Homa Abhishekam

a Homa/Abhishekam a 2004-2005 Schedule According to Sanatana Dharma, India’s ancient spiritual tradition, certain ritual practices such as homas and abhishekas have the power to attract divine cosmic energy for the benefit of the practitioner, their household, and the world at large. Amma has explained that these sacred ceremonies purify the Earth’s atmosphere, uplift the community, and contribute to the health and prosperity of the individual. All homas and abhishekas are performed in Amma’s divine presence, which makes the ceremonies many times more effective. A homa is a sacred fire ceremony in which various forms of the Divine are invoked into the fire according to Vedic guidelines. Special offerings are made into the fire while Sanskrit mantras are chanted. The combination of the powerful energy of the fire and the mantras creates purifying vibrations that are beneficial to all present and also to the entire world. Even the damaging effects of natural catastrophes can be reduced through the performance of homas. Every kind of negative karma can be purified by the sacred fire due to divine grace. An abhishekam is a puja involving the bathing of a sacred murti, or idol, with pure substances like milk or honey, accompanied by the chanting of specific mantras. These ablutions symbolize spiritual purification, and each offering

represents fulfillment at all levels. The substances that are poured over the murti also become charged with divine energy. The kumkum and vibhuti that are used in the abhisheka are given as prasad to those who sponsor the ceremonies, as these substances contain the full energy of the puja and transmit the blessings to anyone who touches them. The 2004/2005 schedule of homas and abhishekas to be conducted in India is given below. Attendance is free and open to the public. However, you do not have to be present in person to participate. To sponsor a homa or abhisheka, please fill out the application form on page 4. Please mail it in at least one week in advance of the event. All sponsors will receive prasad that has been energized by the ceremony. Absentee sponsors will receive their prasad in the mail. Prasad often consists of sacred ash or kumkum that has absorbed the divine vibrations of the ceremony, as well as small pendants or malas that have been sanctified by the homa or abhisheka. A number of homas will also be held during the US tour. To find out their location and how to participate, please enquire at the bookstore or visit our website. There you will also find announcements on upcoming homas. Please also look in our quarterly ashram magazine, Purna Prajna.

