Karma Sakshi
Every question on the site tagged Karma Sakshi, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
The witness lamp lit at the very start of worship, before which a set of six preliminary rituals must strictly be performed, ahead of Svastivacana and Sankalpa.
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Six preliminary rites after lighting the karma sakshi lamp: the base of every puja
The speaker says a completely new sadhak must first know the very first vidhan of puja, discussed in the previous part: what is done around lighting the lamp. He clarifies that the six preliminary vidhans described there are to be done after the Karma Sakshi lamp has been lit. He insists these must be learnt, because whatever you do without them will not give its full fruit.
Setting up the karma-sakshi lamp and the coconut-shell lamp for the Diwali deepdan
The speaker says the first step is to light one lamp as the Karma Sakshi lamp, set on flowers. Then five leaves are arranged and decorated with flowers, and the coconut lamp is placed on them. For the lamp, a dried coconut kernel (gari) is cut through the middle with a good knife, carefully so the hand is not cut; he says it is best if a man of the house does the cutting, since a coconut cut by a man is considered better.
Lighting the five Diwali deepdan lamps from the karma-sakshi lamp
The speaker says every lamp is lit from the Karma Sakshi lamp only. While lighting each one, he says, one may keep repeating that deity's name, or read a deep-prajwalan (lamp-lighting) mantra, or a sooktam — the Tantrokta Devisuktam — or sing any auspicious sukta or stuti of that devi-devata, and one should light the lamp while meditating on and remembering the deity it belongs to. All five are lit one by one in the same fixed order: Lakshmi-Ganesh, Lakshmi-Narayan, the kul devi-devata and kul bhairav, the nearest Shakti Peeth, and the Shiv parivar.
The anushthan opens by kindling the karma sakshi deepak with 'Deep aur Jyotir Namastute'.
The whole anushthan is begun by kindling the karma sakshi deepak, with "Deep aur Jyotir Namastute". Do it by the ordinary simple vidhan, the speaker says; those who know the full vidhi vidhan may do it according to that.
The vidhi is pitched at ordinary householders altogether new to sadhana, with no specially difficult mantras.
The speaker says he is giving the vidhi for people of the entirely ordinary class, who are householders and altogether new to sadhana; so he will keep his words completely simple and will not use any specially difficult mantras. A ghee lamp is kindled, given tilak with kumkum and the like to make it fragrant, and water is sprinkled all around as before.
Karma sakshi deep, sankalp, Ganesh Ambika, then the kalash sthapana — and all the devas are invoked into the kalash itself.
The speaker recapitulates: first the karma sakshi deep was kindled, then the sankalp was taken, after that the pujan of Ganesh Ambika was done, and after the Ganesh Ambika pujan the kalash sthapana was done for Varuna Devta. Now the pujan of the Varuna Devta kalash will take place. In the kalash itself the avahan of all the gods and goddesses will be made, and upon it the pujan of the other devas will be done.
What lamp is kept for the family abhishek, and for how long?
Do your own puja and abhishek first thing in the morning if possible, and after that tell every member of the family. Light a lamp there as well — a karma sakshi lamp, somewhat large, which burns at least till twelve o'clock in the afternoon.
In an actual tantrokta Chamunda bali the lamp is raw clay and burns only as long as the bali takes; the eleven or thirteen are the bali lamps.
In an actual tantrokta bali of Chamunda, he says, the lamp that is made is of raw clay, and that lamp is burnt for so short a time that it burns only while the bali is being completed and is then finished. The chief karma sakshi and the single svaat deep daan to be made — those are the bali lamps, the eleven or thirteen that burn. But there it has been told for ordinary people, for everyone, so up to a limit it seems to you as though it was said off-hand.
Should a person be karma-pradhan or bhakti-pradhan?
Read both karma yoga and bhakti yoga in the Bhagavad Gita, the speaker says, and walk according to what seems proper to you. In his own view, one should do karma and surrender the fruit of that karma to one's aradhya — that itself is the greatest bhakti and the greatest karma.
Who are the witnesses when a sankalpa is taken?
Whenever we take a sankalpa, or make a witness of anything, the speaker says there are two who matter in the act of witnessing — first Surya Narayan and second Agni Dev. The witness of Surya Narayan becomes necessary.
Can japa be done alone in a room without dhoop and deep?
Asked whether the Ashtottar nam japa of Bagla Mai can be done at night, seated on an asana in solitude in a room without dhoop and deep, he says there should be at least one sakshi lamp — a karma sakshi lamp; make arrangement for at least one and do japa, whether or not there is anything else. In a very difficult situation, the moon and the sun are made the witness, if there is some such state.
