Divinity Accepts Service Done Both on Physical and Mind Level
36
- Dyana/ Avahana (“invocation”): The deity is invited to the ceremony.
- Asana: The deity is offered a seat.
- Paathyam: The deity’s feet are washed.
- Arghya: Water is offered so the deity may wash His face and hands.
- Acamanıya: Water is offered to Him.
- Madhuparka: The deity is offered water, honey, milk, etc.
- Snana or abhisekha: Water is offered for bathing.
- Acamaniya.
- Vastra: Offering clothes to the Deity
- Upaneeyam: Adorning the deity with turmeric, etc.
- Aaparanam: Adorning Him with jewels.
- Kantham: Adorning Him with perfumes.
- Atchathai: Offering Tumeric-flavoured rice.
- Puspa: Flowers are offered to the Lord.
- Archana: Recitation of Mantras
- Dhupa: Incense is burned for the Deity.
- Dıpa: A burning lamp is waved in front of the image.
- Naivedya or prasada: Foods for the deity.
- Paaneeyam: Oblation.
- Acamanıya.
- Thaampulam: Offering Vettrilai to the Deity.
- Aarati
- Mantra Pushpam: Offering flowers to the Deity.
- Thothiram.
- Paarayana
- Japa
- Dyana
- Namaskara: The worshiper and family prostrate to the Deity.
- Prarthana
- Shanthi mantra
- Aarathi
- Mangalam
- Prayachittam: Mitigatory prayers
- Samarpanam
- Yathasth-thaanam: conclusion
- Acamaniya
Kumbhabhishekham / Videos / Steps / Animals / News / Maha / Logistics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbhabhishekham
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=vid&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=653&q=kumbhabhishekam
http://modernhinduculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:kumbhabhishekam
http://www.nritoday.net/community-news/828-importance-of-the-maha-kumbhabhishekam
http://www.thehindu.com/search/simple.do;jsessionid=C62EFECBA44CCDBFADF76A5127CB712C.route03
http://www.omkarananda-kamakshi.org/kumbhabhishekam1.html
http://lansingtemple.org/kumbhabhishekam/logistics.pdf
Offerings By Mind
In the city of Pratisthanapura in South India there was once a Person
who was not very well-to-do, but who was nevertheless satisfied in himself,
thinking that it was because of his past misdeeds and by the desire of Krishna
that he did not get sufficient money and opulence. So he was not at all sorry
for his poor material position, and he used to live very peacefully. He was
very openhearted, and sometimes he went to hear some lectures delivered by
great realized souls. At one such meeting, while he was very faithfully hearing
about Vaisnava activities, he was informed that these activities can be
performed even by meditation. In other words, if a person is unable to actually
perform Vaisnava activities physically, he can meditate upon the Vaisnava activities
and thereby acquire all of the same results. Because the Person was not very
well-to-do financially, he decided that he would simply meditate on grand,
royal devotional activities, and he began this business thus:
Sometimes he would take his bath in the River Godavari. After taking his bath he would sit in a secluded place on the bank of the river, and by practicing the yoga exercises of pranayama, the usual breathing exercises, he would concentrate his mind. These breathing exercises are meant to mechanically fix the mind upon a particular subject. When the Person had fixed the form of the Lord in his mind, he began to imagine in his meditations that he was dressing the Lord very nicely in costly clothing, with ornaments, helmets and other paraphernalia. Then he offered his respectful obeisances by bowing down before the Lord. After finishing the dressing, he began to imagine that he was cleaning the temple very nicely.
After cleansing the temple, he imagined that he had many water jugs made of gold and silver, and he took all those jugs to the river and filled them with the holy water. Not only did he collect water from the Godavari, but he collected from the Ganges, Yamuna, Narmada and Kaveri. Generally a Vaisnava, while worshiping the Lord, collects water from all these rivers by mantra chanting. This Person, instead of chanting some mantra, imagined that he was physically securing water from all these rivers in golden and silver waterpots. Then he collected all kinds of paraphernalia for worship - flowers, fruits, incense and sandalwood pulp. He collected everything to place before the Deity. All these waters, flowers and scented articles were then very nicely offered to the Deities to Their satisfaction. Then he offered arati, and with the regulative principles he finished all these activities in the correct worshiping method.
