Sri Deva Sthanam

The Satya Narayana Puja

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:17:44 +0000

There is a popular puja called the Satya Narayana Katha that is performed regularly by many Hindu families. This puja in generally performed in the home, but may also be done in a temple. The Satya Narayan puja can be performed on any day. It is not a puja confined to any festivities, but (full moon days or sankranti are considered to be most auspicious day for this puja. Performing this puja in…

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Initiation: Diksha

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:17:13 +0000

Diksha is a ceremony of initiation and the entering of a religious order (sampradaya). How diksha is performed varies with the religious order, but in general it involves a initiating guru giving a mantra to a student and having the student agree to follow a certain religious practice and perhaps even accept a certain set of beliefs. In some religious orders diksha even involves the branding and…

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Sacred Bathing: Abhishekam

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:16:50 +0000

An abhisheka is a religious bathing ceremony. The word abhisheka means a sprinkling. It is derived from the root sic, to wet, and with the prefix abhi,“around,” abhisheka is literally, “wetting around.” An abhisheka is the bathing part of a puja that usually is done with sacred water. In puja, a Deity is called, seated, greeted, bathed, dressed, fed and praised. The bathing of the Deity is the…

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The Fire Ritual: Havan/Homa

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:16:27 +0000

A havan or homa is similar to a puja in the sense that both are common modes of Hindu worship and both are symbolic forms of communication. The words havan and homa each derive from the Sanskrit root hu, meaning to consume. Generally, the word havan is heard in North India and homa is used in South India, but in either case, the meanings are identical. I will use the word havan, but I could just…

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Ways of Worship: Puja and Archana

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:16:01 +0000

A puja is a religious ceremony performed in temples or in homes that involves worship through the use of a sacred image. At its most basic level of understanding, puja is a symbolic means of communication, a way to reach out to higher powers. There are many ways that we can reach out to divinity: through prayer, meditation, acts of charity, and so forth, but one of the most import and common means…

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Installing a Sacred Image Murti Sthapana/Prana Pratishta

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:15:28 +0000

Within Hinduism there are special ceremonies where sacred images are formally installed in temples. These installation ceremonies are generally given two names: Murti Sthapana and Prana Pratishta. The word murti means sacred image and “sthapana” means “placing,” and so the murti sthapana ceremony is the “placing of the sacred image.” The other term, Prana Pratishta is a little less common…

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A Ladies’ Vow: Karwa Chauth

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:15:01 +0000

Karwa Chauth is a “ladies” festival that is especially popular within many of the communities from north India, particularly the Punjabi community. It is a vow to fast undertaken by married ladies, who offer prayers to the Goddess Gauri seeking the welfare, prosperity, and longevity of their husbands and families. The word, “karwa” refers to an earthen pot with a spout, which is seen as a domestic…

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Hindu Festivals: Utsavas

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:14:35 +0000

During the Hindu year, as in all religions, there are many religious days and nights that celebrate a particular Deity or religious event. These times are called festival days, utsavas. You may also hear the term mahotsava meaning “major festival.” Some festivals are considered major and others minor. In general, these days or nights are dedicated as the “birthday” of a particular Deity or the…

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