Q: Guruji, What is the significance of ‘Panchamrita (mixture of five foods used in Hindu worship) Abhisheka’? Why were only these materials chosen?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: These five are like nectar: Milk, Curd, Honey, Jaggery and Ghee. Though jaggery needs to be used, sugar is being used instead of jaggery nowadays. Five Devatas (Deities) reside in them. Savitru resides in Sugar,Vishwedeva in Honey, Surya in Ghee, Vayu in Curd, and Soma in Milk. So, when you offer them as Abhisheka, the intention is that – may the qualities of the Devas blossom in our life.We pray for peace in everybody’s mind. Let there be joy in everybody’s mind. Let there be strength, courage and longevity in people’s lives. Let there be contentment and prosperity in people’s lives. Let there be radiance in life. Let the winds and rivers flow in sweetly. Let our days and nights be sweet. Let every soil particle bring sweetness to us. Let us get sweetness from the Akasha, Devatas and Pitrus (departed ancestors). Let our speech and thoughts be sweet. Let the society bring us sweetness. Let the Vanaspati (Lord of the forest) bring us sweetness. Let the Sun bring sweetness to our lives. Let our whole life bring sweetness to other people’s lives. Let us bring sweetness to the collective consciousness.