Mahābhūtaghaṭa
Mahābhūtaghaṭa · mahā-bhūta-ghaṭa, “the jar of the great elements”
Grammar: masculine noun; mahā-bhūta (the great elements) with ghaṭa (jar).
Meaning: the jar of the great elements, a jar of gold given as dāna.
In the scriptures: Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira the supreme Mahābhūtaghaṭa-dāna, which destroys the mahāpātakas (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 183; it is named in the list of dānas at Chapter 181).
The jar. On a puṇya day the courtyard is smeared and a kumbha of gold is made, with ratnas. Its size is from one prādeśa up to one hundred aṅgulas; its weight, according to means, from five palas to one hundred palas. It is filled with milk and ghee, and the Kalpavṛksha is set beside it.
What is established. There Brahmā, Vishṇu and Maheśvara are established on padmāsanas, and the Lokapālas, Indra and the others, each with his own vāhana. The Vedas are established as images: Ṛgveda with an akshasūtra; Yajurveda with a lotus; Sāmaveda holding a vīṇā; Atharvaveda holding a sruk and wearing a beautiful garland; and the Purāṇa, the fifth Veda, with akshasūtra, kamaṇḍalu and the varada-mudrā. Round the jar are set the seven grains, foot-sandals, shoes, an umbrella, a cāmara, a bed and the like.
The gift. Pūjā of the jar is done with garlands of flowers and other upacāras. At an auspicious muhūrta the giver bathes, makes three pradakshiṇās of the jar and of the Veda images and the rest, and prays: since there is nothing in this world without the Mahābhūtas, and all is made of them, may this jar give me śānti; all the devas are established in it by Viśvakarmā; worshipped with bhakti, may they give me śānti. He honours the brāhmaṇa with cloth, ornaments and the like, gives him the jar at a puṇya time, makes pradakshiṇā and asks forgiveness of the brāhmaṇa.
The phala. One who gives the jar by this rule goes to Śivaloka with twenty-one generations. When the puṇya is spent he comes to this world and becomes a dhārmika king, unconquerable by enemies, valiant, devoted to kshatriya-dharma, learned, and a bhakta of the devas and brāhmaṇas.
Related terms: Kalpavṛksha · Mahāpātaka · Saptadhānya · Pradakshiṇā
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 181, 183