Devārcana
Devārcana · deva-arcana, “the pūjā of the devas”
Grammar: neuter noun, a compound of deva and arcana (pūjā, honouring): “the pūjā of the devas”.
Meaning: the pūjā of the devatās with Veda mantras, done at the proper tithi. It is known as pūrvakarma. The pūjā of the pitṛs with the devas, pitṛ-devārcana, is known as aparakarma.
In the scriptures: In the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, in the Sāvitrī Upākhyāna, Yamadharmarāja teaches Sāvitrī which deeds bring the pāpa of brahmahatyā by extension (atideśika). One who does not perform the devārcana and the pitṛ-devārcana with Veda mantras, known as pūrvakarma and aparakarma, receives it.
Among those who receive the fruit of gohatyā are one who eats the food of a childless widow, one who lives by giving his own wife to others, the brāhmaṇa who does not perform sandhyāvandana at the three sandhyās, one who does not perform pitṛ-devārcana at all the proper times and devārcana at the proper tithi, and one who does not honour a guest who comes to his house. Any being who steps over the water used at devārcana, the naivedya offered to the deity or the flowers and the like also receives the fruit of gohatyā (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 30).
When a brāhmaṇa unites with a śūdra woman, all the puṇya he has gathered for a crore of births is destroyed, the puṇya of his sandhyā, tapas and devārcana. He gets the pāpa of drawing toddy and of eating on Ekādaśī, and he goes without fail to the naraka Kumbhīpāka (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 30).
Related terms: Pūrvakarma · Aparakarma · Pitṛ-pūjā · Sandhyāvandana · Naivedya
Sources
- Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 30