Posts Tagged ‘pujas’

Lakshmi puja vidhi on Dipawali

Devi Lakshmi is the Hindu Goddess of wealth, money and good fortune. The Goddess of Fortune has always a special place in Her devotees home, but she is especially worshipped during the time of Dipawali, the Festival of Lights in her eight different forms, also known as Ashta (eight) Lakshmi.

Dipawali is celebrated for five days, and Lakshmi puja is the most important day of all of the five days; it is observed on the third day. This year (2010), the Dipawali falls on November 5.

All Hindu people worship Goddess Lakshmi on this day; but not everybody is aware of the proper recommended procedure to do the same.

It is very difficult for an ordinary person or a layman to do all the rituals 100% accurate, as stated in the scriptures. It was always nice to take help of an expert, or invite such person to perform the worship or ritual on your behalf. However, if it is not possible to do so, then a person at least should learn the basic steps, and try to do as best he or she can. Here, we would try to provide you with a broad guideline, of different steps involving the puja vidhi (worship ritual) of the Goddess of Fortune.

Cleaning your House

Many Hindus people get their house white washed, and make every inch of their house neat and clean.  The belief goes, that Lakshmi Devi only enters the clean house. So, as the first step of worshipping Devi Lakshmi, you should make your home clean thoroughly. Light earthen lamps and candles in the evening, and place them at everyplace in your house; this signifies lighting the path for Devi Lakshmi to enter your house.

Making an Altar

Lay down a fresh cloth, preferably red on a small raised, sanctified platform (can on a bench or table). Place the deities or pictures of Sri Sri Lakshmi Narayan, Sri Ganesha and Sri Saraswati, on this cloth. On one side of the cloth spread nine mounds of rice grains, and keep betel nuts on top of this mound, which signifies Navagraha (nine planets) presiding deities.

Installing the Pitcher

Fill a pot with water or rice and place it in front of the deities; adorn the same with betel leaves. Place a coconut on top of this pot. Cover and tie the pot with a fresh red cloth. Make a ‘Swastik’  symbol on the pot, which represents purity and prosperity. This pot is known as  Kalash or Poorna Kumbha, representing the Universal power.

Starting the Puja

Decorate the deities with flowers and vermillion, and place puja thali with few silver or rupee coins in it, in front of Them.

Take some water on your left hand and sprinkle in on your head for purification. Call out your and your family’s name in order to take sankalpa. Lit lamps with ghee wicks and offer incense sticks.

Perform Ganesh Puja by offering some flowers and akshata, and pray Him to remove all obstacles from your path of devotion to Sri Sri Lakshmi and Narayan, and also pray Goddess Saraswati to give you proper intelligence for the same.

Now do abhishek of Sri Sri Lakshmi and Narayan with ghee, milk, honey, curd and sugar. Silver and Gold coins on puja thali should be bath with milk. Offer sweets preparations to the deities after this. Chant the verses (Lakshmi mantras), and offer prayers welcoming Her in your home.

Don’t offer to offer your prayers to Sri Narayan, ,as without her husband she never comes anywhere. She remains stable at a place, only if her husband Narayan is there.

Leave the offering for some time, and then you can all honour the prasadam (sanctified food) offered to the deities.

You should also establish Laxmi Karak; please visit http://www.myastrologypuja.com/diwali-special-puja.php and http://www.myastrologypuja.com/diwali-special-hungama-package.php, for more information.

Importance of Durga Puja

Durga puja is famous throughout India; but most people do know understand who exactly Durga Devi is. Here, we discuss the importance of Durga Puja.; but before that, we try to understand who Durga Devi herself is?

Who is Durga Devi?

The word Durga literally means, the invincible one, or the one who is inaccessible. Many people lovingly also call Durga Devi as mother Durga.

Durga Devi is the presiding deity and controller of all material energy. She is a form of Goddess, who is depicted having ten arms, and one who is riding on a lion holding different weapons, and also a lotus flower in her hand.

She is the ‘Shakti’, the embodiment of creative force. She exists in a state, which is independent from the universe. Devi Kali is considered to be an expansion of Durga Devi.

Who all are worshipped during Durga Puja?

During Durga Puja, Divine Mother , Goddess Durga is worshiped in Her various forms as Durga, Saraswati and Laxmi. During Navratre (the nine nights dedicated to the worship of Durga Devi), She is represented and worshiped in three different aspects. During the first three nights of the festival of Navratre, Durga is worshiped; during the next three nights, Laxmi devi is worshipped and during the last three nights Saraswati Devi is worshipped. The following 10th day is called Vijaya-Dashami. Vijaya stands for “victory” and dashami means the tenth day. On this day Lord Ramchandra killed the demon king Ravana, and hence the name Vijaya-Dashami. It can also signify the victory over one’s own mind. The message is when we worship Durga Devi, then she can help us to get victory over our mind.

The most widely worshiped deity of Shakti is Durga. Devi-Bhagavatam is entirely dedicated to the glories of Mother Durga. Mother Durga is  the mother of the universe, and she is a personification of tender love, power, wealth, beauty and all qualities.

The Deity
Devi Durga represents destruction of all kinds of evil and protection of all good. She conveys the message that to become Godly, one should keep one’s animalistic instincts under control. Thus, when we worship Devi Durga, all the unwanted material desires are annihilated and divinity within us is unfolded.

Durga SaptaShati

Many people glorify Durga Devi by reciting Durga ShaptaShati. Durga ShaptaShati comes from Markendeya Purana. It is a composition of different verses glorifying Mother Durga; that is why it is also called Devi Mahatmyam. The whole Durga ShaptaShati is divided into thirteen chapters, and contains 700 verses in total, therefore the name Saptashati.

Durga ShaptaShati is known to help people in many different ways, for example it can prove to be a remedy for Rahu or other planetary ill-effects. It also can help in eliminating fear and maleficity from the planet; eliminate the evil and suffering; eliminate personal illness; eliminate epidemic, and helps one to achieve good health and prosperity.

At the same time, it is extremely essential, that you get this mantra from proper channel, as improper recitation can also cause some adverse effects.

We wish you a Happy Durga Puja Season, and you are most welcome to visit the following pages for more information:

http://www.myastrologypuja.com/durga-devi-path.php and http://www.myastrologypuja.com/durga-puja.php