Kumbhabhishekham
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Kumbhabhishekam is a Hindu temple ritual that is believed to homogenize, synergize, and unite the mystic powers of the deity. Kumbha means the Head and denotes the Shikhara or Crown of the Temple (usually in the Gopuram) and Abhisekham is ritual bathing. On the appointed day and at an auspicious time, the Kumbha is bathed with the charged and sanctified holy waters in the sacrificial pot and, by a mystic process, these pranic powers trickle down a silver wire and enter the deity installed inside the sactum sanctorum of the temple. The deity, which was till then only a granite sculptured stone image, is believed to transform into a vibrant and vivid living represetation of the Lord with innate beautitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all devotees.
Performance of Kumbhabhisekham in temples
The inherent infused spiritual powers of the installed idols in temples are believed to diminish and erode over a period of time and require recharging. It is also held that through unintended deficiencies in the conduct of the daily worship services -- poojas, prayers, aradhanas, etc.-- to the installed deities in the temples due to various reasons, the idol's spiritual powers or omnipotence (sannidhya) gets progressively diminished and demands rejuvenation/restoration. So it is ordained in the Agama sastras that, in the 12th year of the planet Guru returning to his native position, a Jeeranodharana Kumbhabishekam is required to be performed to all the installed deities of gods and goddesses in temples. This elaborate ritual is done at an appropriate time on an auspicious date, when the planets Jupiter(Guru) and Venus (Sukra) are in the ascendant.
Ashtabandhanam
Bhandanam means fixing an idol to its pedastal (peetham) inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. When the Bhandanam is done with the help of herbs, the rejuvenating effect continues for a period of 12 years and this is called Ashtabandhanam (Ashta = eight). However, when the Bhandanam is performed with gold (Swarnabhandanam), the rejuvanating power of the deity is believed to last for a period of 100 years.
Ashtabandhanam made of eight herbs is flexible like rubber and is used to mount the idol on the peetham. Through repeated interactions with the abhishekha dravyams -- materials used to bathe the idol during daily worship (water, milk, buttermilk, sandal paste, oils, etc.) and atmospheric oxidants, the Ashtabhanddanam loses its flexibility, becomes rigid and causes a lot of fissures. Through these fissures the abhisheka dravyams percolate and attack the Yantra embedded under the peetam, obliterating the Bijaksharamantras -- mantras of sacred syllables (bija) -- that are inscribed on the Yantra, and this is believed to contribute to the lowering the pranic spiritual power of the deity.
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