Ganeshapujana

Taken from Google Image search

One thing I enjoy studying is variance within the same. What I mean is how many different ways can the same haircut be performed and get the desired results, how many different ways are there to make bread, how many ways are there to skip rope? Also, how many ways are there to perform Ganesha puja? This is a question that can never fully be answered because the truest and most complete answer is that there are as many ways are there are people performing the puja. Youtube is full of suggestions, as is the Interweb in general. Ganesha puja can be as complex as you need, but because He’s the closest to the material plane of existence, and is also the most easily satisfied, puja to Him can be as simple as wanted, too. Many times, the details are ironed out for one by the forerunners of the sect he’s adhering to.

Below is one example taken from a blogspot entry, which conveniently enough also offers guidances on puja for Hanuman, Shiva, Shiva/Parvati, Krishna, and Ram.

How to do Ganesh Puja?

“Vakratunndd mahaakaay Suryakottisamaprabhaa. NirvighnaN kuru me dev sarvakaaryesshu sarvadaa.” Meaning: O Lord Ganesha of large body, curved trunk, with the brilliance of a million suns, please make all my work free of obstacles always.

Ganpati Puja : Stepwise-wise directions

Puja must be commenced only after performing ablutions. Begin by reciting “Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah” (1) Follow this by repeating “Aum” thrice. Now take a sip of holy water and invoke the god to purify you by repeating Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah thrice and wash hands. Now the puja can begin.

Sprinkle the ganesha idol with rice grains and flowers and chant Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Asanam Samarpayami

Next wash the feet of the idol with rice and sandal water and chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Padyam Samarpayami.’ Next wash the hands of the idol with sandal water mixed with rice and flowers and chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Samarpayami.’

Next offer the idol water to drink , thrice , while chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Achmaneeyam Samarpayami.‘

Next the idol has to be bathed with milk, curd, ghee. Honey and sugar. Chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Panchamrita Snanam Samarpayami.’
After this make holy water offering. All the five offerings are to be made separately chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Payah Snanam Samarpayami ‘ when offering milk.

‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Dadhi Snanam Samarpayami‘ when offering curd.
‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Ghrut Snanam Samarpayami‘ when offering ghee.
‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Madhu Snanam Samarpayami’ when offering honey.
‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Sharkara Snanam Samarpayami’ when offering sugar.

Now offer holy water to the idol and then wipe it clean with a piece of cloth while chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Uttaraposhnam Samarpayami.’Now all the necessary ablutions have been completed.

The puja will proceed by making various offerings to lord ganesha. Offer raiment to the idol in the form of two threads chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Vastropvastram Samarpayami.’When offering white thread repeat ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Yagyopveetam Samarpayami.’

Now red sandal powder paste is applied to the brow of the idol while chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Gandham samarpayami.’

Offer rice and chant, ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Akshtam Samarpayami.’ Garland the idol, shower flowers and chant, ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Puspam Samarpayami.’ Offer Durva grass chanting, ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Durvan Kuran Samarpayami.’ Leaves offering chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Bilvapatram Samarpayami.’ Burned perfume offering to be made while chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Dhoopam Agrapyami.’

Perform the aarti of the idol with a ghee lamp chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Deepam Darshyami.’

Give sweets to the lord, chanting ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Naivedyam Samaryami.’Offer water to the idol ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Achmaneeyam Samarpayami.’
Offer fruit, ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Phalam Samarpayami.’
Offer betel nut, betel leaf, clove and cardamom and chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Tamboolam Samarpayami.’ Offer perfume and chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Itram Samarpayami.’ Offer coins and chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Dakshinam Samarpayami.’ Now offer sandal rice, flower, and durva all mixed in water and chant ‘Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Vishesh Argyam Samarpayami.”Now genuflect before the idol while chanting, Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah I bow before you.

Finally to bring the puja to a close, circle the idol in a clockwise direction while chanting Aum Shri Ganeshya Namah Pradakshinam Samarpayami once.

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Ganesha Puja

I’m always seeking varying ways of worship. These days, my focus is either The Mother or Ganesha. Worship, within the context of Maa and Ganesha, is particularly interesting to me. Their worship runs the entire gamut from piling up some rice and saying a simple prayer to hours-long pujas and homams. Ganesha is known for being the most approachable of all Hindu conceptions of the divine and also the most easily “appeased.” As such, I’ve never understood why Ganesha isn’t the go-to god of bhaktas.

Included below is a video of a mid-grade Ganesha puja. All basics aside, the only other thing someone would benefit from before attempting this exact puja is a little familiarity with Sanskrit religious words. For ease, everything spoken during this puja is put into text on the screen.

Interestingly, about forty seconds into the video a handful or two of vaishnav epithets are employed, followed by a number of more encompassing prayers and mantras – further proof of Ganesha’s status as THE unifying God of the Hindus. He’s also the only god consistently referred to as a manifestation of Om/Aum, which itself is non-different from Shabda Brahman (the most subtle expression of Brahman possessing any form at all, only one step away from Nirguna Brahman.)

At any rate, I’m sharing this for your education and mine and because of the puja’s simplicty. Watch the video, and enjoy it.

Om Shanti

Six-hundred Twenty-three Point Nine

Long Long ago, a ruthless demon named Anlasur created havoc around the world. He was so terrible that the earth would tremble by his voice and his eyes used to emit fire. The devas were not spared either. He would swallow saints, sages and innocent people alive. There was terror all around. Indra, tried to control Anlasur several times by engaging him in battle. However, there was no respite. Anlasur was beyond Indra’s control.

Panic stricken by Anlasur’s terror, all the devas went to Lord shankar for help. He revealed that only Sri Ganesha could help them. Sri Ganesh is Lambodara hence HE could swallow Anlasur.

So devas did tapas of Ganesha so he would rescue them from the clutches of Analasura. Pleased by the prayers, Sri Ganesh agreed to help them.

Lord Ganesha took the form of a small boy and started “Sarvkasha” yuddha. Analasura’s powerful eyes oozed out fireballs and destroyed surroundings of Ganesha. A tough battle ensued between Ganesha and Analasura and it finally Ganesha assumed his “Virat swaroop” and swallowed Analasura.

 

 

(The above was pulled from a post that came up in my facebook feed. The poster of this on Facebook can be found here.)