Puja Ritualistic Worship of the Gods

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 06:00:10 -0700

Devi Puja
(Puja to the Goddess)

Puja should be done after a bath
or at least after washing oneself.

An altar should be prepared with a yantra
or an idol of the Devi

This altar should be kept on the eastern or northeastern side so that the devotee sits facing the east or north-east.

Items for puja should be kept ready before starting.

A lamp and an incense stick should be kept burning throughout the puja.

Flowers, clean water in a vessel, fruit or some cooked food should also be kept ready.

1. We look at the east and repeat the Surya Gayatri mantra three times and ask Savitri Devi to grant us concentration in our puja and remembrance of the correct mantras.

2. We activate the chakras by touching the points starting with the sahasrara chakra on top of the head. We invoke the energy of the Devi while doing this and chant her mantra at every point that we touch.
Aim Hreem Kleem

3. Next step is known a “sankalpa”. This is our wish. The desire in us that we want to be realized from this puja. We touch the plate with the flowers; repeat our name and the name/s of anyone whom we want to benefit from our puja and mentally reiterate our wish. It can be for material benefits or for spiritual benefits.

4.Next we pray to Ganesha to remove any obstacles on our spiritual path and in the puja.

5. We touch the pot containing water and invoke all the holy rivers starting with Ganga to come into it.

6. Take a little of this consecrated water either with a spoon or a small conch and sprinkle it over yourself as well as the articles for puja with the request that they may all be purified.

7. Then place the palms of your hands over your heart and invoke the atman inside you to come out and take the form of the goddess in front of you. So actually you are really worshipping the atman itself when you do the puja to any deity.

8. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the altar with a prayer to all the gods of the different directions and to the mother earth to allow you to conduct this puja.

9. Now meditate on your guru and repeat the guru mantra.
Guru Brahma guru Vishnur,
Guru devo Maheshwara,
Guru saakshath param Brahma,
Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha!

10.
Next we meditate and invoke the Devi to come and take the seat in the place prepared for her. She is the Shakti or divine energy, which is motivating power inside us. Without her we would be inert and senseless beings. Mentally we invite her to come and energize the little idol, which we have kept before us in order to aid our meditation.
Sarva mangala mangalye, shive sarvarta sadhike,
Sharanye tryambake Gouri,
Narayani namostute.

O Narayani! O Protrectress!,
O Three-eyed Gauri
You are blessed with every felicity, auspiciousness and capable of accomplishing our every desire,
Praise be to you!

11. We place her on the throne, which has been kept ready for her (asanam)

12 We wash her feet with a little of the water. (padyam)

13 Water is offered for washing the hands and mouth (arghyam and achamaniyam)

14.Then we put her on the plate for a ceremonial bath known as abhishekam.
As the water is poured over her we repeat the Devi Gayatri three times
\ Mahalakshmyai cha vidmahe,
Maha Shaktyai cha dheemahi,
Tanno Devi prachodaayth
Abhishekam can be done with different ingredients like, milk, honey.
After this the idol should be wiped with a clean piece of cloth or napkin and kept back on the seat.
15 Offer a flower to her in place of a garment.(vastram)
16 Offer some unguent or perfume (parimala dravyam)
17 Place some sandal paste on the deity (gandham)
18 Then some kum kum or red powder beloved by the goddess (kumkumam)
19 Offer some whole grains of rice at the feet (akshadan)
20 Offer a flower garland (mala)
21 Adorn her with all types of jewellery. (All this is to be done mentally)
22 She is the cosmic Mother and we meditate on her blissful countenance and worship her limb by limb. With each limb we repeat a mantra and place a flower mentally on that particular limb at the appropriate place. When you do this puja by yourself this can be done using real flowers. Nine names of the goddess are repeated with each flower
Aum Mahalakshmai Namaha! I worship your feet. (place one flower at her feet)
Aum Mahasaraswathyai Namaha! I worship your knees.
Aum Maha Kaalyai Namaha! I worship your shapely legs.
Aum Durgayai Namaha! I worship your stomach, which holds many universes.
Aum Parvathyai Namaha! I worship your chest.
Aum Chandikaayai Namaha! I worship your slender waist
Aum Kartyayanyai Namaha! I worship your beauteous breasts.
Aum Naarayanyai Namaha! I worship your lotus eyes
Aum Maha Devyai Namaha! I worship your whole body
With these nine mantras I worship thy whole body O Mother Divine.