He would daily execute similar performances as his routine work, and he continued to do so for many, many years. Then one day the Person imagined in his meditations that he had prepared some sweet rice with milk and sugar and offered the preparation to the Deity. However, he was not very satisfied with the offering because the sweet rice had been prepared recently and it was still very hot. (This preparation, sweet rice, should not be taken hot. The cooler the sweet rice, the better its taste). So because the sweet rice had been prepared by the Person very recently, he wanted to touch it so that he could know whether it was fit for eating by the Lord. As soon as he touched the sweet rice pot with his finger, he immediately was burnt by the heat of the pot. In this way, his meditation broke. Now, when he looked at his finger, he saw that it was burnt, and he was wondering in astonishment how this could have happened. Because he was simply meditating on touching the hot sweet rice, he never thought that his finger would actually become burnt.
While he was thinking like this, in Vaikuntha, Lord Narayana, seated with the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, began to smile humorously. On seeing this smiling of the Lord, all the goddesses of fortune attending the Lord became very curious and asked Lord Narayana why He was smiling. The Lord, however, did not reply to their inquisitiveness, but instead immediately sent for the Person. An airplane sent from Vaikuntha immediately brought the Person into Lord Narayana's presence. When the Person was thus present before the Lord and the goddesses of fortune, the Lord explained the whole story. The Person was then fortunate enough to get an eternal place in Vaikuntha in the association of the Lord and His Laksmis. This shows how the Lord is all-pervading, in spite of His being locally situated in His abode Although the Lord was present in Vaikuntha, He was present also in the heart of the Person when he was meditating on the worshiping process. Thus, we can understand that things offered by devotees even in meditation are accepted by the Lord, and they help one achieve the desired result.
Sometimes he would take his bath in the River Godavari. After taking his bath he would sit in a secluded place on the bank of the river, and by practicing the yoga exercises of pranayama, the usual breathing exercises, he would concentrate his mind. These breathing exercises are meant to mechanically fix the mind upon a particular subject. When the Person had fixed the form of the Lord in his mind, he began to imagine in his meditations that he was dressing the Lord very nicely in costly clothing, with ornaments, helmets and other paraphernalia. Then he offered his respectful obeisances by bowing down before the Lord. After finishing the dressing, he began to imagine that he was cleaning the temple very nicely.
After cleansing the temple, he imagined that he had many water jugs made of gold and silver, and he took all those jugs to the river and filled them with the holy water. Not only did he collect water from the Godavari, but he collected from the Ganges, Yamuna, Narmada and Kaveri. Generally a Vaisnava, while worshiping the Lord, collects water from all these rivers by mantra chanting. This Person, instead of chanting some mantra, imagined that he was physically securing water from all these rivers in golden and silver waterpots. Then he collected all kinds of paraphernalia for worship - flowers, fruits, incense and sandalwood pulp. He collected everything to place before the Deity. All these waters, flowers and scented articles were then very nicely offered to the Deities to Their satisfaction. Then he offered arati, and with the regulative principles he finished all these activities in the correct worshiping method.
He would daily execute similar performances as his routine work, and he continued to do so for many, many years. Then one day the Person imagined in his meditations that he had prepared some sweet rice with milk and sugar and offered the preparation to the Deity. However, he was not very satisfied with the offering because the sweet rice had been prepared recently and it was still very hot. (This preparation, sweet rice, should not be taken hot. The cooler the sweet rice, the better its taste). So because the sweet rice had been prepared by the Person very recently, he wanted to touch it so that he could know whether it was fit for eating by the Lord. As soon as he touched the sweet rice pot with his finger, he immediately was burnt by the heat of the pot. In this way, his meditation broke. Now, when he looked at his finger, he saw that it was burnt, and he was wondering in astonishment how this could have happened. Because he was simply meditating on touching the hot sweet rice, he never thought that his finger would actually become burnt.
While he was thinking like this, in Vaikuntha, Lord Narayana, seated with the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, began to smile humorously. On seeing this smiling of the Lord, all the goddesses of fortune attending the Lord became very curious and asked Lord Narayana why He was smiling. The Lord, however, did not reply to their inquisitiveness, but instead immediately sent for the Person. An airplane sent from Vaikuntha immediately brought the Person into Lord Narayana's presence. When the Person was thus present before the Lord and the goddesses of fortune, the Lord explained the whole story. The Person was then fortunate enough to get an eternal place in Vaikuntha in the association of the Lord and His Laksmis. This shows how the Lord is all-pervading, in spite of His being locally situated in His abode Although the Lord was present in Vaikuntha, He was present also in the heart of the Person when he was meditating on the worshiping process. Thus, we can understand that things offered by devotees even in meditation are accepted by the Lord, and they help one achieve the desired result.
