prana pratishtha | प्राण प्रतिष्ठा

Prana Pratishtha (Devanagari: प्राण प्रतिष्ठा; ISO 15919: prāṇa pratiṣṭhā) refers to the Vedic consecration ceremony, typically lasting three days, in which the Deity is invoked to reside within a physical image.

Significance Prior to this ceremony, the image is considered merely a sculpture of stone or metal. However, after the ritual is complete, it is revered as a living, personified form of God. Consequently, the needs of the consecrated Deity are regarded as identical to those of a living person, and devotees serve the form just as they would serve the Lord Himself.

Further Reading and Reference

• Alternate Spelling: pran pratishtha
• Reference: Bhakti Mandir Coffee Table Book