After this if time permits we can chant the following seed mantra to the three aspects of the Divine Mother as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kaali. We can repeat this mantra 108 times or as many times as we have time. While repeating a mantra we can place one flower at her feel or the petal of a flower

_Aim, Hreem, Kleem

23. Next we offer incense to the deity and sprinkle water and place a flower at her feet (dhupam)

25 Then we wave the lamp before her and sprinkle water and place a flower at her feet (deepam)

26. Then we make some food offerings. This can either be fruit or some cooked food.(naivedyam)
We touch the plate containing the food and repeat the Surya Gayatri mantra and then we offer the five vital breaths within our body to her with these mantras
Aum Pranaaya Swaaha!
Aum Apaanaaya Swaaha!
Aum Vyaanaaya Swaaha!
Aum Udaanaaya Swaaha!
Aum Samaanaaya Swaaha!

At the end of the offering all things are once more offered to the supreme Brahman to remind us that She is indeed Parabrahma Swarupini, the form of the Brahman.
Aum Brahmane Namaha!
We close our eyes and wait a while and beg her to partake of the food that has been prepared so lovingly for her.

27. Now water is offered for cleansing.

28. Next we offer sweet smelling betel leaves to her

29. Then we do an arati to her with these words,
Devi Maheswari Parvati Shankari Sharanam me tava paada yugam.

O Devi your lotus feet are my only recourse.

These 29 steps can be done daily by those who wish to offer puja to the goddess.
They won’t take more than 15 minutes if you master
the different steps.

30. The next step can be done on special occasions. Those who have the time and opportunity may worship her by repeating the Lalitha sahasranama or the thousand names of the goddess Lalitha which is the most beautiful form of the Devi.

31.Then we repeat the peace mantra for the good of the world so that the benefits of our puja will spread to the whole world.

Aum Swasti prajabhyam, paripaala yantaam,
Nyayena margena, mahimahishah,
Go Brahmanebhyam Shubamanstu nityam,
Lokaasamasata sukhino bhavantu

May all people be happy.
May kings rule the earth righteously.
Let animals and men of wisdom be taken care of.
May all be happy

Kaale varshatu parjanyaha,
Prithivi shashyashalini,
Deshoyam kshobharahitaha,,
Sad janaath santu nirbhayaaha.

May rains come at the proper time.
May the earth produce all types of grains,
May the country be free from famine.
May good people be free from fear.
Sarvesham swastir bhavatu,
Sarvesham shantir bhavatu,
Sarvesham poornam bhavatu
Sarvesham mangalam bhavatu

Let the whole world enjoy good health,
Let the whole world enjoy peace,
Let the whole world enjoy prosperity.
Let the whole world be filled with auspiciousness.

Sarve bhavantu Sukhinaha
Sarve santu niraamayaha,
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu,
Ma kaschid dukkha bhav bhaveth

May everybody in the world be happy.
May everybody be free from disease.
Let us see only auspiciousness everywhere
May nobody have sorrow.

Aum Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi!

Peace! Peace! Peace.

31 Take some flowers in the cupped palms and repeat your wish from the puja. “Yo pam pushpam veda..)

32 Finally we offer the camphor arati and wave the camphor lamp in front of her
Camphor is something that burns without leaving any residue. Song to be sung during the arati.

Karpoora gauram karunavataaram,
Samsaarasaaram bhujagendra haaram,
Sadaa vasantam hridayaaravinde,
Bhavam bhavani sahitam namaami

I bow to both Shiva and Parvati,
Who is as white as karpooram and wears a snake garland and is the essence of the universe.
And who dwells ever in my heart

Devi Maheswari Parvati Shankari sharanam me tava sharanam yugam

O Devi, Parvati, Maheswari, Shankari, we take refuge in you alone.

At the same time we supplicate her to burn all our desires in this flame and leave nothing behind
Water is offered once more and a flower laid at her lotus feet

33. The final act of the puja is to go round her and prostrate to her. Since it might not be possible to go round the idol, we get up and turn round at the same spot that we are standing and then do full prostration repeating this mantra.
Yaani kaani cha paapaani, Brahmahatya samaani cha,
Taani taani vinashyanti, pradakshinam pade pade.

Whatever sin I might have committed, even if it were the killing of a Brahmin,
May it all be effaced by going round and round you. (Circumambulating) The following should be repeated while going round

Mantra heenam kriya heenam bhakti heenam Sureshwara,
Yad pujitam maya deva paripoornam tadastu te,
Aparaadha sahasraani kriyante hanisham maya,
Dasyoham iti mam matwa,
Kshamaswa Parameswari.
As this is said we prostrate ourselves full length on the floor with this supplication

I beg of you to make this puja of mine perfect
Despite the mistakes I may have made in the chanting of the mantras,
And the accompanying actions.
Consider me as thy slave and forgive me O Parameshwari!

Akashaath patitam thoyam, yada gachati saagaraath,
Sarva deva namaskaaram Keshavam pratigachati

Just as all the water that falls from the sky reaches the ocean,
So prostrations to any god will reach the Supreme.

Avahanam na janaami, na janaami visarjanam,
Puja vidhim na janaami, kshamaswa Parameswari.

