Prayer

சுக்லாம் பரதரம் விஷ்ணும் ஷஷி வர்ணம் சதுர் புஜம்
பிரசன்னா வதனம் த்யாயேத் சர்வ விக்னோப  சாந்தயே 

GaNanAm tva

Om GaNAnAm TvA GaNa-Patim Hava-Amahe
Kavim Kaviinaam-Upama-Shravas-Tamam 
Jyessttha-Raajam BrahmaNAm BrahmaNas-Pata
Aa Nah ShrNvan-Nuutibhih-Siida-SAdanam 
Om MahA-GaNa-Adhipataye Namah 

Asana Poojai & Ghanta Poojai

Asana Poojai

PrithivyA, Meru prushta rishi:

sutalam chandhaha koormo dEvatha

PruthvithvayA dhrtA lokA devi tvam

vishNuna dhrtA, tvancha dhArayamAm

dEvi pavitram kuru sAsanam

Ghanta Poojai

AgamArtham thu DevAnAm, gamanArtham thu rakshasAm

GhaNtAravam karomyadhou dEvathAhwAna lAnchanam

(ring the bell while saying this slokam)

Nithya Sankalpam for California

Nithya Sankalpam for California - taken from VEDA Temple Calendar,Milpitas, CA


AkhilANda kOti BrahmaNda  Khandayormadhye 
Pashchima Deshey, KapilAraNya prAnte,
PrashAntha samudra Theerey, Krauncha Dweepey,
Ramanaka varse,  Aindra khande,
MahAnadhyormadhya prAnte,
Asmat sobhana gruhe

Pooja Items

For Every pooja, the following basic items are needed (1-19). Those who want to do extensive pooja covering all aspects, please have the full list of items available

BASIC POOJA ITEMS REQUIRED

(1) Idol or Picture of the God
(2) lamps
(3) harathi plate
(4) bell
(5) panchapatra-udharini
(6) eversilver plates 2-4
(7) eversilver cups - 5
(8) incense stick holder
(9) Flowers
(10) chandan (sandalwood paste)
(11) kumkum
(12) coconut
(13) betal leaves 6
(14) betal nuts 4
(15) camphor
(16) vilakku thiri (wick/thread for lighting diya)
(17) gingeley oil or melted ghee (for lighting lamp)
(18) prashad of choice (kheer, fruits etc.)
(19) akshadhai* (rice mixed with turmeric and little drop of water)

FOR EXTENSIVE POOJA HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS AVAILABLE TOO

(20) milk
(21) curd
(22) honey
(23) ghee
(24) sugar
(25) panchamirtham (mixture of Milk,honey,sugar,curd,ghee & banana)
(26) Madhuparkkam (mixture of Milk,sugar,curd,honey,ghee)
(27) kantasoothram (garland made of pure cotton with red or yellow links made with hand)
(28) vasthram (take two circular pieces of cotton and dip them in tumeric liquid and another two cotton pices with kumkum liquid. squeeze well and keep separate)

Note: Use of items 20-28 vary with poojas. Not all poojas use all of them

Pooja Steps Order

Usually most of the poojas have the following order only. Depending on its a one day or 2 day pooja we can add/skip couple of steps.

Ganesha pooja
Main pooja starting
Vigneswara udhyapanam
Kalasa Poojai
Ganta Poojai
Dhyanam & Avaahanam
Praana Prathishta
Shodasopacharam
Anga poojai
Ashtothiram
Utharanga poojai

Ganesha Pooja: A small pooja performed to Lord Ganesha before the main pooja
Main Pooja: Should do pranayamam first and then step (2) throu (9)are all
part of Main pooja
Vigneswara Udhyapanam: Ganesh pooja idol should be moved to mark the end of Ganesh
pooja
Kalasa Poojai : It is done for the panchapathiram and holy water is added
Ganta Poojai : For the bell
Dhyanam & Avaahanam : Praying the God/Goddess and inviting them to our house
Praana Prathishtai : Giving life to the idol after inviting into our house
Shodasopacharam : The offering of essential things, giving seat, water to drink,
Abhishekam, decoration etc.
Anga Poojai : Worshipping the God/Goddess chanting mantra for every part of their body
Ashtothiram : Chanting different names of God/Goddess
Utharanga Pooja: This includes neivedhyam and karpoora (camphor) harathi

Vigneswara Pooja

Vigneswara Pooja is done to worship Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. The Vigneswara pooja also called Ganapathi Pooja should be done first before going into the main pooja.

Make an idol of Lord Ganesha with turmeric. This is done by taking 3 tsp of turmeric powder and adding little water at a time into a dough consistency and making a triangular tower like sculpture out of it. Keep this idol in a betal leaf and keep it next to the main deity.

Now take fresh and clean water in panchapatra. keep akshadhai, chandan, kumkum and flowers ready.

