Non brahmin Archaka trained students jobs in jeopardy

[vgane]

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As regards Archana we should leave it to the Bhakthas....There should be no compulsion for either Sanskrit or Tamil....When the priest does the puja how many of us bother to check what he says...We just close our eyes and pray to God....

When we focus attention on the script(what priest chants) we forget our own prayer to God.

 

[Raji Ram]

As regards Archana we should leave it to the Bhakthas....There should be no compulsion for either Sanskrit or Tamil....When the priest does the puja how many of us bother to check what he says...We just close our eyes and pray to God....

When we focus attention on the script(what priest chants) we forget our own prayer to God.

Dear Sir,

We had a priest (GurukkaL) in the Siva temple in our village, who had a very resonant voice and knew to chant the ashtOthrams

in beautiful rAgamAlikais. In each visit to the temple, the set of rAgams will also change. He had such a clear diction that we too

repeated what he chanted, in our mind. The experience would be something like total surrender to the Almighty and we won't

feel like asking for anything! It is very rare to find such a priest in temples.

 

[Raji Ram]

Though this scene ridicules the manthrAs, some priests chant only in a similar way!

Posting this just for fun and no offence please....

Ambasamudram Ambani - Movie

 

[Brahmanyan]

As regards Archana we should leave it to the Bhakthas....There should be no compulsion for either Sanskrit or Tamil....When the priest does the puja how many of us bother to check what he says...We just close our eyes and pray to God....
When we focus attention on the script(what priest chants) we forget our own prayer to God.

True words. It does not matter for the deity whether we adore him/her in Sanskrit or Tamil. While the Priests chant the manthras to the Lord, most of the devotees who stand in rows chat or describe the ornaments on the vigraha or fight for their right to be in front. In bigger Temples the ushers push out the people from the sanctum by shouting.

Recently I read an interesting article on Puja (Sacred Ritualistic worship) by Yoga Acharya Bharat

What is Puja?

"The literal meaning of Puja is adoration. It is an all-purpose term used to denote the many stages of ritual action that compose worship in Hindu culture. The derivative meaning is thought to be from Pu-chey, 'flower-action,' and refers to the act of offering flowers to the deity. Puja is a post-Vedic phenomenon in its current form. The Vedic ritual was Homa, the offering of grains and sanctified liquids into a sacrificial fire. Most Puja differs from the Vedic sacrifice primarily in the fact that an image or representation of god is used in the service unlike the Homa where an altar alone, albeit highly stylized and over-laden with symbolic meaning, is used. The only common requirement is the creation of a sacred space to perform Puja.

Puja is the ceremonial act of showing reverence to a God or Goddess through invocation, prayer, song, and ritual. An essential aspect of Puja is communion with the Divine. The worshiper believes that through this contact she or he has established direct contact with the deity. This contact is facilitated through an image: a sculpture, painting, or print. Through this Puja and the image, a Hindu worshiper invites the presence of the deity with his or her cosmic energy. And thus, in the eye of devotees, the icon then becomes the deity, whose presence is reaffirmed by the daily rituals of honoring and invocation.

The principal aim of any Puja is the feeling of personal contact with the deity. Generally, special communication with a deity is made through the intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. During Puja, the Divine presence is invoked by which the devotee obtains blessings. "

I doubt whether we get such feeling in the Temples nowadays.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[tbs]

True words. It does not matter for the deity whether we adore him/her in Sanskrit or Tamil. While the Priests chant the manthras to the Lord, most of the devotees who stand in rows chat or describe the ornaments on the vigraha or fight for their right to be in front. In bigger Temples the ushers push out the people from the sanctum by shouting.

Recently I read an interesting article on Puja (Sacred Ritualistic worship) by Yoga Acharya Bharat

What is Puja?

"The literal meaning of Puja is adoration. It is an all-purpose term used to denote the many stages of ritual action that compose worship in Hindu culture. The derivative meaning is thought to be from Pu-chey, 'flower-action,' and refers to the act of offering flowers to the deity. Puja is a post-Vedic phenomenon in its current form. The Vedic ritual was Homa, the offering of grains and sanctified liquids into a sacrificial fire. Most Puja differs from the Vedic sacrifice primarily in the fact that an image or representation of god is used in the service unlike the Homa where an altar alone, albeit highly stylized and over-laden with symbolic meaning, is used. The only common requirement is the creation of a sacred space to perform Puja.

Puja is the ceremonial act of showing reverence to a God or Goddess through invocation, prayer, song, and ritual. An essential aspect of Puja is communion with the Divine. The worshiper believes that through this contact she or he has established direct contact with the deity. This contact is facilitated through an image: a sculpture, painting, or print. Through this Puja and the image, a Hindu worshiper invites the presence of the deity with his or her cosmic energy. And thus, in the eye of devotees, the icon then becomes the deity, whose presence is reaffirmed by the daily rituals of honoring and invocation.

The principal aim of any Puja is the feeling of personal contact with the deity. Generally, special communication with a deity is made through the intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. During Puja, the Divine presence is invoked by which the devotee obtains blessings. "

I doubt whether we get such feeling in the Temples nowadays.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

hi sir,

nice words..very true...we divided states based on language....NOW WE ARE DIVIDING THE GODS/GODESS BASED ON LANGUAGE...

muslims do namaz in arabic in any country....christians do the original in latin......GOD KNOWS BHAKTHI....NOT THE EGO....

BHAVA CAN BE ANY LANGUAGE.....EVEN SILENCE IS THE BHAKTHI......

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

True words. It does not matter for the deity whether we adore him/her in Sanskrit or Tamil. While the Priests chant the manthras to the Lord, most of the devotees who stand in rows chat or describe the ornaments on the vigraha or fight for their right to be in front. In bigger Temples the ushers push out the people from the sanctum by shouting.

