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In the Sanatan tradition, utmost care is taken of purity during the worship of God, evening worship and rituals in the home temple. Generally, copper, brass or bronze utensils are used in abundance for daily worship, but when it comes to special rituals, daily Jalabhishek of God, offering Naivedya or Panchamrit, then silver utensils are given a paramount and unique place. Although silver is a precious and expensive metal, for centuries there has been a tradition in Indian families to keep puja thali, achmani, lota and bhog bowl made of silver. According to the scriptures, silver is not just a metal for jewelery or decoration, but it is an extremely divine, energetic and sattvik element which is capable of keeping the atmosphere of the place of worship pure and sacred by absorbing cosmic positive energy.
In Vedic astrology and religious scriptures, silver metal is considered to be directly related to the Moon, the factor of mind among the nine planets, and the planet Venus, the lord of opulence. According to astrology, the Moon represents mental peace, emotional balance, gentleness and concentration of a person, while the origin of silver is believed to be from the Trinetra of Lord Shiva. This is the reason that when a seeker performs Jalabhishek on Shivalinga with a silver vessel or offers food to Thakur ji, it strengthens the position of the Moon in the horoscope and the family members get relief from mental unrest, stress and depression. Along with this, silver is considered to be the favorite metal of Goddess Lakshmi; It is believed that in the worship house where silver Shriyantra, silver lamp or silver plate is used regularly, poverty is destroyed and permanent happiness and prosperity resides there.
The basic nature of silver is considered to be naturally cool, mild and antimicrobial. When the Panchamrit (raw milk, curd, desi ghee, honey and sugar candy) or Ganga water that we offer to God during daily puja are kept in a silver bowl or kalash, the cooling properties of silver get absorbed in those substances. In the scriptures, silver has the status of a ‘self-pure’ metal, which means that this metal does not get contaminated or tarnished very easily by external negative energy or impurities. This is why the Prasad kept in silver vessels retains its fresh aroma, sweetness and spiritual vibrations for a long time, which gives inner coolness and positive thoughts to every devotee who consumes it.
In Sanatan Puja rituals, silver utensils are used for different ritualistic activities with very precise rules:
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Naivedya and Panchamrit Patra: A silver bowl is considered best for offering fruits, sweets and Panchamrit to God, which maintains the purity of the offering.
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Abhishek Kalash and Lota: Using a silver pot for water anointment of deity idols and Shivalinga creates divine waves in the water.
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Pooja material plate: Use of small and big silver plates for keeping Roli, Kumkum, Gopi Chandan, Akshat and flowers is considered very auspicious.
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Achamana and Panchapatra: Before the puja, there is a tradition of consuming water along with self-purification and chanting mantras, using a silver panchpatra and a black gold spoon.
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Aarti lamp and bell: For the Aarti of the temple, a solid silver lamp and a sweet sounding bell help in driving away the negative forces from the environment.
Apart from religious beliefs, ancient Ayurveda codes and modern science also confirm the health benefits of silver utensils. According to Maharishi Charak and Sushruta, silver is an excellent chemical metal that calms Vata and Pitta doshas in the body. It contains natural anti-bacterial, anti-viral and disinfectant properties. When a silver vessel is filled with water, its microscopic ions dissolve in the water and make it sterile and full of medicinal properties. Regular consumption of this Charanamrit or water strengthens the digestive system, calms the internal irritation of the body and surprisingly increases the immunity. Thus the use of silver in worship is not just a spiritual tradition but a wonderful coordination of religion, astrology and health science.