अन्नाभिषेक / அன்னாபிஷேகம் (annābhiśeka / annābhiśekam - food ablution)

 

திருச்சிற்றம்பலம் (tirucciṟṟambalam - sacred wisdom revealed)!

ஓம் நம சிவாய / ॐ नम शिवाय (ōm nama sivāya  / oṃ namaśivāya)

According to Tamil religious calendar, today, ஐப்பசி மாதம் பௌர்ணமி திதி (aippaci mātam paurṇami titi - full moon day between october-november) is widely celebrated in major சிவாலையங்கள் / शिवालयाः (sivālaiyaṅgaḷ / śivālayāḥ - Shiiva temples) across Tamil Nadu, as the sacred day of அன்னாபிஷேகம்  (aṉṉāpiṣēkam / annābhiśeka - rice consecration/coronation). I am reminded of the following திருநாவுக்கரசர் அருளிய தேவார பதிகம் (tirunāvukkaracar aruḷiya tēvāra patikam – decad of sacred garland by Thirunavakkarasar)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
அன்னம் பாலிக்குந் தில்லைச்சிற் றம்பலம் பொன்னம் பாலிக்கு மேலுமிப் பூமிசை என்னம் பாலிக்கு மாறுகண் டின்புற இன்னம் பாலிக்கு மோஇப் பிறவியே.	aṉṉam pālikkum tillaic ciṟṟampalam poṉṉam pālikkum mēlumip pū micai eṉ ampu ālikkumāṟu kaṇṭiṉpuṟa iṉṉam pālikkumō ippiṟaviyē.	Sacred Gnostic field at Thillai, where food is blessed, will bless with the life in golden world (heaven); Also on this earth, my love roars seeing and rejoicing. Will this birth last even further (to enjoy this)?
Tamil Reference : அப்பர் தேவாரம்: கோயில் (appar tēvāram: kōyil) (5.1.1)

Esoterically, the ritual symbolizes the पूर्ण अभिषेक (pūrṇa abhiṣeka - complete consecration) of the entire being of the जीवात्मा (jīvātmā - embodied soul) including all its पञ्चमहाकोश (pañca mahā kośa - five supreme sheaths) wrapping starting from its grossest realm of अन्नमय कोश (annamaya kośa - food / physical sheath).

As we all know, the अन्नमय कोश (annamaya kośa - food / physical sheath) forms the lowest rung in the ladder of consciousness; it predominately consists of all the material entities observed in the भु मण्डल (bhu maṇḍala - terrestrial world) including all the varieties of phenomenal manifestations of Mother Nature. In simple words, it refers to the outer most expression of the objective external “world out there” providing the foundation for evolution.

But even before probing into the details of this plane, let us in the first place understand why the ancient Hindu Vedantic wisdom calls it the अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food made sheath). But before getting into the “why?”, let us first understand the “what?”. Well, श्री आदि शंकराचार्य भगव्त्पाद (śrī ādi śaṃkarācārya bhagavtpāda) in his famous minor treatise तत्त्वबोधः (tattvabodhaḥ) states thus:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
अन्नमयः कः? अन्नरसेनैव भूत्वा अन्नरसेन्नैव वृद्धिं प्राप्य अन्नरूपपृथिव्यां यद् विलीयते अन्नमयः कोशः स्थूल शरीरम्॥	annamayaḥ kaḥ? annarasenaiva bhūtvā annarasennaiva vṛddhiṃ prāpya annarūpapṛthivyāṃ yad vilīyate annamayaḥ kośaḥ sthūla śarīram॥	What is the food (modified) sheath? The gross body, having come into existence by the essence of food alone, having gained growth, (and also) which resolves in the earth that is in the form of food, is food (modified) sheath. -translation by Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
Sanskrit Reference: तत्त्वबोधः (tattvabodhaḥ)

