Puja

[Agaliha]

Does anyone do puja here?

I know there are pujas done in the home usually daily as well as huge temple/festival pujas during the year, but I'm a little unsure about how and what to do with it.

I'm not a Hindu Hindu, though I do honor Hindu gods, I don't follow every aspect of the religion...I believe the Gods transcend the boundaries of the faith. I do want to practice as many Hindu aspects as I can into my path, such as puja.
All the sites I found online about puja make is seem long and complicated. There were long lists of odd items and rigid things to do and say and I was never one to honor the Gods in such a way.

I know lamps, flowers, fruits, and rice are offered as well as incense. But then again if people read any of my post in the incense threads you'd know incense and I are a HUGE NO, as I am severly allergic to all kinds (because of their scent and the smoke aspect).
And I'm really not going to spend tons of time stumbling over sanskrit names and phrases and constantly looking at a book or paper for what to do next.

...So I don't know how to go about it.

Does anyone here do puja in a non-traditional way?

Oh and I forgot to add that I don't have any of the traditional puja items. All I have is a brass statue of Saraswati. Got it at Target for 25$ two months ago.
(see attachment). And I probably won't be able to purchace all the specific traditional puja items...

PS: In the future I'd want to honor Shiva along with Saraswati, but I don't have a Linga yet....

[Toby Stimpson]

I have yet to complete a full puja...but Im very much a traditionalist and would want to practice and memorize a traditional Bengali Puja form. I have some resources for you if you want, just stuff iv'e ben collecting for a long time...might give you an idea, pm me and Ill send you some stuff :).

Namaste

Tobias

[Paracelsus]

From a Bhakti persepective - Puja is simplicity itself, as it is not about the perfect performance of ritual actions, but, as John Lennon would say - all you need is love.

Bhagavad Gita 9:26. Kŗşna on the nature of Bhakti.

Be it a leaf, or a flower, or fruit, or water,
That a zealous soul may offer with love’s devotion,
That do I accept,
For it was love the offering.

[Agaliha]

From a Bhakti persepective - Puja is simplicity itself, as it is not about the perfect performance of ritual actions, but, as John Lennon would say - all you need is love.
Bhagavad Gita 9:26. Kŗşna on the nature of Bhakti.
Be it a leaf, or a flower, or fruit, or water,
That a zealous soul may offer with love’s devotion,
That do I accept,
For it was love the offering.

I like that idea-- simplicity and devotion.
I think in the future I'll come up with a puja that works for me-- a mix of traditional and non-traditional.
Simple actions and offerings (flowers from my yard, things in my pantry, pillar candles...) and simple words/phrases (in sanskrit, but mostly english).
All that maters is the sincerity, right.

Yesterday, I found this website with online pujas too! Pretty cool :)

If I come up with a good outline or find a good site or something I can post it here for anyone else interested...

[Toby Stimpson]

A great site is Hindu Net, it's not as nicely laid out as Buddha Net...but it has wonderful resources on Puja.

:)

Namaste

Tobias

[Agaliha]

I've been to hindunet, but most of the articles about Puja don't show up! :(
It says "Sorry... This page doesn't exist."
Odd.

[Toby Stimpson]

Hmm that is odd...did you go to the books section? Ahhh, yeah in the multimedia section, I see what you mean....go to the books section instead and pull up those books on Puja...

http://hindubooks.org/dynamic/

[Agaliha]

Ah, there we go. Thanks! :)

[TaysatWesir]

Hmm that is odd...did you go to the books section? Ahhh, yeah in the multimedia section, I see what you mean....go to the books section instead and pull up those books on Puja...

http://hindubooks.org/dynamic/
that's a cool link :)

[Starz123]

Well, from a more practical perspective....we do puja everyday and also on the major occassions.

For everyday puja,things are very very simple. We have our statue/s, which we bathe and then we light incense(optional) and a few flowers and then you can play a bhajan or aarti and just pray. Ofcourse,if not incense you can light a diya. You actually get the exact silver diya. Otherwise you can makedo with a clay or even use a tiny tinybowl.Just rol up a piece of cotton and put itstip pointing out. Addd a bit of oil and light it up during the puja.


That is ofcourse very simple and ou tof love and devotion. During the main festivals and others, we do follow a strict regime but still not to every single little bit. I have been taught, you do what you can with what you have. If you dont have it doesnt mean you dont do it. Just do your best.

I hope this helps.

Cheers!