Ghee Abishekam

What is an Abishekam?

An abishekam is the holy bath given to a deity. This is the sacred hydration ceremony performed for inviting divine energies into our lives. It is a simple but highly effective purification process. We perform such rituals to the deities, who themselves are the embodiments of purity, only because this remains the most practical means of purifying our own souls.

Spiritual Significance of Ghee

Ghee, or clarified butter, represents the human soul. This also stands for the possibility of elevating one’s consciousness to a higher plane. Starting from milk, just as other products like curd and butter evolve, ghee symbolizes the progressive evolution from the perishable that is the body to the eternal that is Atman, or the soul. This also shows that as the ghee is very much ingrained in the milk but remains invisible, Paramatma, or God, resides in all things without revealing himself. This is the reason ghee has been used extensively in many of the Vedic rituals from time immemorial. 

Why is the Ghee Abishekam Performed?

As ghee represents the human soul, the Ghee Abishekam to the Gods symbolizes the merging of the human soul with the divine. The Ghee Abishekam is an extremely important worship for Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala, where devotees offer ghee that is carried in coconuts. Once abishekam to the idol is done with the ghee, empty coconut shells are offered to the fire, driving home the truth that as the soul leaves the body and reaches God, the shell, or the dead body, is simply consumed by fire.    

Benefits of Performing the Ghee Abishekam

The Ghee Abishekam essentially bestows the devotees with great spiritual attainments. This ceremony, done to Gods like Vishnu, Shiva and Ayyappa, blesses one with the ultimate moksha, or salvation. Further, ghee has many medicinal properties, and, hence, performing the Ghee Abishekam helps to solve complex physical ailments and illnesses, especially those related to constipation, ulcer, eyes and skin. This also helps in cleansing negative emotions and promoting positivity.