Recently I read an interesting article on Puja (Sacred Ritualistic worship) by Yoga Acharya Bharat

What is Puja?

"The literal meaning of Puja is adoration. It is an all-purpose term used to denote the many stages of ritual action that compose worship in Hindu culture. The derivative meaning is thought to be from Pu-chey, 'flower-action,' and refers to the act of offering flowers to the deity. Puja is a post-Vedic phenomenon in its current form. The Vedic ritual was Homa, the offering of grains and sanctified liquids into a sacrificial fire. Most Puja differs from the Vedic sacrifice primarily in the fact that an image or representation of god is used in the service unlike the Homa where an altar alone, albeit highly stylized and over-laden with symbolic meaning, is used. The only common requirement is the creation of a sacred space to perform Puja.

Puja is the ceremonial act of showing reverence to a God or Goddess through invocation, prayer, song, and ritual. An essential aspect of Puja is communion with the Divine. The worshiper believes that through this contact she or he has established direct contact with the deity. This contact is facilitated through an image: a sculpture, painting, or print. Through this Puja and the image, a Hindu worshiper invites the presence of the deity with his or her cosmic energy. And thus, in the eye of devotees, the icon then becomes the deity, whose presence is reaffirmed by the daily rituals of honoring and invocation.

The principal aim of any Puja is the feeling of personal contact with the deity. Generally, special communication with a deity is made through the intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. During Puja, the Divine presence is invoked by which the devotee obtains blessings. "

I doubt whether we get such feeling in the Temples nowadays.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

Sir,

I differ from the Acharya about

Generally, special communication with a deity is made through the intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. During Puja, the Divine presence is invoked by which the devotee obtains blessings. "

This applies only to non-Brahmins and not Brahmins. The main privilege of being born a Brahmin is the Adhikara to do Puja/Homa. A Brahmin who does not know how to do Puja/Homa is no Brahmin.

Once in this forum when I was emphasizing the need to do daily Puja, I was shouted out by members who insisted that Only the performance of sandhyavandanam makes one a Brahmin and there is no necessity for a Puja at all. They quoted advice from a respected Acharya.

Coming to the practice of Archanai, I reproduce my post in this thread.

http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/general-discussions/1914-case-tamil-archanai.html

The practice of Archanai (Namavali) in Tamil Nadu temples.

This is a custom which is prevalent in Tamil Nadu, A.P, and Karnataka. Typically the devotee pays money to get the Archanai done. The priest performs a sankalpa in the name of the devotee and then praises GOD in a namavali. 108 or 1008 names are most common. At the end of the namavali the priest performs a Karpura Aarti to the deity and that completes the ritual. Coconuts and fruits are many a time added.

Where does this fit in the procedure laid down in the Agamas? Generally it is an accepted practice that there should be a tri-kala puja at all temples. Morning, afternoon, and evening. The Pujas could be more. But tri-kala is the bare minimum. During these pujas upacharas are performed for the deity. Normally shodopachara or sixteen upacharas. Namavali and Karpura aarti are two of the upacharas.

Now these pujas are supposed to be done for the benefit of all the devotees. There was no sankalpa naming individuals. But a change was made later that an individual sankalpa was made in the name of the King or the ruler. Later this was expanded to include the name of the donors who donated for the privilege.

This is the system which is prevalent in Kerala. You buy a Archanai ticket in Guruvayoor for example. When is it done? It is supposed to be done during one of the Pujas. In smaller temples individual names are mentioned, But in bigger temples it is just placing of the slip. This is called Vazhipadu. But in colloquial terms a vazhipadu has come to mean an empty ritual.

In most of these cases only the sankalpa is different. The Namavali (Archanai) is common. Practices may differ but the common strain is that namavali is part of the tri-kala Puja.

The concept of archanai in Tamil Nadu took the namavali out of the tri-kala puja. It became an end by itself. Priests perform namavali throughout the day and show karpura aarthi. Again Karpura Arthi is to be performed only during the tri-kala puja.

In effect the entire Archanai business in Tamil Nadu temples is against laid down Agamic practices and not approved by any sasthras. This practice came into vogue to satisfy the devotees who paid money for the privilege.

 

[tbs]

hi
http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-how-can-untouchability-in-temples-be-justified/20130208.htm



http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-how-can-untouchability-in-temples-be-justified/20130208.htm

 

[sarang]

But Court cases have to be fought in english; protests by pro-language lawyers and dravidian leaders have not borne fruit till now.

hi sir,

nice words..very true...we divided states based on language....NOW WE ARE DIVIDING THE GODS/GODESS BASED ON LANGUAGE...

muslims do namaz in arabic in any country....christians do the original in latin......GOD KNOWS BHAKTHI....NOT THE EGO....

BHAVA CAN BE ANY LANGUAGE.....EVEN SILENCE IS THE BHAKTHI......

 

[sarang]

In the good old days there was no archanai ticket or darsana ticket. The system evolves to suit the time and need of yajamanas (govt. or trusts).

A couple of years ago, when jesudas wanted to sing inside the guruvayur temple, he was not allowed. The whole secular rationalists and the media were criticizing the temple administration and brahmins for days together. The hereditary trustee was a wise and calm individual. When interviewed by an aggressive tv reporter, he said - 'why are you talking to me or blaming me? I have no right to change the rules. I only follow and ensure that rules are followed.' When asked who can change the rules, he said 'only the raja, the king has the authority and sanction to change the rules; you better ask him.'

Wind was taken out of the reporter's sails.

