Navaratri Guidelines for Pujas
(updated 2013)
Please select a trained assistant prior to your puja night. The petals, praises, drink and
prasad are provided. The puja needs to be set up each night by the Pujari and assistant
with everything ready by 7:45 pm including petals in baskets for Pujari, Archanam and
group petal offering. The program starts with 15 minutes of chanting or an introduction
on the first night of each Mother. The chanters and intro speakers are previously
assigned by the Events coordinator. Please begin your puja at 8:00 pm.
During the prayer time before Twameva, you are welcome to offer a standard prayer to
the Mother or a self-created prayer. Please do not offer a reading. If you prefer someone
to do a chant or song, please arrange ahead of time. During Archanam you may assign
someone to recite the 27 praises to the Mother while you, or a devotee that you assign,
offer the petals. Please put prasad in cups prior to the puja. For the final arati, please
chant Ambhaa Parameswari. The assigned chanter could lead a Mother chant for the
group petal offering. Also, if distributing sandlewood and kumkum, please put a towel on
the floor to prevent carpet stains. Please remember to stand left of the altar, to use the
right hand, and to use the appropriate Name of the Mother when addressing Her.
The mantras are as follows: (If unsure of the correct pronunciation, please check with Sw.
Jyotirmayananda, Sw. Karunananda, Mataji or Sundaram)
¥ OM DUM DURGAYAI NAMAH
( u in dum pronounced as u in you; ai in Durgayai pronounced as ai in ___________)
¥ OM SHREEM MAHALAKSHMIYAI NAMAH
( ai in Mahalakshmiyai pronounced as ai in ______________)
¥ OM AIM SARASWATIYAI NAMAH
( aim pronounced as I’m; ai in Saraswatiyai pronounced as ai in _______________)
¥ OM HREEM SARVASHAKTIYAI NAMAH (for Vijaya Daasami)
Abishekam will be offered on the first night for each Mother unless the first night falls on
a Saturday during Satsang. Abishekam on the other nights is optional. Sundaram can help
with Abishekam prep. The Pujari with assistant should select six pourers, one for each of
the items below. Rinsing of the Deity can be done by Sundaram or your trained assistant.
The order is as follows:
Short Rinse
Milk
Curd (Yogurt)
Ghee
Honey
Each of above followed by short rinsing except no rinsing after the ghee – after honey,
complete rinsing and, if necessary, wiping of the Deity with cloth or towel. Then, finish
with Ganga Water and Rose Water.
No rinsing between Ganga Water and Rose Water. After Rose Water, complete drying of
Deity (to be done by Rinser and Pujari), removal of Abhishekam bowl, and installation of
Deity on the Navaratri altar.
Navaratri Puja (pass out bells and chant sheets before 7:45 pm)
1. PRAYER (Light Candle)
OM Karam Bindu Samyuktam Ntiyam Dhyanti Yoginaha
Kamadam Mokshadam Chaiva OM Karaya Namo Namaha
OM Karaya Namo Namaha 3 times
OM United with the source On which the Yogis ever dewll
Grants desires and liberation Salutations to the OM Karam
2. PRAYER
Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswaraha
Guru Sakshat Param Barahm Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha
The Guru creates the Guru preserves The Guru dissolves the Universe
The Guru in fact is the Absolute Salutations to the Satguru
3. PRAYER
Beloved Mother (Durga or Lakshmi or Saraswati) please allow us to
perform this puja to you, to honor your presence and to receive your
blessings. Until we finish the puja, please let nothing distract us. Please
bless us with full faith, zeal and your Divine guidance.
4. Bell 3 times
5. Consecration
May all the holy waters of heaven and earth flow through me into this
water, sanctifying it for the puja
6. Sprinkle Moorthi and Altar
7. Place a petal atop your head and sprinkle head
OM Atmane Namaha
OM Antaratmane Namaha
OM Jeevatmane Namaha
OM Jnanatmane Namaha
OM Paramatmane Namaha
8.
Om Antar Jyotir
Bahir Jyotir Pratyak Jyotir
Parat Paraha Jyotir Jyotis
Swayam Jyotir Atma
Jyotir Sivosmyaham
Atma Jyotir Mano Jyotir
Jiyotis Sakshuswa Pasyati
Sa Baahyaabhyantara Jyotir
Sa Jyotir Sivam Ucyate
OM Inner Light, outer Light Omnipresent Light, Supreme Supreme Light of
Lights Independant Light, Atmic Light - That Auspiciousness I Am! Light of
the Self, Light of the mind Light that sees through the eyes, that Auspicious,
Pure Light is within and without
9. Mother _______, thank you for being present here in the form of this
Moorthi
Start Mantra
10. POURINGS (people)
1. _________________________________________
2._________________________________________
3._________________________________________
4._________________________________________
5. _________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________
DRESS and DECORATE MOTHER
ASSISTANT: Take Abishekam into Green Room
ASSISTANT: Light Incense and Ghee lamp as Mother is being dressed, then
go into green room and put Abishekam into cups for prasad, then bring out on
covered trays and put at far end of stage by Altar.
11. Offer INCENSE and put out after offering
12. Offer GHEE LAMP
13. OM Pranaya Swaha
OM Apanaya Swaha
OM Pranaaya Swaha
OM Vyaanaya Swaha
OM Udaanaya Swaha
OM Saamanaya Swaha
OM Brahmane Swaha
14. Food and Drink Offering
Beloved Mother, please accept this offering of Naivedyam
Beloved Mother, please accept this offering of Amritapaneeyam
15. Archanam (offering of petals)
Person 1______________________________________________
Person 2______________________________________________
Reader for Praises___________________________________
16. Ghee Lamp Final Arati: Amba Parameshwari Akilandeshwari 2 times
Mother, we offer you this Light, please touch us with your Light and let us
melt into You.
16. PUSHPANJALI: Offer light to sangha
17. Beloved Mother, we humbly offer you this puja and it’s
fruits. We offer to You because it is by Your Grace that we did this. You
helped us, You guided us and You protected us. Thank you for always
being with us, and for accepting our puja.
18. Offer Prasad to Sri Gurudev and Master Sivananda
19. Petal Offering by sangha; Mother Chant led by chanter
Water_________________________________
Holy Ash_______________________________
Sandalwood____________________________
Kum Kum______________________________
Abishekam_____________________________
Prasad__________________________________
Petal Basket Holder_________________________
Additional Notes:
Before the petal offering everything needs to be organized.
*Sufficient helpers to distribute water, ash, sandal, kum kum, abishekam, and
food in that order.
*Basket holder for the petals.
*Cloth needs to be placed on the carpet to protect it from the kum kum.
*People who give out ash, sandal, and kk should know what they are doing –
otherwise better to skip it.
*Holy Ash = horizontally on the forehead [not in the 3d eye].
*Sandal wood (wet) in the 3d eye.
*Kum Kum [dry]directly over the sandal. All done very carefully.
* Novices may offer abishekam and prasad.
* The pujari or assistant offers the blessed water