Puja Format

Things to get ready:

An altar with the picture of the deity

Lamp on which kumkum & chandan are applied with oil & wick

Flowers, if available

2 cups, one with water & the other empty, to pour water.

Bell, to ring

Offering which can be any dry or fresh fruits

Camphor or karpura



I am giving a simple format with preparatory steps.



1 – Decorate the lamp & light it, chanting

deepo jyotih param brahma deepo jyotih janaardhanaha
deepo harathu me paapam sandhyaa deepo namo(a)stutae


suvarna vriddhim kurumae gruhae shri
sudhaanya vriddhim kurumae gruhae shri
kalyaana vriddhim kurumae gruhae shri
vibhoothi vriddhim kurumae gruhae shri


keetaa pathangaa mas(h)akaashcha vrikshaaha
jalae sthalae ae nivasanthu jeevaaha
dhrishtvaa pradeepam na cha janma bhaajo
bhavanthi nithyam svachaahi vipraaha



2 – Offer flowers chanting

shubham karoti kalyaanam aarogyam dhanasampadaha
shatru buddhi vinaas(h)aaya deepajyotih namo(a)stutae



3 – Achamanam: Take a sip of water after chanting each line.

Om achyuthaaya namah

Om ananthaaya namah

Om govindaaya namah



4 – Guru Dhyanam – visualisation f one’s guru or s(h)ri Dhakshinamurthy:

Gurur brahmaah gurur vishnuh gururdevo mahes(h)varah

Gurureva ( or gurussaaks(h)aat) param brahmaa thasmai s(h)ri gurave namah





5 Vigneshvara Dhyaanam: Visualisation of Lord Vigneshvara

Shuklaambaradharam vishnum s(h)as(h)ivarnam chathurbhujam

Prasanna vadanam dhyaayaet sarva vigno(u)pa s(h)aanthayae



6 – Sankalpah: ( purpose of the puja )

mamopaaththa samastha durithakshvayadvaaraa sriparames(h)vara

{ you can substitute s(h)ri naarayana } preethyartham daeva pujam karishyae



7 – Aasana puja: Sprinkle water on your seat while chanting ( this is to purify the seat )

Prithvi thvayaa dhrthaa lokaah devithvam vishnunaa dhrthaah

Thvam cha dhaarayamaam devi pavithram kuru chaasanam





8 – Ganta puja – Ring the bell chanting ( this is to purify the atmosphere)

Jayadhwani mantra maatah svaahaa

Aagamaartham tu devaanaam gamanaartham thu rakshasaam

Kurve ghabntaaravam thathra devathaahvaana laanchanam



9 - Kalas(h)a puja: - Decorate the pot with water by applying kumkum & chandan – put a flower inside, cover with right palm & chant

Gangae cha yamunae chaiva godaavari sarasvathi

Narmadae sindu kaaveri jalae(a)smin sannidim kuru



10 – Aathma puja: - Worship of the Self:

Deho devaalayah prokthah jeevodevas sanaathanah

Thyajeda(k)jnaana nirmaalyam so(a)ham bhaavena pujayeth



Dear friends, after receiving your feedback I shall proceed with a simple 16-step puja.

Love & regards,

Chithra.

Dear Chitra Madam

The steps looks very simple and I am also able to clearly understand I should go abt performing a simple puja.........now you also need to explain what r the extra steps I need to do for different pujas like laksmi puja etc...............

Dear Mrs Chithra,

If I was happy to see yr recipes, now I have no words to express my joy and thanks at seeing yr slokams and pooja format. The latter, I have been looking for years, even engaged a Bruhaspathi at home to teach me- but did not work out.

Pls do give us the 16 step format also.

One doubt- in sankalpam where do we state the purpose or desire- fulfilment of which is requested?

Looking forward to more and continued guidance
thanking you
best regards
Vidya

Dear Chitra,

That puja format was so simple and easy to follow. I could associate it since i do Satyanarayana puja at home with the help of a cassette wich is self explanatory. I did not understand many things since i have never taken an initiative to do all this. In india there is always a periyava and we would blindly follow. But i never knew the nuances. But having started to this pooja here alone with only my daugther i needed to be more sure of things. But your clear explanation is going to be of great help....

Thanks for all the time you seem to be taking to put these down...i am sure many of us will benefit.

Just a couple of queries from a novice.....Do you follow this routine evryday.....or only on special pooja days? Since there will be no time for elaborate chanting of slokam(it is going to take some time to do manapadam ,), is there a simpler slokam to chant when we just burn a agrabathi or so. I am talking of this situation from here, since we don't light a deepam for fear of the carpets or woodwork catching fire! And this is frustrating for me, i just go and switch on my electrified lamps ..and everything feels so artificial, that i don't get the proper feeling .
Vilakku etha kooda mudiyale Chitra!

Thanks for everything....
have a great day!

Dear Vidya,
Though younger than me in age, you are always encouraging me which makes me apply myself more & more, to whatever I pursue !
The sankalpam has to be said following " mamopaaththa samastha.... ". May be we can dicuss some general sankalpams later ?
Today I am drafting the 16 step to be posted, following this, since I will beoff line tomorrow.
Love & rgards,
Chithra.

Dear Sudha,

I can understand what you say abt not being able to light the lamp or agarbatti. I have lived in one wooden house after other with carpets and electric wires all around. My mother advised me to light a small vilakku and place it on a small stand inside a bell jar containing water. I use a small silver lamp where the wick can be put in the middle. So, the open flame is contained and even it the whole thing topples, the water will put it off.

We checked with a priest and he said that there is no sastric rules saying that we shld not light the lamp like this. He added that 'Swami Prrethipaaduvaar, shramapattu vilakku ethinaal'.

In Bombay, also I had similar probs. There were strong sea side winds and the vilakku would go off. So I used to keep it inside a glass case. You will easily find such glass lanterns in Europe, since they are used in ships, even houses. Where they put the small round candle, you can put the vilakku.

Cheers
Vidya

Dear Sudha,
This format may look tough now, learning it by heart by repeating it everyday is quite simple. I usually take a printout, laminate it & read from it everyday. That way, it is easy to learn by heart.
When I wrote it, I knew your problem of not being able to light a lamp with oil, etc.
When you light the agarbathi, imagine, it is the lamp. Sudha, my Guru always says, Manasika pujai is perhaps more powerful !
Or you keep the printout, repeat all the steps ( doing the actions in mind) - it serves the purpose quite well.
I am happy, you are encouraging me like Vidya !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Chitra,

I just feel so thrilled to see the detailed explanation of performing a puja.

I never knew the meaning of so many shlokams or steps involved and its really enlightening to see such an elaborate mail on puja.

is this format for a simple, daily puja OR is it for special days like , tuesday, Friday.
pls reply.

now I heard that for puja, we need to use copper or silver vessels only, is this true?
pls reply.

dear AGR,
I missed your mail, sorry about the same. I will finish the main format & then we shall discuss separate pujas individually.
I hope you all understand that I have limitations ! I seek Lords's blessings to help me do my best.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Meena,
I will first finish the second part of the format, which I am documenting now & get back to explaining to you, whatever I know.
Generally iron & steel are avoided. Brass, copper & ofcourse silver are acceptable.
Love & regards,
Chithra.