Sir,

I differ from the Acharya about



This applies only to non-Brahmins and not Brahmins. The main privilege of being born a Brahmin is the Adhikara to do Puja/Homa. A Brahmin who does not know how to do Puja/Homa is no Brahmin.

Once in this forum when I was emphasizing the need to do daily Puja, I was shouted out by members who insisted that Only the performance of sandhyavandanam makes one a Brahmin and there is no necessity for a Puja at all. They quoted advice from a respected Acharya.

Coming to the practice of Archanai, I reproduce my post in this thread.

http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/general-discussions/1914-case-tamil-archanai.html

The practice of Archanai (Namavali) in Tamil Nadu temples.

This is a custom which is prevalent in Tamil Nadu, A.P, and Karnataka. Typically the devotee pays money to get the Archanai done. The priest performs a sankalpa in the name of the devotee and then praises GOD in a namavali. 108 or 1008 names are most common. At the end of the namavali the priest performs a Karpura Aarti to the deity and that completes the ritual. Coconuts and fruits are many a time added.

Where does this fit in the procedure laid down in the Agamas? Generally it is an accepted practice that there should be a tri-kala puja at all temples. Morning, afternoon, and evening. The Pujas could be more. But tri-kala is the bare minimum. During these pujas upacharas are performed for the deity. Normally shodopachara or sixteen upacharas. Namavali and Karpura aarti are two of the upacharas.

Now these pujas are supposed to be done for the benefit of all the devotees. There was no sankalpa naming individuals. But a change was made later that an individual sankalpa was made in the name of the King or the ruler. Later this was expanded to include the name of the donors who donated for the privilege.

This is the system which is prevalent in Kerala. You buy a Archanai ticket in Guruvayoor for example. When is it done? It is supposed to be done during one of the Pujas. In smaller temples individual names are mentioned, But in bigger temples it is just placing of the slip. This is called Vazhipadu. But in colloquial terms a vazhipadu has come to mean an empty ritual.

In most of these cases only the sankalpa is different. The Namavali (Archanai) is common. Practices may differ but the common strain is that namavali is part of the tri-kala Puja.

The concept of archanai in Tamil Nadu took the namavali out of the tri-kala puja. It became an end by itself. Priests perform namavali throughout the day and show karpura aarthi. Again Karpura Arthi is to be performed only during the tri-kala puja.

In effect the entire Archanai business in Tamil Nadu temples is against laid down Agamic practices and not approved by any sasthras. This practice came into vogue to satisfy the devotees who paid money for the privilege.

 

[suraju06]

What is Puja?
"The literal meaning of Puja is adoration. It is an all-purpose term used to denote the many stages of ritual action that compose worship in Hindu culture. The derivative meaning is thought to be from Pu-chey, 'flower-action,' and refers to the act of offering flowers to the deity. Puja is a post-Vedic phenomenon in its current form. The Vedic ritual was Homa, the offering of grains and sanctified liquids into a sacrificial fire. Most Puja differs from the Vedic sacrifice primarily in the fact that an image or representation of god is used in the service unlike the Homa where an altar alone, albeit highly stylized and over-laden with symbolic meaning, is used. The only common requirement is the creation of a sacred space to perform Puja.
Puja is the ceremonial act of showing reverence to a God or Goddess through invocation, prayer, song, and ritual. An essential aspect of Puja is communion with the Divine. The worshiper believes that through this contact she or he has established direct contact with the deity. This contact is facilitated through an image: a sculpture, painting, or print. Through this Puja and the image, a Hindu worshiper invites the presence of the deity with his or her cosmic energy. And thus, in the eye of devotees, the icon then becomes the deity, whose presence is reaffirmed by the daily rituals of honoring and invocation.
The principal aim of any Puja is the feeling of personal contact with the deity. Generally, special communication with a deity is made through the intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. During Puja, the Divine presence is invoked by which the devotee obtains blessings. "
I doubt whether we get such feeling in the Temples nowadays.

I differ with this laboured interpretation of the term puja. It is sanskrit word and has nothing to do with poo chey which is Tamil.

1.There is not much in common between a yajna and puja. Yajna is a ritual performed for deriving material benefits for people. Puja is performed to repeatedly tell oneself about his true swaroopa in relation to god. It is more of a plea to God or an act to show reverence to God with whom the bhakta has a relationship.

2.Flower is only a symbolic addition. There is no restriction on which flower to use or that only flower should be used. Any flower/leaves can be used. The only stipulation is that it should not be harmful to the bhakta who uses it to worship God.

3.Though Puja has been reduced to a mere ceremony in many places, it is not just that. Even when the Archaka or pujari in a temple does the archana which is nothing but a puja the devotee is supposed to think about the glory of the God and his dependence on God for every thing. If a devotee needs the help of a language to attain this it is okay to request for a language that he understands. The spirit is more important.

4.The anthropomorphous form of God and worship of that form is a milestone in the spiritual development Hindus. Direct contact may not be the right word to express the purpose that is served by the Godhead. An individual is able to concentrate on an image-it can be even an image in his mind-better than on void or empty space or just nothing. This is well said in Tamil by oru naamam oruruvam onrum illaarkku oiram thirunaamam paadi naam thellenam kottomo.

5.The principal aim of puja is repeatedly tell oneself with every namaha that the atman's swaroop is not independent of God, that it is totally dependent on God.

The concept of archanai in Tamil Nadu took the namavali out of the tri-kala puja. It became an end by itself. Priests perform namavali throughout the day and show karpura aarthi. Again Karpura Arthi is to be performed only during the tri-kala puja.
In effect the entire Archanai business in Tamil Nadu temples is against laid down Agamic practices and not approved by any sasthras. This practice came into vogue to satisfy the devotees who paid money for the privilege.

