Loving Ganesha: Chapter 12 (Section 7) - Ganesha Home Liturgy -- Ganapati Puja

[Guest guest]

Namaste all,

 

The remainder of chapter 12 of Loving Ganesha from

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/books/lg/lg_ch-12.html

 

Om Shanti,

 

Neil

Mantra PushpamBlessing and worshiping with flowers

Hold a double handful offlowers or rice in namaskaram.

yopam pushpam vedapushpavan prajavan pashUman bhavatichandramAva apam

pushpampushpavan prajavan pashuman bhavatiya evam veda yopamAyatanam

vedaAyatanavan bhavati

Toss flowers over murtis.

Aum Shri Mahaganeshvaraya namahmantra pushpanjalin samarpayami

The one who understands the beauty of the blooming Powers of the Supreme Being

is blessedwith beautiful blooming life, progeny and cattle. The moon is

certainly the bloom of those Powers. One who realizes the qualities of the

moon, which are nothing but the blooming Divine Powers, is blessed with a

blooming, beautiful life of perfection, progeny and cattle. One who realizes

this principle and realizes the Source from Whom all these powers have come

himself becomes the abode of those Divine Powers.

While chanting the above mantra, hold an offering of flowers before you in

anjali mudra, hands cupped loosely around the flowers at chest height. If no

flowers are available, uncooked unbroken rice may be offered, held in the

closed right hand, palm down, supported by the open left hand. Recite the

verses with adoration. As you intone the last word, samarpayami, throw the

flowers into the air above the altar, sending a shower of blossoms or rice upon

the God with the feeling of total release, of giving in loving devotion.

AratiWorship with flame waving

Ringing bell, draw three circles in Aum.

Aum sajyamtrivarti samyuktamvahnina yojitam maya,grihana mangalaratim

Ring bell loudly.

isha putra namo-stu te.

Keep ringing loudly.

Aum avahitabhyah sarvabhyodevatabhyo namahdivya mangaladiparatikyamsandarshayami

Offer water.

achamaniyam samarpayami

Offer rice.

mangalakshatan samarpayami

May we pray to the Lord Ganapati: the master and protector of the noble and the

righteous people, the wisest among the wise, preeminent among the renowned, the

greatest ruler, protector of the knowledge of all who are knowledgeable. O Lord

Ganapati, please hear our prayers and protect us with Your powers. We have

prepared the best seats for You in ourselves. O, do come and grace them.

Adoration to all Gods we have invited for this puja. To them I offer this divine

Light of camphor arati flame. I offer holy water for sipping and auspicious

unbroken rice grains to grant me blessings.

With the above chant, hold the lit camphor burner (or oil lamp) in your right

hand and the bell in your left. While ringing the bell and reciting the arati

mantra, slowly make three circles clockwise before Ganesha with the flame. Stop

at the top of the third circle, lower the lamp slightly and trace the symbol of

Aum in Devanagari or in your native script.Then lift the flame slightly above

the Aum that you placed in the akashic ether and ring the bell louder for all

three worlds to hear. Keep ringing loudly while chanting the above four-line

salutation to the devas (avahitabhyah...). Put down the bell and the lamp and

then, with the flame still burning, offer a spoonful of water with

"achamaniyam...," then a pinch of rice with

"mangalakshatan...."RakshadharanamPrayer to Indra

Set lamp down, circle 3 times with flower

indra-stomena panchadashenamadhyamidam vatena sagarenaraksha raksham dharayAmi

O Indra, Lord of material and spiritual prosperity! Please protect the space

between the heavens and earth as well as the mind between the body and the soul

with the help of fifteen noble powers and virtues (five pranas, five

jnanendriyas and five karmendriyas). The space is filled with the air and

moisture, while the mind is filled with prana and devotion and love for You. I

wear this garment of your protection and blessings.

As you recite this mantra, make three circles above the burning flame with a

flower held in the right hand, stem upward. With the last words, toss the

flower gently toward the Deity and place your hands in namaskara while facing

the altar.

