Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Snatra/Ashta Prakari Puja
You should do the following things to prepare for any type of Puja ceremony:
II. Bathe or shower prior to performing Puja
III. Wear clean (recently washed) clothing and do not eat anything or go to the bathroom after putting
on those clothes
IV. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief
The purpose of performing Snatra Puja is to perceive and praise the virtues and attributes of the supreme beings Jineshwar (24 Tirthankars), and thereby remembering to always conduct ones own daily life with the same supreme virtues and attributes.
Stages in Snatra Puja:
V. Remembering and respectfully worshipping the virtues, attributes and characteristics that allowed the
24 Tirthankars to attain salvation.
VI. Celebration of the birth and re-enactment of the Tirthankar’s first bathing ceremony.
VII. Astha Prakari Puja: Worship with eight symbolic entities.
VIII. Aarti and Mangal Divo.
IX. Shanti-Kalash Ceremonial Process.
X. Bhav Puja: Chaityavandan.
Nine Points of Chandan Puja on idol of Tirthankar (Nav Ang Puja):
1. Right toe, then left toe
2. Right knee, then left knee
3. Right center of forearm, then left center of forearm
4. Right shoulder, then left shoulder
5. Top of head (at center)
6. Center of forehead
7. Center of throat
8. Center of chest
Meaning of Ashta Prakari Puja:
Generally Jains use the following eight items to perform Astha Prakari Puja of a Tirthankar. Each item represents a specific religious virtue. While conducting the puja, one is reminded of the importance of conducting his/her own daily life with the same supreme virtues.
1. Jala Puja: (Water)
Water symbolizes the ocean. Every living being continuously travels through life’s ocean birth, death, and misery. This puja reminds that one should live their life with honesty, truthfulness, love and compassion towards all living beings. This way one will be able to cross life’s ocean and attain Moksha or liberation.
2. Chandan Puja: (Sandal wood)
Chandan symbolizes knowledge (Jnan). By performing this puja, one should strive for Right Knowledge. Jainism preaches that the Path of Knowledge is the main path to attain liberation. Bhakti or Devotion helps in the early stages of one's effort for liberation.
3. Pushpa Puja: (Flower)
A flower symbolizes conduct. Our conduct should be like a flower, which provides fragrance and beauty to all living beings without discrimination. We should live our life like a flower, with love and compassion towards all living beings.
4. Dhoop Puja: (Incense)
Dhoop symbolizes the ascetic life. While burning itself, incense provides fragrance to others. Similarly, true monks and nuns spend their entire life selflessly for the benefit of all living beings. This puja reminds that one should strive for an ascetic lifestyle that ultimately leads to liberation.
5. Deepak Puja: (Candle)
The flame of deepak represents Pure Consciousness or a soul without any bondage (liberated soul). In Jainism, such a soul is called a Siddha or God. The ultimate goal of every living being is to become liberated from karma. By doing this puja one should strive to follow the Five Great Vows: Non violence, Truthfulness, Non stealing, Chastity and Non possession. Ultimately, these vows coupled with Right Faith and Knowledge will lead to liberation.
6. Akshat Puja: (Rice)
Since rice is a non-fertile grain, it cannot be grown by seeding it. Symbolically, it means that rice is the last birth. By doing this puja, one should strive to put all their efforts in life as if this is their last life. And after the end of this life, one will be liberated and will not be reborn again.
7. Naivedya Puja: (Sweet)
Naivedya symbolizes a tasty food. By doing this puja, one should strive to reduce or eliminate attachment to tasty food. Healthy food is essential for survival, however one should not live to eat tasty food. The ultimate aim in one's life is to attain a life where no food is essential for our existence. That is the life of a liberated soul who lives in Moksha forever in ultimate bliss.
8. Fal Puja: (Fruit)
Fruit symbolizes Moksha or Liberation. If we live our life without any attachment to worldly affair, continue to perform our duty without any expectation and reward, be a witness to all the incidents that occur surrounding us and within us, truly follow ascetic life, and have a love and compassion to all living beings, we will attain the fruit of Moksha or liberation. This is the last puja performed and symbolizes the ultimate achievement of our life.
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Recitation of Aarti
Jai Jai Aarti Aadi Jinanda,
Nabhiraya Marudevi Ko Nanda.
Paheli Aarti Pooja Kije,
Narbhav Paamine Lavo Lije.
Dusari Aarti Din Dayala,
Dhuleva Nagarman Jug Ujavala.
Tisari Aarti Tribhuvan Deva,
Sura Nara Indra Kare Tore Seva.
Chothi Aarti Chau Gati Chure,
Manavanchhit Fal Shiv Sukh Pure.
Panchami Aarti Punya Upaayo,
Mulchanda Rushubh Gun Gayo.