I think here again there is a misinterpretation. When the archaka says keshavaya namaha keshav is the nama and namaha is the swaroopa statement part. The latter is more important for the devotee than the former. If only nama is to be chanted it is enough if he says keshava, narayana, madhava etc., The namaha states emphatically and repeatedly that the atman that is standing before the deity and praying is totally dependent on the God. That bhava is more important and that is why the repetition ad infinitum. Karpura aaraththi can be performed any number of times. There is no restriction on that in the Agamas. Particularly when the aaraththi is performed the sanskrit sloka chanted goes like this........sathaa paschyanthi soorayaha............which means 'this is the roopa which is worshipped by those in the heaven without ever blinking'. So how can you restrict the number of time your devotee can worship the God the same way the atmans in heaven?

Conclusion: Archanai can be in Tamil if it has the word equivalent to namaha (for the full meaning of this word approach a good teacher and learn it from him). Since the bhava is more important it is enough if you tune your mind to the fact that each nama is followed in sanskrit by namaha which means surrender. So there is nothing seriously wrong if archanai is done in sanskrit(even if the devotee does not know sanskrit) because it is all naama and namaha only. The frequent karpur aarathi is not a violation of Agama. The rest of the matter such as archaka mentioning the king, the devotee who has paid, his family members, using his knowledge of music to make the archanai a treat to the ears etc are all innovations in business process reengineering.

Cheers.

 

[biswa]

I think many pujaris make a mess of reciting the 108 names properly and sincerely during archana. Earlier during Ganesha archana I used to hear things like:

Lambodaraya Namayvohm
Surpakarnaya Namayvohm

Only later I realized that he was supposed to be saying:
Om Lambodaraya Namaha
Om Surpakarnaya Namaha

This just shows a lack of sincerity and a rush to finish with the Archana as soon as possible. His mind is not focussed on what he is doing.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

In the good old days there was no archanai ticket or darsana ticket. The system evolves to suit the time and need of yajamanas (govt. or trusts).

Sarang,

This practice evolved out of the Bhakthas demand. The general public has seen all Pujas ending with karpura aarthi. It is considered the most important of the Puja rituals. You will find that people buy karpuram and do it themselves.

Now a days people start showing Lamps and even Candles to God. They believe it is Deepa Aradhana.

They do not realize that Deepa Aradhana is only a part of the elaborate Puja ritual.

The temples have used this belief to make it a regular practice.

In many temples run by charitable trusts, you will find a board telling the public that No Archanai will be done.

 

[Brahmanyan]

Non brahmin Archaka trained students jobs in jeopardy Your Message

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in his famous Upton Lectures in Oxford University delivered in 1926 delves in depth on the subject of assimilation of manifold variety of faith prevailing in the sub continent says:

"The Vedic Culture which resembles that of the Homeric Greeks or Celtic Irish at the beginning of the Christian era, or that of the pre-Christian Teutons and Slavs, becomes transformed in the Epics into the Hindu culture through the influence of the Dravidians. The Aryan idea of worship during the earliest period was to call on the Father Sky or some other shining one to look from on high on the sacrificer, and receive from him the offerings of fat or flesh, cakes and drink. But soon puja or worship takes the place of homa or sacrifice. Image worship which was a striking feature of the Dravidian faith was accepted by the Aryans. The ideals of vegetarianism and non-violence (ahimsa) also developed. The Vedic tradition was dominated by the Agamik, and today the Hindu culture shows the influence of Agamas, as much as that of the Vedas. The Aryan and the Dravidian do not exist side by side in Hinduism, but are worked-up into a distinctive cultural pattern which is more an emergent than a resultant. The history of the Hindu religious development shows occasionally the friction between the two strains of the Vedas and the Agamas though they are sufficiently hormonised. When conceived in a large historical spirit, Hinduism becomes a slow growth across the centuries incorporating all the good and true things, as well as much that is evil and erroneous, though a constant endeavour, which is not always successful, is kept up to through out unsatisfactory elements. Hinduism has the large comprehensive unity of a living organism with a fixed orientation. The Upanisad asks us to remember the Real who is one, who is indistinguishable through class or colour, and who by his varied forces provides as is necessary for the needs of each class and of all.

When once the cults are taken into Hinduism, alterations sets in as the results of the influence of the higher thought. The Hindu method of religious reform is essentially democratic. It allows each group to get to the truth through its own tradition by means of discipline of mind and morals."
(The Hindu View of Life - Dr.S.Radhakrishnan)

I would consider "The Hindu View of Life" by Dr.S.Radhakrishnan is one of the best expositions on The Hindu Religion and of Hindus, that I have read. These lectures became so popular that it was published in a book form by publishers Allen and Unwin.

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[renuka]

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in his famous Upton Lectures in Oxford University delivered in 1926 delves in depth on the subject of assimilation of manifold variety of faith prevailing in the sub continent says:

"The Vedic Culture which resembles that of the Homeric Greeks or Celtic Irish at the beginning of the Christian era, or that of the pre-Christian Teutons and Slavs, becomes transformed in the Epics into the Hindu culture through the influence of the Dravidians. The Aryan idea of worship during the earliest period was to call on the Father Sky or some other shining one to look from on high on the sacrificer, and receive from him the offerings of fat or flesh, cakes and drink. But soon puja or worship takes the place of homa or sacrifice. Image worship which was a striking feature of the Dravidian faith was accepted by the Aryans. The ideals of vegetarianism and non-violence (ahimsa) also developed. The Vedic tradition was dominated by the Agamik, and today the Hindu culture shows the influence of Agamas, as much as that of the Vedas. The Aryan and the Dravidian do not exist side by side in Hinduism, but are worked-up into a distinctive cultural pattern which is more an emergent than a resultant. The history of the Hindu religious development shows occasionally the friction between the two strains of the Vedas and the Agamas though they are sufficiently hormonised. When conceived in a large historical spirit, Hinduism becomes a slow growth across the centuries incorporating all the good and true things, as well as much that is evil and erroneous, though a constant endeavour, which is not always successful, is kept up to through out unsatisfactory elements. Hinduism has the large comprehensive unity of a living organism with a fixed orientation. The Upanisad asks us to remember the Real who is one, who is indistinguishable through class or colour, and who by his varied forces provides as is necessary for the needs of each class and of all.

