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[Full title: Materials of worship (1) Sadhana of the Sadhaka (1) Asana or the seat]

Materials of worship.鈥擬eaning of the term material is the items needed for the activity 61. Activity in the present context relates to worship processes with relation to the goddess. As such there is a twofold division in this fragment taken up for study. The first pertains to the essentials which a sadhaka must have for a smooth sail in the worship ritual connoted here as the sadhana and the second focuses on the goddess ie. the sadhya as to what are the items which act as potential grounds for her invocation and presence. The second part overlaps the section - 'modes of worship'. In fact, it is an elaboration of the same. (I) Sadhana of the Sadhaka. For successful completion and for procuring the desired results, the sadhaka employs a variety of means. These 'means' are his accessories which are utilized by him for the success of his endeavour. They are different from the physical restrains which he has to following. Sadhaka uses the following acessories in the worship process- (i) Seat or asanas, (ii) Rosary or mala, (iii) Dress code, (iv) Gestures or mudras, (v) Specific utensils or patra etc... Asana or the seat. In Indian spiritual tradition the manner of sitting and the seat have been accorded importance. Both the seat and the posture of sitting are known 61 COED p. 880

as asanas. The type of seat used and the manner of sitting influence the sadhana and thereby the result of worship. Worship without an asana in Indian spiritual practise is inconcievable. As a part of study, the seats of different types and materials will be taken up first which will be followed by the desirable sitting position etc... Asanas is the Sanskrit term for (i) The typical seat used by the sadhaka, it also means (ii) The sitting posture adopted by a sadhaka. Asanas play an important role in worship process. There is mention of the use of asanas and offering of asanas right from the Vedic period. Before commencing the worship or practicing japa the place of the act is to be purified. Then on the purified ground an asanas is to be put. The asana is to be placed on the left side of the deity. Six types of asanas are mentioned in the Tantra works 62 which are as follows- made of flowers, made of wood, made of cloth, made of skin, made of Kusa grass and that made of metal. The typical seat which can be used and those which are to be discarded are dealt with elaborately. i) Floral seat. A floral seat is a seat made up of flowers. It is made up of flowers which are bound by Kusa, thread etc... It is stated that it is the favourite of the goddess. (ii) Wodden seat. A wooden seat is a seat which is made of the trees which are used in sacrificial rites. The sadhaka should ensure that the selected wooden plank is auspicious, is without any cracks and is not infested with insects, without Sri-vidyarnava-tantra ch.XIX

sap oozing out, which is not dry and hollow. Seat should not be made from the wood of a huge tree which serves as an identity mark of the habitation, a tree near the cremation ground and also the myrobalan trees should be avoided. The following trees are recommended for making a seat - the wood of the wood-apple tree, the sandalwood tree, the banyan tree with a fistful of the darbha grass placed on it. The seat made of sandalwood tree or that made up the wood-apple tree should be of the span of one's foot long. Twenty seven darbha grass measuring seven feet should be woven together and their tops should be joined by a knot. This should be placed on a banyan plank and both together should be used as a seat. (iii) Cloth seat. of A cloth seat is a seat made of cloth. Four types/cloth are mentioned they are of the silk, flax, wool and cotton. Among these four the seat made of wool is considered to be the best. According to the MYS 63 the seat made of blanket especially that of red-blanket is the best for the accomplishment of cherished acts. The seat made of silken cloth is destroyer of disease 64. (iv) Skin seat. A skin seat is a seat which is made up animal skins. The shin of the following animals is recommended for the use as a seat - a lion, a tiger, a hyena, a ram, a buffalo, an elephant, and a horse, of a blackbuck or an antelope. The best type is that of the Camari deer. The benefits of the some types of skin seats are mentioned in the MYS 65 as follows - the antelope skin gives accomplishment of knowledge, the skin of a tiger gives 63 MYS 53.2 a 64 MYS 39.3 a 65 MYS 39.2 b

emancipation. The Mahalakshmi Ratnakosa speaks of different types of asanas with their individual effects to the accomplishment of the Satkarmas as marana, uccatana etc... This is listed below in a tabular format. No. 1 Seat type Elephant hide Result / purpose For obstructing or stupefing.(stambhana) 2 Buffalo hide For killing. (marana) 3 Sheep skin 4 Rhinoceros skin 5 Fox skin For driving away. (uccatana) For control(vasya) For creating discord and strife (vidvesa) 6. Cow hide For peace 7 Tigerskin 8 Antelopeskin For accomplishment of every thing For attainment of knowledge (v) Kusa seat. A Kusa seat is seat made of the Kusa grass. The seat made of the Kusa grass is similar to the Yogapitha. The use of a Kusa seat gives longevity 67. (vi) Metal seat. A metal seat is a seat made up of metals. Apart from iron, gunmetal and lead these three the seat made up of any other metal such as gold, silver, copper. The most recommended seat is a seat which is made up of layers. Accordingly first a Kusa seat is placed and above it a deerskin is spread this is finally covered by a silk cloth on the top. Such a three layered seat gives success in Yoga sadhana. 66 Mahalakshmi Ratnakosa ch. XVII.2-4. 67 MYS 39.3 a

Prohibited seats. 342 The following seats are prohibited for usage by the sadhaka 68. Sitting on the earth, wooden seat, the seat made of bamboo, a stone seat, straw seat, seat of leaves, cloth seat. Below is described the use of the seats and their effects. Sno. Seat. Effect. 1. Earth Pain. 2. Wooden Beginning of misfortune. 3. Bamboo Poverty. 45 4. Stone Suffering from disease. 5. Straw Loss of fame. 6. Leaves Insanity. 7. Cloth Loss of japa, dhyana and tapas. There are diverse opinions regarding the use of certain materials to be used as srats. The bamboo seat is decried in the MYS as leading to poverty while in the Mahalakshmi Ratnakosa the same is mentioned as the bestower of abundant wealth. Similarly the Mahalakshmi Ratnakosa 69 states that a seat made of cloth destroys diseases while the MYS speaks of the same as a destroyer of japa, dhyana and tapas.