Image Credit: Precious Umbrella Documents & Designs
In the twenty-eighth verse of his Cidvilāsastava (‘Hymn to the Play of Consciousness’), Amṛtānanda teaches about the meaning of offering the ritual parsol (chatra) during pūjā as follows :
छादयन्निखलमात्मसंविदा त्रायते त्रिविधतापसंकटात् ।
यच्चिदम्बरगतं शिवात्मकं छत्रमत्र कमलं सुधामलम् ॥ २८ ॥
chādayan nikhalam ātmasaṃvidā trāyate trividhatāpasaṃkaṭāt |
yac cidambaragataṃ śivātmakaṃ chatram atra kamalaṃ sudhāmalam || 28 ||
“In this [perspective], the ritual parasol, a lotus as pure as nectar, is the reality of Śiva that spans the sky of Consciousness. Providing shelter [cha] with the awareness of the Self, it protects [tra] all beings [like an umbrella offering shade] from the perils of the three types of suffering.” (translation by Ben Williams)
