Puja means Honor, worship, reverence

Puja is believed to be derived from the Dravidian (see Dasas) word 'pu-chey', (flower action) or worship with the offering of flowers. Some trace it to the Dravidian word 'pusu', to anoint or smear with sandalwood paste or vermilion.

The term puja is now used to include all forms of ceremonial worship, ranging from the simple daily offerings of flowers, fruit, leaves, rice, sweetmeats and water to the deities in homes or temples, to the sacrifices of goats and chickens in temples dedicated to Kali, Durga and other female deities. This rite is performed, in its bloodless form, by all pious Hindus at least once a day.

There are three kinds of pujas: great, intermediate and small.

A great puja is usually a community affair or performed during important occasions like religious festivals. This puja comprises of these steps:

� Avahana - the invocation of the deity.

� Asana - a seat is offered to the deity.

� Svagata - the deity is welcomed, asked about his journey and whether he faced any problem coming to the place of puja.

� Padya - the feet of the deity are washed with water.

� Arghya - a respectful offering of water is made to the god. This water is laced with sandalwood paste, vermilion and rice.

� Achamania - water is then offered for washing the face and mouth of the deity.

� Madhu-parka - a beverage made of honey, sugar, and milk is offered to the deity.

� Snanajala - the deity is offered water for bathing.

� Bhushana abharanasya - clothes, jewels and ornaments are offered next.

� Gandha - sandalwood paste or any other fragrant object is offered.

� Akshata - grains of rice mixed with vermilion are offered.

� Pushpanjali - flowers are offered.

� Dhupa - incense is lit.

� Dipa - the lamp is lit.

� Naivedya - rice, fruit, butter and sugar are offered next.

� Visarjana - the deity is finally bidden farewell.

� At the end, arati is performed.

An intermediate puja includes the steps from madhu-parka to naivedya and is performed during fasts or birthdays of deities.

A small puja involves the steps from gandha to naivedya and is performed everyday. All pujas end with arati.

The object of performing the puja in this manner is to treat the deity as one would a guest, with honour and respect. In temples, the deities are treated as kings. Though the steps of worship are the same for all deities, there is some difference in the puja of each. For instance, the kind of flowers offered is different for each deity. Presently, a puja might also involve japa or meditation. A very important part of any puja is the applying of tilaka and the distribution of prasada to devotees.

A worshipper is required to be pure of body and mind. The Puranas lay more stress on the quality of devotion and good behaviour than on rigid puja procedures. Puja originated as a substitute to homa and other Vedic sacrifices which could not be performed by women and Shudras and which required animal sacrifices. Due to Dravidian (see Dasas), Buddhist and Jain influences which preached non-violence, the killing or sacrifice of animals was discontinued and with the development of iconography, idol worship and puja took the place of sacrifice. It was also recognised that worship was essential for all, whatever the gender or caste (see Varna) and therefore puja was formalised as a universal option instead of the exclusive homa.

Do the Puja anyway you can,
with devotion and love for Lord in your heart.

God out of His mercy will overlook all the shortcomings of men if they pursue the path of devotion with fervour. At the end of worship, daily or occasional, a prayer is offered to God not to mind the defects while chanting the mantras or adopting the procedures or for forgetting to do some duties out of ignorance. The Almighty is compassionate enough to ignore such errors. Thus, mercy being His chief trait, a devotee need not be concerned with minor defects if his endeavour is absolutely sincere but the enjoined duties should not be abandoned.

yasya smR^ityaa cha naamnoktyaa tapaH puujaa kriyaadishu |
nyuunaM sampuurNataaM yaati sadyo vandey tam.h achyutam.h ||

This shloka will take care of any shortcomings in the puja procedure.

All pujaas are like our birthday parties :-

� dhaayna: we first comtemplate whom to invite

� aahvaahana: we telephone and invite

� aasana: when they arrive give them place to sit down

� arghyaM: offer water to wash hands

� paadyam: offer water to wash feet

� aachamanam: offer some water(or paanakam) to drink

� gudopahaara: some thing to eat - light snacks

� snaanam: take him to bath (you chant shlokas telling the mahimaa of the god/goddess - suuktaas

� panchamrita: 5 nectars are selected to give bath; as well as waters of various tiirthas and fruit water (phalodaka), water of gold or jewels (hiraNyodaka, ratnodaka)

� gandha: sandle paste for the body

� vastrayugmam: two pieces of clothe to wear

� yajnopaveeta: sacred thread

� akshata: unbroken decorated rice offered.

� parimala dravya: scents

� aabharaNa: ornaments

� pushpani: flowers

� maala: garland

� pratiShThaapana: make him/her sit on the aasana;

now attend to him further

� anga puujaa: each organ is being thought of and flowers offered to them

� pushpa puujaa: on each of his/her various names, a veriety of flowers are offered

� patra puujaa: likewise with leaves of different plants.

� aShTottara puujaa: 108 names which are very special to the deity are uttered

� If possible, sahasranaama puuja: 1008 names of the deity

All these offer you the increased concentration and deeper going into the ONE deity you are worshipping NOW

� dhuupa: agarbatti

� diipa: light

� naivedya: offer 5 to 21 variety of preparations

� hastaprakshalana: wash hands

� karodvarthana: apply water and gandha to hands

� paniiya: drinking water

� phalam or mahaaphalam: fruits (which symbolize all fruits of our actions

� taambuula: paan for digestion

� mangala aarati: wishing well and show aarati- asking for light of knowledge

� pradakshiNaa: for removal of all sins of aeons

� namaskaaram: total surrender

� praarthana: prayers (here you say why you called and why you did the puuja)

� kshamaapana: apoalogies for mistakes

� braahmaNa suvaasini: represent living deities

� visarjana puuja: leaving them

� arghya pradaanam: offering arghya by those who fasted and those who came late or those like ladies of the house who could not participate in the puujas because of other works, can now get full merit by offering arghya which is equivalent to whole puuja.

� Krishnarpanam: Offer all the pujas and their fruits back to the Lord.

All shlokas basically say what the subtitle means and with lot of various stuti or praise.

The shlokas also treat the deity as all powerful, and often narrate some portion of his/or her story or describe physical or other attributes.

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