Daily Puja Vidhi:

We can use daily puja as a tool to improve our life. Actually, there is nothing new in what I am going to write but sometimes we tend to forget some elements of puja or maybe we don’t know the reason for doing a particular thing. We shall cover the entire process in 5 basic elements:

1. Fire (Vision): Lamp (Diya) used in puja removes negativity and feelings of heaviness around us. If such a feeling is more intense, use of 5 Diya is recommended. Spending a few minutes around the puja fire will bring positivity and strengthen health. It will also help in kick starting the tasks which have been pending for a long time.

It is best to use ghee for lamps. If not, Til oil can be used. If til oil is also not available, use of any vegetable oil is recommended.

Fire element is related to Eyes. That is why we want to decorate our temple and Gods beautifully with attractive clothes, flowers etc. More beautiful and “eye catching” our temple and Gods are, more is the Fire element within the devotee.

Some people use agarbatti instead of diya. Even if agarbatti are original and not chemical ones, still they DO NOT serve the purpose of removing negativity by fire. Most agarbatti available in the market are prepared chemically and are source of pollution.

Some people use electric lamps instead of diya. Electric lamps serve no practical purpose and DO NOT enhance the fire element in any way in a person. During Diwali, people have entirely replaced Diya with electric lights. I DO NOT have words for explaining how useless this is.

2. Water (Taste): Every temple has a source of water. It may be a big pond or water in a small copper vessel. Water has memory. Drinking the water kept in temples removes negativity from a person. Spraying water kept in temples removes negativity in the house. Water from more powerful sources like Gangotri, Mansarovar, Gauri Kund etc when mixed with specific mantras are used to attain specific tasks.

For home temples, water can be kept in either copper vessels or in Conch (Sankh).

Water element is related to Tongue. “Mouth Watering” prasad should be offered in temples to enhance the water element. Distributing and consuming such prasad has power to bring clarity and continuity in life. It brings new opportunity and immunity. From humble tulsi leaf to Chhappan Bhog (56 types of eatable) there is an entire range to enhance water element.

3. Earth (Smell): This element in our daily puja is perhaps the most ignored one. God loves wonderful ettr like white lotus, rose etc. Good natural smell of fresh flowers also excites God. The Earth element brings stability in our life. Try to add natural aroma of ettr, perfume or flower in the temple. Add ettr to a cotton and keep it in the temple for a lasting smell.

Natural agarbatti/Dhoop should also be used in temples. Burning of Hawan Samagri, cow dung cake, small piece of wood (mango, sandalwood, palash, peepal etc) and such things are very pious, removes negativity and brings an immense sense of peace in mind. These days “Cow Dung Hawan cups”, “Panchgavya Hawan cups” are easily available for one time use.

4. Air (Hearing and Speaking): Ramayan, Srimad Bhagwat, Gita and many such Sanskrit work clearly states that hearing and chanting these works can connect us to God and provide Mukti. Actually, all the alphabets of Sanskrit are treated as Mother God and referred as “Matrikas”. Sanskrit alphabets are called “Akshar” meaning “One that cannot be destroyed”. Reciting anything in Sanskrit liberates us from negative thoughts, people and habits.