    Although the above is a good definition, yet if you feel it does not clarify enough. Well here is one more explanation provided by the honorable भगव्त्पाद (bhagavtpāda) in another popular treatise विवेकचूडामणि (vivekacūḍāmaṇi – crest jewel of wisdom)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
देहोऽयम् अन्नभवनोऽन्नमयस्तु कोशो ह्यन्नेन जोवति विनश्यति तद्विहीनः। त्वक्चर्ममांसरुधिराथिपुरिषराशिः नायम् स्वयं भाविउअर्हति नित्यशुद्धः॥	deho'yam annabhavano'nnamayastu kośo hyannena jovati vinaśyati tadvihīnaḥ। tvakcarmamāṃsarudhirāthipuriṣarāśiḥ nāyam svayaṃ bhāviuarhati nityaśuddhaḥ॥	The body of ours is the product of food and comprises the mterial sheath; it lives on food and dies without it; it is a mask of skin, flesh, blood, bones and filth, and can never be eternally pure, self-existen atman. -translation by Swami Swmi Ranganathananda (RKM Order).
Sanskrit Reference: विवेकचूडामणि (vivekacūḍāmaṇi) (156)

Thus, in a nutshell, as explained by the द्वितय प्रकरण ग्रन्थौ (dvitaya prakaraṇa granthau – two explanatory treatises) quoted above, we can infer that as अन्न (anna - food) forms the main source of आहारम (āhāram – nutrition) for the very sustenance in the भौतिक व्रत (bhautika vrata – physical realm), the latter is tagged as the अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food made sheath).

    With this basic understanding let us now learn about the nature and significance of अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food made sheath) as declared in the sacred पञ्चम अनुवाक (pañcama anuvāka  – fifth passage) occurring in the ब्रह्मानन्दवल्ली (brahmānandavallī) section of the sacred तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद् (taittirīya upaniṣad). According to which:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
अन्नाद्वै प्रजाः प्रजायन्ते।याः काश्चपृथ्वींश्रिताः। अथो अन्नेनैव जीवन्ति।अथैनदपियन्त्यन्ततः। अन्नंहि भूतानां ज्येष्ठम्। तस्मातस्र्वैषध्मुच्यते। सर्व वै ते अन्नमापनुवन्ति येअन्नं ब्रह्मोपास्ते। अन्नंहि भूतानां ज्येष्ठम्। तस्मातसर्वैषध्मुच्यते। अन्नाद्भूतानि जायन्ते। जातान्यन्नेन वर्धन्तिए। अद्यतेऽत्ति च भूतानि। तस्मादन्नं तदुच्यत इति। तस्माद्वा एतस्मादन्नर समयादन्योऽन्तर आत्मा प्राणमयः। तेणैष पूर्णः। स व एष पुरुषविध एव। तस्य पुरुषविधतामन्वयं पुरुषविधः। तस्य प्राण एव शिरः। व्यानो दक्षिणः पक्षः। अपानः उत्तरः पक्षः। आकाश आत्मा। पृथ्वि पुच्छम् प्रतिष्ठा। तदप्येष श्लोल्को भवति॥	annādvai prajāḥ prajāyante। kāścapṛthivīṃśritāḥ। atho annenaiva jīvanti| athainadapiyantyantataḥ। annaṃhi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham। tasmātasrvaiṣadhmucyate। sarva vai te annamāpanuvanti yeannaṃ brahmopāste। annaṃhi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham। tasmātasarvaiṣadhmucyate। annādbhūtāni jāyante। jātānyannena vardhantie। adyate'tti ca bhūtāni। tasmādannaṃ taducyata iti। tasmādvā etasmādannara samayādanyo'ntara ātmā prāṇamayaḥ। teṇaiṣa pūrṇaḥ। sa va eṣa puruṣavidha eva। tasya puruṣavidhatāmanvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ। tasya prāṇa eva śiraḥ। vyāno dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ। apānaḥ uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ। ākāśa ātmā। pṛthvi puccham pratiṣṭhā। tadapyeṣa ślolko bhavati॥	Verily, all sorts and races of creatures that have their refuge upon earth, are begotten from food; thereafter they live also by food and it is to food again that they return at the end and last. For food is the eldest of created things and therefore they name it the Green Stuff of the universe. Verily, they who worship the Eternal as food, attain the mastery of food to the uttermost; for Food is the eldest of created things and there fore they name it the Green Stuff of the universe. From food all creatures are born and being born they grow by food. Lo, it is eaten and it eats; yea, it devours the creatures that feed upon it, therefore it is called food from the eating. Now there is a second and inner Self which is other than this that is of the substance of food; and it is made of the vital stuff called Prana. And the Self of Prana fills the Self of food. Now the Self of Prana is made in the image of a man; according as is the human image of the other, so is it in the image of the man. The main Breath is the head of him, the breath pervasor is his right side and the lower breath is his left side; ether is his spirit which is the self of him, earth is his lower member whereon he rests abidingly. Whereof this is the Scripture. translation by Sri Aurobindho
Sanskrit Reference: तैत्रीय उपनिषद् (taitrīya upaniṣad) (2.2.1)

    In order to better understand the above वेद श्रुति (veda śruti – vedic revelation), let us once again look at the explanation provided by श्री आदि शंकराचार्य भगव्त्पाद (śrī ādi śaṃkarācārya bhagavtpāda) as part of his famous भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) on the same.

