Guest guest Report post Posted December 28, 2003 Aside from chanting the Chandi everyday, I also do a daily Shiva Puja as taught by Swamiji. He gives us a basic structure to which we can expand as long or as short as we want. Here are the basic steps to a puja 1)Preparation 2)Purification 3)Invitation 4)Union. 5)Offering Preparation involves getting oneself ready for the puja - preparing the atmosphere with offerings of light and incense, invoking the light of wisdom (Gayatri) within, establishing an asan , establishing the god(dess) in the ten different directions, and identify the purpose of the puja (sankalpa). Also bless the whole world with a Shanti Mantra so that nothing comes in the way of completion of your sankalpa. Purification involves purifying all the offerings of worship, including purifying the water, flowers, naivedya, etc. Invitation Invite the deity to sit at the altar. Union Meditation on the deity. Establish the bija mantra of the God in your fingers (Kara Nyas). So now everything is you touch is charged by the bija. Establish the bija mantra in your heart, the top of the head, the back of the head , across your upper body and the three eyes. Chant the bija of the deity 108 times. Offering Offer to the Lord - a foot bath, a bath of milk, yoghurt, clarified butter, honey, sugar, five nectar, a new dress, rudraksh, sindoor, chandan, akshata ( sacred rice) , flower garland, food, drinking water, and flowers. These steps are followed with chanting the 108 names of the deity, and doing the Arati. The puja concludes with a request for forgiveness if anything was missed or any errors were committed. If you would like to learn more about a basic puja, please do let me know. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted December 29, 2003 Latha, It's interesting, the five stages of puja can also be seen as the five stages of spiritual life. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Aside from chanting the Chandi everyday, I also do a daily Shiva > Puja as taught by Swamiji. > > He gives us a basic structure to which we can expand as long or as > short as we want. > > Here are the basic steps to a puja > > 1)Preparation > 2)Purification > 3)Invitation > 4)Union. > 5)Offering > > > Preparation involves getting oneself ready for the puja - preparing > the atmosphere with offerings of light and incense, invoking the > light of wisdom (Gayatri) within, establishing an asan , > establishing the god(dess) in the ten different directions, and > identify the purpose of the puja (sankalpa). Also bless the whole > world with a Shanti Mantra so that nothing comes in the way of > completion of your sankalpa. > > > Purification involves purifying all the offerings of worship, > including purifying the water, flowers, naivedya, etc. > > Invitation > > Invite the deity to sit at the altar. > > Union > > Meditation on the deity. > Establish the bija mantra of the God in your fingers (Kara Nyas). So > now everything is you touch is charged by the bija. > Establish the bija mantra in your heart, the top of the head, the > back of the head , across your upper body and the three eyes. > Chant the bija of the deity 108 times. > > Offering > > Offer to the Lord - a foot bath, a bath of milk, yoghurt, clarified > butter, honey, sugar, five nectar, a new dress, rudraksh, sindoor, > chandan, akshata ( sacred rice) , flower garland, food, drinking > water, and flowers. > > > These steps are followed with chanting the 108 names of the deity, > and doing the Arati. > > The puja concludes with a request for forgiveness if anything was > missed or any errors were committed. > > If you would like to learn more about a basic puja, please do let me > know. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted January 1, 2004 Dear Latha, Pls tell me more about the basic puja. Thanks. Chris Kirner [chriskirner1956] Monday, December 29, 2003 1:50 PM Re: Steps to a basic Puja Latha, It's interesting, the five stages of puja can also be seen as the five stages of spiritual life. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Aside from chanting the Chandi everyday, I also do a daily Shiva > Puja as taught by Swamiji. > > He gives us a basic structure to which we can expand as long or as > short as we want. > > Here are the basic steps to a puja > > 1)Preparation > 2)Purification > 3)Invitation > 4)Union. > 5)Offering > > > Preparation involves getting oneself ready for the puja - preparing > the atmosphere with offerings of light and incense, invoking the > light of wisdom (Gayatri) within, establishing an asan , > establishing the god(dess) in the ten different directions, and > identify the purpose of the puja (sankalpa). Also bless the whole > world with a Shanti Mantra so that nothing comes in the way of > completion of your sankalpa. > > > Purification involves purifying all the offerings of worship, > including purifying the water, flowers, naivedya, etc. > > Invitation > > Invite the deity to sit at the altar. > > Union > > Meditation on the deity. > Establish the bija mantra of the God in your fingers (Kara Nyas). So > now everything is you touch is charged by the bija. > Establish the bija mantra in your heart, the top of the head, the > back of the head , across your upper body and the three eyes. > Chant the bija of the deity 108 times. > > Offering > > Offer to the Lord - a foot bath, a bath of milk, yoghurt, clarified > butter, honey, sugar, five nectar, a new dress, rudraksh, sindoor, > chandan, akshata ( sacred rice) , flower garland, food, drinking > water, and flowers. > > > These steps are followed with chanting the 108 names of the deity, > and doing the Arati. > > The puja concludes with a request for forgiveness if anything was > missed or any errors were committed. > > If you would like to learn more about a basic puja, please do let me > know. / Your --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.532 / Virus Database: 326 - Release 10/27/2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.532 / Virus Database: 326 - Release 10/27/2003 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest J. Bernard Scott Report post Posted November 27, 2013 Thank you, Latha...I've learned so much, the thing is, I just became a hindu (or has always been one and just not recognized it), Anyway, I would like to know more about the basic puja. I want to feel closer to God, espicially Vishnu and his avataras. Please help me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Sadhaka Report post Posted June 4, 2014 Latha, could you please inform us more about how to invoke Lord Shiva? Such as through Shiva Invocation Mantra? I can not find it myself... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
