POOJA VIDHI

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Dear Mr. Vasu, The topic on pooja vidhi is extremely vast . However, i shall try explaining them briefly to the best of my abilities Ideally speaking, idol worship is very demanding and elaborate. These are normally observed in temples, where the priest performs pooja as per prescribed set of vidhis for the pooja to be termed "complete". But to install idol at home for worship, one must adhere to specific measurements and dimensions of idol. Generally speaking, the idols to be worshipped at home must preferably not exceed 6 inches in height. In this jet age, nobody has the time to devote , and therefore prefer to have photos at home instead of idols. However if one prefers to place idol (preferably less than 6 inches) in the pooja altar, he can perform a simple pooja. An abhishek with milk and water should be done. One can then show dhoop, deep ,naivedyam & arati respectively. After all, it is the bhakti and faith that counts. CORNER OF WORSHIP According to Vastu shastra, the pooja room or the altar of God must be in the North - East corner of the house.One must sit facing the east whilst doing one's prayer which means that the photos and the idols etc must face the west. So the preferred direction is east - west. PRANA PRATISHTA If one intends to do PRANA PRATISHTA ,then there are specific guidelines to be followed. After the idol is bought, with the

help of a priest, a PRANA PRATISHTA POOJA needs to be done completion of which must be followed by feeding the priests and guests. By doing this, life is induced into the idol .Thence , it is treated like one of the member of the family. There is a sixteen fold seva called THE SHODOPACHARA POOJA. Infact, the sixteen fold seva is not much different from what we do every day in our daily life. To make it clear, let us understand the meaning and significance of the sixteen sevas. Shodashopachara (Sixteen fold worship) Irrespective of whom we worship, there are sixteen basic steps

in Pooja. These steps are common for all Poojas. Therefore everyone should learn these steps. Though the God we worship is not visible to our naked eyes, we have to offer these sixteen sevas (services) to the idol, which is the physical representative of the formless Almighty. . Dhyana, Aavaahana: It means 'to invite'. It is like extending a formal and respectful welcome. This is 'Avaahana'. While inviting, we remember his good qualities. This is called 'Dhyaana'. Aasana A seat to the lord. This is called as Aasana Samarpana Paadya It is a

tradition in India to offer water to wash the feet when a guest visits a house. (This practice may not be prevalent in cold regions. According to Yoga Shastra, the Nadis [nerves] terminate in the hands and the feet. It is therefore important to keep the hands and feet clean. Therefore, offering water to wash the legs and hands has been included in Pooja) Arghya Arghya means water to wash the hands Aachamana Taking three gulps of water. This is an important practice among those who follow ancient tradition of Rishis. By drinking water three times, the throat and other parts pertaining to speech faculty become smooth and the speech also becomes soft. Madhuparka Any drink sweetened with honey is called Madhuparka. Snaana In the case of an idol, we bathe it with different articles like milk, curd, ghee etc.. We can also bathe the idol with plain water. Vastra, Upaveeta We offer clothes to wear after the bath. Gandha It is an ancient tradition to apply sandal paste (gandha) on the forehead. Pushpa Nowadays only women use flowers. In ancient times even men used to wear flowers just like women.

Symbolically, flower signifies our heart. In pooja, we offer different flowers while chanting the 108 (an ashtottara )or 1008 names (a sahasranama)of God. Dhoopa Dhoopa means fragrant smoke. According to Ayurveda, inhaling of smoke by burning certain herbs is considered to be good for health. Deepa Deepa means light. To acknowledge the fact that the Almighty is of the form of light, this particular aspect has been included in Pooja. Naivedya Naivedya means offering different kinds of dishes. The practice of offering something to eat is prevalent everywhere. Taamblooa 'Tamboola' means betel leaf. According to Ayurveda, chewing the betel leaf with other herbs after food is considered a healthy habit. Aarati We are nearing the end of Pooja. Aarati consists of showing a big flame of camphor light to the deity. This is to remind the person that the Almighty is of the form of light. Mantrapushpa, Pradakshina To experience the original nature of the Almighty i.e., His Mantra form is the purpose of offering this service. By going round (pradakshina), we imply that the Almighty is present in all directions. In order to help you understand the purpose and significance of Pooja, these aspects have been explained in common man's language. All these have still deeper meaning. But for our daily sadhana, this is sufficient. KAMAKSHI LAMP Two Kamakshi Lamp with one wick each can be lit. One kamakshi lamp with all the five wicks/one wick can be lit. Deep aradhanai and deepa darshana pooja with (5 ,7,9,16 & 54) wicks lit can be seen done in temples . To be done at home requires specialmantras and pyramidal arrangements. The kind of wick used to light a lamp is very important. To be safe , one may use a cotton wick. The fiber of the banana trunk is considered the best. The oil used in the lamp is extremely important . Each type has its own significance. It is safest to use Sesame oil / pure ghee made from cow's milk. While lighting the lamp the following shloka may be said: SUBHAM KAROTI KALYANAM AROGYAM DHANA SAMPADHA SHATRU BUDDHI VINASHAYA DEEPOJYOTHI NAMOSTUTHE. Hope i have answered your question MURUGAN THUNAI Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.