I have no idea how to conduct a puja, how to invoke you or to revoke you into myself. Pray forgive me for all this and make this puja perfect.
With this mantra we take a flower from the feet of the deity and invoke the form back in to our heart from which we have taken her out.

This is the end of the puja and the prasadam (food offerings) can be distributed to all.

Vanamali is a contemporary Hindu contemplative, teacher, and author. She lives in a small ashram in Rishikesh, an ancient place of pilgrimage in the foothills of India's holy Himalayas.

Vanamali Mataji is the author of The Lila Hindu World Heritage Library. Her books include: a translation of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Nitya Yoga, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna Lila, Sri Rama Lila, Sri Shiva Lila, Sri Devi Lila, Sri Hanuman Lila, Lilas of the Sons of Shiva, Gurudeva and The Taste Divine. Sri Devi Lila is published in the U.S. as Shakti: Realm of The Divine Mother , Sri Hanuman Lila as Hanuman: The Devotion and Power of The Monkey God. We invite you to visit www.Vanamaliashram.org and enjoy our Pilgrims Guide, Bhagavad Gita Discourses and Book and Music store.

Morning Puja at Vanamali Ashram

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:00:07 -0700

"Pūjā or alternative transliteration Pooja, (Devanagari: पूजा) (Sanskrit: reverence, honour, adoration, or worship) is a religious ritual performed by Hindus as an offering to various deities, distinguished persons, or special guests. It is done on a variety of occasions and settings, from daily puja done in the home, to temple ceremonies and large festivals, or to begin a new venture.[1] Puja is modeled on the idea of giving a gift or offering to a deity or important person and receiving their blessing. The two main areas where puja is performed is in the home and at public temples. There are many variations in scale, offering, and ceremony.[2] Puja is also performed on special occasions such as Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja.

Many Hindu homes have a personal shrine set aside somewhere in the house that include pictures or murtis of various deities. A daily puja is often dedicated to the family deities (kuldevta) and personal deities (ishta-devata). A daily puja usually consists of a simple worship of offerings, such as an offering of light, water and incense, and/or fruit. Usually with a small aarti (lamp ritual) afterwards. Puja can be performed with any available offerings. A puja thali (plate) consists of a diya (lamp), haldi or kumkum, sweetmeats or fruits, water, bell, and jos (incense) sticks. Aarti is usually performed with this offering afterward using an aarti mantra, e.g. Om Jai Jagadish Hare. The Hindu symbol is called Aum or Om.
The puja ritual is used by Hindus worldwide. A Hindu teacher wakes up extra early to perform the ritual." 1
(Wikipedia)

Vishnusarasranama

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 04:00:28 -0700

Vishnu sahasranama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An article related to Hinduism

Auṃ • Brahman • Ishvara Hindu • History of Hinduism
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Hinduism Portal Hindu Mythology Portal v · d · e
The Vishnu sahasranama (Sanskrit viṣṇusahasranāma, a tatpurusha compound translating literally to "the thousand names of Vishnu") is a list of 1,000 names (sahasranama) of Vishnu, one of the main forms of God in Hinduism and the personal supreme God for Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu). It is also one of the most sacred and commonly chanted stotras in Hinduism. The Vishnu sahasranama as found in the Mahabharata is the most popular version of the 1000 names of Vishnu. Another version exists in the Padma Purana and Matsya Purana. Each name eulogizes one of His countless great attributes.
According to the 149th chapter of Anushāsanaparva in the epic Mahabharata, the names were handed down to Yudhisthira by the famous warrior Bhishma who was on his death bed at the battle of Kurukshetra. Yudhisthira asks Bhishma the following questions:[1][2]
kimekam daivatam loke kim vāpyekam parāyaṇam stuvantaḥ kam kamarcantaḥ prāpnuyurmānavāḥ subham ko dharmaḥ sarva dharmāṇām bhavataḥ paramo mataḥ kim japan mucyate jantuḥ janmasamsārabandhanāt
In this universe who is the one Deva of all? (i.e., at whose command all beings function?, or who is God of all?) Who is the one greatest refuge for all? Who is the one Divinity by praising and by worshipping whom a man attains good? Which according to you is that highest form of Dharma (capable of bestowing salvation and prosperity on man)? What is that by uttering or reciting which any living being can attain freedom from cycle of births and deaths?
—Verses 7:8
Bhisma answers by stating that mankind will be free from all sorrows by chanting the Vishnu sahasranāma' which are the thousand names of the all-pervading Supreme Being Vishnu, who is the master of all the worlds, the supreme light, the essence of the universe and who is Brahman. All matter animate and inanimate reside in him and he in turn resides within all matter.

