How to Light Lamps as Per Shaiva Agama

Kāmika Āgama, Pūrvapāda, Pañcama Pāṭala, Arcānāṅga Vidhiḥ

कपिला गो-घृतेनाऽथ दीपः सात्विक उच्यते ।

राजसं तिल-तैलेन मिश्रमाएजेन सर्पिषा ॥

एक-द्वित्रि-अङ्गुला ज्वालाः श्रेष्ठ-मध्याधमाः स्मृताः ।

तामसस्तु भवेद्दिपो माहिषेण तु सर्पिषा ॥

वृक्षबीजोद्भवैः स्नेहैर्दीपः पैशाच उच्यते ।

तामसश्चापि पैशाचो दीपो योग्ये-तरः स्मृतः

kapilā go-ghṛtenā'tha dīpaḥ sātvika ucyate ।

rājasaṃ tila-tailena miśramāejena sarpiṣā ॥

eka-dvitri-aṅgulā jvālāḥ śreṣṭha-madhyādhamāḥ smṛtāḥ ।

tāmasastu bhaveddipo māhiṣeṇa tu sarpiṣā ॥

vṛkṣabījodbhavaiḥ snehairdīpaḥ paiśāca ucyate ।

tāmasaścāpi paiśāco dīpo yogye-taraḥ smṛtaḥ

Meaning: 

kapilā — tawny-colored (cow)

go-ghṛtena — with cow’s ghee

atha — then / indeed

dīpaḥ — lamp

sātvikaḥ — sāttvic / pure

ucyate — is said to be

rājasaṃ — rājasic / passionate

tila-tailena — with sesame oil

miśram — mixed

ājñena (āejena) — with ghee / under instruction

sarpiṣā — with clarified butter (ghee)

eka-dvi-tri-aṅgulāḥ — one-, two-, or three-finger-length

jvālāḥ — flames

śreṣṭha-madhya-adhamaḥ — best, middle, and lowest

smṛtāḥ — are said / are regarded

tāmasaḥ — tamasic / inert

tu — but / indeed

bhavet — becomes / is

dīpaḥ — lamp

māhiṣeṇa — with buffalo’s ghee

tu — indeed / but

sarpiṣā — with ghee

vṛkṣa-bīja-udbhavaiḥ — produced from seeds of trees

snehaiḥ —  unguents

dīpaḥ — lamp

paiśācaḥ — demoniac / inauspicious

ucyate — is said to be

tāmasaḥ ca api — even tamasic also

paiśācaḥ — demoniac

dīpaḥ — lamp

yogyetaraḥ — less suitable / unfit

smṛtaḥ — is considered

Meaning and commentary as my parampara's insight:

So how does the Āgama-s instruct us to light a dīpa for the deity?

Firstly, the best wick to be used is cotton (paṟutti nōl). It is very light and has a good attribute to pull oil.

Besides, cotton – silk (paṭṭu), lotus thread (tamarai nōl), banana pith (vaḻai nāṟu) and banana stem (vaḻai taṇḍa nōl) are also permissible.

The ghee used should be obtained from the tawny coloured kapilā cow. Such a lamp is regarded sāttvika (of sattva guṇa). This is said to be the best. It gives a divine ambiance and wisdom.

A lamp which burns with sesame oil is said to be rājasa (of passion, action). You are also allowed to mix sesame oil with some ghee and burn a lamp.

A lamp which burns with the ghee of buffalo is tāmasa (inert). It creates dullness, sleepiness, and inactivity.

A lamp which burns with the oil or unguents obtained from plants and seeds is paiśāca. It is inauspicious in its ambiance.

Paiśāca dīpa includes lamps which burn with coconut oil and something which is very commonly used – Mahua oil (illuppanai). Such oils are to be used by physicians, not for the purpose of worship.

Height of a lamp flame?

Uttamam (best) – three aṅgula

*one aṅgula is the length of one middle phalanx

Madhyamam (moderate) – two aṅgula

Adhamam (lowest) – one aṅgula

In the Suprabhedāgama, the sequence is given as four, three, and two aṅgula – representing the best, moderate, and lowest types respectively.