''Prana pratishtha'' () is the

rite Rite may refer to: Religion * Ritual, an established ceremonious act * Rite (Christianity), sacred rituals in the Christian religion * Ritual family, Christian liturgical traditions; often also called ''liturgical rites'' * Catholic particular ch ...

ceremony A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin, via the Latin . Religious and civil ...

by which a ''

murti In the Hinduism, Hindu tradition, a ''murti'' (, ) is a devotional image, such as a statue or icon, of a Hindu deities, deity or Hindu saints, saint used during ''Puja (Hinduism), puja'' and/or in other customary forms of actively expressing d ...

'' (devotional image of a deity) is consecrated in a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...

. The Sanskrit terms ''prana'' means "life" and ''pratishtha'' means "to be established." Following detailed steps outlined in the Vedic scriptures, verses (

mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...

s) are recited to invite the deity to reside in the ''

'' (image).Heather Elgood (2000), Hinduism and the Religious Arts, Bloomsbury Academic, , pages 14–15, 32–36 Practised in the temples of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...

, the ritual is considered to infuse life into the Hindu temple, and bring to it the numinous presence of divinity and spirituality.V Bharne and K Krusche (2012), Rediscovering the Hindu Temple, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, , page 53

Etymology

The word ''prāna pratishthā'' is a compound Sanskrit term combining ''prāna'' and ''pratishthā.'' ''Prana'', which comes from the root "''pra''", meaning "to breathe". This term refers to life or vital energy, the essence for living beings. ''Pratishtha'', derived from the root verb "''stha''", which means "to be established", and the prefix "''prati''", which means "toward". ''Pratishtha'' signifies the act of consecrating, installation, or establishing in a permanent position. This term typically used in the context of installing a deity in the temples. When the two terms are combined, it refers to the ritual of establishing life force into the ''

'' (image) becoming the sacred embodiment of such deity.

In Hinduism

Philosophical significance

The origins of ''prāna pratishthā'' are rooted in ancient Vedic traditions, where rituals were performed to invoke the divine into objects. The understanding is that God can be both intrinsic and transcendent and accessible through physical symbols (''

s''). Through ''pran pratishtha'', devotees can interact with the divine in a personal manner. These practices were meticulously documented in the scriptures such as the

Agamas Religion *Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts *Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects *Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism Other uses * ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...

and Tantras with guidelines on how to perform such rituals. This ritual is most common with temple installations, however, household deities are also consecrated for worship.

Key elements

The ''prana pratishtha'' ceremony involves several steps from purification rites to the

invocation Invocation is the act of calling upon a deity, spirit, or supernatural force, typically through prayer, ritual, or spoken formula, to seek guidance, assistance, or presence. It is a practice found in numerous religious, spiritual, and esote ...

of the deity through the steps outlines in the scriptures. # Purification (''Shuddhi'') - the ''

'' is cleansed and purified to remove impurities. # Invocation (''Avahana'') - the deity is invoked into the ''murti'' through specific mantras and rituals prescribed in the scriptures. # Infusion of life (''Prana pratishtha'') - this is the core of the ritual where ''pran'' is put into the ''murti'' through various mantras. # Offerings (''Upachara'') - they deity is offered items such as flowers, fruits, and incense, symbolizing sustenance for the divine in the ''murti''.

In Jainism

Concept

In Jainism, performing ''prana pratishtha'' in Jain temples is symbolic of the ideal qualities of the Tirthankaras rather than a divine presence. ''Prana'' refers to the vital energy in all living beings emphasizing the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) towards all life forms. Thus, the focus of ''prana pratishtha'' is invoking a spiritual presence to inspire devotees.

Philosophical significance

The philosophical foundation of ''prana pratishtha'' in Jainism is rooted in

anekantavada (, "many-sidedness") is the Jain doctrine about metaphysical truths that emerged in ancient India. It states that the ultimate truth and reality is complex and has multiple aspects and viewpoints. According to Jainism, no single, specific st ...

. Depending on the observer's spiritual views, the physical image can represent multiple meanings. The focus of the ritual is solely on mental and physical purity derived from the non-violence principle.

Ritual process

The ritual begins where the image is bathed, purified, and adorned with sacred items. Following this, verses are recited and other ritual invocations occur.Lisa Owen (2012), Carving Devotion in the Jain Caves at Ellora, BRILL, , pages 44, 146–147, 184–186 The ritual of consecrating an image to bring "life to temple" is attested in medieval Jain documents.

References

* {{Hinduism footer small Rituals in Hindu worship