How to Offer a Sattvic Lemon Sacrifice (Nimbu Bali)

The part of the lemon that was attached to the stem is kept pointing downward, and it is cut vertically from the top in a single swift stroke — never sliced horizontally like a salad, which is the incorrect method.

The part of the lemon that remains attached to the stem on the lemon tree is kept pointing downward during the sacrifice, and you cut the lemon from the top part. A lemon for sacrifice is never cut horizontally like cutting a salad — that method of offering sacrifice is incorrect. For sacrifice, the lemon is always cut vertically, standing upright, holding it from the base. Try your best to cut it smoothly in a single swift stroke — this means the blade with which you are offering the sacrifice must also be sharp.

Mix Roli and Ashtagandha to draw an upright triangle — the sacrifice is offered within this Mandala, and one may chant their Ishta mantra or the deity's mantra while drawing it; after inviting the Goddess in with a flower, the lemon is placed and cut straight down.

First, observe how to prepare the Chauk (Mandala). If you are offering a lemon sacrifice at home in a sattvic form to any form of the Goddess (Bhagavati), first prepare the diagram: mix RoliA red vermilion powder applied to ritual offerings such as the lemons in a sacrificial Bali, before they are circled with water and offered. and AshtagandhaA fragrant paste made of eight substances, applied as a tilak before vermilion (sindoor) in remedy and worship rites. to draw a triangle. While drawing the triangle, you can chant your Ishta mantra or the mantra related to the deity to whom you are offering the sacrifice. After preparing the Mandala, perform worship within it using flowers and other offerings, and invoke the deity into the Mandala. For instance, if offering the sacrifice to Goddess Kali, after creating this Mandala on a plate, take a flower and say: 'O Mother of the Universe (Jagadamba"Mother of the World" — an epithet of the Devi.)! Please be seated here and accept this sattvic sacrifice offered by me.' Saying this, place the flower, position the lemon accordingly, and cut it straight down.

For Lord Bhairava, the triangle in the Mandala is drawn inverted (pointing downward), and may be drawn using vermilion (Sindoor) instead of Roli and Ashtagandha — the lemon is then placed and cut in the same manner.

If you are offering the sacrifice to Lord Bhairava, the triangle in the Mandala will be inverted (pointing downwards). For Lord Bhairava, you may also draw it using vermilion (SindoorVermilion powder, used here to draw the inverted triangle Mandala for a Bhairava offering, in place of the Roli-and-Ashtagandha triangle drawn for a Goddess.). An inverted triangle will be made, and similarly, you will place the lemon and offer the sacrifice.

Leave it as is when offering purely for the Goddess's pleasure/grace after standard mantra chanting; cut and squeeze it when offering for a specific desire (such as an enemy causing obstacles), for relief from illness or fever, or when offering at the threshold or main entrance door.

Whether the lemon should be squeezed after cutting or left as is depends on the purpose: when offering a lemon purely for the pleasure/grace of the Goddess after standard mantra chanting, simply cut it and leave it as is. If offering the sacrifice for a specific desire — such as when an enemy is creating obstacles or causing distress — cut the lemon and squeeze it. If offering for relief from illness, fever, or ailments, cut the lemon and squeeze it. If offering a lemon sacrifice at the threshold or main entrance door of the house, cut it and squeeze it.

Worship the weapon/cutting blade first by applying Roli and Kumkum to it, then cut the lemon vertically while chanting the mantra prescribed for the sacrifice.

To execute the cut, first worship the weapon/cutting blade by applying RoliA red vermilion powder applied to ritual offerings such as the lemons in a sacrificial Bali, before they are circled with water and offered., Kumkum, etc. Then, while chanting the mantra prescribed for offering the sacrifice, cut the lemon vertically.

Apply Roli to both cut halves, then encircle the offered lemon three times with water and leave it — completing the sattvic sacrifice procedure.

After cutting the lemon, apply RoliA red vermilion powder applied to ritual offerings such as the lemons in a sacrificial Bali, before they are circled with water and offered. to both cut halves. Then, encircle the offered lemon three times with water and leave it. This is the method of offering a lemon sacrifice — whenever you offer a sattvic sacrifice to your deity during your spiritual practice (Sadhana), create a Mandala in this manner and present the offering.