Karma-sakshi lamp with an arm-span kalava wick for the Badavanal anushthan
The speaker adds a special vidhan that makes the effect stronger and much quicker: when sitting for japa, light a karma-sakshi lamp. It is a clay lamp whose wick is made from red kalava measured to the length of one's body — measured with the arms stretched out wide, not from head to foot. It burns mustard oil or pure desi cow ghee; use ghee in a siddhi vidhan. Alongside it one may make a large, firm lamp of wheat-flour dough that will not leak, fill it with ghee, and light it with a kalava wick too. Two lamps thus lit are excellent, and this may be done daily.
Night japa vidhan on Pratipada: a karma sakshi lamp, offerings to the four guardians, and nine malas of Shailputri
The speaker says that on Pratipada night — or earlier, at Sandhya, once the Aarti is done with the family or alone — one sits again on the asana around eight o'clock. The Akhand Jyot is burning; light a separate Karma Sakshi lamp, offer Dhoop, deep and Naivedya, and offer Akshat and flowers in the names of the guru, Ganesha, Batuk Bhairava and Bhagwan Narasimha. Then jap nine Mala of the mantra of Bhagavati's first form, Shailputri Durga, and offer the japa to Bhagavati; that is all. If one wishes, light nine camphors and nine cloves in some vessel. The first day's pujan is complete; it takes little time, is authentic, and brings Bhagavati's full grace. The mantras of all nine Durgas for the nine nights are in one PDF he provides.
Should the lamp be burning when bhog is offered?
Absolutely, the speaker says. When you first enter the pujan place and have washed it and set everything right and are to begin the pujan, first wash the lamp, do chandan-tilak upon it, apply roli and kumkum, offer a flower, and then kindle the lamp — perform the panchopachar pujan and then kindle it. Only after the lamp is kindled should you bathe the dev vigreh, do their shringar, and light a lamp for them.
Why must a lamp be the witness of every act of worship?
The speaker says the jyoti that burns is called the daughter of Bhagavati Parvati and Bhagavan Shiva. So in the form of the jyoti it is she alone who has obtained the adhikar and the blessing of being the witness there — that she will be witness of every karma, that every act done before her will be acceptable to Shiva and to the arahdya, and that it will remain in their knowledge: yes, you did this work before my daughter.
Karma sakshi deepak going out during sadhana
Asked what to do when the Karma Sakshi Deepak goes out during sadhana, the speaker says that if the vegetable ghee or oil in it is running low, keep the container beside you and keep adding to it so that it does not go out. If it does go out anyway, it should simply be lit again.
Is it compulsory to light an akhand jyot in Navratri?
Asked whether it is necessary to light an akhand jyot in Navratri, he answers that if you cannot light it there is no difficulty; only kindle a karma-sakshi deep, and keep the akhand jyot kindled for as long as you will be performing the anushthan.
Twenty-four lamps plus one karma sakshi lamp, ghee best of the three oils — and the Viniyoga is never changed midway.
Twenty-four, plus one Karma Sakshi lamp. Any of ghee, mustard or sesame may be used — ghee is the best of them, and sesame will also serve. And in the Viniyoga: it should be said after everything is accomplished; do not change the Viniyoga at the time of accomplishing.
What is done before entering the Shiva temple?
First bathe and complete the pujan of the house. Then go to the Shiva temple and light the karma sakshi deepak first of all, wherever deepdaan is done there. Then remember Kirtimukh ji and Ganapati ji, and the shaktis seated at the door — Mahakal, Kirtimukh, Nandi ji, Bhringi ji, all these dwarapalas together with Bhairav ji — and only then enter the Shiva temple.
What should be done if the kula devatas are bound or displeased?
If anyone's kula devis and devatas are in bandhan, or they know that the kula devatas are not pleased but displeased and trouble keeps coming, or they have no knowledge of them at all — then at the very time you kindle the karma sakshi deep for Shiva ji's abhishek, kindle a lamp in the name of the kula devis and devatas too, and pray.
Does everyone who does japa at a tirtha get the same fruit?
No. There is a speciality of time and also of our own karmas, the speaker says. If you are a person who eats meat and fish, who commits jeev hatya, who torments others, who burns on seeing the wealth, the lifespan, the sons and grandsons of others, who nurtures dvesha and kuntha — then if you fall into some trouble, or hear about it somewhere, and go and do a path, you will not get the fruit that another person will get who wishes the good of others, who does not envy anyone on sight, who gives his wealth in daan, and who thinks of living beings when wealth arrives.
Should a karma-sakshi lamp be lit for japa by a river on a hill?
Yes, certainly — if you light it, it will be good, he says. And if you are doing this in such a deserted place, then bhumi shodhan and bhumi bandhan, asana bandhan and sharir bandhan should all be done, and only then should the kavach siddhi happen; the body should be secure, only then. If you are in a tirtha kshetra there is no problem at all. There, light one lamp without fail, wherever the place for lighting lamps is — it is not necessary to light it in front of you. Wherever the place for lighting the lamp is in that mandir, in that sthaan, light the lamp right there.
