32 - Worship of Pancha-Tattvas

 Here pancha-tattvas obviously mean the five-fold forms of Vişhnu, namely, (i) Vasudeva, (ii) Shankarana, (iii) Pradyumna, (iv) Aniruddha and (v) Nárāyana. The worship of the five-fold forms of Vishnu is the basis of the Pancharatra- sect of Vaishnavism.  

Maheshvara said: 

1. O! Lord! bearing shankha, chakra, and gada! Please ex- pound the Pancha-Tattvarchana (the worship of five principles) of worship by knowing which entirely a man attains the supreme region. 

Hari said: 

2. O Shankara of splendid vows! I shall expound the worship of Pancha-Tattvas that is auspicious, divine, esoteric and yields all wishes. 

3-4. It is holy and destructive of the bad effects of Kali age. Listen. Vāsudeva is the only eternal supreme soul, imperishable, tranquil, permanent, pure, omnipresent and unsullied. Hari himself by means of his Maya stands five-fold. 

5-6. To bless the Universe and destroy the wicked entirely. The five-fold forms are: - Vasudeva2, Sankarshana3, Pradyumna4, Aniruddha5, and Nārāyaņa6. Vişhņu alone stands in all these forms.

2. Krishņa, a son of Vasudeva.

3. Balarama, another son of Vasudeva.

4. Son of Krishna by Rukmini, father of Aniruddha.

 5. Son of Pradyumna. Grandson of Krishna. 

6. A common name for Vişhnu. Literally it means the son of Nara, the primordial man,  

7. O Vruşhadhvaja! Listen to the mantras expressing these. Om Am obeisance to Vasudeva; Om Am obeisance to Sankarşhana; Om Am obeisance to Pradyumna; Om obeisance to Aniruddha, Om obeisance to Nārāyaṇa. 

8. Thus I have expounded the mantras expressing the five deities. They remove all sins, destroy all sicknesses. They are holy. 

9. Now I shall explain the auspicious worship of Pancha- tattvas, by what all means it shall be performed and with what all mantras, O Shankara. 

10-11. The devotee shall first take his bath and then perform Sandhya. Then going to the chamber of worship let him wash his hands and feet and perform Achamana, He shall then sit in a comfortable position as he wishes; then let him perform the rite of Shoshana etc. (wiping dry) with the mantras Am Kshraum Ram. 

12. By unhardening the Samans let him prepare an egg and breaking it meditate on the supreme god in the egg. 

13-14. In the heart lotus of oneself he shall first meditate on Vasudeva the lord of the universe, wearing the silken yellow robes, resplendent like a thousand suns, and with glittering earring shaped like Makara fish. Afterwards Sankarşhaņa the lord of self shall be meditated upon. 

15. Thereafter Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Shriman1 (prosperous Nārāyana shall be meditated upon. Then he should think of the gods Indra and others springing from that Lord of lords. 

1. Literally it means with Lakşhmi'.

16. Then Nyasa shall be performed on both the hands. The pervading Anganyasa shall be with the root mantra and Angamantras. 

17. Mahadeva of good vows! listen to those mantras. Om Am obeisance to the heart. Om Im obeisance to the head. Om Om obeisance to the tuft. Om Aim obeisance to the Kavacha. Oth Aum obeisance to the three eyes. Om Ah phat to the Astra. 

18. Om obeisance to Achyuta2 with all his followers; Om obeisance to Dhätru; Om obeisance to Vidhätru; Om obeisance to Adhara Shakti; Om obeisance to Kurma3; Om obeisance to Adanta; Om obeisance to the earth; Om obeisance to Dharma; Om obeisance to jñāna (knowledge); Om obeisance to Vairagya (non-attachment); Om obeisance to Aishvarya (prosperity); Om obeisance to Adharma (evil); Om obeisance to Ajñāna (Ignorance); Om obeisance to Anaishvarya (impoverished State); Om obeisance to the solar zone; Om obeisance to Lunar zone; Om Mam obeisance to the fiery zone; Om Vam obeisance to Vasudeva the supreme Brahman, the auspicious, the lustre-featured, the pervading and the imperial lord of all deities. On obeisance to Panchajanya. Om obeisance to Sudarshana. Om obeisance to Gada. Om obeisance to Padma, Om obeisance to Shri (prosperity); Om obeisance to Kriya (action, rite); Om obeisance to Pushti (Nourishment); Om obeisance to Giti; Om obeisance to Shakti; Om obeisance to Priti (satisfaction); Om obeisance to Indra, Om obeisance to Agni (Fire-god). Om obeisance to Yama (God of Death); Om obeisance to Nirruti; Om obeisance to Varuna; Om obeisance to Vāyu (Wind-god); Om obeisance to Soma (Moon); Om obeisance to Ishana; Om obeisance to Ananta; Om obeisance to Brahman; Om obeisance to Vishvaksena; Om obeisance to Padma. 