Vishnu sahasranama manuscript, ca1690.
The Vishnu sahasranāma has been the subject of numerous commentaries. Adi Shankaracharya wrote a definitive commentary on the sahasranāma in the 8th century, which is the oldest and has been particularly influential for many schools of Hinduism even today. Parasara Bhattar, a follower of Ramanujacharya wrote a commentary in the 12th century, detailing the names of Vishnu from a Vishishtadvaita perspective. Madhvacharya also wrote a commentary on Vishnu sahasrnama , he disclosed that each word in the sahasranam has a minimum of 100 meaning and being challenged by the audience at his time, Sri Madhvacharaya not only gives 100 meanings for each of the Vishnu sahasranāma but also expands on each of the meanings making it a multi fold complexity and displays an outspoken quality to hold and explain the real and deep hidden meaning of sahasranāma. Hindu literature includes sahasranamas dedicated to Shiva, Devi, Ganesha and other popular deities but none have any strong relation to Mahabaratha, vedas or Upanishad.

Vishnusarasranama- Call & Response

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:00:54 -0700

The Thousand Names of Vishnu... in a call & response format.
Vishnu sahasranama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An article related to Hinduism

Auṃ • Brahman • Ishvara Hindu • History of Hinduism
Deities
[show]
Philosophy
[show]
Scriptures
[show]
Practices
[show]
Philosophers
[show]
Other Topics
[show]

Hinduism Portal Hindu Mythology Portal v · d · e
The Vishnu sahasranama (Sanskrit viṣṇusahasranāma, a tatpurusha compound translating literally to "the thousand names of Vishnu") is a list of 1,000 names (sahasranama) of Vishnu, one of the main forms of God in Hinduism and the personal supreme God for Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu). It is also one of the most sacred and commonly chanted stotras in Hinduism. The Vishnu sahasranama as found in the Mahabharata is the most popular version of the 1000 names of Vishnu. Another version exists in the Padma Purana and Matsya Purana. Each name eulogizes one of His countless great attributes.
According to the 149th chapter of Anushāsanaparva in the epic Mahabharata, the names were handed down to Yudhisthira by the famous warrior Bhishma who was on his death bed at the battle of Kurukshetra. Yudhisthira asks Bhishma the following questions:[1][2]
kimekam daivatam loke kim vāpyekam parāyaṇam stuvantaḥ kam kamarcantaḥ prāpnuyurmānavāḥ subham ko dharmaḥ sarva dharmāṇām bhavataḥ paramo mataḥ kim japan mucyate jantuḥ janmasamsārabandhanāt
In this universe who is the one Deva of all? (i.e., at whose command all beings function?, or who is God of all?) Who is the one greatest refuge for all? Who is the one Divinity by praising and by worshipping whom a man attains good? Which according to you is that highest form of Dharma (capable of bestowing salvation and prosperity on man)? What is that by uttering or reciting which any living being can attain freedom from cycle of births and deaths?
—Verses 7:8
Bhisma answers by stating that mankind will be free from all sorrows by chanting the Vishnu sahasranāma' which are the thousand names of the all-pervading Supreme Being Vishnu, who is the master of all the worlds, the supreme light, the essence of the universe and who is Brahman. All matter animate and inanimate reside in him and he in turn resides within all matter.

Vishnu sahasranama manuscript, ca1690.
The Vishnu sahasranāma has been the subject of numerous commentaries. Adi Shankaracharya wrote a definitive commentary on the sahasranāma in the 8th century, which is the oldest and has been particularly influential for many schools of Hinduism even today. Parasara Bhattar, a follower of Ramanujacharya wrote a commentary in the 12th century, detailing the names of Vishnu from a Vishishtadvaita perspective. Madhvacharya also wrote a commentary on Vishnu sahasrnama , he disclosed that each word in the sahasranam has a minimum of 100 meaning and being challenged by the audience at his time, Sri Madhvacharaya not only gives 100 meanings for each of the Vishnu sahasranāma but also expands on each of the meanings making it a multi fold complexity and displays an outspoken quality to hold and explain the real and deep hidden meaning of sahasranāma. Hindu literature includes sahasranamas dedicated to Shiva, Devi, Ganesha and other popular deities but none have any strong relation to Mahabaratha, vedas or Upanishad.

Vanamali Morning Puja Part III

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 02:00:01 -0700

At the end of meditation we repeat part of the peace mantra so that the benefits we receive from meditation will spread to the whole world.
Sarvesham swastir bhavatu,
Sarvesham shantir bhavatu,
Sarvesham poornam bhavatu
Sarvesham mangalam bhavatu

Let the whole world enjoy good health,
Let the whole world enjoy peace,
Let the whole world enjoy prosperity.
Let the whole world be filled with auspiciousness.
Sarve bhavantu Sukhinaha
Sarve santu niraamayaha,
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu,
Ma kaschid dukkha bhaav bhaveth

May everybody in the world be happy.
May everybody be free from disease.
Let us see only auspiciousness everywhere
May nobody have sorrow.
Aum Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi!