- published: 06 Sep 2009
- views: 2474
Prana pratistha (Sanskrit: prāṇa pratiṣṭha) is the Hindu theological term for a rite or ceremony by which a deity is infused or brought to inhabit a murti or icon of that deity. According to Gavin Flood, "A ritual of consecration in which the consciousness or power of the deity is brought into the image awakens the icon in a temple." According to orthodox Hinduism it is only after this rite is properly performed that worship should be offered to the murti.[citation needed]
The Sanskrit word pratiṣṭhā, which in general usage means "resting" or "position", used in connection with a murti is translated by Apte as "the consecration of an idol or image". The corresponding adjective pratiṣṭha means "installed" or "consecrated". A special type of consecration is used for festival icons (Sanskrit: utsava vigraha) for the purpose of parading the deity for the community to receive the vision (Sanskrit: darśaṇa) of the deity.
Another term used for consecration in the Jain tradition is añjana śalākā, the "eye-opening" rite by which a qualified practitioner "enlivens" a murti for worship.
Mahavatar Babaji is the name given to an Indian saint by Lahiri Mahasaya and several of his disciples who met Mahavatar Babaji between 1861 and 1935. Some of these meetings were described by Paramhansa Yogananda in his book Autobiography of a Yogi (1946), including a first hand telling of Yogananda’s own meeting with Mahavatar Babaji. Another first hand account was given by Sri Yukteswar Giri in his book The Holy Science. All of these accounts, along with additional meetings with Mahavatar Babaji, are described in various biographies of those mentioned by Yogananda.
Mahavatar Babaji’s given name and date of birth are not known, so those who met him during that period all called him by the title first given to him by Lahiri Mahasaya. "Mahavatar" means "great avatar", and "Babaji" simply means "revered father". Some of the encounters included two or more witnesses—discussions between those who met Mahavatar Babaji indicate that they all met the same person.
There are very few accounts of Babaji's childhood. One source of information is book Babaji and the 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition by Marshall Govindan. According to Govindan, Babaji was named Nagaraj (king of serpents) by his parents.