When once the cults are taken into Hinduism, alterations sets in as the results of the influence of the higher thought. The Hindu method of religious reform is essentially democratic. It allows each group to get to the truth through its own tradition by means of discipline of mind and morals."
(The Hindu View of Life - Dr.S.Radhakrishnan)

I would consider "The Hindu View of Life" by Dr.S.Radhakrishnan is one of the best expositions on The Hindu Religion and of Hindus, that I have read. These lectures became so popular that it was published in a book form by publishers Allen and Unwin.

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

Dear Sir,

I guess in 1926..the Aryan Dravidian Theory was still in fashion hence Dr Radhakrishna made a mention of it.

 

[vgane]

I think many pujaris make a mess of reciting the 108 names properly and sincerely during archana. Earlier during Ganesha archana I used to hear things like:

Lambodaraya Namayvohm
Surpakarnaya Namayvohm

Only later I realized that he was supposed to be saying:
Om Lambodaraya Namaha
Om Surpakarnaya Namaha

This just shows a lack of sincerity and a rush to finish with the Archana as soon as possible. His mind is not focussed on what he is doing.

I remember as a child I was told a story of Valmiki who was a dacoit...Once Sage Naradamuni asked him why he was into crime and whether his near and dear will accept Narak as a punishment for his sins...When the dacoit asked his family members, they declined...So Sage Narada asked him to atone for his sins by uttering the name of Lord Rama...As he has never uttered the Lord's name Narada asked him to utter Mara (meaning death) continuously....So the bandit uttered Mara continuously...This morphed into Ram and an anthill developed over his body..Rest is known to us....

Probably the priest above through repeated pronunciation of namaha followed by om created a new phrase!

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Shodashopachara Puja.

The Shodashopachara Puja consists of

1.Avahana (“invocation”). The deity is invited to the ceremony from the heart.

2.Asana. The deity is offered a seat.

3.Padya. The deity’s feet are symbolically washed.

4.Water is offered for washing the head and body

5.Arghya. Water is offered so the deity may wash its mouth.

6.Snana or abhisekha. Water is offered for symbolic bathing.

7.Vastra (“clothing”). Here a cloth may be wrapped around the image and ornaments affixed to it.

8.Upaveeda or Mangalsutra. Putting on the sacred thread.

9.Anulepana or gandha. Perfumes and ointments are applied to the image. Sandalwood paste or kumkum is applied.

10.Pushpa. Flowers are offered before the image, or garlands draped around its neck.

11.Dhupa. Incense is burned before the image.

12.Dipa or Aarti. A burning lamp is waved in front of the image.

13.Naivedya. Foods such as cooked rice, fruit, clarified butter, sugar, and betel leaf are offered.

14.Namaskara or pranama. The worshipper and family bow or prostrate themselves before the image to offer homage.

15.Parikrama or Pradakshina. Circumambulation around the deity.

16.Taking leave.

Here are the Sixteen Upacharas:

1. Seating of the deity

2. Welcoming of the deity

3. Offering water to wash the feet

4. Offering water to wash the hands

5. Offering water to sip and rinse the mouth

6. Providing a bath

7. Offering fresh clothes and decorations

8. Offering fresh sacred thread

9. Offering aromatic substance like sandal paste etc

10. Offering of flowers

11. Burning incense

12. Waving lights

13. Offering food

14. Offering betel leaves, betel nuts, camphor etc

15. Prostrations before the deity and circumambulations

16. Sending off

These are the general steps that are followed. There may be slight variations in some regions.

The temple Pujas are different in that the temple deity (patron god or goddess) is considered a resident rather than a guest, so the puja is modified to reflect that; for example the deity is "awakened" rather than "invoked" in the morning. Temple pujas vary widely from region to region and for different sects.

Now performing only Archana and Deepa aradhana does not constitute Puja. This is what I meant when I said that the present system of Archana is against Agamic rules. It is not the Archana. You can do that any time. But the Karpura Aarthi which follows which is against the sasthras. There is no philosophy involved here.

I can understand the non-Brahmins or the people who are not aware of the rituals doing it. But I do not understand why the Brahmins who should know better do it.

The only possible explanation is that the Brahmins support it because it benefits the professional Brahmins. In temples like Mangadu you have only two or three Pujaris performing the Nithya Puja. But you have hordes of Brahmins doing Archana for devotees.

 

[Brahmanyan]

Dear Sir,

I guess in 1926..the Aryan Dravidian Theory was still in fashion hence Dr Radhakrishna made a mention of it.

Dear Doctor,

Though I do not posses adequate knowledge of the Aryan Dravidian theory, I accept the fact that there is racial distribution of these two races in the sub continent from time immemorial. There has been good amount of endless debates gone through for years on this subject. Similarly new theories also crop up time and again on the subject. I believe in the words of an erudite scholar and acknowledged educationist to guide me in my thinking on the subject of our valued religious beliefs.
His famous book on "Indian Philosophy"(2Vols) is considered an authoritative intellectual achievement and similarly his commentary on "The Bhagavadgita" is a classic interpretation on the subject.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Shiva Manasa Pooja


A Sloka which is the Best illustration of Puja.

A Sloka which should be recited every day by all. Very easy and really Mental Puja.

Sambo Mahadeva !!!

Ratnaih kalpitamaasanam himajalaih snaanam cha divyaambaram
Naanaaratnavibhuushhitam mrigamadaamodaankitam chandanam.
Jaatiichampakabilvapatrarachitam pushhpam cha dhuupam tathaa
Deepam deva dayaanidhe pashupate hritkalpitam grihyataam.h .. 1

I have imagined a throne of precious stones for you, cool water from the Himalayas for you to bathe in, divine robes adorned with all types of jewels, sandalwood paste mixed with musk to anoint your body, jasmine and champaka flowers and bilva leaves, rare incense, and a shining flame. Accept all these which I have imagined in my heart for you, o merciful God.

Sauvarne navaratnakhandarachite paatre ghritam paayasam
Bhakshyam pajnchavidham payodadhiyutam rambhaaphalam paanakam.
Shaakaanaamayutam jalam ruchikaram karpuurakhandojjvalam
Taambuulam manasaa mayaa virachitam bhaktyaa prabho sviikuru .. 2

Sweet rice in a golden bowl inlaid with the nine jewels, the five kinds of food made from milk and curd, bananas, vegetables, sweet water scented with camphor, and betel leaves – I have prepared all these in my mind with devotion. O lord, please accept them.

Chhatram chaamarayoryugam vyajanakam chaadarshakam nirmalam
Veenaabherimridangakaahalakalaa giitam cha nrityam tathaa .
Saashhtaangam pranatih stutirbahuvidhaa hyetatsamastam mayaa Sankalpena
samarpitam tava vibho puujaam grihaana prabho .. 3

A canopy, two yak-tail whisks, a fan and a spotless mirror, a Veena, kettledrums, a mridangA and a great drum, songs and dancing, full prostrations, and many kinds of hymns – all this I offer you in my imagination. O almighty lord, accept this as my worship of you.

Aatmaa tvam girijaa matih sahacharaah praanaah shariiram griham
Poojaa te vishhayopabhogarachanaa nidraa samaadhisthitih .
Sajnchaarah padayoh pradakshinavidhih stotraani sarvaa giro
Yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilam shambho tavaaraadhanam.h .. 4

You are my self; Paarvatii is my reason. My five praanaas are your attendants, my body is your house, and all the pleasures of my senses are objects to use for your worship. My sleep is your state of samaadhii. Wherever I walk I am walking around you, everything I say is in praise of you, everything I do is in devotion to you, o benevolent lord!

Karacharana kritam vaakkaayajam karmajam vaa .
Shravananayanajam vaa maanasam vaaparaadham.
Vihitamavihitam vaa sarvametatkshamasva .
Jaya jaya karunaabdhe shriimahaadevashambho .. 5

Whatever sins i have committed with my hands, feet, voice, body, actions, ears, eyes, or mind, whether prohibited by the scriptures or not, please forgive them all. Hail! Hail! O ocean of compassion! O great god! O benevolent lord! .. 5

 

[sarang]

Good explanation. 'namo', na mamah, - not mine, concept and meaning is not readily understood; hence the confusion.

Our tradition accepts self introduction in all solemn occassions- kulam, gotram and namam; nothing unusual or anything wrong to prefix puja/archanai with such data.

I differ with this laboured interpretation of the term puja. It is sanskrit word and has nothing to do with poo chey which is Tamil.

1.There is not much in common between a yajna and puja. Yajna is a ritual performed for deriving material benefits for people. Puja is performed to repeatedly tell oneself about his true swaroopa in relation to god. It is more of a plea to God or an act to show reverence to God with whom the bhakta has a relationship.

2.Flower is only a symbolic addition. There is no restriction on which flower to use or that only flower should be used. Any flower/leaves can be used. The only stipulation is that it should not be harmful to the bhakta who uses it to worship God.

3.Though Puja has been reduced to a mere ceremony in many places, it is not just that. Even when the Archaka or pujari in a temple does the archana which is nothing but a puja the devotee is supposed to think about the glory of the God and his dependence on God for every thing. If a devotee needs the help of a language to attain this it is okay to request for a language that he understands. The spirit is more important.

4.The anthropomorphous form of God and worship of that form is a milestone in the spiritual development Hindus. Direct contact may not be the right word to express the purpose that is served by the Godhead. An individual is able to concentrate on an image-it can be even an image in his mind-better than on void or empty space or just nothing. This is well said in Tamil by oru naamam oruruvam onrum illaarkku oiram thirunaamam paadi naam thellenam kottomo.

5.The principal aim of puja is repeatedly tell oneself with every namaha that the atman's swaroop is not independent of God, that it is totally dependent on God.



I think here again there is a misinterpretation. When the archaka says keshavaya namaha keshav is the nama and namaha is the swaroopa statement part. The latter is more important for the devotee than the former. If only nama is to be chanted it is enough if he says keshava, narayana, madhava etc., The namaha states emphatically and repeatedly that the atman that is standing before the deity and praying is totally dependent on the God. That bhava is more important and that is why the repetition ad infinitum. Karpura aaraththi can be performed any number of times. There is no restriction on that in the Agamas. Particularly when the aaraththi is performed the sanskrit sloka chanted goes like this........sathaa paschyanthi soorayaha............which means 'this is the roopa which is worshipped by those in the heaven without ever blinking'. So how can you restrict the number of time your devotee can worship the God the same way the atmans in heaven?

