An Overview of the Netronmīlanam Ritual

A shilpin (artisan) painting the eyes on a Temple Icon

The Netronmīlanam ritual for the deities is performed at an auspicious muhurta (astrological timing). Until this time, the pupils of the eyes of the statues remain uncarved. At the time of the ritual, shilpis (temple stone carvers) carve the pupils, which are then blessed by priests with Vedic mantras for spiritual sight. Painted images, are completed by painting the pupils of the eyes. This process is performed behind a veil so devotees present do not send negative energies through glances (drishti) which could hinder the process. This also helps protect the devotees from the intensity of the ceremony which could stimulate experiences which could be overwhelming. The priests and shilpis are specially trained and prepared to endure the intensity of the rituals. In a small dose, spiritual energy acts like medicine. Like medicine, it can be more like a poison in excess. Just like people have built an immunity to poison by regularly ingesting small doses, the priests and stone carvers expose themselves to intense spiritual energies under the guidance of a guru to acclimate themselves to the intensity so they can endure the powerful rituals for the benefit of humanity.  

For the ceremony, honey is kept in a golden cup, ghee is kept in a silver cup, and anjanam is kept in a copper cup. Before these substances are placed into the cups, different deities are invoked into the cup and worshiped with various offerings (puja upacharas). The Sun is invoked into the gold cup; the Moon into the silver cup; and Agni into the copper cup. After the vessels are blessed in this way, the honey, ghee, and anjanam are blessed with Vedic mantras and poured into the containers. These substances are then applied to the eyes of the icon at an auspicious moment along with Vedic mantras. Honey is applied with a golden rod with a yellow sapphire (pushparaga) tip. Ghee is applied using a golden (or silver) rod with a diamond (vajra) tip. Anjanam is applied with a gold (or copper) rod with an agate (akik) tip.

---

A priest offering light

Consecrated Honey is applied to the right eye with the mantra:

चि॒त्रं दे॒वनां॒ उद॑गा॒-दनी॑कं चक्षु॑र्-मि॒त्रस्य॒ वरु॑णस्या॒ग्नेः।
आप्रा॒ द्यावा॑-पृथि॒वी अ॒न्तरि॑क्ष॒ग्ं सूर्य॑ आ॒त्मा जग॑तस्त॒-स्थुष॑श्च॥
ci̱traṁ de̱vanā̱ṁ uda̍gā̱-danī̍kaṁ cakṣu̍r-mi̱trasya̱ varu̍ṇasyā̱gneḥ |
āprā̱ dyāvā̍-pṛthi̱vī a̱ntari̍kṣa̱gṁ sūrya̍ ā̱tmā jaga̍tasta̱-sthuṣa̍śca ||
"The wonderful face of the Gods has arisen; the eye of the Mitra, Varuna and Agni. The Sun has filled the Heaven and the Earth and the middle space, He, the soul and the vision of all that moves and that does not move."
-Taittiriya Aranyaka 4.42.5 

Consecrated ghee is applied to the left eye with the mantra:

तच्चक्षु॑र्-दे॒वहि॑तं पु॒रस्ता च्चु॒क्रमु॒च्चर॑त्। 
पश्ये॑म श॒रद॑ श॒तं जीवे॑म श॒रद॑ श॒तं नन्दा॑म श॒रद॑ श॒तं मोदा॑म श॒रद॑ श॒तं भवा॑म श॒रद॑ श॒तं शृणुया॑म श॒रद॑ श॒तं प्रब्र॑वाम श॒रद॑ श॒तं अजी॑तास्याम श॒रद॑ श॒तं। ज्योक् चा॒ सूर्यं॑ दृ॒शे॥
taccakṣu̍r-de̱vahi̍taṁ pu̱rastā̎ ccu̱kramu̱ccara̍t | 
paśye̍ma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ jīve̍ma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ nandā̍ma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ modā̍ma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ bhavā̍ma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ śṛṇuyā̍ma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ prabra̍vāma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ ajī̍tāsyāma śa̱rada̍ḥ śa̱taṁ | jyok cā̱ sūrya̍ṁ dṛ̱śe ||
"May we see and adore the Sun, who is like an Eye which looks after the welfare of the Celestials. May my eyes, ears, tongue and other organs reveal Divine truth for a hundred years. May I not be helpless and dependent in this time. May I live a hundred years joyous and free from disease.  May we see this Divine light (of the Sun) for a hundred years. "
-Taittiriya Aranyaka 4.42.5

Consecrated collyrium is applied to both eyes with the mantra:

हिरण्यगर्भः समवर्तताग्रे भूतस्य जातः पतिरेकासीत ।
स दाधार पृथ्वीं ध्यामुतेमां कस्मै देवायहविषा विधेम ॥
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patirekāsīta |
sa dādhāra pṛthvīṃ dhyāmutemāṃ kasmai devāyahaviṣā vidhema ||
"In the beginning arose the golden seed; born, he was the sole lord of every creature. He upheld this earth and Heaven(. Which deva (except him) shall we worship with offering?"
-Taittiriya Aranyaka 4.1.8

A bimba with no pupils before netronmilianam

​​Learn More About The Netronmīlanam Rituals 
Contribute to Support our Efforts to Perform Eye-Opening Practices and Ceremonies  ​

Learn More