Who propounded the method of doing Puja using akshatas?

Question

Nowadays everyone does a Puja with an overwhelming use of akshatas.Akshatas are the substitute for everything starting from the dhyana/avahana mantras to tamboolam(betel leaves) in case you don't have them.

Akshatas:Whole rice grain mixed with a pinch of turmeric(some use kumkumam in place of turmeric) and a little bit of ghee/oil/water(optional).

A typical shodasaupachara Puja of Lord Ganesha is like this:

Here,when we say Mahaganpatim dhyami avahyami, it is understood that we need to sprinkle few akshatas on the idol of Ganesha to install life in the idol which is to remain there till the completion of the Puja.So aksathas replace the use of dhyana/avahana mantras .

Also,when we say asanam samarpayami we also sprinkle akshatas instead of offering an actual asanam(a seat for the Lord).Any of the the 16 upacharas that we don't have in real,we are to offer akshatas in place of each of them.

My question-Who propounded this method of Puja?Was it Adi Shankaracharya?

Answer 1

The larger question is whether such substitution is allowed by the sruti. In fact the texts allow it. Wherever the person is unable to provide the actual requirement of the ritual, he may substitute it with another. Such a substitute is called "pratinidhi". For instance, while offering an asana, were a coil of darbha grass is not available, unbroken rice may be offered in its stead. Even while a pratinidhi substance is used, the mantra is unchanged, referring to the substitute as if it was the original substance only. For instance, after the soma plant becoming unavailable, priests would offer the putika plant as soma, but the mantras continue to refer to it as soma.

One should remember that rituals are internally consisten and formal, the form is very important, the content can be substituted.

Srimatham.org lists the following upacharas for which akshat is to be offered - aasanam, vastram, upavitam, aabharanam

As for as who propounded it? Adi Sankara couldnt have because Upachara ritual is Agamic and Vedic ritual was current when Sankara was around. But all I am saying is the idea of pratinidhi was already present in the practice of vedic ritual.