General Articles used in every Puja ( There are other articles also which are used in addition to these articles depending upon the Puja being performed ) :
- Lord Ganesha Idol and Picture placed on a altar
- Kalash filled with Gangajal
- Chowky (seat) with Red Cloth for giving Asanas to all Gods and Goddesses, Planets and other Deities
- Prayer items like Agarbattis, Camphor, Lamps with Ghee and wicks, Sandalwood paste, Kumkum, Rice, Milk, Curd, Ghee, Sugar, Perfume, Fresh Fruits, Betel Leaves and Nuts, Coconut, Mouli, Flowers, Malas, Durba, Aarti Thaal, Sweets ( Naivedyam ), Dry Fruits, Food for Brahmins, Cardamom, clothes for Brahmins, Janau ( a white thread ), Gulab Jal, Bilva Patra, Havan Samagri, Havan wood for all the nine planets ( Samidha ) Jau-Tal, Guggal, Mustard Seed, Kamal Kakdi, Astgandh
General Procedure of a Puja :
Our learned Purohits take the Sankalp in the name of the person for whom the puja is being performed. After that he recites the Mantras for a specific number of times along with other Brahmins present so that the total number of recitals which is in thousands is achieved within the specified time period. After that a Homam is performed where the Lord Agni is Invoked and offerings are made to him in the form of Ghee, Prasad (usually sweets, Fruits, Coconut etc.) and many other items as prescribed in our scripts while chanting mantras of the deity for whom the entire Puja has been performed. After a successful Homam, an AARTI of the concerned Deity is recited and this marks the completion of Puja.
During the Puja, all the items ( Yantra, Rudraksha Mala, Rudraksha etc. ) which are to be sent as Prasadam to the client are also ENERGIZED and thereafter they are sent as Prasadam.
How Puja is done ?
- First of all, Asanas are prepared for Invocation of all the Gods and Goddesses, Navgrahas and other Deities
- A Ghee Lamp is Lighted
- Swasti Vachan is done in which Guruji seeks Blessings for the welfare of the client
- Shanti Path is done in which all the Gods and Goddesses are prayed using Ved Mantras recital
- Thereafter a "Sankalp" is taken by one of the Brahmins on behalf of the client so that he becomes entitled to perform all the rituals during the entire puja on behalf of the client since he virtually represents the client after Sankalp for the purpose of Puja.
- Thereafter Pujan is done for Devi Ganga, Bhumi (Earth), Lords of all 10 directions, Lord Surya, Lord Ganesha, Kalash Dev, Goddess Lakshmi, Navgrah (all the 9 planets), Lord Brahma & Lord Agni
- A Special Puja is done for the particular Puja's main Deity, Yantra and Mantras & Stotras are recited in quantities as required. Any special recitation if required as well as any special ritual needed to be performed which is specific to the Puja being performed is also done.
- Thereafter Homam is done in which Agni Devta is invoked using the holy woods and offering a special paste made of Oat, Ghee, Til, Guggle, Mustard Seeds and Hawan Samagri. These offerings are known as Aahutis and they are done in fixed numbers which varies with the Puja being conducted.
- Thereafter a Purnahuti is done in which a Coconut filled with Ghee and other Sacred items like Hawan Samagri, Sugar etc. is offered to the Agni Dev in the Homam
- Thereafter an Aarti is done for the Deity or the planet for whom the Puja has been performed followed by few other rituals as prescribed in the sacred vedic texts
- Thereafter the prasadam items which have been energized during the Puja are once again blessed by our Guruji and they are neatly packed in a sacred box
- Thereafter the Brahmins who have taken part in the Puja are offered Food followed by Dakshina which includes fresh fruits, clothes and money