Conclusion: Archanai can be in Tamil if it has the word equivalent to namaha (for the full meaning of this word approach a good teacher and learn it from him). Since the bhava is more important it is enough if you tune your mind to the fact that each nama is followed in sanskrit by namaha which means surrender. So there is nothing seriously wrong if archanai is done in sanskrit(even if the devotee does not know sanskrit) because it is all naama and namaha only. The frequent karpur aarathi is not a violation of Agama. The rest of the matter such as archaka mentioning the king, the devotee who has paid, his family members, using his knowledge of music to make the archanai a treat to the ears etc are all innovations in business process reengineering.

Cheers.

 

[tbs]

A Sloka which is the Best illustration of Puja.

A Sloka which should be recited every day by all. Very easy and really Mental Puja.

Sambo Mahadeva !!!

Ratnaih kalpitamaasanam himajalaih snaanam cha divyaambaram
Naanaaratnavibhuushhitam mrigamadaamodaankitam chandanam.
Jaatiichampakabilvapatrarachitam pushhpam cha dhuupam tathaa
Deepam deva dayaanidhe pashupate hritkalpitam grihyataam.h .. 1

I have imagined a throne of precious stones for you, cool water from the Himalayas for you to bathe in, divine robes adorned with all types of jewels, sandalwood paste mixed with musk to anoint your body, jasmine and champaka flowers and bilva leaves, rare incense, and a shining flame. Accept all these which I have imagined in my heart for you, o merciful God.

Sauvarne navaratnakhandarachite paatre ghritam paayasam
Bhakshyam pajnchavidham payodadhiyutam rambhaaphalam paanakam.
Shaakaanaamayutam jalam ruchikaram karpuurakhandojjvalam
Taambuulam manasaa mayaa virachitam bhaktyaa prabho sviikuru .. 2

Sweet rice in a golden bowl inlaid with the nine jewels, the five kinds of food made from milk and curd, bananas, vegetables, sweet water scented with camphor, and betel leaves – I have prepared all these in my mind with devotion. O lord, please accept them.

Chhatram chaamarayoryugam vyajanakam chaadarshakam nirmalam
Veenaabherimridangakaahalakalaa giitam cha nrityam tathaa .
Saashhtaangam pranatih stutirbahuvidhaa hyetatsamastam mayaa Sankalpena
samarpitam tava vibho puujaam grihaana prabho .. 3

A canopy, two yak-tail whisks, a fan and a spotless mirror, a Veena, kettledrums, a mridangA and a great drum, songs and dancing, full prostrations, and many kinds of hymns – all this I offer you in my imagination. O almighty lord, accept this as my worship of you.

Aatmaa tvam girijaa matih sahacharaah praanaah shariiram griham
Poojaa te vishhayopabhogarachanaa nidraa samaadhisthitih .
Sajnchaarah padayoh pradakshinavidhih stotraani sarvaa giro
Yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilam shambho tavaaraadhanam.h .. 4

You are my self; Paarvatii is my reason. My five praanaas are your attendants, my body is your house, and all the pleasures of my senses are objects to use for your worship. My sleep is your state of samaadhii. Wherever I walk I am walking around you, everything I say is in praise of you, everything I do is in devotion to you, o benevolent lord!

Karacharana kritam vaakkaayajam karmajam vaa .
Shravananayanajam vaa maanasam vaaparaadham.
Vihitamavihitam vaa sarvametatkshamasva .
Jaya jaya karunaabdhe shriimahaadevashambho .. 5

Whatever sins i have committed with my hands, feet, voice, body, actions, ears, eyes, or mind, whether prohibited by the scriptures or not, please forgive them all. Hail! Hail! O ocean of compassion! O great god! O benevolent lord! .. 5

hi

with tamil words.....

Shiva manasa pooja Stotram

 

[tbs]

hi
archanam , pujanam......like eight kinds of vigraha aaradana puja.....

generally 3 types of UPACHAARA PUJA.....

1 PANCHOPACHARA PUJA.....ABBAHANAM, SNANAM .GANDHAM PUSHPAM DEEPAM DEIVEDYAM.....5 UPACHARA PUJA

2 SHODASA UPACHARA PUJA.....AS MENTIONED ABOVE.....16 STEPS OF UPACHARA PUJA...

3 DVAATRIMSAT UPACHARA PUJA.....32 STEPS OF UPACHARA PUJA.....


according to availability of money/material and time....we can do these kinds of upachara pujas mentioned in agamas....

 

[sarang]

There is no time or place to sing the glory of god. That is the purpose of archanai, invoking His blessings by praising Him. In many temples pujakalam is different and archanai is not done then. Simple rule is - what is a must, must be done. Anything else done, can be done only if it does not conflict with agamas.

Acceptance of this will clear most of the arguments and perceived inconsistencies - like there is no mention of tali in vedas, archanai not specified in agamas etc.

Only nishidda karyams must be avoided, if possible.

Shodashopachara Puja.

The Shodashopachara Puja consists of

1.Avahana (“invocation”). The deity is invited to the ceremony from the heart.

2.Asana. The deity is offered a seat.

3.Padya. The deity’s feet are symbolically washed.

4.Water is offered for washing the head and body

5.Arghya. Water is offered so the deity may wash its mouth.

6.Snana or abhisekha. Water is offered for symbolic bathing.

7.Vastra (“clothing”). Here a cloth may be wrapped around the image and ornaments affixed to it.

8.Upaveeda or Mangalsutra. Putting on the sacred thread.

9.Anulepana or gandha. Perfumes and ointments are applied to the image. Sandalwood paste or kumkum is applied.

10.Pushpa. Flowers are offered before the image, or garlands draped around its neck.

