Why not schedule alarm reminders in your calendar to perform nitya puja.
Meaning
Nitya Puja is a daily morning ritual. It is a direct means of communication with Bhagwan Swaminarayan and his Gunatit Sant. It enables one to concentrate on their divine forms allowing one to express feelings of love, adoration and gratitude.
Significance
The Sanskrit term, puja, means to adore or to worship. Nitya puja is a prayer ritual that provides a direct means of communication to convey one’s feelings and concerns to Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the gurus. It also calms and purifies the antahkaran (mind) from instincts such as lust, anger, greed, ego and jealousy.
By performing nitya puja every day, Bhagwan Swaminarayan provides us with a unique opportunity to realise ekāntik dharma in the following ways:
- Dharma (religious duties): Through reading and imbibing teachings from the scriptures.
- Gnān (knowledge): Through awareness and consolidation of the ultimate aim of our life during ātma chintan and the final prayer.
- Vairāgya (detachment): Through the control of the indriyas via prānāyam and tapni mālā.
- Bhakti (devotion): Through the offering of love and devotion to Paramatma during mānsi puja and in the final prayer to request forgiveness.
Things you will need
- Puja should be performed on a daily basis, even when one is away from home.
- One should use one’s own individual puja set.
- Food or water should not be consumed until puja is completed.
- Awake early every morning. After brushing one’s teeth and visiting the bathroom, bathe or shower.
- The clothes worn during puja should be washed and preferably kept separate from those worn during the day.
- Spread an āsan and sit facing either north or east.
- Lay another āsan in front for the murtis, Shikshapatri, mālā, gaumukhi and tilak-chāndlo set.
- Note: Never interchange both āsans.
Steps
1. Tilak Chāndlo
Male devotees of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya apply a tilak (made of chandan or yellow sandalwood paste) and chāndlo (made of kumkum or red saffron powder) on their foreheads during puja. They also apply it on both their outer biceps and the chest. Female devotees imprint only a round kumkum mark on their foreheads.
2. Dhyān – Meditation
Sitting cross-legged and upright, devotees meditate on Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the Gunatit Sant, avoiding worldly thoughts. Atma vichar is to meditate upon your atma. Our true identity is not this physical body, but the soul that brings life to it. By focusing on the atma, we are able to remain calm and stable in extreme situations (Click here for 'Atma Vichar' audio)
3. Āhvan Mantra – Invocation
After laying out the murtis, the devotee requests Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the Gunatit Sant to grace their puja with their presence. They recite the Āhvan Mantra (click here for audio):
ઉત્તિષ્ઠ સહજાનંદ શ્રીહરે પુરુષોત્તમ।
Uttishṭha Sahajānanda Shri-Hare Purushottama।
Oh Sahajānand Shri-Hari! Oh Purushottam!
ગુણાતીતાક્ષર બ્રહ્મન્ ઉત્તિષ્ઠ કૃપ્યા ગુરો॥
Guṇātitākshara Brahman-uttishṭha krupayā Guro॥
Oh Aksharbrahma Gunātit Guru! Please have compassion upon me and arise.
આગમ્યતાં હિ પૂજાર્થમ્ આગમ્યતાં મદાત્મતઃ।
Āgamyatām hi pujārtham āgamyatām mad-ātmatah।
Please come forth from my ātmā, grace my pujā with your presence and accept my devotion.
સાન્નિધ્યાદ્ દર્શનાદ દિવ્યાત્ સૌભાગ્યં વર્ધતે મમ॥
Sānnidhyād darshanād divyāt sau-bhāgyam vardhate mama॥
I become more blessed due to your divine presence and darshan.
4. Mantra Jāp – Mālā
After reciting the Āhvan Mantra, proceed to perform mālā while doing darshan of the murtis and remembering Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Hold the mālā on the middle finger of the right hand, using one’s thumb to turn the mālā, one bead at a time, and chant the Swaminarayan māhāmantra for every bead.
It is ideal to do five, seven or eleven mālās.
5. Tapni Mālā
Tap, austerities, controls the senses. Male devotees perform tapni mālā by standing up on one leg and raising both arms above their head. Female devotees also perform tapni mālā by standing up with both feet grounded and placing their right hand to their chest whilst doing mālā.
6. Pradakshina – Circumambulation
Whilst turning the mālā, walk clockwise around the puja, 5 or 11 times. This signifies that Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the Gunatit Sant are the centre-point of a devotee’s life.
7. Dandvat or Pranām – Prostration
After pradakshina, male devotees perform five āshtāng dandvat pranāms, along with one additional dandvat for atonement of knowingly or unknowingly hurting a bhakta by mind, speech or physically (Vachanamrut Gadhada II 40). Eight specific parts of the body should touch the floor: head, mind, eyes, speech, chest, hands, thighs and feet.
Females devotees offer panchāng pranāms by sitting cross-legged and folding their hands. They then bow their heads down to the ground with arms and hands also touching the floor. Panchāng means the five parts of the body: Head, mind, speech, hands and feet.
8. Prārthana – Prayer
Thāl is offered in mānsi. The devotee then prays for protection from māyā and also can offer any specific prayers.
Sadhana Mantra to be spoken at this point
અક્ષરમ અહમ પુરુષોત્તમ દાસોસ્મિ”
Aksharam aham Purushottamdaso’smi
અક્ષર એવો હું પુરુષોત્તમનો દાસ છું
Akshar evo hu, Purushottamno das chhu
I am Akshar, the dās of Purushottam
9. Punarāgaman mantra – Conclusion
Devotees should thank Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the gurus for being present in the puja and for accepting the puja. Ask for forgiveness for any mistakes made during the puja.
They recite the punarāgaman (farewell) mantra, requesting Maharaj and Swami to bless them again tomorrow (click here for audio).
ભકત્યૈવ દિવ્યભાવેન પૂજા તે સમનુષ્ઠિતા।
Bhaktyaiva divya-bhāvena pujā te sam-anushṭhitā।
Oh Purushottam Nārāyan along with Aksharbrahma!
I have performed your pujā with devotion and divyabhāv.
ગચ્છાથ ત્વં મદાત્માનમ્ અક્ષરપુરુષોત્તમ॥
Gachchhātha tvam mad-ātmānam Akshara-Purushottama॥
Now, please grace my ātmā with your presence.
10. Vanchan – Reading
One should then read five verses from the Shikshapatri.
Other important scriptures like the Yogi Gita are also often read.
One should also read five verses from the Satsang Diksha (click here)
Satsang Diksha has been written by Pragat Brahmaswarup Mahant Swami Maharaj. The text reveals the principles of agna and upasana as given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan and explains the path all devotees must follow to attain Ekantik Dharma and experience the bliss of God.
After puja, bow down to your parents (panchāng pranām) and greet them and all others present by saying ‘Jai Swaminarayan’.
Maintaining Purity of Puja
The puja itself is considered sacred and as such should not be kept in a place where it might be touched by feet, shoes or house pets. It should also not be placed in the kitchen. Ideally the puja should not be touched or opened again after the morning worship until the following day.