Now pass the flame to the others present. Offer it in front of each person at

chest level. They in turn "take the flame" by passing the fingers of both hands

through it and lightly touching the eyes. The Gods and devas can see us through

the sacred flame and send their blessings. If any especially honored persons

are present, such as one's guru, parents or teacher, take the flame first to

them. Then proceed clockwise, offering it to all others present. In some cases,

the pujari may stand near the altar while devotees come forward themselves to

take the blessings of the arati flame. If no one is attending the puja, then

you may take the flame yourself, but not otherwise. Finally, present the flame

once more to the Deity on the altar, then extinguish it with a wave of the

right hand or by snuffing it out with a flower. When the flame is camphor, it

is best to let it burn clean of itself.ArpanamFinal consecration and surrender

to the Lord

Five periods of the day

Chant appropriate period at line two below.

ushah kala, dawnpratah kala, morningmadhyahnakala, noonsayankala, eveningurdhvayamakala, night

Rice and water in hand, offer before the Deity.

anaya yatha shaktya krita(state period of day from list above)pujaya bhagavan

sarva devatmakahshri Mahaganeshvarah supritahsuprasanno varado bhavatu

Now to the best of our ability we have performed this (state time of day) puja

and worshiped You, dear Lord, the brightest of all the Gods. May it please You.

May it be enjoyed by You. Surrounded by Your presence, we place ourselves in

Your care, loving Ganesha.

Before reciting the above verse, place a pinch of rice in your left palm, then

immediately transfer it to the right palm. Add to the rice three spoonfuls of

water and close the hand. Hold the rice before you as you face the Deity, the

left hand under the right hand, and recite the mantra. As you intone the last

words, let the rice and water fall into the tirtha cup. The sacraments may then

be given out in the following order: vibhuti, tirtha, chandana, kunkuma,

naivedya and flowers. If no one is attending the puja, you may partake of the

sacraments yourself, but not otherwise. If many devotees are attending, a

second person may help pass out the sacraments, except for the vibhuti which is

always given by the person who performed the puja.VisarjanamFarewell and

Apologies

Hold hands in anjali mudra. Prostrate after completing the chant.

Aum avahanam na janami na janami visarjanampujanchaiva na janami kshamyatam

parameshvaramantrahinam kriyahinam bhaktihinam sureshvarayat pujitam mayadeva

paripurnam tadastuteanyatha sharanam nasti tvameva sharanam mamatasmat

karunyabhavena raksha raksha GaneshvaraAum tat sat Aum.

O beloved Lord Ganesha, we really do not know the proper means of invoking You

or communicating with You as You are. A full knowledge of priestly rites has

not been imparted, so You must overlook and forgive any mistakes or omissions.

We know little of mantras or pious conduct, and we are strangers to true

bhakti. Nonetheless, You must forgive us and, whatsoever worship we have been

able to do, accept it as exact and complete -- because You are our only refuge,

our loving Ganesha. With your blissful nature, Lord Ganesha, we beseech you,

protect those who pray. Aum Tat Sat Aum.

This concluding apology is recited with hands in namaskaram, anjali mudra. It is

a formal and devout end to the worship service. As the final words, "Aum Tat Sat

Aum," are spoken, it is customary for yourself and others present to clap the

hands together softly three times. You may now prostrate. Having completed the

puja, it is customary to sit in internalized worship, realizing our loving

Ganesha within ourselves. To meditate for a few minutes after the puja is very

traditional. There is great personal benefit in taking in to the soul level the

refined feelings, the prana, that the puja has created and which still remains

in the room. Externalized worship is the kriya path; internalized worship is

the yoga path. Both together make the complete circle that sustains devotees in

their spiritual life, making them strong and kindly in moving the forces of the

world in their daily life. It is the very foundation for the final goal of all

seekers: moksha, freedom from rebirth.

 

Loving Ganesha by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

 

Web sites: http://www.hindu.org/ & http://www.himalayanacademy.com/

email: contact (AT) hindu (DOT) org

Himalayan Academy Kauai's Hindu Monastery107 Kaholalele RoadKapaa, HI 96746-9304

 

 

 

 

 

---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.Checked by AVG anti-virus system

(http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.491 / Virus Database: 290 - Release Date:

18/06/03

Attachment: (image/jpeg) 253_lamps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) 255_hands.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) 256_hands.jpg [not stored]