11.Dhupa. Incense is burned before the image.

12.Dipa or Aarti. A burning lamp is waved in front of the image.

13.Naivedya. Foods such as cooked rice, fruit, clarified butter, sugar, and betel leaf are offered.

14.Namaskara or pranama. The worshipper and family bow or prostrate themselves before the image to offer homage.

15.Parikrama or Pradakshina. Circumambulation around the deity.

16.Taking leave.

Here are the Sixteen Upacharas:

1. Seating of the deity

2. Welcoming of the deity

3. Offering water to wash the feet

4. Offering water to wash the hands

5. Offering water to sip and rinse the mouth

6. Providing a bath

7. Offering fresh clothes and decorations

8. Offering fresh sacred thread

9. Offering aromatic substance like sandal paste etc

10. Offering of flowers

11. Burning incense

12. Waving lights

13. Offering food

14. Offering betel leaves, betel nuts, camphor etc

15. Prostrations before the deity and circumambulations

16. Sending off

These are the general steps that are followed. There may be slight variations in some regions.

The temple Pujas are different in that the temple deity (patron god or goddess) is considered a resident rather than a guest, so the puja is modified to reflect that; for example the deity is "awakened" rather than "invoked" in the morning. Temple pujas vary widely from region to region and for different sects.

Now performing only Archana and Deepa aradhana does not constitute Puja. This is what I meant when I said that the present system of Archana is against Agamic rules. It is not the Archana. You can do that any time. But the Karpura Aarthi which follows which is against the sasthras. There is no philosophy involved here.

I can understand the non-Brahmins or the people who are not aware of the rituals doing it. But I do not understand why the Brahmins who should know better do it.

The only possible explanation is that the Brahmins support it because it benefits the professional Brahmins. In temples like Mangadu you have only two or three Pujaris performing the Nithya Puja. But you have hordes of Brahmins doing Archana for devotees.

 

[suraju06]

Dear Nachinarkiniyan,

You have said:

Now performing only Archana and Deepa aradhana does not constitute Puja. This is what I meant when I said that the present system of Archana is against Agamic rules. It is not the Archana. You can do that any time. But the Karpura Aarthi which follows which is against the sasthras. There is no philosophy involved here.
I can understand the non-Brahmins or the people who are not aware of the rituals doing it. But I do not understand why the Brahmins who should know better do it.

The shodasa upachaara during the Agamic Aradhana of a deity is done twice or thrice a day depending on custom and tradition of the temple. The archanam as well as the karpoora aaraththi are part of this Agamic Aradhana. But there are time intervals between one upachara and another upachara within the same agamic aradhana session and there are also time intervals between one shodasa upachara aradhana session and another in a day. During these intervals the deity is not closed(because the final upachara of paryankasanam offering is kept pending) for darshan nor does the flow of devotees stop. So archana and karpoor aaraththi are performed out side the regimen of the shodasa upachara aradhana many times and there are no specific restrictions either in Vaikanasa Agama or Pancharatra Agama which are followed in Vishnu temples in Tamilnadu. Kerala is a different case where these two agamas are not followed and the agama followed is based on thanthric rituals. In Siva temples the agama followed is one of the many Sivagamas(one of the 64? I do not remember the exact number).

This being the position from the angle of Agamas, there is a practical reason why karpoor aaraththi is performed more frequently. The Garbhagriha being dark, the archaka uses the karpoor aaraththi to show the moorthy in detail to the bhakthas who want to have a proper and complete darshan. Since it is not against the Agama this is allowed in Temples. For these reasons explained above I do not agree when you say "brahmins who knows the rituals well should at least not do that".

Besides all these there is another beautifully simple reason why we should not bother about the many karpoor aaraththies in the temple. And that is this:

At the end of each shodasa upachara aradhana the archaka places his head at the thiruvadi(feet) of the deity and with all humility says:

upachaaraan aapathesena kruthaan aharaharmaya, apachaaraan imaan sarvan kshamasva purushoththama!

(Meaning: Thinking that these are all upacharam for you I have perhaps committed many apacharams. Please forgive me for all these apacharam, oh God Purushoththama!)

when we do not know whether it is indeed a upachaaram at all because it is just an AApathesam, why argue so much about it? Because of karppoor aarathi if a devotee gets satisfaction that he could see clearly the thiruvadi of the Lord there is nothing equal to that.

Cheers.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Another common ritual is that of Sankalpa before the priest recites the Archana. You can find Mamis asking the priest to ensure that no one gets left out and even consulting the daughter also ensure this.

There are many families where you have two names. One which is given during the nama karana ceremony and the other official name. The name given during nama karana is used only during Samskaras and also when doing Archanas. My family follows this tradition.

Do we believe that GOD needs this introduction? GOD who is omniscient and omnipotent would not know who is offering the Archana?

Strange beliefs.

I never had a habit of buying Archana tickets in temples. I pray on my own. This made me unpopular with the priests. Later I started buying Archanai tickets. But I tell the priests not to insist on a name. Do it in the name of GOD.

 

[zebra16]

Sarang,


Now a days people start showing Lamps and even Candles to God. They believe it is Deepa Aradhana.

They do not realize that Deepa Aradhana is only a part of the elaborate Puja ritual.

The temples have used this belief to make it a regular practice.

In many temples run by charitable trusts, you will find a board telling the public that No Archanai will be done.

The beliefs of the Bhakthas or the poojaris or temple priests may not be entirely arbitrary.

Just as there is a detailed ritual of shodashopacharam, I think there is a brief version of the puja in panchopacharam, which consits of avahanam, dhoopam, deepam, naivedyam and karpoora neeranjanam.