Panchayatana
and Banalinga is a part of the fivefold family of deities (Panchayatana). The five Hindu deities (Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya and Ganesha) are the embodiment of 5 bhutas/tatwas worshipped in formless stones, which are obtained from the 5 rivers as indicated in the table below. Panchayatana form of worship is said to have been introduced by Adi Shankara, the 8th century C.E Hindu philosopher, to enable a person to worship his Ishta devata (adored or desired deity), to address each sectarian form of worship and thus bring about tolerance among all sects. Depending on the tradition followed by Smarta households, one of these deities is kept in the centre facing East direction and the other four are arranged in four corners surrounding it, as indicated in the diagram below; all the deities are worshipped with equal fervor and devotion.
| Name of Deity | Bhuta(Tatwa) | Name of the Stone
(Sila) |
Name of the River | Name of the State where found in India | Names of flowers and leaves used for worship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganesha | Apu(Water) | Red Sonabhadra | Sone | Bihar | Lotus and Bandook flowers |
| Surya(Sun) | Vayu (Air) | Crystal | Vallam | Tamil Nadu (Tanjavur) | Bandook flower and plantain tree |
| Vishnu | Akasha(Space) | Saligrama | Gandaki | Nepal | Tulsi (basil), Ashwatha, and
Amalaki leaves. Marigold, Punnaga, and yellow flowers |
| Shiva | Prithivi(Earth) | Banalinga | Narmada (Omkara-kunda) | Madhya Pradesh | Godlen shower tree Flower, Bel leaves & Amalaki leaves.
Akund (Calotropis gigantea), Crown flower Nagalingam flower |
| Ambika(Devi) | Agni(Fire) | Swarna Mukhi (Rekha Shila) | Swarnamukhi | Andhra Pradesh | Red flowers - Hibiscus or China rose
and Neem leaves |
People generally sit facing East, while placing the deities/devatas and performing the Panchayatana pooja in the following order:
| Center | North East | South East | South West | North West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganapati | Vishnu | Shiva | Surya (Sun) | Durga |
| Surya (Sun) | Shiva | Ganapati | Vishnu | Durga |
| Vishnu | Shiva | Ganapati | Surya (Sun) | Durga |
| Shiva | Vishnu | Surya (Sun) | Ganapati | Durga |
| Durga (Devi) | Vishnu | Shiva | Ganapati | Surya (Sun) |
| SHIVA
NORTHEAST |
DURGA
NORTHWEST |
|
|---|---|---|
| TATPURUSHA | ||
| VAMADEVA | ISHANA
VISHNU |
AGHORA
(RUDRA) |
| SADYOJATA | ||
| SOUTH EAST
GANAPATI |
SOUTH WEST
SURYA |
A layout for performing the Panchayatana Pooja
In an additional form of wosrhip, called the Shanmata, also founded by Adi Shankara, six deities are worshipped; the sixth deity in addition to the five deities referred in Panchayatana pooja referred above, is Skanda also known as Kartikeya and Murugan
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