When we think of the Tirumala Tirupathi,two things immediately come to our mind. One is the darshan of Lord Balaji and the other is the yummy laddu. After hours and hours of waiting, when we finally get closer to the sanctum the divine fragrances welcome us and we feel goosebumps as the moment has finally arrived to get a glimpse of God of Kaliyugam,Lord Venkateshwara. What a blissful moment it is, in life. Though we just get only two to three seconds to see the Lord Venkateshwara, it is totally a sensory delight. It is amazing to see the Lord magnificently dressed in ornaments and flowers and the divine fragrances feels like heaven with a rush of positive vibrations filling the place and hearing the sounds of his Nama, the mind attains the utmost peaceful state and it is such a divine spiritual experience. You might be wondering,what Pooja items do they use in Tirumala Tirupati to create such divine fragrances. This post will give you all the information.
Lord Venkateshwara Abhishekam
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Every Friday post the Suprabatha Seva, Srivari Abhishekam is observed.
The Abhishekam starts with sacred water brought from Akasa Ganga Theertham, then with Milk, then with Chandanam(sandalwood) and other scented articles like powdered Pachcha Karpooram, Saffron paste and drops of civet oil. Among the scented articles used, the most powerful is the few drops of civet oil.
In Firday Abhishekam, we can see the idol of Balaji without any ornaments, vastras (except the hands holding Chakra and Sankha) which is really once in a lifetime experience.The Abhishekam is done with all the ingredients and drops of Civet oil is wiped on Lord Balaji with a soft cotton towel. This leaves a lasting fragrance.
The civet oil is the main reason for the divine fragrance that pulls the devotees towards Bangaru Vaikli(the golden Doorway) to meet our beloved Lord Venkateshwara. So now we know the secret, let’s dig deeper to know about this oil.
What is Civet oil(Punugu)
The Civet oil is extracted from a rarely living cat species called the Civet cat. It is called Punugu in Tamil. Wait!!! Do not think that the cat is killed to extract this perfume.
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Most Punugu Cats, Small Indian Civet have perineal scent glands, which secrete a musk like substance from a gland near its tail.When the Punugu cat turns two years old, once in every ten days, the cat rubs its perineal glands by raising its tail on diverse species of trees, shrubs, grass, dry logs, poles, and rocky surfaces. A thick musky fluid is obtained.It is then purified and mixed with various other fragrant substances and used in the Abhishekam . This ritual of using Civet Oil, is being conducted from time immemorial for Lord Venkateswara Abhishekam every Friday.
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It is not only used in Tirumala Triupati but also in many temples in TamilNadu.
At the Srirangam temple in Trichy, civet oil is used to clean the stone idol during the Ashada Masam when the temple is closed for a month. Similarly it is used at Sri Krishna temple in Udupi, Jagannath Temple in Puri, Lakshmi temple in Kolhapur, Vaitheeswaran Temple in Chennai and also at the Simhachalam temple near Visakhapatnam.
How is Civet oil obtained in Tirupati?
While many other temples buy Civet in bulk from the market, Tirumala Tiupati is the only temple to have a dairy farm to breed these cats. The civet cat is bred in Venkateswara Dairy Farm. Nine animals are taken care in its dairy.
They put a sandalwood log in the cages of civet cat and allow them to rub their perennial glands against the log.Civet cat, the nocturnal animal that lives normally in bushy woods,is taken care well in the dairy farms cages, with fans to cool it and meat to feast on. The nine animals put together secrete 10 gm of of civet every week, that will be purified by the dairy staff before the offering.
This animal belongs to the ‘viverridae’ family and six of the 15 varieties are found in India. Of them, the Small Indian Civet (vivericula indica) and Common Palm Civet or Toddy Civet/Malabar Civet (parabouxus hermaphroditus) are the two varieties found south of the Vindhyas. A problem in the long run to the TTD is about the availability of the animal. At present, it is dependent on tribals or the native inhabitants of the jungle for procuring it. They capture new-borns and hand them over to the dairy,apparently for a price.
There is a saying in olden days that
“Any puja or ritual conducted without using the aromatic substances javvadu, kasturi,aragaja, and punugu bears no fruit.”
Benefits of Civet oil
The sense of smell is a right brain activity which rules memory, emotions and creativity.The Limbic system in the brain, is the residence for all the emotions and has a greater role to play with the creation and development of memories. Civet is known for its remarkable fragrance that is said to instill potential differences in the behavioral and psychological patterns of humans.
The fragrance-containing molecules in the Civet oil pass through the nasal receptors while breathing and are converted to nerve impulses.Then nerve impulses reach other parts of limbic system like Olfactory bulbs and hypothalamus.
Fragrant molecules -> Nerve Impulses -> Reach Olfactory bulbs ->Relax stress hormones
Civet oil contains aphrodisiac, sedative, rejuvenating, stimulating, calming and tonic properties.
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The vital parts of the limbic system obtains the corresponding therapeutic properties as information in the form of nerve impulses. This info is then passed on to the body as instructions to tranquilize, relax the stress hormones, treat hormonal imbalances and calm down the tensed muscles. It is also used to treat many skin disorders and colic condition in children.
Why use fragrant substances for Abhishekam?
Abhishekam is derived from a Sanskrit word, Abhishek which means to wet around or give ritual bath to deities. In sacred Agama shastras, we can find the instructions to all the rituals and the science behind it. Every natural ingredient used in Abhishekam invokes positive vibrations as the ions in those substances are positively charged.. God lives in the place which is filled with positivity. That’s why we feel peaceful when we visit temples. The positive vibrations in the temple have a calming effect on us. Why not try the same at home?
Let us also try doing Abhishekam with all such divine ingredients. You will feel the divine presence of God at your home and from then on you become free of sorrows and start enjoying the eternal bliss.
Can we get this Civet musk?
You can get this Civet musk from NaatuMarundu Kadai or local Tamil Marundu kadai in Chennai. It is not 100% pure like you get in Tirumala Tirupati temple. Pure Civet is very hard to find and also very expensive. The moment you open the box you will feel the divine fragrance spreading in your home. It feels very pleasant and try to use in Abhishekam and see transform your home into a temple. You can also apply this as a tilak daily on your forehead.
You can buy the products by clicking the image below.
Conclusion
Every traditional practice that has been followed for ages, has amazing benefits in our life. It was sadly hidden from people and categorized as blind beliefs. Once we start exploring, we will be surprised to learn the positive impact it has on our mind and body and we will for sure fall in love with the lifestyle of our ancestors. Once you start using Civet oil, I bet you can never stop as you get addicted to its fragrance.
Refernces
Agama Sutra Book
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