Guest guest Posted March 19, 2005 Report Share Posted March 19, 2005 OK , so I hope all of us are ready to learn or brush up on our beginner Shiva Puja. Those that are learning or reading for the first time , PLEASE ASK questions.Those that are brushing up or already know the puja, please feel free to share anything on the puja to make this a good learning experience of all. Om Sang Saraswatyai Namah (That is an invocation to the Goddess Saraswati at the beginning and ending of each session to bless us with her presence during our study) What is Puja ? Puja is derived from - Pu - meaning Punya and Ja meaning Jati. That which generates merit is called a Puja. Puja used in this context refers to a methodical way of worshipping our deity of choice. Why do a Puja ?Why Pray ? Well, this question will spawn as many answers as there are people. But why specifically follow a system of worship that involves so much preparation and items and objects of worship ? Wouldnt it be simpler to close our eyes and meditate ? My take is this , and I am sure others will pitch as well, while it would be great if we could all close our eyes and immediately get absorbed in the Divine, some of us need more help. The way the hindu pujas are designed - they GRADUALLY draw our attention from the Gross level to the subtle and causal levels. It is like every step sets the mood - to withdraw our senses so that we focus more and more on our beloved deity. What can I as a beginner do to get the best from the Beginner Shiva Puja book ? Well, a disciple recommended this to me and I found it excellent - read the English translation of each step for the entire puja, to get a flavor for the puja. Homework for today (Yes - you dont get off so easily dear reader :-) ) Read the English translation of Beginner Shiva Puja and keep your questions ready. Anything specific to the puja , we will handle when we come to that part in the text . Anything general or preliminary , please feel free to ask the questions on the group. Om Sang Saraswatyai Namah Jai ShivaJai GuruNandaDo You ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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