Original	Transliteration	Translation
अन्नाद्रसादिभावपरिणतात् वा इति स्मरणार्थः प्रजाःस्थावरजङ्गमाः प्रजायन्ते। याः काश्चाविशिष्टाः पृथ्वीं श्रिताः पृथिवीमाश्रिताः ता सर्वाः अन्नदेव प्रजायन्ते। अथो अपि जाताः अन्नेनैव जीवन्ति प्राणान्धरायन्ति वर्धन्त इत्यर्थः। अत अपि एन्त् अन्नमपियन्ति अपिगच्छन्ति। अपि शब्दः प्रतिशब्दार्थे। अन्नं प्रतिपलीयन्त इत्यर्थः। अन्ते जीवनलक्षणायाः वृत्तेः परिस्माप्तौ। कस्मात्? अन्नं हि यस्मात् भूतानां प्राणिनां ज्येष्टं प्रथमजम्। अन्नमयादीनां हितरेषां भूतानां कारणमन्नम्। अतः प्रभाव अन्नजीवनाः अन्नप्रलयाश्च सर्वाः प्रजाः। यस्माञ्च एवं तस्मात् सर्वैषधं सर्वप्राणिनां देहदाहप्रशमनमन्नमुच्यते।	annādrasādibhāvapariṇatāt vā iti smaraṇārthaḥ prajāḥsthāvarajaṅgamāḥ prajāyante। yāḥ kāścāviśiṣṭāḥ pṛthivīṃ śritāḥ pṛthivīmāśritāḥ tā sarvāḥ annadeva prajāyante। atho api jātāḥ annenaiva jīvanti prāṇāndharāyanti vardhanta ityarthaḥ। ata api ent annamapiyanti apigacchanti। api śabdaḥ pratiśabdārthe। annaṃ pratipalīyanta ityarthaḥ। ante jīvanalakṣaṇāyāḥ vṛtteḥ parismāptau। kasmāt? annaṃ hi yasmāt bhūtānāṃ prāṇināṃ jyeṣṭaṃ prathamajam। annamayādīnāṃ hitareṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ kāraṇamannam। ataḥ prabhāva annajīvanāḥ annapralayāśca sarvāḥ prajāḥ। yasmāñca evaṃ tasmāt sarvaiṣadhaṃ sarvaprāṇināṃ dehadāhapraśamanamannamucyate।	From food transformed into its essence etc, the creatures both moving and unmoving are born. (All creatures) whichsoever they may be, without exception, that have found shelter on earth, are born from food alone. The indeclinable ‘vai’ is used to draw to memory (what is explained already). Having been born, by food alone they maintain life, meaning (they) grow. And at the end, i.e., at the point that indicates the termination of the life activities, they move towards it, i.e., food. The usage of ‘api’ here is in the sense of ‘prati (towards)’ the meaning implied is that they become absorbed advancing towards food. Why? Because, indeed, food is the first born of all things. In as much as food is the origin of all other creatures beginning with the body, all creatures emerge from food, subsist on food, and become absorbed into food. Because it is so, therefore, food is said to be the medicine for all i.e. something which brings about the cessation of the bodily afflications of all creatures. translation by V. Panoli
Sanskrit Reference :तैत्रीय उपनिषद् शंकर भाष्य (taitrīya upaniṣad śaṃkara bhāṣya) (2.2.1)

    श्री सुरेश्वराचार्य (śrī sureśvarācārya) in his famous वार्तिक (vārtika - gloss) on the above भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) further explains as to how the life evolves from अन्न (anna – food).

