How to Do Poojas

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Purify by driving out the devils or bad tendencies and invoking devas

   This is done by ringing a bell and chanting Hari OM and aagamanaartham ....
   
   All must join in the singing of this mantra. , (Said by the leader).
   
   This is called 'dig bandhani and consists of chanting the sacred OM and the above three words called vyaahrites.
   
   By chanting this, you make a protective shell around you.
   
   All the portals of the heart are closed against the ingress of the rakshasaor evil tendencies or demons.
   
   At the end of the puja, you break the shell by chanting the three vyahrities first and OM last. iti digbandhah, thus the shell is formed. , The Lord of the universe is very magnificently described and praised in this vedic hymn.
   
   These prayers are called the dhyaanam or "mantras of invocation."
   
   , (as below), tasya niShTha dhyaanaH. ,, towards all the people assembled at that place.,,, They are the offering of papadam, argh am and naan am., These phases are possible only in case of idols in temples or houses.
   
   As your idol or image or photo of God would be decorated before or at the commencement of the satsangh, the water is sprinkled by means of the middle finger of the right hand first at the feet for paadyam, then at the hands for arghyam and lastly at the chest and then from head to feet for snaanam (bath or oblation).,,,,,,,,, Dhrupad is burning of incense stick and waving it before God, or Goddess and deep are the savings of light.
   
   All waving of light and incense is done in a circular motion from the right side or clockwise.,,, After naivety, tabula or betel leaf is offered.,, Do this whilst chanting this:
   OM PraaNaaya svl aha apadana aya Sv Aa Haa Ayaan aya Sv Aa Haa. daana aya svaahaa samaanaaya svaahaa brahmane svaahaa taambuulam samarpayaami , All must stand in their respective places.,,, All chant the above mantra.,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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   Step 2: Godsand good tendencies.

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   Step 3: Say Om bhur bhuvah swaha.

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   Step 4: Tune your minds to meditate upon God with a form by chanting prayers and then contemplate upon the eternal purusha.by chanting the Purusha sukta.

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   Step 5: Understand the the spiritual significance of the sixteen phased offerings (shoDaShopachaara) to the God invoked and installed in the idol or image or photo during the puja (as the mandala brahmana upanishhad explains)

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   Step 6: Make the sixteen offerings in five steps.

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   Step 7: Know that the 1st 3 phases are called the dhyanaseat.

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   Step 8: Know that when you are merged with it without any other thought or feeling it is called meditation or 'dhyana.

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   Step 9: Chant dhyaayaami God or Goddess to reside in the idol or image or photo for the time being

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    Step 10: so that the spiritual force may flow through the medium of the idol etc.

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    Step 11: Chant aavaahayaami

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    Step 12: Chant an asana Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 13: Follow the three phases of "Water Ceremony."

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    Step 14: Offer water for washing the feet

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    Step 15: the hands and for oblation.

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    Step 16: Chant papadam Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 17: Chant aac Amani yam Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 18: Chant argh am Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 19: Chant naan am Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 20: Have the 3 phased offering of ghanda or sandal paste

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    Step 21: raw rice mixed with kumkum and flowers.

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    Step 22: Chant gingham Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 23: Chant ax at a Samar Paya AMI.

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    Step 24: Chant puShpaaNi Pu Jaya Ami

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    Step 25: Have the waving of lights and offering of naivedya

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    Step 26: fruits

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    Step 27: Chant 'dhrupad aaghyaapayaami.

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    Step 28: Chant diam a.ndarshayaami

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    Step 29: Offer the naivedyam by pouring a few drops of water in your right palm and by chanting the names of praaNa and brahma.

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    Step 30: Chant naivety NIV Daya AMI

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    Step 31: Pour a little water into the right palm and offer as the naivedya.

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    Step 32: Have the 3rd waving of lights called niiraajana or mangala aaratii.

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    Step 33: Chant ma.ngala niiraajana samarpayaami

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    Step 34: Wave a light for the 3rd time in the manner stated in the instructions

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    Step 35: chanting the following mantra: na tatra suuryo bhaati na chandra taarakaM nemaa vidyuto bhaanti kutoyamagniH tameva bhaa

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    Step 36: ntamanu bhaati sarvam tasya bhaasaa sarvamidam vibhaati

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    Step 37: Wave the light 3 times before the feet of the lord

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    Step 38: then 3 times before the head

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    Step 39: then 3 times from feet to head - all in circular motions from right side to left side or clockwise.

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    Step 40: Take the lighted lamp or camphor to all the persons assembled as a reminder of the eternal light of spirit shedding its glory within each one of them.

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    Step 41: Know that this consists of performing pradakshinaa and offering namaskaara.

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    Step 42: Chant pradakShiNaa namaskaara samarpayaami

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    Step 43: Chant puShpaa.njali samarpayaami

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    Step 44: Know that this consists of performing the visarjana by sending back the God or Goddess invoked for the ritual and breaking up the shell by chanting of Om bhuur bhuva swaaha".

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    Step 45: The mantras are: yathaasthaanam pratishhThaapayaami digvimokshaH bhuurbhuvaH svarom

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    Step 46: Chant shaanti mantras and dedicate the entire puja ritual to the supreme lord or eternal purusha called brahmana.

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    Step 47: Chant OM purrnamadaH ...

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    Step 48: Chant OM bhadraM karNebhiH ...

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    Step 49: Chant svasti na indro ...

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    Step 50: Chant OM sarve bhavantu sukhinaH ...

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    Step 51: Chant "OM asatomaa sadgamaya ...

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    Step 52: chant OM tatsatbrahmaarpaNamastu

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