Pranam Pañcapātra which literally means 'five vessels' has to do with pañcaloha. Also the symbols Cu,Au,Ag,Pb and Zn denote, copper, gold, silver, lead and zinc respectively . Copper is the name in Sanskrit as LOHA. Rig Vedam speaks about AYAS meaning metals, including iron, copper, zinc, gold and silver.
The *Rigveda *(10.75.8) mentioned that the river Sindhu (Indus) contains gold. The word *hiranyayi* was used for the river. Another *Rigveda* hymn (8.26.18), states that the path of the river Sindhu contains gold, and the word used for it is *hiranyavartanih*. It is interesting to note that Sayana translated this word as *hiranmayobhayakula*, i.e. both banks containing gold. Another important metal referred to in *Rigveda* is *ayas*. It has a shining appearance. *Ayas*has different meanings in different periods. In early Vedic period, it means either copper or copper alloys. One of the important products made from *ayas*, as stated in the *Rigveda*, was the weapon of Indra called *vajra*. It was made by the process of sinchan (casting). In the later Vedic period *ayas *or* karshnayas* means iron. In the *Atharvaveda, rajata* (silver),* trapu* (tin) and *sisa*(lead) have been mentioned. There is a rich Sanskrit terminology for metals, from which interesting information on history of metallurgy can be derived. Silver tarnishes readily when exposed to atmosphere containing sulphur, and looks blackish hence Sanskrit name of silver is *durvarna*. The copper produced in Nepal was called *naipalika *or *nepalaka*, and was of high purity. Tin recovered from lead-tin alloy was called *nagaja*, i.e. “that obtained from * naga* (lead)”. Similarly, tin recovered from the impure gold containing tin was called *svarnaja*. India was not rich in tin metal. The presence of lead adversely affects the characteristics of gold and hence, it was also called as* hemaghna*. *Chamakam Anuvaka 5* *अश्मा* *च* *मेमृत्तिका* *च* *मेगिरयश्च* *मेपर्वताश्च* *मे* *सिकताश्च* *मेवनस्पतयश्च* *मेहिरण्यं* *च* *मे* *ऽयश्च* *मेसीसं* *च* *मेत्रपुश्च* *मेश्यामं* *च* *मे* *लोहं* *च* *मेऽग्निश्च* *म* *आपश्च* *मेवीरुधश्च* *म* *ओषधयश्च* *मेकृष्टपच्यं* *च* *मेऽकृष्टपच्यं* *च* *मे* *Ashmaa cha me mrittikaa cha me girayashcha me parvataashcha me* *sikataashcha me vanaspatayashcha me hiranyam cha me* *ayashcha me siisam cha me trapushcha me shyaamam cha me* *loham cha** me agnishcha ma aapashcha me viirudhashcha ma* *oshhadhayashcha me krishhtapachyam cha * That the word *loha *here unmistakably refers to copper is shown by the fact that this identical passage has been repeated in the Taittirya Samhita and also in the Maitrayani Samhita with this difference that in the last named Samhita the word *loha *has been replaced by the work *lohilayas or “ red metal” *meaning evidently copper. The Rig Veda <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rig_Veda> refers to ayas, and also states that the Dasyus <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasyu> had Ayas (RV 2.20.8). In RV 4.2.17, "the gods [are] smelting like copper <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper>/metal ore the human generations". The references to Ayas in the Rig Veda probably refer to bronze or copper rather than to iron. Hence the metal quarrying, purifications and manufacturing of articles were in vogue at least 7000 years before against the branding by the west under metal age diversifications. Pancha patra in this line if viewed would show the significance of the metals and copper. The lexicon does not show any Vedic usage by any one but as a misnomer used in the Brahmachari yagnopa veedham rituals recently. Lexicon would mean the following meanings: 1 Pañca-pātra. — literally, ‘a vessel made of five *[metals]’*; offerings of food made to a deity along with cooked rice; probably the same as pañca-bhakṣya. 5 vessels. 2 A Sraddha in which offerings are made in five vessels. Derivable forms: *pañcapātram* (पञ्चपात्रम्). PANCHAPATRA is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms Panchan+Patra. 5 vessels. 