Original	Transliteration	Translation
वृष्टयादिस्वयपेक्षाया भुवः पञ्चगुणात्मिकाः। व्रीहिप्रभृत्यः सर्वा भवत्योशद्यः कमात्॥ अदानार्हं तथाऽन्नञ्च ताभ्यः समभिजायते। जगधादन्नद्रसोत्पत्तिः शोणितञ्जायते रसात्॥ ज्याति रुधिरान्मांसं मेदश्च ततो भवः। मेदसोऽस्थीनि ज्यान्ते मज्जाप्यस्थिसमुद्भवा। ततः शुक्रस्य निष्पतिर्बीजं मात्रसृजा सह॥ निजाविद्यामहाजालसंवीतधिष्णः पुमानः। मोहोतथानलकामाख्यबडिशापहृताशयः॥ तमसा कामशोर्ङ्गेण सङ्कल्पाकर्फनेन सः। रागाख्यविषलेपेन ताडितो विषयेषुणा॥ ग्रहाविष्ट इवानीशशोच्दितो जन्यकर्मणा। योषिदाग्निम्पतत्याशु ज्योतिर्लोभात्पतङ्गवत्॥ आकृष्य देहात्तच्छुक्रं यथाकर्म यथाश्रुतम्। रेतोवहप्रनाङ्गयाथ् योनौ पुंसा निषिच्यते॥ तस्य योनौ निषितक्स्य निमित्तवशवर्तिनः। जायते कललावस्था ततो बुद्बुधरूपिणी॥ बुदबुदाज्याते पेशी पेशीतो जायते घनम्। घनादङ्गाभिनिष्पत्तिः केशरोमाणि चाङ्गतः॥	vṛṣayādisvayapekṣyā bhuvaḥ pañcaguṇātmikāḥ। vṛhiprabhṛtyaḥ sarvā bhavatyośadyaḥ kamāt॥ adānārhaṃ tathā'nnacca tābhyaḥ samabhījāyate। jagadhādannadrasotpattiḥ śoṇitañjayate rasāt॥ jyāti rudhirānmāṃsaṃ medaśca tato bhavaḥ। medaso'sthīni jyānte majjāpyasthisamudbhavā। tataḥ śukrasya niṣpatirbhījaṃ mātrasṛjā sahaḥ॥ nijavidyāmahājālasaṃvītadhiṣṇaḥ pumānaḥ। mohātathānalakāmākhyabaḍiṣāphṛtāśayaḥ॥ tamasā kāmaśorṅeṇa saṅkalpākarṣanena saḥ। rāgakhyaviṣalepena tāḍito viṣayeṣuṇa॥ grahāviṣṭa ivānīśaśocdito janyakarmaṇā। yoṣidāgnimpatatyāśu jyotirlobhātpataṅgavat॥ ākṛṣya dehāttacchukraṃ yathākarma yathāśrutaṃ। retovahapranāṅgayāth yonau puṃsā niṣicyate॥ tasya yonau niṣitavasya nimittavaśavartinaḥ। jāyate kalalāvasthā tato budbudharūpiṇī॥ budabudajyāte peśī peśīto jāyate dhanam। dhanādaṅgābhiniṣyattiḥ keṣaroṃmāṇi jāṅgatāḥ॥	All herbs such as the grains which are constituted by the nature of the five elements come into being in orderly succession from earth with the cooperation of rain, etc. In that manner from herbs come food which is to be eaten. From the food that is digested, rasa, an essential fluid of the body, comes into being. And from rasa comes blood. . From blood comes flesh; and from this (flesh), fact comes into being. From fat, bones are produced. And marrow comes out of bone. From marrow comes the semen, which along with the mother’s blood, gives rise to the seed. The person whose mind is enveloped by the mighty net of the inherent avidya, whose heart is captivated by the fish-hook of insatiable desire which is born of non-discrimination, who is assailed by ignorance, who is struck down by the arrow of the sense-object smeared with the poison of attachment and discharged from the bow of desire, and attracted by purposeful thought, who is powerless like the one who is possessed by a demon, who be impelled by a karma of the person that is to be born, falls in haste into the fire of a woman, like a moth (which rushes into fire) covetous of its flame. The semen which is extracted from the body is poured into the womb through the genital organ by man, in the manner determined by (the former) karma and knowledge. From the semen poured into the womb and acted on by the (two) causes (viz. previous karma and upasana) comes the embryonic state of kalala and thence budbuda form. From the budbuda form arises the foetus, and from the foetus comes the solid body. From the solid-body organs come into being; and from the organs come out hairs on the head and body. translation by R. Balasubramaniyan
Sanskrit Reference :तैत्रीय उपनिषद् भाष्य वार्तिक (taitrīya upaniṣad bhāṣya vārtika) (2.163 - 171)

