Sixteen-Step Puja

         A simple puja is a pancopacara puja which consists of five steps . A more elaborate puja is a shodasopacara puja which consists of sixteen steps . The most elaborate puja is catushshashti-upacara-puja . Here we are going to focus on the sixteen-step puja only .

Items Needed to Perform the sixteen-step puja :

1) An altar with a vigraha , idol , of the deity to be worshipped . If an idol is not available , a picture of the deity may be used .

2) An oil lamp , oil and a wick . One lights the lamp at the beginning of the puja and makes sure that it remains lit until the puja is completed .

3) Akshatas , unbroken rice grains to which turmeric powder is added .

4) Pancapatra , a vessel with water and spoon for offering water . The water may be poured into another cup during offering .

5) Candana , sandalpaste and kunkuma , vermilion .

6) Dhupa , incense sticks .

7) Vastra , cloth

8) Dipa , a small oil lamp

9) Naivedya , food offering

10) Pushpa , flowers kept on a plate

11) Ghanta , bell

12) Karpura , camphor with a holdero for burning it .

- The altar should be clean and can be decorated as one wishes . Metal vessels and utensils are  preferable . If these are not available , paper plates and cups may be used .The utensils for the puja should be kept apart and not used for other purposes .

[ If some of the offerings listed above such as vastra , pushpa and so on , are not , available , one may use akshatas instead .]

Brief Explanation On the Steps

After lighting a lamp , one performs the sankalpa . The sankalpa identifies the person doing the puja(yajamana) and the purpose for which the puja is done . A common purpose in all pujas is ‘durita-kshaya’ – the removal of duritas , impurities of the mind . One may pray for other reasons, but an important element in all prayers is to seek a mind free from confusion and wrong thinking .

The initial step is invoking the presence of the Lord in the given symbol . Once invoked , the symbol becomes the Lord and is looked upon as such until the puja is completed . The Lord is received with an attitude of devotion and is  then offered acamana ,  vastra (cloth)and the other items described .

While offering flowers , one addresses the Lord by the various names that reveal the Lord’s nature or describe his glories . One may chant sixteen , one hundred and eight , or one thousand and eight names of the Lord .

Naivedya is then offered at the altar . For naivedya , one may offer fruits (fresh or dried) , nuts or    cooked foods . It is customary that we do not offer the Lord pre-made , store-bought or leftover foods .

Arati is performed by dimming or switching off the electric lights in the room and offering lightes camphor .

When visiting a temple , one may go around the deity clockwise three times in an act of salutation . Since the Lord also abides within , one may turn around oneself three times , in a clockwise direction while remaining in the same spot. Both these acts are known as pradaksina .

In performing the puja , there may have been errors of omission or commission  . One asks for forgiveness of the Lord for these .

After the puja , the Lord is requested with a prayer to return to his original abode . The prasada is then taken from the altar and distributed to all .