Religious Articles
CHATURAVRITTI TARPANAM	Return to Articles Index
The five constituent parts of a yajna are: japam, homam, tarpanam, mãrjanam and bhojanam. Our sages have ordained that in order for the mantras chanted in a yajna to be efficacious, all these must be performed to make the yajna complete and please the deity for whom the yajna is performed. A mantra is that by chanting which one is shielded from the cycle of birth and death - mananat trayate iti mantrah. While chanting of the mantra for a yajna is common to the first three parts - japam, homam and tarpanam - homam and tarpanam slightly differ from japam. These rituals, however, have profound spiritual significance. When doing japam, one focuses his thoughts on the deity and silently ’chants’ the mantra in his own mind. This enables him to arrest his thought waves, bring calmness to his mind and achieve one-pointed ness. While performing homam, however, the yajamãna not only chants the mantra aloud but also engages his body as well, by offering dravyas etc. to the deity. This results in bringing his body, speech and mind in perfect harmony so that he becomes one with the deity during those moments. Likewise, when doing tarpanam, the mantra is chanted aloud and milk mixed with water is offered to the deity instead of dravyas. Thus, these three parts of a yajna have the potency to spiritually elevate the yajamãna. When doing a yajna for Lord Ganeša, Chaturãvritti Tarpanam is performed - so called because the tarpanam is offered for a number of times, usually a multiple of four (4). This tarpanam is believed to please Lord Ganeša immensely and bring all kinds of prosperity not only to the yajamãna, but also to the community as well. The water offered in the Chaturãvritti Tarpanam is considered holier than the most holy waters and a sprinkling of this Tarpana water will unquestionably purify one’s body, mind and soul.
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