1. The solar zone. 

2. Vişhnu or Krishna.

3. The tortoise incarnation of Vişhnu. 

19. O Rudra, I have succinetly expounded the Mantras. The worship has to be performed in such zones (mystic diagrams) as Svastika etc. 

20. After performing Anganyāsu all Mudrās shall be shown. The Atman and Vasudeva the great lord shall be meditated upon. 

21. The devotee shall then worship the seat after duly invoking it. O Vrushadhvaja, the worship of Dhātru and Vidhatru shall be performed at the doorway. 

22. O Shankara, in front of Vasudeva the devotee shall worship Garuda and in the middle (all his paraphernalia) from Shankha to Padma shall be worshipped. 

23. From cast onwards (in the four quarters) Dharma, jnäna, Vairagya and Aishvarya shall be worshipped and in the four corner quarters beginning with south-cast Adharma and the three others shall be worshipped. 

24. The seat is fixed in the middle of the two Mandalas. Sankarshana and others are to be worshipped in the eastern and other petals. 

25. In the pericarp Väsudeva the great Lord shall be worshipped. Pañchajanya and others are to be worshipped as fixed in the north-east, etc. 

26. O Shankara! the Shaktis of the god of gods are to be worshipped in the east. Indra and other guardians of quarters are to be worshipped fixed in their respective stations, 

27. The Naga (Serpent) shall be worshipped below and the Brahmä high above by the scholarly devotee. O Shankara! The order of fixation shall be understood thus by you. 

28. After invoking the Lord in the Mandala and performing his Nyasa and showing the mudra, O Shankara, Padya (water for washing feet) shall be given at the foot. 

29. Bathing garment offering, Achamana, Namaskara (bowing down), circular peregrination all these shall be offered at the foot. Then the Japa shall be dedicated. 

30. Afterwards remembering Vasudeva let this hymn be recited: Om obeisance unto Vasudeva, obeisance unto Sankarşhaņa. 

31. Obeisance unto Pradyumna the first deity; obeisance to Aniruddha; obeisance to Nārāyana the lord of men. 

32. Obeisance, obeisance, unto the primordial Being, worthy of respect of men, of being glorified, of being honoured; the giver of boons and devoid of beginning and death. 

33. Obeisance unto Him the creator and destroyer, the lord of Brahmā; obeisance unto Him who can be known through Vedas and who holds Shankha and Chakra. 

34. Obeisance unto the Lord of gods who destroys the sin of Kalt-age, who cuts down the tree of worldly existence and who pierces Māyā (thc ignorance, Illusion). Obeisance, obeisance. 

35. Obeisance unto Him of diverse forms, the holy o holies, having the three Gunas, obeisance, obeisance. Obeisance to Him who awards salvation and who manifests Himself as Brahma, Vişhņu and Ishvara1. Obeisance, obeisance.

1. Shiva. 

36. Obeisance unto him who is the path to salvation, who is virtue, who is the extinction (of bondage), who gives all desires, who has the form of Parabrahman2.

2. The Supreme Being, God. 

37. O Lord of the Universe, save me deeply immersed in the ocean of worldly existence of terrific nature, Other than you there is no better saviour. 

38. I have sought refuge under you the omnipresent: release me from darkness by giving me the lamp of knowledge. 

39. O Nilalohita (Shiva)! for the destruction of all pain, the lord of gods shall be praised by means of this hymn and similar hymns from the Vedas. 

40. The devotee shall meditate within his heart on Vişhnu accompanied by the Five Tattvas. Then the Visarjana shall be performed. Thus I have ex-pounded the worship, 

41. By reciting this, O Shankara, the hymn shall award him all desires. He shall be having the satisfaction of having done his duty. 

42. He who reads this worship entitled Pañchatattovarchana, he who hears this and he who repeats this shall attain the region of Vişhņu.