Deepdaan
Every question on the site tagged Deepdaan, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
The offering or lighting of a lamp before a deity — even an involuntary act of trimming and brightening a temple lamp's wick, per the Shiva MahaPurana's story of Gunanidhi, is said to burn away sin when done before a Shivling on Mahashivratri night.
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What is the story of Gunanidhi, and how did his misdeeds lead to him becoming Kubera?
Gunanidhi, a disgraced Brahmin\'s son banished for theft and gambling, tried to steal Naivedya from a Shiva temple on Mahashivratri night — his sins were burned away by unintentionally lighting the temple lamp and eating Shiva\'s prasadam right before being killed, and he was later reborn as Kubera.
What is the simplified Mahanishita Kala puja for those who can't manage all four Prahars?
If unable to perform all four Prahars due to weakness or constraints, perform the Mahanishita Kala puja between 11:30 PM and 1:00 AM (about 1.5 hours) — consecrating and bathing the deity thoroughly and lighting at least 13 ghee lamps for the Trayodashi/Chaturdashi Shiva festival.
How is the 13-lamp Deepdan ritual performed, and what does Kubera's own origin story illustrate about it?
13 large ghee lamps with double, turmeric-tinted wicks are lit for at least 1.25 hours, positioned so the light directly illuminates the Shivlinga up to its crown — the Shiva Purana's Gunanidhi story illustrates the power of this act, since simply brightening a temple lamp wick led to his rebirth as a king and ultimately as Kubera, Lord of Wealth.
What materials are needed for the lemon-lamp (Deepa Dana) offering, and how is it performed?
Four raw green lemons are cut into 8 halves, 7 hollowed into cups filled with sesame or mustard oil and fitted with two black-cloth wicks each; the 7 lamps are placed by a Shami tree or Hanuman's flag along with rice, black sesame, and a coin offered with a formal Sankalpa, then lit in the evening after the day's recitation and confession of past mistakes.
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