Chhoti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi

1. Pavitrikaranam

Om Apavitrah Pavitro Va Sarvavastham Gato'pi Va | Yah Smaret Pundarikaksham Sa Bahyabhyantarah Shuchih ||

Om Pundarikakshah Punatu | Om Pundarikakshah Punatu | Om Pundarikakshah Punatu ||

Pure or impure, in whatever state — whoever remembers the lotus-eyed Lord becomes pure within and without. May the lotus-eyed Lord purify us.

Take water in the left hand and, with the fingers of the right hand, sprinkle it over yourself, the seat and the puja items.

Samagri: Water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon, Ganga water

2. Achamanam

Om Keshavaya Namah | Om Narayanaya Namah | Om Madhavaya Namah ||

Om Hrishikeshaya Namah | Hastam Prakshalayami ||

Sipping water thrice with salutations to Keshava, Narayana and Madhava for inner purity; hands are washed with Hrishikesha's name.

Take a little water in the right palm (gokarna mudra) and sip it three times, once with each name; then say 'Hrishikeshaya Namah' and wash your hands.

Samagri: Water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon

3. Sankalpa

Om Vishnurvishnurvishnuh | Shrimadbhagavato Mahapurushasya Vishnoragyaya Pravartamanasya Adya Shribrahmano Dvitiyaparardhe Shrishvetavarahakalpe Vaivasvatamanvantare Ashtavimshatitame Kaliyuge Kaliprathamacharane Jambudvipe Bharatakhande Bharatavarshe Aryavartaikadeshe (city/village) nagare (samvatsara) namasamvatsare (ayana) (ritu) (month) mase (paksha) pakshe (tithi) tithau (weekday) vasare (gotra) gotrotpannah/utpanna (your name) Namaham Narakabhayanivaranartham Abhyangasnanapurvakam Yamatarpanam Dipadanam Cha Karishye ||

Say the words in ( ) — the Panchang and your gotra — yourself; ▶ Listen to sankalp asks you for them. Your name and city come from your profile.

I (name, gotra), at this time and place, resolve to perform this puja for the stated purpose.

Take water, akshat, flowers and dakshina in the right hand and read the sankalp (the app fills in your town, tithi, name and gotra); at the end, release the water onto the ground or into a copper plate.

Samagri: Water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon, akshat (unbroken rice), fresh flowers, dakshina (coin/money)

4. Ganesha Smaranam

Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha | Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarvakaryeshu Sarvada ||

Om Gam Ganapataye Namah | Gandhakshatapushpani Samarpayami ||

O curved-trunked, mighty Lord, radiant as a million suns — make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always.

Before any puja, meditate on Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, and offer akshat and flowers. (In Ganesha Puja this step is part of the main worship.)

Samagri: Akshat (unbroken rice), fresh flowers, roli/kumkum

5. Abhyanga

The abhyanga bath is believed to remove the fear of hell and bring health and beauty.

After moonrise and before sunrise, massage with sesame oil and apply ubtan.

Samagri: Sesame oil and ubtan

6. Apamarga Bhramana & Snana

Sitaloshthasamayuktam Sakantakadalanvitam | Hara Papamapamarga Bhramyamanah Punah Punah ||

O apamarga with thorny leaves, as you are waved again and again, take away my sins.

While bathing, move a twig of apamarga (chirchita) over your head three times, then bathe.

Samagri: Apamarga (chirchita) twig, water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon

7. Yama Tarpana

Om Yamaya Namah | Om Dharmarajaya Namah | Om Mrityave Namah | Om Antakaya Namah | Om Vaivasvataya Namah | Om Kalaya Namah | Om Sarvabhutakshayaya Namah | Om Audumbaraya Namah | Om Dadhnaya Namah | Om Nilaya Namah | Om Parameshthine Namah | Om Vrikodaraya Namah | Om Chitraya Namah | Om Chitraguptaya Namah ||

Tarpan with the fourteen names of Yamaraja — salutations to Yama, Dharmaraja, Mrityu, Antaka, Vaivasvata, Kala, Sarvabhutakshaya, Audumbara, Dadhna, Nila, Parameshthi, Vrikodara, Chitra and Chitragupta.

Facing south, mix black sesame into water and offer three handfuls of water with each name.