Jai Jai Aarti Aadi Jinanda,
Nabhiraya Marudevi Ko Nanda.
Ghabaro
Ghabaro - this is the area of the inner sanctorum where the idols of the two Mahavir bhagwan and Parswanath bhagwan are enshrined on a beautiful vedi (throne). In the centre we have the 61 inch marble idol of Mahavir bhagwan and on either side we have an 11 inch idol in panchdhatu (five metals) of Parswanath bhagwan and a nine inch idol in silver metal of Mahavir bhagwan. The three idols sit on a gandhkuti. The gandhkuti is where the Tirthankar bhagwan or Arihant bhagwan is seated. There are three small tiers symbolising the three jewels (samak darshan-gnan-charitra) or the path to liberation, on which sits the Lord. He is a symbol of the fruit of the three jewels i.e. liberation.
On top of the main vedi (throne) we have a shikhar (crown). In all inaugurated Jain temples, it is important to have a shikhar. It is a symbol of superiority, but in addition it is also a sign from far away that a Jain temple is present. As well as the shikhar on the vedi, there are three shikhars on the outside of the temple. On top of the inside shikhar there are three kalashes (stupikas). A kalash is a symbol of the establishment of any auspicious deed in the religious hierarchy. It is for this reason that in the panchkalyanak ceremony of the inauguration of the throne and in thevidhan- pujas, the kalash is first installed before the ceremony proceeds. Underneath the shikhar, there is a panel depicting the eight auspicious objects in Jainism (asht mangal).
Just above the idols we have 3 chhatra. There are always three chhatra above the Jin idol's head and this is a symbol that he is the Lord of all three worlds. In addition, the cchatra also demonstrates that the Lord has forever destroyed the wheel of birth and rebirth and is now experiencing eternal bliss. Behind the main Mahavir bhagwan idol we have a bhamandal (mirror). This is a reflection of the Lord's extra-ordinary pre-eminence, in which eligible souls can view their seven incarnations in a samavasharan - three past incarnations, one present and three future ones if remaining. On viewing these incarnations, one gets inspired to eliminate all re-incarnations.
On either side of the vedi there are two pillars which display the sixteen dreams which the mother of the Tirthankar bhagwan has prior to conception. Behind the vedi there is an Ashok-vraksh (a symbol of happiness and no pain or poverty surrounding the samavasharan). On the walls of the ghabaro (inner sanctorum) we have inscriptions of dictum by Pujya Gurudevshree Kanjiswami, Pujya Bahenshree Champaben, Aradhna paath, the 'jaimala' of the Dev-shastra-guru puja by Pandit Jugalkishorji, Nirvankand, names of 20 Tirthankar bhagwan in Mahavidehchhetra. On the main walls of the swadhyay room we have inscriptions of 5 verses of the five main shastras by KundKund Acharyadev i.e. Samaysar, Pravachansar, Niyamsar, Ashtpahud and Panchastikay. We also have inscriptions of sayings by Pujya Gurudev Shri Kanjiswami and some of his daily recitals such as, 47 Shakti from Samaysar, 47 Nay from Pravachansar, 10 bol of Srimad Rajchandra, names of 24 Tirthankars and 10 Alingrahan Bol from gatha 72 of Pravachansar.
Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti is the main Jain festival. Mahavirswami is the twenty-fourth Tirthankar. He was born in 599 BC at Kshatriyakund near modern Patna in Bihar. His father, King Siddhartha, and his mother, Queen Trishla, were very religious people and followers of Lord Parshwanath, the twenty-third Tirthankar. When Queen Trishla was expecting the baby she had 14 beautiful dreams (some believe sixteen dreams). When the learned scholars were asked about the dreams they said she was going to have an extraordinary child., one who will show the path to true happiness to humanity
Monday, November 26, 2007
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Saturday, November 24, 2007
SrimAn nArAyaNa
ShAntAkAram bhujaga sayanam padma nAbham surEsam
VishwAdhAram gagana sadrusam megha varNam SubhAngam
Lakshmi kAntam kamala nayanam yOgi hrudyAnagamyam
VandE vishNum bhava bhaya haram sarva lokaika nAtham
MEgha syAmam peeta kausEya vAsam
SrI vatsAnkam koustubhOdbhAsitAngam
PuNyopEtam pundarIkAyatAksham
VishNum vande sarva lOkaika nAtham
Lord of highest bliss and tranquility, who is resting on the thousand hooded Adi sesha, with a lotus flower sprouting from His navel, the Lord of lords
The Lord who is bigger than the biggest, the support of the skies, who is in black cloudish colour, the most auspicious Lord
Who is always served by Srimati Lakshmi devi, the One with lotus like eyes, the One who is worshipped by the perfected yogis in their hearts
I bow unto the holy feet of such Lord Vishnu, who removes all miseries from those who take His exclusive refuge; He is the Lord of all universes.
He is Megha syAma and adorned with Koustubha mani,
The first Person, One who has innumerable forms,
The Lord who is adorned with sankha(conch), chakra(discus), kirita (crown), silk cloths, the Lord with Kousthubha mani on His chest, the Lord with four arms, the Lord in black cloudish hue, sitting on the royal throne and who is the Lord of Rukmini and satyabhama.
This is how the Supreme Lord, Narayana, described by sages and realized souls.
Lord Sriman Narayana, who is also called govinda, Hari, vishnNu, krishNa, vAsudEva, …., is the the reason for every thing that is manifested, unmanifested and yet to manifest. He is the foundation of every thing. For ignorant people, the description of the Lord may appear symbolic or fictitious, but the infallible scriptures describe like this. The Lord of such incomparable qualities is sometimes described in the vedic literature as nirAkAri and nirguNa only to explain that His form is beyond material imperfections. Unfortunate souls mistake Him to have no form at all.
SrimAn nArAyaNA, who is akhilAnda koti brahmAnda nAyaka (the Lord of infinitely many universes), has multifarious manifestations. His form in His abode Sri Vaikuntha (the abode without any anxieties) is called para vAsudeva. From Him comes 4 priniple incarnations called vaibhava forms, namely vaibhava vAsudeva, sankarshana, pradyumna and anirudha. From Anirudha, many incarnations emanate as His sport and Mercy for conditioned people. As antaryAmi, He is present in every one\s heart and everything. He is all pervading and omnipresent. To enable His devotees to have His personal darshan (appearance), He mercifully incarnates as deities. Hence deity worship is no lesser than worshipping the Lord directly. Especially when we are conditioned in material bondage, His archa vigraha (worshippable deity incarnation) avatAra is very easy means to serve the Lord. When antaryAmi is like moisture in air, archa form is like water in the well, we cannot drink moisture but water in the well can easily be used to satisfy our thirst. Hence deity worship is greatly emphasized by the acharyas. Lord Rangantha in Sri Rangam, Sri bAlAji from Tirupati,…. infinitely many available forms are patiently waiting to pour their mercy on us. Let us take the best advantage of His most merciful form.
The following is a pictorial representation of His incarnations.
Articles for Laxmi Puja
Icon of Laxmi or Supari on White rice representing 9 forms of Laxmi
A gold or silver coin to represent Laxmi for her bath
Handkerchiefs or pieces of cloth for wiping the coin representing Laxmi after it has been bathed
Low stool(s) with square or rectangular tops (chouki or patta), 1 big one, or 2 small ones
Ledger and account books, books where balance sheets are kept, cash box or safe or drawer where valuables are kept, coin purse made of cloth
Pen
Ink pot, filled with black ink
Coins - gold, silver or currency
Three platters (thali)
Incense (dhupa) preferably incense sticks
Diyas- 2 big, 8 small. You can have 5, 11, 21, 51, or 101 lamps. These are the numbers in which they are traditionally used.
Cotton for wicks or ready made wicks
Matchbox
Sesame oil
Clarified butter prepared at home (or desi ghee)
Milk (dugdha)
Curds (dadhi)
Honey (madhu)
Water (at least clean and pure), if not from the Ganga or a place of pilgrimage
Panchamrta - Milk, curds, honey, ghee and pure water, together make up panchamrta or the five amrtas
Madhuparka - Milk, curds, honey and ghee mixed together, also make madhuparka
A container for madhuparka - if not made of precious metal, at least a decorative one
Turmeric and lime powdered and mixed (roli). This is an extremely important ingredient
Sandalwood powder, red and white, made into paste candana
Untwisted red thread (mouli or kalava)
Unbroken grains of rice (aksata or cavala)-an extremely important ingredient, at least half a kilogram.
Metal or earthenware water pot (kalasa).
White cloth - 2 meters - to be spread for the yajamana to sit on
Red cloth - 2 meter - to wrap around the copra or spread on the chouki to represent the nine planets
Tissues or paper towel
Camphor
Dried coconut (meva)
Flowers and petals (of rose and marigold)
Garlands (of rose and marigold)
Fruit according to the season (rtufala), for example, bananas, apples, grapes, pomegranates, custard apples
Dry fruit
Parched rice (khila)
Cloves (lavanga or long) 15 or 20.
Gardamoms (elaici)
Saffron (kesara, dried stamens of the plant Messua ferria) - one small packet or sachet
Vermillion (sindura)
Nutmeg - 16
*In absence of any of the above items please use unbroken raw Rice.
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