendor of the Sun. May he stimulate our intellect so that we are inspired to take the right action at the right time.

The presence of sun is seen in the Agni. Agni in the personified and purified form is the lighted lamp.

DEEPAM
Lighted Lamp (Deepam) is an energy generator. A normal Deepam can harmonize around 30 feet radius area. Lamp can be lighted in ghee or high-density-oil. The highly viscous fluid has the capacity to rise through the wick, as they are non-Newtonian fluids. Wick is only the saakshi (the tool) and ghee or oil is what is being lighted. Thus the number of wicks (as misunderstood by many) has no sanctity. It is the deepam (flame / jwala / naalam / varthyam) what is to be counted.

eka varthyam mahaavyaadhi
dwi varthisthu mahath dhanam
thrivarthyam mohamaalasyam
chathurvarthyam daridratha
panjavarthisthu bhadram syaal
dwivarthyam sushobhanam

One naalam is not healthy, two is wealthy, three makes greedy and tired, four give poverty and five is prosperity. But the poet concluded by saying two are enough.

subham karoti kalyanam
arogyam dhyanasampada
shatrubuddhirvinasaya
deepajyotirnamostute

Let the light provide the light to make the activity better, let it provide health and concentration. I salute the light that destroys enmity (see the great thought - not the enemy but the enmity is that is being destroyed).

kalyana namakaram kalmashaghnam
kamrakaram kandhi dhoothandakaram
sandhyalakshmee kanda sootraikaratnam
deepajyothir mangalam nasthanothu

Glory the name you have who destroy gloominess, make the beauty with deleting darkness; your glow is like the rathnam on the sandhyalakshmi’s neck; I salute you light.

Deepam is to provide light. Thus while lighting the lamp devotee and the god have to be in light. Symbolically one flame has to be towards bhaktha and other must be for god. Generally pooja room faces east or west. Two flames in the lamp - one to east and other to west. In the presence of light both devotee and God joins, as athma and paramathma; indicated by the chin mudra (Jnana mudra) - joining pointing finger to thump.

LIGHT

om asathoma sath gamaya

thamasoma jyothir gamaya

mruthyorma amrutham gamaya

ohm! santhi santhi santhi

Oh Lord please lead me from the unreal to real. Lead me from darkness to light i.e., ignorance to knowledge, Lead me from death to immortality. May there be peace, peace and perfect peace.

KNOWLEDGE

ajaana thimirandasya
jnaananjana salakaya
chakshoorunmeelitham ena
thasmai sree gurave namaha

Not having knowledge is like cataract in the eye. Knowledge is the medicine. Having removed the cataract the eye can see the light. Thus the GURU (doctor) who gives knowledge (medicine) is the one who leads us from darkness to light.

GURU leads us to the light, never explains. Once you are in light, you view and realize. Thus the sun, light and lamp have an inner meaning to convey to the devotees. Let us have that blessing to see that light of blissfulness, enlightenment and realization.
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drtpsasikumar@gmail.com 9502038875