Vigneswara Pooja Process:

First do Aachamanam with water. Take flowers and akshadhai in your hand. Tell the following mantra and touch the temples of your head three times with both hands.

shuklambaradharam vishnum shashi varnam chaturbhujam
prasanna vadhanam dhyayet sarva vighnopashantaye ||

then tell the following,

Thadeva Lagnam Sudhinam Thatheva,
Taraabalam Chandrabalam Thathevaa,
Vidhyaabalam Daivabalam Thathevaa,
Sri Lakshmipate Agriyugam Smaraami

then do PRANAYAMAM

Om bhu-hu, Om bhuva-ha, Om suva-ha, Om ma-ha-ha,
Om jana-ha, Om Tapa-ha, Om Satyam
om tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasya dhimahi
dhiyo yo nah prachodayat
Omaapa: Jyotheerasaha
Amrutham brahma bhurbuvassuvarom Om Om Om

SANKALPAM

Mamopaatha Samastha dhuritha kshayadhwaara sri parameswara
preethyartham - karishya manasya karmanaha
nirvigneyna pari samaapyartham
aadhau vigneswaraa poojaam karishye
(now, offer the flower and akshadai to the Lord's feet)

1. AASANA POOJA

Prithviyaaha Meru-prushTa Risih
Sootalam Chandah koormO DEvata
prthvi tvaya dhrtA loka devi tvam visnuna dhrta
tvam ca dharaya maam devi pavitram kuru sasanam


2. GANTAA POOJA

agamartham tu devanam gamanartham tu raksasam.
gantaravam tatra devatahuanalanchanam

ring the bell after saying this

3. VIGNESWARA POOJA
(Do this pooja to the ganesha idol made in turmeric)
Take flower and akshadhai in hand and tell the following,

gaNAnAM tvA gaNapatiM havAmahe kaviM kavInAmupamashravastamam
jyeSTharAjaM brahmaNAM brahmaNas pata A naH SRNvannUtibhiH sIda sAdanam

Asmin Haridhra bimbey mahaganapathim Dhyaayami
Maha Ganapathim Aavahayaami
(now, offer the flower and akshadhai to Lord's feet and start the pooja)

Maha Ganapathaye Namah Aasanam samarpayaami (add akshadhai to the idol)
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Arkkyam samarpayami (show little water in udharani to the idol)
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Paadhyam samarpayam (pour a drop of water from udharani to the feet of the idol)
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Aachamaneeyam samarpayami (show a drop of water in udharani near the ganesha idol's mouth - like offering to drink water)
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Aupachaarika snaanam samarpayami - sprinkle a drop of water on the idol
Maha Ganapathaye Namah snaanantharam aachamaneeyam samarpayami - pour a drop of water from udharani next to the plate/cup near panchapathiram)
Maha Ganapathaye Namah vasthraartham akshadhaam samarpayaami - add little akshadhai on the idol
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Yagnopaveedhartham akshadhaam samarpayami - add little akshadhai on the idol

Maha Ganapathaye Namah Gandhaam dhaarayaami - put a little chandhan on Ganesha's forehead
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Gandhopari akshadhaam samarpayaami - add little akshadhai on the idol
Maha Ganapathaye Namah alankaaranaartham akshdhaam samarpayaami - add little akshadhai on the idol
Maha Ganapathaye Namah haridra kumkum samarpayaami - keep little kumkum on Ganesha's forehead
Maha Ganapathaye Namah Pushpaihi poojayaami

(start doing pooja with flowers and akshadhai to the turmeric Ganesha as follows)

Om Sumukhaya namah
Om Ekadantaya namah
Om Kapilaya namah
Om Gajakarnikaya namah
Om Lambodaraya namah
Om Vignarajaya namah
Om Vinayakaya namah
Om Dhumaketave namah
Om Ganadhyakshaya namah
Om Phalachandraya namah
Om Gajananaya namah
Om Vakratundaya namah
Om Surpakarnaya namah
Om Herambaya namah
Om Skandapoorvajaya namah
Om Mahaganapate namah Nanavidha parimala patra pushpani samarpayami

Dhoopartham, deepartham akshadham samarpayami (add akshadai to Ganesha's feet)

NEIVEDYAM
Do neivedyam by offering fruit,jaggery (small piece),betal leaves, and betal nut.
Keep all the neivedyam before the feet of Lord Ganesha
take fresh water in udharani and sprinkle it on the neivdyam and ring the bell
while chanting the following mantra while offering:

Om Bhurbhuvasva Tutsaviturvarenyam
Bhargohodevasya Dhimahi Dhiyoyonah prachodayat

om prANAya svAhA, om apAnAya svAhA, om vyAnAya svAhA, om udAnAya svAhA
om samAnAya svAhA, om brahmaNi ma AtmA-amRtatvAya
Maha ganapathaye neivedyam nivedayami

Now offer a udharani full of water and say,
Madhya madhye paneeyam samarpayami (offering water to drink)

then take udharani full of water and pour it into the plate next to it saying,
amruthabhi dhanamasi - uthara bhojanam samarpayaami

Thamboolam samarpayaami (add drop of water in the thamboolam (betal leave,nut)

Karpoorniranjanam samarpayami (lighted camphor)

Stand and show the lighten camphor to Lord Ganesha, chanting:

Shree Vakratunda mahakaya koti soorya samaprabha,
nirvighnam kurumedeva shubha karyeshu sarvada

Then take udharani full of water and chant:
Neerajanantharam aachamaneeyam samarpayaami (now pour water next to camphor plate)

Offer the camphor light to all devotees. Take flower and akshadai in hand and chant:

Pradakshinanamaskaram samarpayami

Turn around oneself clockwise 3 times and chant:

Yani kani cha papani janmantarakrutani cha.
Tani tani vinasyanthi pradakshina pade pade

Do namaskaram to the feet of Lord Ganesha

Now, chant:
Ganapathi prasadham sirasa gruhnaami

(take a flower from the feet of Lord Ganesha and keep in on your hair)