Pancha-gavyam is the five products of the cow, all mixed and taken; i.e. Go-mootra, Gomaya (cowdung), Milk, Curd and Ghee, together with water added through the Dharba-Tip.
Panchagavya is considered to be extraordinarily effective in purifying our body.
It is said in some quarters that even the evil spirits ‘possessing’ a body could be driven off by ad- ministering a regular dosage of Panchagavya.
Aashaada-Suddha-Dwadasi is otherwise known as ‘Pancha- Gavya-Dwadasi.’ A devout Maadhva does not miss Panchagavya on this day.
How to prepare?
Go-mootra, ghee and Dharba water one palam each, Curd three palams and Milk seven palams is the proportion prescribed. Gomaya (cowdung) equiva- lent to half of the thumb.
The six cups each containing one of these items are placed in Pooja and in each cup, individual Devatas are invoked in the following order, with appropriate Mantras
Varuna in Go-Mootra, Agni in Gomaya, Soma in Milk, Vayu in Curd, Soorya in Ghee and again varuna in water
After Avahana and Pooja, the cups are picked up one by one and the contents mixed ceremonially in one vessel with the chanting of different Mantras like Gayatri etc.
PANCHA-GAVYA-HOMA
The mixed Panchagavya is offered to ten Devataas in Homa. The Devataas are :- 1. Vishnu, 2. Indragni, 3. Rudra, 4. Purusha-namaka-Vishnu, 5. Savita, 6. Atma, 7. Prajapati, 8. Soma, 9. Agni- and 10. Agni Swishta-Krit.
Madhwa 