"patram pushpam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahritam
ashnami prayatatmanah"
"He who offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower,
fruit or water, I will accept it wholeheartedly"
Hinduism as a religion caters to all types of people, be they believers in God with form or without form. It is believed that God can be attained by ritualistic worship or by meditation or even by simple utterances of the holy names. Ritualistic worship can be elaborate, spanning over several hours, with the chanting of mantras, offering Prasadam (consecrated food) and Harathi (swinging of lamps), or it can also be as simple as offering a single leaf of Tulasi (the holy basil) or Bael(for Lord Shiva) and offering Prasadam. While ritualistic worship satisfies some people, the others are happy with meditating on the Lord or chanting His name. Needless to say, any form of worship requires a pure and steadfast mind that is thoughtful of God, adherence to Dharma and abhorrence to sin.
Ensure that you have the necessary materials from the things you need section.
Purify yourself with a bath. While bathing, chant the names of the Lord. While ordinary bathing cleans us externally, uttering the name of the Lord purifies our mind, body and soul (trikarana shuddi).
Mark your forehead with a tilaka (urdhva pundra) or bhasma
Light the lamp and place some akshinta along with flowers at the base of the lamp.
Blow the conch (shanka) thrice. Sounding the conch is an auspicious omen that indicates an invitation to God and wards away all evil.
Ring the bell (Ghanti). If you do not have a conch, you may just ring the bell.
Those having an idol, can offer ritualistic worship in the prescribed manner. The others that may not have the time and/or means to do it or have a picture of the Lord in their worship, can do it mentally.
Keep some water in a clean vessel.
Offer the Lord a seat (aasana)
Offer water to wash the holy lotus feet (paadhya).
Offer water to wash lotus hands of Lord (arghya).
Offer water for Lord to drink (acamana).
Undress the Lord, or tie a plain white cloth around like a dhoti.
Bathe the Lord chanting mantras.
First: Water
Second: Milk
Third: Yogurt
Fourth: Ghee
Fifth: Honey
Sixth: Sugar
Catch the above 6 items in a bowl, and set aside till the puja is finished
Next, bathe the Lord with the following items in sequence, one after the other:
Ganges water
Mantra charged water
Coconut water
Rose water
Juice from various seasonal fruits
Liquefied sandalwood paste
Turmeric mixed with liquefied(yet thick)yogurt
Vibhuthi ash
Final bathing with water
Clean the Lord and dress Him with clean clothes and ornaments.
Offer flowers to the chanting of mantras.
Offer incense.
Offer prasadam to the Lord.
Light the wicks and show the Arati to the Lord
Circumambulate the Lord clockwise thrice.
Blow the Shanka thrice.
Offer obeisances.
Offer prayers for forgiveness for any mistakes committed during the puja ceremony)
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