Samagri: Water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon, black sesame

8. Dhyanam

Vasudevasutam Devam Kamsachanuramardanam | Devakiparamanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Dhyayami ||

Meditation on the form of the deity.

Join your hands, close your eyes and recite the dhyana shloka while picturing the deity's form in your mind.

9. Gandha

Shrikhandam Chandanam Divyam Gandhadhyam Sumanoharam | Vilepanam Surashreshtha Chandanam Pratigrihyatam ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Gandham Samarpayami ||

Divine, fragrant, delightful sandal paste for anointing — O best of gods, accept it.

With the ring finger, apply a tilak of sandalwood/roli to the deity.

Samagri: Sandalwood, roli/kumkum

10. Pushpani

Malyadini Sugandhini Malatyadini Vai Prabho | Mayanitani Pushpani Grihana Parameshvara ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Pushpani Pushpamalam Cha Samarpayami ||

Fragrant garlands and flowers such as malati I have brought — O Lord, accept them.

Offer fresh flowers and a garland to the deity (for the deity's favourite flowers see Sheet 13).

Samagri: Fresh flowers, flower garland

11. Dhupa

Vanaspatirasodbhuto Gandhadhyo Gandha Uttamah | Aghreyah Sarvadevanam Dhupo'yam Pratigrihyatam ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Dhupam Aghrapayami ||

This incense of fine fragrance, made from plant resins and fit for all the gods, please accept.

Light dhoop/incense and, ringing the bell with the left hand, wave the incense before the deity with the right hand.

Samagri: Dhoop/incense sticks, bell, matchbox

12. Deepa

Sajyam Cha Vartisamyuktam Vahnina Yojitam Maya | Dipam Grihana Devesha Trailokyatimirapaham ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Dipam Darshayami | Hastaprakshalanam ||

A lamp of ghee and wick, lit with fire, that dispels the darkness of the three worlds — please accept.

Show the ghee lamp to the deity, then wash your hands.

Samagri: Ghee lamp with cotton wick

13. Naivedyam

Sharkarakhandakhadyani Dadhikshiraghritani Cha | Aharam Bhakshyabhojyam Cha Naivedyam Pratigrihyatam || Om Pranaya Svaha | Om Apanaya Svaha | Om Vyanaya Svaha | Om Udanaya Svaha | Om Samanaya Svaha ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Naivedyam Nivedayami ||

Accept this food offering of sugar, sweets, curd, milk, ghee and dishes. It is offered to the five vital breaths.

Place the plate of bhog before the deity and circle it with water (for Vishnu, Krishna and Rama, place a tulsi leaf on it), then recite the pancha-pranahuti mantra.

Samagri: Naivedya (sweets/bhog), water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon

14. Aarti / Nirajanam

Kadaligarbhasambhutam Karpuram Tu Pradipitam | Arartikyamaham Kurve Pashya Me Varado Bhava ||

Om Shrikrishnaya Namah | Arartikyam Samarpayami ||

With lighted camphor I perform the aarti — look upon me and be the giver of boons.

Wave the aarti plate of camphor or ghee 4 times at the deity's feet, 2 times at the navel, once at the face and 7 times over the whole form; sing the aarti while ringing the bell.

Samagri: Aarti plate, camphor, bell

15. Evening Deepadan

Om Yamaya Namah | Dipam Samarpayami ||

I offer this lamp for Yamaraja.

In the evening, light 14 lamps at the doors, courtyard and shrine of the house.

Samagri: Clay diyas (11/21 or more), sesame oil and ubtan

16. Kshama Prarthana

Avahanam Na Janami Na Janami Visarjanam | Pujam Chaiva Na Janami Kshamasva Parameshvara || Mantrahinam Kriyahinam Bhaktihinam Sureshvara | Yatpujitam Maya Deva Paripurnam Tadastu Me ||

Anena Pujanena Shrikrishnah Priyatam, Na Mama ||

I know not how to invoke, bid farewell, or worship properly — forgive me. Though lacking in mantra, rite and devotion, may my worship be complete. May the deity be pleased; the fruit is theirs, not mine.

With joined hands ask forgiveness for any mistakes in the puja; finally, releasing water, offer the fruit of the puja to the deity.

Samagri: Water vessel (lota) and achamani spoon