What is the significance of Dhurva in Ganapathi Pooje?

Durvā: Main component of the ritualistic worship of Gaṇapati

 

Durvā is a special type of sacred grass. The word Durvā is derived from the words duhu and avam. Duhu means that which is far away and avam means that which brings closer. According to this meaning, Durvā is that which brings the distant pure spiritual particles (pavitraks) of Gaṇapati closer. Durvā are used in auspicious events and ritualistic worship of Deities, especially in the worship of Gaṇapati.

 

Spiritual features of Durvā

• 1. The process of absorption of the Deity’s Principle happens at its root.
• 2. The Durvā has the ability to absorb and emit the three Principles of Primal Shiva, Primal Shakti and Primal Gaṇapati .
• 3. Durvā has the highest ability to attract the Gaṇapati Principle
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Its effect takes place in various ways. For example :

• The Nirguṇ Gaṇapati Principle and pure Chaitanya are emitted through the Durvā in higher proportion.
• The momentum of this emission is also higher.
• The effect of the frequencies emitted by the Durvā is on the subtlest, that is, most subtle level.
• The effect of the frequencies emitted by the Durvā is on the gross body, the subtle body and the causal body.

 Hence, Durvā are offered to Gaṇapati .

What type and how many Durvā should be offered to Gaṇapati ?

Generally, tender Durvā shoots are used in the ritualistic worship of Gaṇapati . The blossomed Durvā are not used in the worship. With the blossoming of the plant, its ability to attract the Gaṇapati Principle is reduced. Similarly the Durvā whose middle stick has three leaflets should not be offered to Gaṇapati.       

 

Offer the Durvā with three or five leaflets to Gaṇapati . They are called durvankur. The middle leaflet of durvankur attracts the Principle of Primal Gaṇapati and the other two leaflets attract Primal Shiva and Primal Shakti Principles.

 

Method of offering Durvā to Gaṇapati

 

The minimum number of Durvā to be offered to Gaṇapati should be 21. Tie the Durvā together and offer them to Gaṇapati after dipping into water. The entire idol of Gaṇapati excluding the face should be covered with Durvā . Thus the fragrance of Durvā spreads around the idol.

 

Durvarchane

 

Gaṇapati is ritualistically worshipped by offering a Durvā with each chant of ‘i’ or with each utterance of the one thousand Names of Gaṇapati . This is called ‘durvarchane’. In this the offering of Durvā begins from the Holy Feet of the Gaṇapati idol.

 

Durvā and grass

 

Durvā have the highest ability to attract and emit the Principles of the three Deities – Primal Shiva, Primal Shakti and Primal Gaṇapati . The grass does not have any such ability. The vibrations that the grass attracts and emits are illusory, that is, artificial.

 

Subtle effect of grass:

• Raja-guṇ is active in the roots of grass, which flows in outward direction.
• Due to the raja-guṇ in the grass, the illusory vibrations flow in it and are also emitted by it.

 If Durvā is not available, the all-encompassing akshatā , that is, unbroken rice grains smeared with kumkum/arishina(turmeric) should be offered to the Deity.

The Scriptures mention: ‘सकलउपचारार्थे अक्षताम्‌ समर्पयामि ।’ which means, ‘akshatā can be used in place of all the substances offered in the rituals’.

Points to be kept in mind while bringing Durva for the ritualistic worship of Gaṇapati:

• 1. Select Durvā grown in a clean place only.
• 2. The Durvā should not have been trampled upon.
• 3. While plucking Durvā, chant the Name of Gaṇapati continuously.
• 4. While bringing Durvā home they should not be held in the left hand or on the head.
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The three leaflets of the tri-foliage Durvā to be offered to Gaṇapati denote the three guṇas s, Sattva, Raja and Tama. If the bhāv of the worshipper is that ‘offering the tri-foliage Durvā means offering our gunạs ', he gets the benefit at the spiritual level.

 

For more information on Dhurva read here.