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Types of Puja Performed by Acharya S.P. Dwivedi
Understanding Puja
Puja, also spelled pooja or poojah, in Hinduism, is ceremonial worship, ranging from brief daily rites in the home to elaborate temple rituals. In its simplest form, puja usually consists of making an offering of flowers or fruit to an image of a god. The components of a puja vary greatly according to the sect, community, part of the country, time of day, needs of the worshipper, and religious text followed.
A puja may also include a circumambulation (pradakshina) of the image or shrine and, in an elaborate ritual, a sacrifice (bali) and oblation to the sacred fire (homa). Special ceremonies according to the festival calendar may also be observed, such as swinging the god or playing games according to the season.
One important type of puja in Indian temple and private worship is arati, the waving of lighted lamps before an image of a deity or a person to be honoured.
The Steps of Puja in the Vedic Tradition
Dipajvalana: Lighting the lamp and praying to it as the symbol of the deity and requesting it to burn steadily till the puja is over.
Guruvandana: Obeisance to one’s own guru or spiritual teacher.
Ganesha Vandana: Prayer to Lord Ganesha or Ganapati for the removal of obstacles to the puja.
Ghantanada: Ringing the bell with appropriate mantras to drive away the evil forces and welcome the gods. Ringing the bell is also necessary during ceremonial bath of the deity and offering incense etc.
Vedic Recitation: Reciting two Vedic mantras from Rig Veda 10.63.3 and 4.50.6 to steady the mind.
Mantapadhyana: Meditation on the miniature shrine structure, generally made of wood.
Asanamantra: Mantra for purification and steadiness of the seat of the deity.
Pranayama & Sankalpa: A short breathing exercise to purify your breath, settle and focus your mind.
Purification of Puja Water: Ceremonial purification of the water in the kalasa or water vessel, to make it fit for use in puja.
Purification of Puja Items: Filling up the sankha, conch, with that water and inviting its presiding deities such as Surya, Varuna, and Chandra, to reside in it in a subtle form and then sprinkling that water over all the articles of puja to consecrate them.
Sanctifying the Body: Nyasa with the Purusasukta (Rigveda 10.7.90) to invoke the presence of the deity into the image or idol and offering the upacharas.
Offering the Upacharas: There are a number of items to be offered and tasks to be performed before the Lord as an outpouring of love and devotion for god. These include a seat for the deity, water, flower, honey, cloth, incense, fruits, betel leaf, camphor, etc.
Last step is the Tirtha and Prasada, partaking of the consecrated water and food offering of the puja by all who have been a part of the puja or witnessed it.