Homa/Abhishekam Schedule for 2004/2005 HOMA/ABHISHEKAM

DESCRIPTION

DATE

CONTRIBUTION

1. Guru Purnima

Sri Pada Puja to Amma's Lotus Feet

July 2, 2004 in Atlanta, GA

$54

2. Sri Sukta Homa and MahaaLakshmi Puja

Sri Vara Lakshmi Vratam

August 27, 2004

$54

3. Sravana Purnima

Sri Lalita Devi Puja and Abhishekam

August 29, 2004

$27

4. Krishna Jayanti

108 Sri Krishna Salagrama Puja and Abhishekam

September 6, 2004

$27

5. Ganesha Chaturti

Sri Ganesha Homa

September 18, 2004

$54

6. Navaratri

Daily Homas - See Page 3

October 14 - 22, 2004

$151/day

7. Aswayuja Purnima

Sri Lalita Devi Puja and Abhishekam

October 27, 2004

$27

8. Diwali

16 times of Sri Sukta Homa and Sri Dhana Lakshmi Homa

November 12, 2004

$54

9. Kartika Somavaras

Auspicious Mondays for Worship and Abhishekam to Sri Siva

November 15, 22, 29, and December 6, 2004

$27 each

10. Kartika Purnima

Sri Maha Mrutyunjaya Homa

Morning, Nov. 26, 2004

$54

11. Kartika Purnima

Sri Rudra Abhishekam

Evening, Nov. 26, 2004

$54

12. Margasirsha Purnima

Sri Lalita Devi Puja and Abhishekam

December 26, 2005

$27

13. Vaikunta Ekadasi

Salagrama Abhishekam

January 21, 2005

$54

14. Sri Panchami

Sri Saraswati Puja

February 13, 2005

$27

15. Magha Purnima

Sri Lalita Devi Puja and Abhishekam

February 27, 2005

$27

16. Maha Sivaratri

Sri Rudra Homa

Morning, March 8, 2005

$54

17. Maha Sivaratri

Ekadasavara Sri Rudra Abhishekam

Evening, March 8, 2005

$75

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Benefits of Specific Pujas or Homas Each type of homa or abhisheka provides slightly different benefits. The following are brief descriptions of the major homas and abhishekas performed by SMVA Trust in India. 1. Guru Purnima Pada Puja – Guru Purnima is a sacred day that is considered to be the most important day of the entire year for receiving the guru’s blessings. On Guru Purnima, Sri Pada Puja will be performed to the lotus feet of our beloved Amma, Sri Karunamayi. Guru Purnima will be held in the US this year. Please check the website for details. 2. Maha Lakshmi Puja with Sri Sukta Homa – Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi is the form of the Divine Mother who provides Her children with all forms of wealth—wealth of devotion, health, material prosperity and abundance. During the Sri Sukta Homa, the Sri Suktam, a powerful Vedic hymn, will be chanted before the sacred homa fire, bringing spiritual blessings and all forms of prosperity to those who attend or sponsor. 3. Sravana Purnima Devi Puja – The full moon day of the month of Sravana is very auspicious for puja to Sri Lalita Devi. On this day, Devi grants all noble wishes, removes all poverty and sorrow, and bestows an abundance of blessings for prosperity on all levels. 4. Krishna Jayanti Salagrama Abhishekam – During this auspicious puja, abhishekam will be performed to the rare Krishna Salagrama, a naturally formed stone emblem containing the divine energy of Sri Krishna. The blessings from this puja bring immense happiness and spiritual bliss. 5. Ganesh Chaturti Homa – Sri Ganesha graciously removes all obstacles and hindrances from one’s worldly and spiritual life, allowing for success and fulfillment in all worthy endeavors. The homa performed on this important day will invoke Sri Ganesha’s energy in a powerful way. 6. Navaratri Homas – Please see the special section on Navaratri Homas on page 3. 7. Aswayuja Purnima – The full moon day of the month of Aswayuja is very auspicious for puja to Sri Lalita Devi. On this day, Devi grants every kind of victory, removes all fear, protects from every danger, and gives perfection in meditation. 8. Divali Sri Sukta Homa – Divali is known as the “Festival of Lights”, and on this day Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi rushes to bless all of Her children. The Sri Sukta and Sri Dhana Lakshmi Homas will be performed, as these ceremonies increase wealth and inner richness on all levels. 9. Karthika Somavara Rudra Abhishekam – Karthika is the most auspicious month for worshipping Lord Siva, and Mondays are the most auspicious day of the week for His worship. The four Mondays in the month of Karthika are thus dedicated to the performance of abhishekam to Lord Siva. These abhishekas bring mental and physical health, long life, and protection from accidents and untimely death. 10. Karthika Purnima Mrutyunjaya Homa – The full moon day in the month of Karthika is another very auspicious day for the worship of Lord Siva. When the Mrutyunjaya Homa is performed on this day, many diseases and mental disturbances can be healed.

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11. Karthika Purnima Sri Rudra Abhishekam – The abhishekam to Lord Siva on the full moon day in the month of Karthika brings the same benefits as described above for the Mrutyunjaya Homa. 12. Margasirsha Purnima – The full moon day in the month of Margasirsha is very auspicious for puja to Sri Lalita Devi. On this day, Devi grants the supreme knowledge of Brahman, removes all the worldly sorrows, and removes all obstacles from the path of spiritual seekers. 13. Vaikunta Ekadasi Salagrama Abhishekam – Vaikunta is the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu. On Vaikunta Ekadasi, the doors of Vaikunta open wide so that divine blessings can be showered upon the Earth. Abhishekam performed to Maha Vishnu Salagramas on this day is very auspicious for the fulfillment of one’s spiritual goals, and it is said that one who participates in this abhishekam will be blessed with liberation. 14. Sri Panchami – On this most auspicious day for puja to Sri Saraswati Devi, Mother Saraswati grants blessings for all educational and artistic pursuits. She also gives Her full grace for the attainment of the knowledge of Supreme Truth. 15. Magha Purnima – The full moon day in the month of Magha is very auspicious for puja to Sri Lalita Devi. On this day, Devi gives protection from illness and untimely death, removes all sins, and grants longevity so that one’s spiritual goals may be attained. 16. Maha Sivaratri Rudra Homa – Please see page 3 for a description of this most auspicious homa on the occasion of Maha Sivaratri. 17. Maha Sivaratri Ekadasavara Rudra Abhishekam – Please see page 3.

Special Offer for Homas/Abhishekas 1. All homas and abhishekas, excluding Navaratri.

