Rituals
The rishis noticed that upon chanting gods’ names and mantras, the liberated cosmic energy particles from such wooden logs were absorbed by the gods in their region and found that the cosmic powers of that specific god increased. But the energies liberated from the wood carried only the characteristics of that tree. Thus, the rishis chose to worship the gods with multiple ingredients such as milk and other foods. As they lived in villages, cows were their only wealth during those times. They reared the cattle (especially cows), and hence they could get a continuous supply of milk for Agni puja. Other than milk and its various products like butter, ghee, etc., different fruits and herbs were offered to the gods in the Agni Homa Kund.
Consequently, as the gods (i.e., ancient and eternal human souls) were happy to accept all these oblations offered in the fire and the continuous energy supply from the rishis, they preferred to stay along with the rishis due to their human life memory. The rishis allotted separate huts for staying the skilled human souls, and the doors of such houses were decorated with flowers. The rishis started learning cosmic secrets from the godly souls to sustain in soul energy form after death. They also acquired similar expertise in handling free-roaming cosmic energy particles.
After their deaths, their souls could sustain themselves in their afterlife along with the gods as their Parivar. Subsequent generations of the rishis continued worshipping both their ancestors and the gods through Agni puja. The rishis observed that the gods not only depend on the energy from the Agni puja, but they are also capable of absorbing cosmic energy particles directly from various sources in nature. They referred to such energies as ‘Pancha Bhuta’ (Pancha means five, and Bhuta means great power) which are air, land, water, fire, and ether. These are now referred to as ‘elements’ or ‘compounds’ comprising atoms and molecules. Gradually, the rishis installed idols to worship the gods. The human body comprises five elements’ cosmic energies and is a denser and more visible form. The human soul comprises the same five elements’ cosmic energies and is an invisible form.
The gods are eternal human souls. We know the needs of the five elements’ energies in the human body. The same five energy particles help for the human souls’ eternal existence. Thus, the rishis started energizing the gods with these five element’s cosmic energies by creating the following facilities: 1. The rishis contributed fire energy for the godly souls through Agni puja (fire rituals) using the Agni Homa Kund. The mere fire created by burning wooden blocks can make human souls energetic. But, burning the food ingredients can make the human souls more robust, healthy, etc. 2. Water energy by abhishekam over the idols and the creation of small ponds in the temple’s vicinity. The moisture in the air can also help the human soul to energize with water energy. 3. Purified air energy by rearing gardens/flowers/trees in the surrounding environment of a worship place/rishi’s kutir (homes) etc. 4. Separate huts were provided for the gods to reside (called Palliyarai), and proper food was prepared (kitchens were called Madapalli) and served twice every day (called Naivedyam) which constituted the earth’s energy. 5. Mantra chanting will create cosmic energy vibrations and ether energy. When mantras are chanted with a particular god’s name, the energy particles with those vibrations will reach and strengthen the godly souls. Mantra chanting makes a godly soul a vibrant soul called divine vibration of divine energy. Humans need the above five elements’ cosmic energy for survival, such as Water, Oxygen, food, specific name, certain skills to earn wealth, etc. Humans’ souls also need the same five element’s energy for their afterlife survival. When a human soul gets all such energy aspects comfortably, then it is a heavenly life for that soul, and it is respected and worshipped as a godly soul.
Read more ….. The True Divinity Volume III
Fire ritualsIn the Sanskrit language, Agni means fire. The fire ritual is known as Agni puja or Agni Homam. The gods are in their soul energy form, and such soul energy is invisible. Hence, they need invisible energy particles to strengthen their invisible soul energy form. It is possible only through fire rituals. Worldwide, various fire rituals are performed during worship, and the intensity of such rituals differs. Using fire, incense sticks are burnt, benzoin powders are burnt, and most people show the aarti lamp as a ritual. Fire is called Agni or Agni Dev or the god of fire. Agni puja does not mean the worship of Agni (fire). In an Agni puja, the devotees offer various food ingredients in fire, and such fire pit (homa Kund) may be at his convenient place, either their home or temple or anywhere else. Using the fire, the various food ingredients are burnt, and the cosmic energies released from them travel through the air/cosmos and are guided to reach the respective gods through multiple mantras. This fire ritual was performed in ancient times using the available food ingredients in those days. However, nowadays, many energized new ingredients such as sweets and various nuts are available, which can be offered to increase the gods’ soul energy. Fire is an essential element for quickly disintegrating food ingredients, incense sticks, etc.
During the Fire rituals, while the burning process takes place, the cosmic energy particles from the food ingredients are released layer by layer in a phased manner. If the same ingredient, a sweet, is put in water or earth, the disintegration takes time. Hence, the preferable way to quickly disperse the ingredients’ energy is to put them in a fire. The godly souls absorb the invisible food energy particles released from the fire and they get their daily food energy. If the Agni puja is conducted in the temple, the gods there will absorb those cosmic energy particles and increase their energy levels. If Agni puja is performed at home or other places, the dispersed cosmic energies from the ingredients reach the respective gods through the air wherever they are on earth.
Thus, a devotee who performs the Agni puja can send his energy contribution to energize the gods, and hence the respective gods will bless him. Agni puja is the only way to establish a direct divine connection between a devotee and a particular god. Without food energy, humans cannot live. Without cosmic energy, no godly soul can survive as an eternal soul. The best form of giving cosmic energy to the gods is through fire rituals and offering food. Devotees may offer food in solid forms, such as Sweet rice, fruits, etc. But it is difficult for godly souls to absorb energy from it. Some of the skilled gods can slowly take energy from such solid food. But when it is offered through fire rituals, it is easy for the souls to absorb food energy.
The devotee’s food offerings directly reach a particular god through the fire. All cosmic energy particles have memory. The dispersed cosmic energies from the ingredients of Agni puja carry the information about the devotee who offered such oblations to the god through the fire. And his prayers also reach the particular god by the mantra’s sound vibrations. The fire ritual to the gods increases the Punya effect (good deed) of a particular devotee. When the devotees offer food items into the sacred fire (this process is referred to as providing oblations or Aahuthis), the gods/goddesses happily accept it, and they become highly energized.
The gods absorb the food energy, and the chanting of various mantra vibrations helps boost the gods' cosmic powers. When the gods’ powers increase, they can handle and control the abundant cosmic energies available in and around their temples. They use those abundant cosmic energies to bless the devotees for their needs. When this fire ritual (Agni Homam) is done regularly without interruption, the gods/goddesses shower their blessings in abundance to the devotees/worshipers using their cosmic energy.
Read more ….. The True Divinity Volume III