SUDARSANA CAKRA

Pundhra refers to the cosmetic marks made with coloured paste and applied by the acarya to twelve different places on the postulant’s body (four-for-women), invoking at each place the protective presence of one of the twelve murti-aspects of Vishnu.

Nama refers to the new name that is given to the novice, a secret name, but one that signifies that he is hence-forth a ‘servant’ of god. Thus the suffix dasa is often appended to one of the names of Lord Vishnu and given to the devotee, who now turns himself over to serve Vishnu, His Lord and Master.

Mantra refers to the sacred formula that is to be used in praise of god. It is a potent combination of six, or eight, or twelve, or more, syllabic letters – as the sadaksara mantra, the astaksara mantra, and the dvadasaksara mantra, with which the lord may be hailed. It is a formula passed down through the acarya’s line and its efficiency is only equal to the validity of the apostolic succession in which the preceptor stands. Hence, before giving the mantra to the initiate in this fourth step of the Pancasamskara ritual, the acarya recites his credentials by tracing his spiritual lineage back to Ramanuja, and beyond him all the way back to God. Thereupon he gives the formula by which one calls upon God in order to take refuge in his grace.

Yaga refers to the final step of the ritual, sometimes called prapatti and otherwise bharanyasa, depending on whether the followers are Tengalais or Vadakalais.