What are the rules for the Akhand Deepak, Ganesh Deepdaan and Karma Sakshi lamp?
On the Akhand Deepak: decide yourself — keep it if you will be able to bear it, and do not keep it in a state of disturbance. For the Ganesh Deepdaan use ghee. The Karma Sakshi lamp stands in the name of all the deities, since the Jyot is literally their own form. The Kusha count in a Ganesh tarpan may be twelve or nine.
Sanatan traditions never cut prarabdha; they have it undergone quickly and destroyed
Sanatan traditions never cut prarabdha in that way, he says. They have you undergo it quickly and destroy it completely, so that you should not suffer it again. They do not postpone it — they do not say, very well, give him happiness now and it will come again after two months, we had given it, take it as your own affair.
Bhagavati reckons the consequence, and the samarthya you gain stays yours regardless
Bhagavati will see it, he says: whatever the punishment or the result, good or bad, that will remain between you and us. But the samarthya you obtain — there is no telling to what level you will become capable of doing good to your family with it.
Can the yogini puja of Kali be done inside a temple?
The speaker says the same vidhan would have to be done in the temple, with Bhagavati's vigraha standing in place of the Shri Vigraha. But tantrokta vidhan cannot be performed publicly in a temple. In a temple only the japa of the mantra can happen, and that only after kindling a lamp — a karma sakshi lamp, Bhagavati's lamp. The full vidhan will always be done in solitude.
May the lamp be refilled with the left hand during japa, and which wick is used?
Keep a large lamp in the first place, brother, the speaker says: if you have to do japa for two or three hours, keep the lamp on that reckoning so that oil does not have to be added again and again. Buy one big lamp. If you want to pour the oil with the reverse hand, since the mala is in one hand, you may pour it — there is no matter in it. The wick of the karma sakshi will be a soi batti. The khadi batti is used in prayoga: when we are doing the prayoga of a mantra, then the khadi batti will be used.
Can the karma sakshi lamp be used to show the deity the light?
Asked about panchopachar and dashopachar, the speaker says that if you wish to show the light with the karma sakshi lamp itself, you may do so. But it will be better, he says, to keep the lamp separately and show the deity a separate lamp afterwards.
What is said about Yamraj and his kaal danda?
He speaks of the kaal danda with Yamraj, the kaal danda of Yamdev. He is Kaal Dev. He has been made sarva-samartha, he has been given it, and each has his own responsibility. His ishta aradhya shakti is Bhagavati Kalaratri. So that form of Bhagavati, and the capacities that have been given to him — why have they been given? He is himself Kaal; who can go beyond him?
If someone who speaks ill of a sadhak is punished, does a dosha attach to the sadhak?
A sadhak of Maa Aprajita asks whether, if someone speaks ill of him and evil then befalls that person or he is punished, any dosha attaches. Look, there is no question of a dosha attaching in this, he answers. You are doing the seva-puja of Bhagavati, or of any devi or devata; someone is speaking ill of you, and he is also getting his punishment for it. You are not the one going to give the punishment — so why should a dosha attach to you?
Does the Jayanti Mangala Kali japa need a separate lamp of its own?
No, the speaker says, there is no such requirement. If there is no lamp at all then of course one will be lit; otherwise the lamp already there for the kula bhairav and the kula devi is enough. Make your sankalp in that one — they will become the witnesses of the act.
Can a daily Chandi paath be done without ghat sthapana?
Someone may do the Chandi paath every day in the Navratra without doing ghat sthapana, the speaker says. Panchopachar pujan, a sakshi lamp and a satvik bali — that is quite all right, and it can be done.
Whose karma is behind present suffering, and from what age is it counted?
The question is wrong at that point, he says — it is reaching Bhagwan. But what we are undergoing at present, the suffering we are getting, has behind it our earlier karma. And earlier karma does not necessarily mean what you did five years ago or in childhood. Up to the age of twelve, whatever we do simply has no account kept of it — it is a thing outside the account, out of syllabus. Bhagwan Chitragupta does not write it down anywhere; he says, he is a child, a boy. The katha of Mandavya Rishi lies behind this. But from the age of thirteen, whatever good and bad work we do for the rest of life, an account of that is kept.
Is a Kalash installation needed on Guru Purnima?
Not at all obligatory, if you are not performing the Dev Deeksha Vidhan that day. Keep it ordinary; do not make it too intricate, since intricacy makes people run. But the lighting of the lamps is to be done beforehand — at least two, one for all the deities and one of ghee for the Guru Mandal.
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