15
- Choki for performing puja on.
- Kusha grass mat for you to sit on
- Achaman cup and spoon - panchapatra.
- Snan-vedi - patra for bathing the Shalagram
- Valmuri - Laxmi conch - right handed conch shell for bathing
- Lohta for bathing
- Tulasi leaves
- Sandal wood paste (can be mixed with kapoor and or keshar)
- Fresh flowers
- Two sticks of Agarbhatti
- Ghee or Camphor lamp
- Naivedya - food offering on a nice plate exclusively for that puja, and covered with a cloth
- Blowing conch shell
- Bell with Garuda or Hanuman or Shank and Chakras on (not Nandi, not with no emblem)
- Attar - fragrant oils - Sandalwood, Champa, Rose, etc.
Acamana - Sipping Water for Purification
Acamana, or sipping water, is a means of purification. As immersing the body in water brings about physical and subtle cleansing, so taking water infused with mantras into the body by sipping performs a similar function. Thus where purification is required but it is inconvenient to bathe, acamana is prescribed.
The general process of acamana is as follows: While looking into water cupped in your right hand, chant a mantra directed into that water and then sip the water. A devotee should perform acamana to achieve physical and mental purity before performing spiritual activities such as
Mantra
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/page/acamana-sipping-water-for
Reference
http://www.vedabase.net/a/acamana
Tube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ACHAMANA
The general process of acamana is as follows: While looking into water cupped in your right hand, chant a mantra directed into that water and then sip the water. A devotee should perform acamana to achieve physical and mental purity before performing spiritual activities such as
- applying tilaka,
- chanting Gayatri and japa,
- performing puja and homa,
- observing a vrata,
- taking prasada,
- reading or reciting sastra or mantras, and
- meditating.
Mantra
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/page/acamana-sipping-water-for
Reference
http://www.vedabase.net/a/acamana
Tube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ACHAMANA
Other
Once a voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren. After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered. As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard the voice of God speaking from the sky, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?" He replied,"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them. His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."
The Lord rebuked him,"You are mistaken! He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
The first man asked the Lord, "Tell me, What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
The Lord replied, "He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
Senses
Five Senses Of Human Body Are Sight, Hearing, Touch, Taste, And Smell. These Are Activated By The Following Actions In The Temple:
The positive energy in the temple is absorbed properly only if you ensure that all five senses are activated in your body while you are in the temple. Also the place of worship is said to be pleased only if your five senses are pleased.
1. Ringing The Temple Bell When You Enter The Temple – Hearing Sense Activated
People who are visiting the temple should and will Ring the bell before entering the inner temple (Garbhagudi, Garbhagriha, Moolasthanam or womb-chamber) where the main idol is placed. These bells are made in such a way that when they produce a sound it creates a unity in the Left and Right parts of our brains. The moment we ring the bell, it produces a sharp and enduring sound which lasts for minimum of 7 seconds in echo mode. The duration of echo is good enough to activate all the seven healing centres in our body. This results in emptying our brain from all negative thoughts.
This bell sound is also absorbed by the idol and vibrated within the Garbhagudi for a certain period of time.
2. Lighting Camphor In Front Of Idol – Sight Sense Activated
The inner core of the temple is usually dark where the idol is placed. You usually close your eyes to pray and when you open your eyes you should see the camphor which was lit to do the Aarthi in front of the idol. This light seen inside the dark activates your sight sense.
The other reason of lighting camphor is for the idol to absorb the heat and vibrate within the Garbhagudi for certain period.
3. Put Your Hands Over The Camphor Flames And Then Touch Eyes – Touch Sense Activated
Once the camphor is brought to you after offering the prayer, you usually put your hands over the camphor to make your hands warm and then you touch your eyes with your warm hands. This action assures your touch sense is active.
4. Offering Flowers To God At The Temple – Smell Sense Activated
Flower, is good to see, spreads good fragrance, very soft to touch, the nectar given by flower pleases the tongue, and this combination is perfect for using at the temple.
