Nitya Pooja

Jai Swaminarayan

Nitya Pooja

Nitya Pooja Why is it done during the morning?? • Most peaceful time of the day • Fully alert in the morning

Nitya Pooja • Facing either North or East • Men should wear shawl and dhoti • Women should have separate set of clothes set aside just for pooja • Only Bhagwans murtis should be in your pooja!

Group work List the order in which the pooja is done.  For example what you do first etc and what is done last.

Nitya Pooja • 1st stage – Aachman (sipping water) This is done 3 times to clean you internally.

¾ Om Shri Narayanay Namaha ¾ Om Shri Vasudevay Namaha ¾ Om Shri Vishnaveh Namaha 4th time round you clean your hand!

Nitya Pooja 2nd stage: Tilak Chandlo Tilak done in 4 places (For men only!) 1. Forehead

(Om Shri Vasudevay Namaha)

2. 3. 4.

(Om Shri Shankarshanay Namaha) (Om Shri Pradumnay Namaha) (Om Shri Anirudhay Namaha)

Chest Right arm Left arm

Shikshapatri shloka 42 states tilak should be done using a gopichandan stick

Nitya Pooja 2nd stage: Tilak Chandlo • Chandlo must be done by both males and  females! • Chandlo should be done using kum kum (red  powder)

“Om Shri Maha Lakshmiyai Namaha” Shikshapatri shloka 43 It states that the chandlo can also be done  using gopichandan

Nitya Pooja ‐ Aachamn The Aachman is done once again after the  tilak chandlo ¾ Om Shri Narayanay Namaha ¾ Om Shri Vasudevay Namaha ¾ Om Shri Vishnaveh Namaha

Nitya Pooja‐ Maansi Pooja • Wake up the Lord • Bathe and clothe Him • Aarti and Thaal

This is all done mentally!!

Nitya Pooja ‐ Pratyaksh Pooja Ahavan Mantra (Calling God down to your pooja) “Utishtothisht hey nath Swaminarayan prabho| Dharmasuno dayasindho swesham shreyha param kuru || Utishtothisht Govinda! Uttishta Garuda Dhvaja; Uttishta Kamalakanta trailokye mangalam kuru Agachh Bhagwan dev swasthanatparmeshwar | Aham poojam karishyami sadaa tvam sanmukho bhava” || Thaal and Aarti is now done

Nitya Pooja ‐ Pratyaksh Pooja Mala • Minimum 5 circulations of the mala is the  norm in the pooja

• For people who have Guru Mantra  an extra mala should be done for that also

Nitya Pooja ‐ Pratyaksh Pooja Taap Mala (standing on left leg, right leg crossed  touching left knee or above)

Nitya Pooja ‐ Pratyaksh Pooja Pradikshana • Clockwise direction

Nitya Pooja ‐ Pratyaksh Pooja Darshan • Men ‐ Ashtang Pranam On the last darshan you should ask  for forgivness from the Lord

• Women ‐ Panchang Pranam

Nitya Pooja ‐ Shikshapatri • A minimum of 5 shlokas must be read • Extra reading can be  done in the form of  Vachnamrut and other  scriptures

Nitya Pooja ‐ Visarjan Mantra • Farewell to God “Swastanam Gachha Devesha Pooja Maadaya Mamkim Ishtakaama Prasidhyartham Punaragamanay Chha” • Ask Him to return the next morning

Nitya Pooja • Next you do darshan of your sinhasan at  home

Nitya Pooja • Jai Swaminarayan should be said to your  parents at the very end

Benefits of Nitya Pooja • Brings you closer to Lord Swaminarayan • He will become very happy with you and  will stay with you at all times

Nitya Pooja ‐ Summary • Try and follow as many of the steps as you can • A good starting point for people just beginning  would be: • Clean set of clothes to be worn • Tilak Chandlo • Mala • Shikshapatri

As time goes on extra actions can be gradually  brought in

Please ask any Questions Jai Swaminarayan