3 Pañcapātra (पञ्चपात्र): —[=*pañcapātram*] [from *pañca*] n. a [particular] vessel for purifying water used at the Ācamana 4 Varta-loha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vartaloha#rasashastra> is an amalgam of -bell-metal (kamsya <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kamsya#rasashastra>), copper (tamra <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/tamra#rasashastra>), brass (pittala <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pittala#rasashastra>), iron (lauha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/lauha#rasashastra>), and lead (sisaka <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sisaka#rasashastra>). It is also called pancha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/panca#hinduism>-loha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/loha#rasashastra> (amalgam of five metals).(1) Varta <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/varta#hinduism>-loha is cool, sour, pungent, and coarse. It pacifies kapha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kapha#ayurveda> and pitta <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pitta#ayurveda>. It increases appetite, is beneficial to skin and eye-sight, is a killer of worms, and purifier of stool, urine, and other excreta from the system. (2) All sorts of food, prepared in an utensil of this metal, is salutary to the system, and serves to Increase the power of digestion, if there is nothing of sour in the materials cooked. Patra made of pancha loha is varta-loha or Pancha patra. Though there is closeness of the meaning in all the four, the 2 & 3 are used as adjectives while the pancha patram is used for achamana without uddarani made up of 5 metals as per the Ayurvedic system hence we always address a panchapatra uddarani. KR IRS 1121 On Fri, 1 Jan 2021 at 08:05, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 < [email protected]> wrote: > *PANCHA PATHRAM* > Dear friends, > > Seeing the brass panchapathram well cleaned and shining I thought of > Panchapathram can be my topic today. > > Sincerely, > > Gopala Krishnan 21-8-2010 > > *Reposted on 1-1-2020 after editing and updating. Wish you all a happy new > year.R. Gopala Krishnan* > > 1. Gold Panchapathram > > Recently I had been to Joy Alukkas in Chennai. There was a display of > Panchapathram made of gold. Surely Brahmins use Panchapathram. So the > display showed it was a movable item and over than that an affordable > item by some Brahmins. Minimum at least 150 grams of gold is required to > make a lightweight small size Panchapathram with Uddirini. Members can > calculate the prize. Recently there was a posting loosing concentration by > keeping chapels outside and worshipping in the temple. I think anybody > bringing Gold pancha pathram too would be attention of all others and > cannot get concentration during upakarma. > > 2. Silver Pancha pathram > > Silver panchapathram is offered to the bridegroom during marriage as gift. > The size of pancha pathram has a limit and weight can vary between 200- 500 > grams. Silver Panchapathram is used for all auspicious occasions like > Jathakarmam, namakaranam, Seemantham, marriage, avani avittam etc. > > In the olden days our sasthrikal used to make special announcement to keep > safe Velli Panchapathram, Velli Thattu etc safe after finishing the > function to the hosts. > > For Upanayanam uncle brings Pancha pathram Uddirini for the Vadu as gift > and it is considered as customary. If three or four uncles are there > Panchapathram can be more weighing. If uncles are not there naturally > mother’s parents will be bringing Panchapathram Uddirini. > > Now a day it is most common to bring silver pancha pathram uddirini for > Aavaniyavattam and everybody having there is no distraction. > > Update- For reasons not known now 99% bring brass thattu, panchapathram > and uddirini.Very few bring copper items. > > 3. Brass Panchapathram uddirini > > Brass Pancha pathram uddirini is common in use, especially for its bright > yellow colour. For all functions including Tharpana now a day we use Brass > items. I have Panchapathram Uddirini in Silver, brass and copper. I > normally use Brass one. Somehow I developed a liking for Brass. > > 4. Copper Pancha pathram Uddirini > > For semi auspicious functions like sraadha and Tharpan it is preferred to > use copper items