Did you know?

We welcomed Swami on the New year’s day with the Poorna Kumbham. Did you know the inner significance of this traditional form of welcome?

Poorna Kumbham is given as a mark of welcome to noble souls and great personages. When thus offered (as an invitation) with ceremonial chants, they in turn touch this kumbham as a mark of acceptance.

The kumbham consists of a brass pot in which following ingredients – earth, durva grass, thread (around neck and body of the kumbham), aswatha leaf and water are placed while chanting the appropriate mantras. The thread (called Digbandhana) is to prevent evil forces from any direction from entering the Kumbham. The water is poured on the aswatha leaf while chanting the varuna mantra. Into this water a deity has to be welcomed depending on the occasion. It is typically Vishnu or Devi. For Swami we invoke Gayatri Devi. Once the deity has been welcomed and seated in the water, She is shown proper hospitality by offering a seat and naivedyam (for which dry fruits are placed in the kumbham). To mark the offering, we wrap the coconut above the kumbham in a small clean cloth. Before placing the coconut we also place a bunch of mango leaves near the mouth of the vessel, as in an entrance to a temple. Then the kumbham is decorated with flower garlands outside. Now the kumbham represents the deity itself.

Now we are carrying the Lord in order to welcome the Lord! Why? There are three things involved here. Mantra, Yantra and Tantra. In order to manifest divinity, a yantra (symbol) is taken. Tantra is the technique of worshiping this symbol, through Mantra (chanting). It is like meditation when the Dhyata (one meditating), Dheya (object of meditation) and Dhyana (process of Meditation) become one in meditation. When this happens Divinity is manifested.

This is the inner significance of why a Poorna Kumbham welcome is given to Swami, the Purusha who is Poornatwa Himself.