Altar and Puja questions

[Guest guest]

I have decided that I want to put up an altar/shrine for Pujas and devotionals.

It will be primarily dedicared to Devi, but I would also like images of Ganesha

and Shiva on there.

Is there anything I should know about making one? I really don't know anything.

I remember hearing that it should face east, but I don't know how to

" consecrate " an altar, or how to " install " images or statues of dieties.

 

When I have done this, I would like to start to do pujas and devotionals. I know

that there is the Khadgamalam Stotram, and I use it often, but I would really

like to know how to do a puja. How would I do such a thing? Can I include more

than one diety in the puja?

 

Thanks in advance. I hope you can help.

 

Wilfred

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

I am no expert on these such things. My personal altar was installed by

myself with little pomp and cirumstance - simply a bookshelf with my various

icons, various ritual items like incense, candles, bells and the like, and

a repository of books. I was instructed by my guru to simply approach the

Goddess with an open heart and and mind and let Her take care of the

details.

 

As for whether an altar can contain representations of multiple entities -

well, that is really between you and your guru, and how you feel about it.

The three deities you mention are all intimately related - Shiva is the

consort of the Goddess, and Ganesha is Her son, created out of her own body

without the intervention of a father. In fact, many Shaktaa (myself

included) consider Lord Ganesha to be an honorary Shakti! No altar is

complete without him.

 

I know there are quite elaborate rituals that one can conduct to

properly instate a deity, " breath life " into an icon, and so forth. I will

let others on this list with more experience in such things craft a reply.

 

You may find this book helpful. Swami Satyananda Saraswati is quite devoted

to the Divine Mother, and while I find some of his translations not quite to

my liking, I do not question his bhakta.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Puja-Swami-Satyananda-Saraswati/dp/1877795704

 

 

-Santo

aum shanti shanti shantih.

" The world is like the impression left by the telling of a story. " - from

the Yoga VÄsiṣṭha

 

 

On Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 6:40 AM, wilfred h <hatecrew9 wrote:

 

>

>

> I have decided that I want to put up an altar/shrine for Pujas and

> devotionals. It will be primarily dedicared to Devi, but I would also like

> images of Ganesha and Shiva on there.

> Is there anything I should know about making one? I really don't know

> anything. I remember hearing that it should face east, but I don't know how

> to " consecrate " an altar, or how to " install " images or statues of dieties.

>

> When I have done this, I would like to start to do pujas and devotionals. I

> know that there is the Khadgamalam Stotram, and I use it often, but I would

> really like to know how to do a puja. How would I do such a thing? Can I

> include more than one diety in the puja?

>

> Thanks in advance. I hope you can help.

>

> Wilfred

>

>

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I think Santo's answer covers the bases far

better than the following contribution, but anyway....

The last time " how to do puja " came up,

the group discussion centered around the following

video:

 

How to do tulsi puja

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jj2JuOGQRc

In the ensuing discussion, a group member

said to use something other than a candle

-- a BBQ lighter, for example.

 

Discussions about this video:

/message/29850

 

, " wilfred h " <hatecrew9 wrote:

>

> [after setting up my altar]

> I would like to start to do pujas and devotionals. I know that here is the

Khadgamalam Stotram, and I use it often, but I would really like to know how to

do a puja. How would I do such a thing?

[Guest guest]

Thank you both so much for your thoughtful answers. They have helped me very

much.

 

Santo Sengupta:

 

Thanks for your answer. I did indeed choose those dieties because they are

related in some way, and I have heard that puja offerings should be given to

Ganesha first.

 

Also, I do not have a Guru. Is a Guru neccessary in order to worship Devi? If

so, how can I go about finding a Guru?

 

Msbauju:

 

that video is very informative. I am guessing that I can structure any Puja in a

similar way?

 

Also, some of the items are unfamiliar to me.

Forgive my ignorance, I am not born hindu. What is a Puspa Patra and a

acamaniya patra?

[Guest guest]

, " wilfred h " <hatecrew9 wrote:

> What is a Puspa Patra and a acamaniya patra?

 

I believe 'PAtra' is 'vessel' or 'pot'; 'puspa' is flower, and

'Acamana' washing water (for the mouth).

http://vedabase.net/a/acamana

 

As far as puja gear goes (pots and the like),

you can probably find a puja set at your local

Indian store, or online.

 

I believe Swami Satyananda, whose book Santo provided a link to,

says that the puja items should be clean and not previously used

for some other purpose. I have also seen a very senior student of

another guru take a plate out of a kitchen cabinet for use in

a puja, so I gather, based on a rather small sample size,

that the 'rules' depend on the guru.

 

> Also, I do not have a Guru.

> Is a Guru neccessary in order to worship Devi?

 

The group recently had an interesting discussion on the

necessity of a guru. If you search back through the

archives, you'll find it.

 

I like what group member Kulasundari Devi had to say about

the subject:

/message/32047

[Guest guest]

Thanks once again. The post that you linked to is very inspiring.

 

, " msbauju " <msbauju wrote:

>>

> The group recently had an interesting discussion on the

> necessity of a guru. If you search back through the

> archives, you'll find it.

>

> I like what group member Kulasundari Devi had to say about

> the subject:

> /message/32047

>