    This is why अन्नम् (annam - food) is given the highest sanctity in Hindusim and is even theologized as माता श्री अन्नपूर्णी (mātā śrī annapūrṇī) who is glorified as the श्री अखिलाण्डेश्वरी (śrī akhilāṇḍeśvarī – supreme goddess of multiverse). In fact, there is even a सप्तविंशति अक्षर तारक मन्त्र (saptaviṃśati akṣara tāraka mantra – twentyseven syllabled rescuing mantra) viz. “ऐं ह्रीं सौः श्रीं क्लीं औं नमो भगवत्यन्नपूर्णी ममाभिलषितमन्नं देहि स्वाहा (aiṃ hrīṃ sauḥ śrīṃ klīṃ auṃ namo bhagavatyannapūrṇī mamābhilaṣitamannaṃ dehi svāhā - Salutation, O Divine Annapurna, vouchsafe the food I desire)”. Again, for example, the अन्नपूर्णोपनिषद् (annapūrṇopaniṣad) which is one of the सामान्यवेदान्त उपनिषदः (sāmānyavedānta upaniṣadaḥ - generic vedanta upanishads) belonging to the अथर्व वेद संहिता (atharva veda saṃhitā), eulogizes अन्नम् (annam - food) thus:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
नित्यानन्दा निराधारा विख्यता विलस्त्कच। विष्टपेशी महालक्ष्मीः कामस्थारो नितस्तथा॥ भगवत्यन्नपूर्णेति ममाभिलषितं ततः। अन्नं देहि ततः स्वाहा मन्त्रसारेति विश्रुता॥ सप्तविंशाति वर्णात्मा योगिनीगणसेविता। ऐं ह्रीं सौः श्रीं क्लीं औं नमो भगवत्यन्नपूर्णे ममाभिलषितमन्नं देहि स्वाहा।	nityānandā nirādhārā vikhyatā vilastkaca। viṣṭapeśī mahālakṣmīḥ kāmasthāro nitastathā॥ bhagavatyannapūrṇeti mamābhilaṣitaṃ tataḥ। annaṃ dehi tataḥ svāhā mantrasāreti viśrutā॥ saptaviṃśāti varṇātmā yoginīgaṇasevitā। aiṃ hrīṃ sauḥ śrīṃ klīṃ auṃ namo bhagavatyannapūrṇe mamābhilaṣitamannaṃ dehi svāhā।	Eternal bliss independent (=hrīṃ) renowed with streaming stresses (sauḥ), the leader of the world (śrīṃ), Mahalakshmih (at once) desire (klīṃ), fulfilment and humanity is the divine annapūrṇa. ‘I begged of Her, using the celebrated and quintessential incantation of twenty-seven syllables, cultivated by host of female ascetics. ‘Namely aiṃ hrīṃ sauḥ śrīṃ klīṃ auṃ namo bhagavatyannapūrṇe mamābhilaṣitamannaṃ dehi svāhā’ (Salutation, O Divine Annapurna, vouchsafe the food I desire). Translation by A.G. Krishna Warrier
Sanskrit Reference: अन्नपूर्णोपनिषद् (annapūrṇopaniṣad) (5-7)

But what exactly is metaphysics meant by the term ‘अन्नम् (annam - food)’ in the context of esoteric philosophy. According to Sanskrit व्युत्पत्ति (vyutpatti - etymology), the term is derived from the root verb ‘अद् (ad – to eat/consume)’ added to the suffix ‘अ (a)’. In other words, अन्नम् (annam - food) includes any खाद्य वस्तु (khādya vastu – edible object) that can be ‘आहृत / भुक्त  (āhṛta / bhukta - eaten / consumed)’.  Even basic common sense, will tell us that the भौतिक व्रत (bhautika vrata – physical realm) is the source of input to the जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – coprporeal soul). For example, the following are the three main kinds of feeds supplied by the external system to us –

·        Matter, as food for metabolism and digestion,

·        Energy, as solar and other रश्मिविकिरण (raśmivikiraṇa - radiation) &

·        Information – as sense inputs for our perception and conception.