Only specific flowers are used for offering to God like rose petals, jasmine, marigold based on different factors, amongst them fragrance is most important. The fragrance of the flower, camphor and instance sticks all together have the strong essence to keep your smell sense active and pleasant giving calmness to the mind.
5. Drinking Theertham – Taste Sense Activated
The next part of your act would be to drink theertham ideally from a silver or a copper vessel. The water used for theertham usually would contain Thulasi leaves dipped in water and must be stored at least for eight hours in the copper vessel. According to Ayurveda, water stored in a copper vessel has the ability to balance all the three doshas in your body, (vata, kapha and pitta) and it does so by positively charging the water. By drinking this Thulasi water you activate the taste sense. The other benefits of drinking Thulasi water from a copper or silver vessel also includes cure for soar throats, Fever & Common Cold, Coughs, Respiratory Disorder, formation of Kidney Stone, Heart Disorder chances will be reduced.
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44
1. Sipping water from the palm (achaman): This brings about internal purification.
2. The resolve (sankalpa): It may be difficult to obtain the benefit of a ritual without making a resolve.
3. Purification of the seat (asanshuddhi): This is brought about by touching one's seat and offering obeisance (namaskar).
4. Chanting the Purushsukta (Purushsukta nyas): Amidst chanting of the Purushsukta, the deity should be invoked in one's heart, head, small portion of hair on the head (shikha), face, eyes and between the eyebrows. This facilitates an increase in the sattvik (sattva predominant) temperament.
5. Worship of the pot (kalashpuja): All deities, seas, holy rivers, etc., should be invoked in the pot. Sandalwood paste (gandha), consecrated rice (akshata) and flowers should be offered to the pot. This sattvik water is then used in the ritualistic worship.
6. Worship of the conch (shankhapuja): The conch should be washed and filled with water. Then sandalwood paste and white flowers should be offered to it. One should not offer consecrated rice and tulsi leaves to it.
7. Worship of the bell (ghantapuja): One should create sound by ringing the bell to welcome the deities and drive off the demons (asurs). The bell should be placed to one's left and sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers should be offered to it.
8. Worship of the lamp (dipapuja): Sandalwood paste and flowers are offered to the lamp.
9. Purification (pavitrikaran): The water from the conch should be poured onto one's right palm and then sprinkled over oneself and on the substances to be used in the ritualistic worship.
10. Worship of the entrance (dvarpuja): Flowers and consecrated rice should be scattered in all four directions. This itself is the worship of the guardian deities of the directions (dikpal).
11. Consecration of the idol (pranpratistha): One should place the right hand over the heart of the idol of the deity and chant a mantra. Consecration of an idol is done at Ganesh chaturthi or to activate any new idol. This is not included in the usual ritualistic worship, as due to the regular worship the God principle has already been attained by it.
12. Meditation (dhyan): One should chant 'Vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha Nirvighnam kurume deva sarva Karyeshu Sarvada
13. Invocation (avadhan): Uttering 'Om sahastrashirsha Purushaha'' one should offer consecrated rice. The resolve is the same as is made when giving an invitation for a thread ceremony, wedding, etc.
14. The seat (asan): Consecrated rice is offered to the seat.
15. The feet (padya): One should sprinkle water on the idol's feet either with flowers or durva. This symbolizes washing the deity's feet.
16. Offering water (arghya): One should take an offering of spoonful (pali) of water, mix sandalwood paste (gandha) in it and sprinkle that water onto Ganapati's body using a flower. This is akin to welcoming guests by sprinkling rose water.
17. Sipping water from the palm (achaman): Imagining that the deity is sipping water from its palm, one should offer water with the offering spoon to the deity, thrice.
18. Ablution for cleansing of the body (malapakarshsnan): One should bathe the deity using the offering spoon.
19. Bathing with the five nectars (panchamrutsnan): First bathe the idol with a mixture of milk, honey, curd, clarified butter (ghee) and sugar that is panchamrut. Then bathe it with a spoonful of water. One should offer water as if God is sipping water (achman), thrice and finally offer sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers.
20. Ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja): After worship with sandalwood paste, consecrated rice (akshata), flowers (red flowers for Ganapati), frankincense and a lit lamp, the remaining panchamrut should be used as an offering (naivedya). To make this offering, a mandal (a circle) should be made by sprinkling water in front of the idol. The panchamrut should then be placed on it. (The mandal prevents energies other than those of deities from manifesting there to partake of the offering.) Beginning on the left, using a flower or a tulsi leaf one should sprinkle water around the vessel containing the panchamrut. Then closing the eyes and directing the odour of the offering with the fingers towards the deity one should chant the mantra related to the five vital energies 'Om pranaya svaha, Om apanaya svaha, Om vyanaya svaha, Om udanaya svaha, Om samanaya svaha, Om Brahmane svaha twice. This means I offer to you O pran, apan, vyan, udan, saman and Brahman. Both the times one should conclude the mantra by sprinkling water around the vessel. Then uttering 'Neivedyamadhyepaniyam Samparyami', meaning 'I offer this at Your feet', a little water should be sprinkled on the offering. This further enhances the sattva component in the offering. Thereafter, to signify the washing of the hands and mouth, water should be poured over the hand into a circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan), thrice. A flower dipped in sandalwood paste should be offered to Ganapati. Betel leaves should be placed in front of the deity and water should be poured over them. One should offer flowers and obeisance and then release water into the circular, shelving metal dish.
21. Consecration by sprinkling with water (abhishek): After ritualistic worship and before the main worship, consecration by sprinkling with water, according to the Atharvashirisha or Brahmanspatisukta is done. Water is sprinkled on the idol either with a blade of sacred grass (durva) or a red flower.
22. Offering cloth (vastrarpan) : Two red cloths should be offered.
23. Offering the sacred thread (yadnyopavit): The sacred thread should be offered.
24. Smearing with sandalwood paste (vilepan): With the ring (fourth) finger one should apply sandalwood paste.
25. Offering consecrated rice (akshatarpan) : Consecrated rice should be offered.
26. Offering saffron coloured powder (sindurarpan): A saffron coloured powder (sindur) should be offered.
27. Various fragrant substances (anya parimaldravya) : Turmeric, vermilion (kumkum), red coloured powder (gulal), a powder containing fragrant substances (bukka), asthagandha, etc., are offered.
28. Offering flowers (pushparpan) : Red flowers should be offered. Offering tulsi to Ganapati is prohibited because Ganapati mostly favours devotion with expectation (sakam bhakti) while tulsi denotes detachment (vairagya). Thus devotees of Ganapati would not even grow tulsi plants in their compound unlike most Hindus.
29. Ritualistic worship of the entire body (angapuja) : Either consecrated rice or flowers should be offered to every part of Ganapati's body, from the feet to the head while performing His ritualistic worship.
30. Ritualistic worship with other Names (namapuja) : While chanting each Name, the durva should be dipped in red vermilion paste and offered one by one.
31. Worship with leaves (patrapuja) : With each offering of a leaf of a different kind a specific Name should be chanted.
32. Worship with flowers (pushpapuja) : Flowers of different kinds with their stalks facing the deity, should be offered while chanting a specific Name with each type of flower.
33. Worship with frankincense (dhupadarshan) : Frankincense and incense should be moved in a circular fashion in front of the idol.
34. Worship with a lit lamp (dipadarshan) : A lit metal lamp (niranjan) should be moved in a circular fashion.
35. Offering food (naivedya) : It should be offered in the same way as described in ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja).
36. Offering betel leaves along with betelnut, lime, cardamoms, etc., (tambul) : After placing betel leaves in front of the deity, water should be poured over them.
37. Offering money (dakshina) : The offering should be placed on betel leaves and water should be poured over it.
38. Offering fruit (phalasamarpan) : A coconut should be placed with its tip pointing towards the deity and water should be poured onto it. If a coconut is not available then seasonal fruits should be used. [The energy from the deity enters the pointed tip of the coconut, which is later consumed by devotees as a sacrament (prasad). Thus, they receive that energy.]
39. Prayer (prarthana): Chanting the mantra 'Avahanam na janami.... one should pour water over the palm and release it into the circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan).
40. Partaking of holy water (tirthaprashan) : Chanting the mantra 'Akalmrutyuharanam….one should partake of the holy water.