only. For inauspicious only copper items are used. > > 5 Temples and use of pancha pathram Uddirini > > Panchapathram Uddirini is used to serve Theertham, performing nivedyam etc > in Temples. In Kerala temples mostly nampoothiries prefer Kindi instead of > Pancha pathram. All the above metal types are used in Temples. Yes golden > items are used in some famous temples. > > 6. Use of Golden Panchapathram. > > We have our Golden Devi temple at Vellore. Tons of gold is used in the > temple. We have Tirupathi temple richest in India. There is Guruvayoor > temple and Padmanabha swamy temple, which are richer. Recently I read the > coconut shell in which mango Nivedyam offered in Padmanabha swamy temple is > covered with gold now. > > 7. Pancha pathram and Avani avittam > > In my boy hood days it was a practice to take Pancha pathram and Uddirini > for Avani avittam. It was used for intial arghyams and aachamanam. > Tharpanams (Kandarshi) was performed in the river. Later we use to take > theertham in it. It was customary to worship in the temple from > Aanakottil and go to home. There was one Kochumadathil periyappa who use to > conduct Aavani avittam. No sasthrikal. From him I learnt my verse- “Narmada > sindhu Kaveri Godavari namosthuthae*….”. Pithru Tharpanam was performed > by elders who lost father and we were eager to watch it.* On those days > maximum dashing could be five rupees by the richest. Normally our father > would give two Rupees and we all (three brothers) will perform simple > namaskarams. > > After having a single Pancha pathram of copper, we were using brass > glasses instead of Panchapathram. I am not sure about the spoon material > now. On those days brass glasses too had dignity. Today if any iyer take a > brass glass every body’s eyes will be on him. What happened to his > Panchapathram? This would be a matter of distraction. *On those days > sharing Panchapathram too was common taking additional uddirinies.* Today > it is rare unless one forget to take panchapathram and took Uddirini > > 8. Pancha pathram size > > Irrespective of the material used, there is a limit to the size of > Panchapathram. It should intake about 200- 300 ml water. Make sure if water > is getting less add more from a vessel like brass montha. Always for > Arghyams one has to take Uddirini full water. This is special during > Tarpana and sraadha. > > 9. Pancha pathra- sacredness. > > We can use Panchapathram and Uddirini for various functions and water has > to be taken with Uddirini only. We cannot make use of Pancha pathra > instead of glass. Glass can be a substitute for Pancha pathra. The only > occasion we use water straight from Panchapathram is for “Tripthyatha, > thriptha, Tripthya “during Tahrpanams and sraahda. > > 11. Origin of name Panchapathram > > Initially for different uses during functions we were using five different > vessels and uddirini. It is told it created a lot of confusion and some sages > like Yanjavalkya or Vaisampayana decided in future it can be one. > > 12 Cleanliness of Panchapathram > > It is atmost important to clean Panchapathram Uddirini at least twice a > week. In my home it is a practice to clean Thursdays. I take special care > to ensure it is first cleaned by lady servant and give back before other > vessels cleaning. (The best I can get done) > > I will finish quoting an incident from a Tamil film acted by Sobhana and > Bhagya raj. Not having sufficient Brahmins, one sasthrikal makes Bhagyaraj > to wear Upaveetham and take him for a function in Sobhana’s home. Bhagyaraj > was asked to get one more Panchapathram from inside during the function. > Sobhana hands it over in a minute and still Bhagyaraj keep waiting. On her > query he further express, it is only one, he shows five fingers and say > five are required as if she was careless in giving correct quantity….. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "iyer123" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/2072623340.4898303.1609468551166%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/2072623340.4898303.1609468551166%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZor%3D4kdOyLmNbsZLcj4w_cDPhaqS6SDytyPrq8Pv3LEQWQ%40mail.gmail.com.