Now, the above derivation of the term  ‘अन्नम् (annam - food)’ is based on कर्म व्युत्पत्ति (karma vyutpatti – action etymology) where the emphasis is on the विषय खादनस्य / भुक्त्याः  (viṣaya khādanasya / bhuktyāḥ  - object of eating / consumption). Alternately, the term can be also be derived based on कर्ता व्युत्पत्ति (kartā vyutpatti – actor/doer etymology) according to which the emphasis is on the विषयिन् खादनस्य / भुक्त्याः (viṣayin khādanasya / bhuktyāḥ  - subject of eating / consumption). In other words, the latter represents the खादितृ / भोक्तृ (khāditṛ / bhoktṛ  - eater/consumer). This point is very clealry explained by  श्री आदि शंकराचार्य भगव्त्पाद (śrī ādi śaṃkarācārya bhagavtpāda)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
इदानीमन्ननिर्वचनमुच्यते - अद्यते भूजयते चैव यद्भूतैरन्नमिति च भूतानि स्वयं तस्माद्भूतैर्भुज्यमानत्वाद्भूतभोक्तृत्वाच्चान्नं तदुच्यते।	idānīmannanirvacanamucyate - adyate bhūjayate caiva yadbhūtairannamiti ca bhūtāni svayaṃ tasmādbhūtairbhujyamānatvādbhūtabhoktṛtvāccānnaṃ taducyate।	Now follows the etymological interpretation of the word anna (food). Because food is eaten by creatures, and also because it itself eats the creatures, therefore, owing to it being eaten by creatures and being itself the eater, it is called food. translation by V. Panoli
Sanskrit Reference: तैत्रीय उपनिषद् शंकर भाष्य (taitrīya upaniṣad śaṃkara bhāṣya) (2.2.1)

Even basic common sense, will tell us that the physical plane is the source of input to the self. For example, the following are the three main kinds of feeds supplied by the external system to us – Matter, as food for metabolism and digestion, Energy, as solar and other radiation & Information – as sense inputs for our perception and conception. With this understanding of the significance of अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food predominant sheath) let us next try to understand the relevance of this ritual of அன்னாபிஷேகம் / अन्नाभिषेक (aṉṉāpiṣēkam / annābhiśeka - rice consecration/coronation).

Technically, such a process is also called as आत्म शुद्धि (ātma śuddhi –self cleansing) is also called as भूत शुद्धि (bhūta śuddhi – elements cleansing) in the आगम/तन्त्रशास्त्र (āgama/tantraśāstra – agamic / tantric scripture). In other words, starting from the gross material states each of the ontological elements are gradually cleansed and merged with its corresponding parent element.

Esoterically, the soul’s inward journey begins from here. It is a संहार यात्र (saṁhāra yātra – withdrawl / re-absorption journey) involving transmigration of the soul from the स्थूल अवस्थाः (sthūla avasthāḥ – gross states) to relatively सूक्षम अवस्थाः (sūkṣama avasthāḥ – subtler states).  Please recollect that structurally, as discussed above, the माण्डूक मण्डल (māṇḍūka maṇḍala) corresponds to an outside-in going hierarchical realms of consciousness with higher realms of subtility as we move inwards. Here the movement of the भक्त (bhakta - devotee) from the outer walls to the inner walls also reflects the same concept. In ontological terms, every stage is an involution / dissolution of the स्थूल तत्त्व (sthūla tattva – grosser elements) back into its corresponding कारण तत्त्व (kāraṇa tattva – source element). This fact is very categorically stated by the revered saint अघोरशिव (aghoraśiva) in his famous treatise क्रियाक्रमद्योतिका (kriyākramadyotikā)

"In order to purify the subtle body, the worshipper should cause the tattvas to be dissolved (laya), each into its own source (karana), in an inverse order (to that of their emission) ending with mahamaya....

…accordingly he should visualize earth reabsorbed into odour, water into taste, fire into form, wind into touch, ether into sound, and these perceptible qualities (tanmatras) into the inert space of the ego (tanasahankara)..."

In simple words, it corresponds to the act of complete self-sacrifice. Please remember that the term sacrifice is used in its esoteric sense of "act of making sacred".

திருச்சிற்றம்பலம் (tirucciṟṟambalam - sacred wisdom revealed)!