Need Help on how to do Shiva Puja properly.

[Guest guest]

Namaste Richard, the best way to begin is simple worship. Later you can

improve and improvise as you go along. Sometimes as simple as placing a

flower, offering an oil lamp, lighting some incense and chanting

mantras will suffice. As you've obtained a Puja Pack, this gets

better.

 

I think in the puja pack you mentioned, there should be a copper stand,

copper plate and copper pot. Erect the stand upon the plate. Place the

pot on the stand. Put the Clear Quartz Shivalingam in the middle of

the copper plate. (Sphatik means clear quartz and Shivalingam

represents Lord Shiva.) Set all this upon the altar.

 

Get a few small plates or tiny bowls for putting the following items :

 

Bilpatra leaves (mango leaves sacred to Lord Shiva),

 

Black til (black sesame),

 

Gangajal (Ganges water) - for this a container is not needed,

 

Gomutra (cow urine) - container also not needed as its bottled,

 

Rice,

 

Kapur (camphor) - use a metal spoon if you have got an Indian kapur

offering spoon.

 

Kumkum is vermillion for applying to the forehead.

 

Ghee is clarified butter and is known lights up oil lamps without

giving off toxins or black smoke.

 

Divya is the " light " . I'm not sure if your pack has a Divya container

got pouring the ghee in. If not, use a heat-proof metal bowl and place

it upon a layer of heat proof material, for example a tile. Make sure

the oil lamp is not near windy windows, clothes, curtains, newspapers

or any flammable objects. (Indians usually have quite, pristine and

closed up Puja Rooms when praying so there is never fire danger.)

 

Itra is perfumed oil for rubbing on the Shivaling after Abhishekam

(holy bath).

 

Place candied sugar and dried fruits on a plate as offering. If you

like, you can also get a few fresh garden flowers for placing on the

altar.

 

However, if your Puja book is about performing worship to idols or

images of deities, it ok to improvise on the method and ingredients.

Practice makes perfect so they say. And with it comes experience. Don't

compare with the lengthy traditional pujas used by priests at temples

as they are temple methods. For the layman or householder, its

different.

 

Here's a simple method for home use :

 

How to do Puja

 

A simple how to do deity worship:

 

• First purify your body and start with a clear and positive mind frame.

• Place the deity idol/frame in a plate.

 

• In a pot put few drops of Gangajal and fill it with fresh water.

 

• Now offer some water on deity idol chanting deity's name or mantra.

 

• Offer small amount of Gomutra and Honey.

 

• Now again offer water mixed with Gangajal.

 

• Now lift the idol, wipe it with a soft cloth and place it in the

altar.

 

• Apply these items one by one as a 'Tilak':

 

Haldi, Kumkum, Abir, Gulal, Gopi chandan, and Sandal paste and few rice

grains.

 

 

• Light incense and diya.

 

• Offer a small amount of itra by taking it in a cotton.

 

• Now, offer the dry fruits, candy sugar, betel nuts, clove, cardamom,

Haldi. (You may take a small quantity from each of the packets).

 

• Now, you may tie a small piece of holy thread around your hand.

 

• Now, light a oil lamp and do Aarti. You may also burn a few pieces of

camphor separately in the Aarti plate.

 

• After the Aarti, distribute the deity offerings (dry fruits and candy

sugar) to your family and friends.

 

 

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Jai Shambho

 

 

 

, " infinite909 "

<infinite909 wrote:

>

> Dear Members,

> I recently received a book from Devi Mandir Web

> site, on how to do Shiva Pujas properly. I also sent away and received

> the various materials to do the puja from Rudra Center. I still don't

> know how to do it at home properly, even though I have been to

> numerous Shivaratris in the past, and would like to find some one to

> help me and tutor me. I have all these incredients but I don't know

> what each one is and when to use it. The book does not explain all of

> them, and I don't know which is which. Can any one help? Please let

> me know, thank you, sincerely,

> Richard

>