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.
