In the video How to perform Ganesha Puja,Sri Seetharama Shastry has shown how to do a Shdosopachara Puja within just 6 minutes.The procedure is very simple but the puja is very effective.Anyone willing,can do it daily in their homes.
A Shodasopachara Puja consists of offering of the following 16
different objects to God ;
{1} Avahanam(invocation) {2} AAsanam (a seat)
{3} Padyam(water for washing feet) {4}Arghyam(water for washing
hands),{5}Achamaniyam(water of sipping),Madhuparkam(a sweet prepared by
mixing honey,sugar)(this step can be optional,) {6} Snaanam(head bath )
{7}Vastram(offering clothes) {8}Alankaram(ornaments) {9}Yajnopoveetam(offering
of sacred thread) {10}Gandham(sandal paste,kumkumam).{11} Pushpam(offering of
flowers).{12} Dhupam(offering of lighted incense sticks). Deepam(offering
of lighted lamps) {13}Naivedyam(offering of food),{14}Tamboolam(offering of
betel leaves & nuts),{15}Karpoora neerajanam(hoisting of lamps burning
camphor), {16}Mantrapushpam(offering of flowers again),Pradakshina
Namaskaram(circumambulation and prostrations)
Things that one needs:
1)One Altar for God,an idol/image of Mahaganapaty,
2)A metal plate(copper ,brass etc,not iron or steel) for keeping the idol.
3)A Panchapatra(a small cup with a spoon)filled with clean water,
4)Akshatas(whole rice mixed with a bit of turmeric(haldi)),
5)Sandal paste,kumkumam,
6)Fruits or sweets for naivedya,
7)Incense sticks,a lamp, wicks , ghee or other oil ,a camphor stand and pieces of camphor.Also if one have, betel leaves and nuts(for the tamboolam part in the shodasa upachara).
A few important things:
1)The person doing the Puja should face either north or east.
2)The Deity can face any directions barring the south.
So,the best is you face east and the deity directly facing you.
Steps of the Puja(refer to the video with my texts):
Step 1- A lamp is to be lighted first at the left side of the deity.This lamp needs to burn as long as the Puja is being done.You can extinguish it after the completion of puja.
Mantra-Deepa Jyotir Parabrahma,deepa Jyoti Janradana,deepa Haratu me Deepam,Deepa Jyotir Namostute(The light in the lamp is Parabrahma,is Janardana,it removes all sins,prostrations to that light).
Step 2-Self purification with sipping of water 3 times(called achamana) from right palm.As shown in the video,sip 3 times spoonfull of water with the mantras :Achutaya namaha,Anantaya namaha,Govindaya namaha.
Step3-Recite the following 12 names of Sri Vishnu(this is called angasparsha or angavandanam) :Keshava,Narayana,Madhava,Govinda,Vishnu,Madhusudana ,Trivikrama,Vamana,Sridhara,Hrishikesha,Padmanabha,Damodara.
Step 4 -Praying to Guru with the Sloka Gurur Brahma,Gurur Vishnuh,gurur Devo Maheswarah,gurU Sakshat Para Brahma tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha(Guru is Trinity,Guru who is Parabrahma ,salutations).
Step 5 The so called Vigneswara Dhyanam-Suklambaradaram Vishnum Sasivarnam Chathurbhujam Prasannavadanam Dhyayet Sarva Vugnopashantayet.
Step 6- Sankalpa-Stating the purpose of doing the Puja.Place the left palm on your right thigh,take few akshatas on your right palm ,and place closed right palm on your left palm and recite mantra-Mamapatta samastha duritakshaya dwara Sri Parameswara Prithyartham sri Mahaganapaty Pujam Karishye(I'm doing this Mahaganapaty Puja in order to remove all my sins and in order to make Parameswara (Shiva) happy).This is a simple "nishkama" sankalpa mantra.
Step 7 -Now the actual Puja starts.
Invite Ganapaty into the idol with the mantras "Asmin Bimbe sumukham Mahaganapatim Dhyaami,Mahagaganaptim Avahayami(sprinkle akshatas on idol with dhyaami and also while saying avahayami).
Mahaganapty is now invoked & will be present in the idol till the Puja ends.
Rest of the Upacharas are then offered one by one,as shown in the video,accompanied by the mantra "Mahaganapataye namaha".
For,example,Mahaganapataye namaha Aasaanam samarpayami, Mahaganapataye namaha Padyam samarpayami etc.
After saying Mahaganapataye namaha puspaihi Pujayami one is ought worship Him with flowers.
The mantras for this step are as follows(with each namaha flowers/petals are offered):
Om Sumukhaya namah Om Ekadantaya namah Om Kapilaya namah Om
Gajakarnikaya namah Om Lambodaraya namah Om Vikataya 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
Other relevant things:
1)While offering naivedya sprinkle water on the food plate(as shown in the video).
2)In case of the things(upacharas) that one does not actually have, akshatas can be offered instead.For example,if you do not have tamboolam offer akshatas saying tamboolam arthe akshatam samarpayami.
3)At the end of Puja offer "Atma Pradkshina" (going round oneself anti clockwise 3 times) and full prostrations.Then pray for forgiveness and tell your wishes to Mahaganapaty and you are done.
This is a simple yet a "Shastra Sammata Vidhi" of doing a Mahaganapaty Puja.Similar methods can be employed for doing Pujas to other Deities of choice.