41. Moving lit lamps (arti): Amidst singing, lit lamps should be moved in a circular fashion.
42. Prayer (prarthana): 'Surrendering at your feet ....' should be recited.
43. Offering flowers in the form of a mantra (mantrapushpanjali): This offering is made in the form of a mantra 'Om yadnyena yadnyamayajantam'.
44. Obeisance offered by the devotees (darshanarthincha namaskar): Those present for arti and mantrapushpanjali as well as those who come to pay obeisance throughout the day, should offer flowers and a sacred grass (durva) to Ganapati and prostrate before Him. The members of the family where the idol is being worshipped should offer them a sacrament of food.
2. The resolve (sankalpa): It may be difficult to obtain the benefit of a ritual without making a resolve.
3. Purification of the seat (asanshuddhi): This is brought about by touching one's seat and offering obeisance (namaskar).
4. Chanting the Purushsukta (Purushsukta nyas): Amidst chanting of the Purushsukta, the deity should be invoked in one's heart, head, small portion of hair on the head (shikha), face, eyes and between the eyebrows. This facilitates an increase in the sattvik (sattva predominant) temperament.
5. Worship of the pot (kalashpuja): All deities, seas, holy rivers, etc., should be invoked in the pot. Sandalwood paste (gandha), consecrated rice (akshata) and flowers should be offered to the pot. This sattvik water is then used in the ritualistic worship.
6. Worship of the conch (shankhapuja): The conch should be washed and filled with water. Then sandalwood paste and white flowers should be offered to it. One should not offer consecrated rice and tulsi leaves to it.
7. Worship of the bell (ghantapuja): One should create sound by ringing the bell to welcome the deities and drive off the demons (asurs). The bell should be placed to one's left and sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers should be offered to it.
8. Worship of the lamp (dipapuja): Sandalwood paste and flowers are offered to the lamp.
9. Purification (pavitrikaran): The water from the conch should be poured onto one's right palm and then sprinkled over oneself and on the substances to be used in the ritualistic worship.
10. Worship of the entrance (dvarpuja): Flowers and consecrated rice should be scattered in all four directions. This itself is the worship of the guardian deities of the directions (dikpal).
11. Consecration of the idol (pranpratistha): One should place the right hand over the heart of the idol of the deity and chant a mantra. Consecration of an idol is done at Ganesh chaturthi or to activate any new idol. This is not included in the usual ritualistic worship, as due to the regular worship the God principle has already been attained by it.
12. Meditation (dhyan): One should chant 'Vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha Nirvighnam kurume deva sarva Karyeshu Sarvada
13. Invocation (avadhan): Uttering 'Om sahastrashirsha Purushaha'' one should offer consecrated rice. The resolve is the same as is made when giving an invitation for a thread ceremony, wedding, etc.
14. The seat (asan): Consecrated rice is offered to the seat.
15. The feet (padya): One should sprinkle water on the idol's feet either with flowers or durva. This symbolizes washing the deity's feet.
16. Offering water (arghya): One should take an offering of spoonful (pali) of water, mix sandalwood paste (gandha) in it and sprinkle that water onto Ganapati's body using a flower. This is akin to welcoming guests by sprinkling rose water.
17. Sipping water from the palm (achaman): Imagining that the deity is sipping water from its palm, one should offer water with the offering spoon to the deity, thrice.
18. Ablution for cleansing of the body (malapakarshsnan): One should bathe the deity using the offering spoon.
19. Bathing with the five nectars (panchamrutsnan): First bathe the idol with a mixture of milk, honey, curd, clarified butter (ghee) and sugar that is panchamrut. Then bathe it with a spoonful of water. One should offer water as if God is sipping water (achman), thrice and finally offer sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers.
20. Ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja): After worship with sandalwood paste, consecrated rice (akshata), flowers (red flowers for Ganapati), frankincense and a lit lamp, the remaining panchamrut should be used as an offering (naivedya). To make this offering, a mandal (a circle) should be made by sprinkling water in front of the idol. The panchamrut should then be placed on it. (The mandal prevents energies other than those of deities from manifesting there to partake of the offering.) Beginning on the left, using a flower or a tulsi leaf one should sprinkle water around the vessel containing the panchamrut. Then closing the eyes and directing the odour of the offering with the fingers towards the deity one should chant the mantra related to the five vital energies 'Om pranaya svaha, Om apanaya svaha, Om vyanaya svaha, Om udanaya svaha, Om samanaya svaha, Om Brahmane svaha twice. This means I offer to you O pran, apan, vyan, udan, saman and Brahman. Both the times one should conclude the mantra by sprinkling water around the vessel. Then uttering 'Neivedyamadhyepaniyam Samparyami', meaning 'I offer this at Your feet', a little water should be sprinkled on the offering. This further enhances the sattva component in the offering. Thereafter, to signify the washing of the hands and mouth, water should be poured over the hand into a circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan), thrice. A flower dipped in sandalwood paste should be offered to Ganapati. Betel leaves should be placed in front of the deity and water should be poured over them. One should offer flowers and obeisance and then release water into the circular, shelving metal dish.
21. Consecration by sprinkling with water (abhishek): After ritualistic worship and before the main worship, consecration by sprinkling with water, according to the Atharvashirisha or Brahmanspatisukta is done. Water is sprinkled on the idol either with a blade of sacred grass (durva) or a red flower.
22. Offering cloth (vastrarpan) : Two red cloths should be offered.
23. Offering the sacred thread (yadnyopavit): The sacred thread should be offered.
24. Smearing with sandalwood paste (vilepan): With the ring (fourth) finger one should apply sandalwood paste.
25. Offering consecrated rice (akshatarpan) : Consecrated rice should be offered.
26. Offering saffron coloured powder (sindurarpan): A saffron coloured powder (sindur) should be offered.
27. Various fragrant substances (anya parimaldravya) : Turmeric, vermilion (kumkum), red coloured powder (gulal), a powder containing fragrant substances (bukka), asthagandha, etc., are offered.
28. Offering flowers (pushparpan) : Red flowers should be offered. Offering tulsi to Ganapati is prohibited because Ganapati mostly favours devotion with expectation (sakam bhakti) while tulsi denotes detachment (vairagya). Thus devotees of Ganapati would not even grow tulsi plants in their compound unlike most Hindus.
29. Ritualistic worship of the entire body (angapuja) : Either consecrated rice or flowers should be offered to every part of Ganapati's body, from the feet to the head while performing His ritualistic worship.
30. Ritualistic worship with other Names (namapuja) : While chanting each Name, the durva should be dipped in red vermilion paste and offered one by one.
31. Worship with leaves (patrapuja) : With each offering of a leaf of a different kind a specific Name should be chanted.
32. Worship with flowers (pushpapuja) : Flowers of different kinds with their stalks facing the deity, should be offered while chanting a specific Name with each type of flower.
33. Worship with frankincense (dhupadarshan) : Frankincense and incense should be moved in a circular fashion in front of the idol.
34. Worship with a lit lamp (dipadarshan) : A lit metal lamp (niranjan) should be moved in a circular fashion.
35. Offering food (naivedya) : It should be offered in the same way as described in ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja).
36. Offering betel leaves along with betelnut, lime, cardamoms, etc., (tambul) : After placing betel leaves in front of the deity, water should be poured over them.
37. Offering money (dakshina) : The offering should be placed on betel leaves and water should be poured over it.
38. Offering fruit (phalasamarpan) : A coconut should be placed with its tip pointing towards the deity and water should be poured onto it. If a coconut is not available then seasonal fruits should be used. [The energy from the deity enters the pointed tip of the coconut, which is later consumed by devotees as a sacrament (prasad). Thus, they receive that energy.]
39. Prayer (prarthana): Chanting the mantra 'Avahanam na janami.... one should pour water over the palm and release it into the circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan).
40. Partaking of holy water (tirthaprashan) : Chanting the mantra 'Akalmrutyuharanam….one should partake of the holy water.
41. Moving lit lamps (arti): Amidst singing, lit lamps should be moved in a circular fashion.
42. Prayer (prarthana): 'Surrendering at your feet ....' should be recited.
43. Offering flowers in the form of a mantra (mantrapushpanjali): This offering is made in the form of a mantra 'Om yadnyena yadnyamayajantam'.
44. Obeisance offered by the devotees (darshanarthincha namaskar): Those present for arti and mantrapushpanjali as well as those who come to pay obeisance throughout the day, should offer flowers and a sacred grass (durva) to Ganapati and prostrate before Him. The members of the family where the idol is being worshipped should offer them a sacrament of food.
