Offerings

Offerings are a part of any poojan ceremony. Various deities are offered things in various direction by holding various mudras. Above a little information about it is being shared as given in Gandharwa Tantra. One of the most controversial offering is that of an animal. In the olden times such practices were common unlike the modern world of today. The logic mentioned behind it is not known to normal people. First of all offering of animals were made in front of living(pran pratishthit) deities only. As only they have the power to attract. Killing of any animal of course is an act of violence. As every karma attracts an effect on the person performing it, hence none can not go off free of this act of violence too. While on the other hand, when that offering was done it is said that the deity attracts the soul of the animal on release from the animal form. Thus the animal soul transcends the realm of animal world and is ascended to the realm of Devas as it merges in to the consciousness of deity. Thus apart from violence indulged one also raises the soul to a higher evolution platter. Hence it is said that the good accrued out of this action out weighed the negative karma performed in offering and hence it was not seen as a brazen act of violence. But later many people indulged in this act to fill their stomachs only and hence brought the bad name. Though this procedure was used in tamsic tantric practices but not in the vishudha tantra which is a mixture with yoga. However ordinary offerings can be given to the deities with hand forms as shown as concerned deities like them very much.

Talking on the philosophical level one can say that final physical offering one gives when one offers ones own self to the funeral fire in the last. One offers one self to the FIRE and becomes THAT only. However greater offering would be to cut the head of our own ego with the sword of knowledge and offer it at the feet of the Mother....Om-Shakti.