Philosophical significance The origins of
prāna pratishthā are rooted in ancient Vedic traditions, where rituals were performed to invoke the divine into objects. The understanding is that God can be both intrinsic and transcendent and accessible through physical symbols (
murtis). Through
pran pratishtha, devotees can interact with the divine in a personal manner. These practices were meticulously documented in the scriptures such as the
Agamas and
Tantras with guidelines on how to perform such rituals. This ritual is most common with temple installations, however, household deities are also consecrated for worship.
Key elements The
prana pratishtha ceremony involves several steps from purification rites to the
invocation of the deity through the steps outlines in the scriptures. • Purification (
Shuddhi) - the
murti is cleansed and purified to remove impurities. • Invocation (
Avahana) - the deity is invoked into the
murti through specific mantras and rituals prescribed in the scriptures. • Infusion of life (
Prana pratishtha) - this is the core of the ritual where
pran is put into the
murti through various mantras. ==In Jainism==