Maha Yagna, prayers held to protect people from COVID-19

Maha Yagna, prayers held to protect people from COVID-19 Nagapattinam, Mar 19 (PTI): A maha yagna invoking Lord Shiva and prayers to protect the people from the coronavirus threat were conducted at the Lord Amirthkadeswaratemple here on Thursday. A total of 108 priests performed the mrityunjaya homam and panchatcharahomam in the presence of the head of Dharmapuram Adheenam Mutt MasillamaniDesiga Paramacharya Swamigal.

As many as 96 varieties of medicinal herbs were used in the yagna. The yagna was performed and prayers were offered to Lord Shiva to protect the people of various countries from the virus, said the Sivachariyars of the temple.

Mriyunjayamantra,a verse from the Rig Veda which is believed to have the power of warding off calamities and Devaram verses in Tamil were sung. A maha deeparadhana was also performed.