This evening, we made a basic Panchamrut for the ritual offerings (Naivedya – the ‘consumable/edible’ Upachara (form of offering)).

“Ancient Aryan Milkshakes”, indeed.

Panchamrut is Pancha (‘Five’ – like ‘Penta’) Amrit (‘Mrit’ like ‘Mort’, ‘A-‘ here as a negation .. so ‘Immortality’); and effectively functions as a ritual substitute for the rather more .. esoteric (and hard to obtain) empowering elixirs of ancient rites.

The ‘Five’ in question is the number of major ingredients – Milk, Honey, Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar), Curd (for which we are using plain unsweetened yoghurt), and Ghee (clarified butter).

To this, you occasionally see various additions made as seasoning; and in some parts of India there are different key constituent components involved as well.

Now, properly speaking there are several additional considerations for Panchamrut – particular Mantras that are to be said over its ingredients, for example; and regulation upon what vessels are used to contain the offering – copper is preferred, per Varaha Purana; however fired clay or ceramic should be ok.

The best Panchamrut shall also be going rather more ‘organic’ than I am here, by using raw Cow’s milk (preferably from the relevant form of Indian Cow) and Curd made also from same … but due to circumstance, regular NZ dark-blue top (i.e. not ‘lite’) milk should be fine; and similarly the yoghurt.

However, it remains a relatively easy to prepare and efficacious offering.

After the Puja had been completed, and the offerings had been made and received by The Gods – the Panchamrut was then served as Prasad to my family with dinner. It is believed that when we consume that which has been piously offered to Divinity, that is a key component to the conferment of the blessings derived therefrom (hence the meaning of ‘Prasad’ – ‘Blessing’, ‘Grace’, ‘Boon’)

The ‘Gifting Cycle’ – ‘Do Ut Des’ / Dehi Me, Dadami Te – continues.

ॐ नमः शिवाय
जय माता दी

❤