$504

2. All ten Navaratri homas.

$1,008

3. All homas and abhishekas, including Navaratri.

$1,512

Navaratri Homas October 14 – 23, 2004 Amma has explained that the Divine Mother showers Her greatest blessings during the nine days of Navaratri. These nine days are the most auspicious days during the entire year for devotees of the Divine Mother, and during this time devotees offer special prayers to Devi for success over all forces of inner and outer negativity. During Navaratri, Devi is worshipped in three major forms as Sri Saraswati Devi, Sri Lakshmi Devi, and Sri Mahishasura Mardini. Thus, practices done during Navaratri bring every kind of blessing from Devi, including devotion, spiritual knowledge, divine protection and energy, and so on. The day following the nine days of Navaratri is known as “Vijayadasami”, or the “Day of Victory”. This most auspicious day celebrates the occasion of Divine Mother’s victory over all forces of evil, and it is also the day on which Amma chose to incarnate in physical form. The homas described below will be performed at Amma’s Bangalore Ashram on each day of Navaratri as well as on Vijayadasami. Amma personally instructs the Vedic pandits who perform the homas so that the maximum auspiciousness and benefits will be generated for the entire world. These homas have tremendous power to radiate peace to the entire world, and those who sponsor these homas are performing a wonderful act of merit. Not only will sponsors benefit themselves and their families by participating, they will also be benefiting the world. It is an extraordinary opportunity to be able to participate in these sacred homas. NAVARATRI HOMAS PERFORMED EACH DAY

Homa 1. Sri Ganesha 2. Sri Mrutyunjaya 3. Sri Gayatri 4. Sri Suktam 5. Sri Saraswati 6. Nakshatra 7. Nava Graha 8. Sri Rudra 9. Sri. Lalita

Benefits Removes life obstacles. Provides spiritual, mental, and physical healing. Increases spiritual energy and purifies all sins. Increases prosperity and inner richness on all levels. Bestows knowledge, creativity and divine consciousness. Relieves adverse astrological effects from one’s birth star. Relieves adverse astrological effects from the nine planets. Improves wealth, wisdom, virtue and valor. Grants divine grace and spiritual liberation.

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Maha Sivaratri Rudra Homa & Ekadasavara Rudra Abhishekam - March 8, 2005 Maha Sivaratri is the one night of the year when the full grace of Lord Siva showers down on the Earth. On this day, it is extremely auspicious to engage in spiritual practices, and the very powerful Sri Rudra Homa and Abhishekam will be performed at Amma’s Bangalore Ashram. These two ceremonies are uniquely auspicious. They will be performed in Amma’s divine presence, which will make their effects even more powerful. The Rudra Homa is a very powerful fire ceremony that has the power to burn all negativity, including negative karma, unfavorable astrological influences, diseases and mental disturbances. When it is done on Maha Sivaratri, Lord Siva’s blessings and compassion flow abundantly toward the entire world. The Ekadasavara Rudra Abhishekam is a special abhishekam in which eleven different ingredients are used to bathe a sacred Narmada Siva Lingam. These ingredients include milk, yogurt, clarified butter (ghee), coconut water, sugar cane juice, holy ash, Ganges water, pieces of fruits, sandal paste, sugar, and honey. During each offering, special Siva mantras are chanted in a specific way by the Vedic priests. As a result, the offerings become tremendously charged with spiritual energy, and when the sacred ash is distributed as prasad, those who receive it receive the direct blessings of Lord Siva’s compassionate love. Amma herself performs the abhishekam of the Narmada Siva Lingam, adding her own divine energy to the prasad. Amma has stated that those who sponsor these ceremonies immediately receive the grace of Lord Siva, as well as true wealth, wisdom, peace, inner prosperity, virtue and valor. In addition, all types of mental and physical health problems can be relieved. Included in this year’s Maha Sivaratri celebration will be the performance of the Sri Ganesha Homa, Navagraha Shanti Homa, Sri Mrutyunjaya Homa, Guru Graha Shanti Homa, Sri Lalita Trisati Homa and Ekadasavara Rudra Homa. These special homas shield and protect the participant from any adverse influences.

SMVA Trust 2004-2005 Homa/Abhishekam Application Form Payments to SMVA Trust in the USA for homas & abhishekas are tax deductible.

Homa Selection: (choose from page 1)

£1 £ 10

£2 £ 11

£3 £ 12

£4 £ 13

£5 £ 14

£7 £ 15

£8 £ 16

£9 £ 17

£

6 For Navaratri Applications Only: On each of the ten days of the Navaratri festival, the full selection of homas will be performed (see page 3). Circle any combination of days and calculate the total amount below. Circle the dates of your choice: October

14

15

16

17

Total Number of Days

18

19

20

21

22

23

times $151 per day = $

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