How Work Can Be Worship
The following conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place in June 1974 during an early-morning walk in Geneva.
Devotee: What does Krishna mean when He says in the Bhagavad-gita that we should be desireless?
Srila Prabhupada: He means that we should desire only to serve Him. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu [Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself in the role of His own devotee, appeared five hundred years ago in Bengal, India, to teach love of God through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.] said, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye: "I don't want wealth. I don't want followers. I don't want beautiful women." Then what does He want? "I want to serve Krishna." It is not that He says, "I don't want this, I don't want that. Let Me become zero." No.
Devotee: The non-devotee also says he knows what he wants, but he says, "I can accomplish the same good results without Krishna."
Srila Prabhupada: Then he is a fool, because he does not know what "good results" really are. Today he is struggling very hard for one "good result," but tomorrow he'll desire something else, because he must undergo a change of body when he dies. Sometimes he's taking the body of a dog and desiring one "good result," and sometimes he's taking the body of a demigod and desiring another "good result." Bhramatam upary adhah: he's wandering up and down the universe, just like . . . what is that?
Devotee: A Ferris wheel.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Sometimes he is rising to an elevated position, and then again he must come down and take the body of a dog or hog. This is going on.
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]
"After wandering up and down the universe for many lifetimes, one who is very fortunate comes to devotional life by the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna."
Devotee: Well, the non-devotee will say, "We are also doing good service. You are distributing food, and we are also distributing food. You are opening schools, and we are also opening schools."
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but we are opening schools that teach Krishna consciousness, while your schools are teaching illusion. The problem is that the rascals cannot understand the difference between bhakti [devotional service] and karma [material activity]. Bhakti looks like karma, but it's not karma. In bhakti we also work, but for Krishna's sake. That is the difference.
For example, Arjuna fought in the Battle of Kuruksetra, but because he fought for Krishna he is accepted as a great devotee. Krishna told him, bhakto 'si me . . . priyo 'si me: "Arjuna, you are My dear devotee." What did Arjuna do? He fought, that's all. But he fought for Krishna. That is the secret. He did not change his fighting capacity as a warrior, but he changed his mentality. At first he was thinking, "Why shall I kill my kinsmen? Let me leave the battlefield and go to the forest and become a mendicant." But Krishna wanted him to fight, so at last he surrendered and did it as a service for Krishna. Not for his own sense gratification, but for Krishna's sense gratification.
Devotee: So sense gratification is there even in devotional service?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. A karmi works for his own sense gratification, and a bhakta works for Krishna's sense gratification. That is the difference between a non-devotee and a devotee. Sense gratification is there in either case, but when you work for your personal sense gratification it is karma, and when you work for Krishna's sense gratification it is bhakti. Bhakti and karma lo
Another example is the behavior of the gopis [Krishna's cowherd girlfriends]. Krishna was a beautiful boy and the gopis were attracted to Him. They wanted Him as their lover, and they went out from their homes in the middle of the night to dance with Him. So it appears that they acted sinfully - but they did not, because the center was Krishna. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recommends, ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita: "There is no better mode of worshiping Krishna than that practiced by the gopis."
But the rascals think, "Oh, this is very good. Krishna danced in the middle of the night with other men's wives, so let us also gather some girls and dance, and we will also enjoy like Krishna. "This is a gross misunderstanding of Krishna's pastimes with the gopis. To prevent this misunderstanding, Srila Vyasadeva [the author of the Srimad-Bhagavatam] has devoted nine cantos of the Bhagavatam to describing Krishna's position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then he gives a description of Krishna's behavior with the gopis. But the rascals jump immediately to the Tenth Canto, to Krishna's dealings with the gopis. In this way they become sahajiyas[imitators of Krishna].
Devotee: Will such persons experience a change of heart, since they're somehow or other associating with Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada: No. Kamsa also associated with Krishna - but as an enemy. That is not bhakti. Bhakti must be anukulyena krsnanusilanam: favorable devotional service. One should not imitate Krishna or try to kill Him. That is also Krishna consciousness, but it is not favorable and therefore it is not bhakti. Still, the enemies of Krishna get salvation, because they have somehow or other thought of Krishna. They get impersonal liberation, but they are not allowed to enter into the pastimes of Krishna in the spiritual world. That benediction is reserved for those who practice pure loving devotion to Krishna.
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