Yes, Suba ! Just like I gave Shiva - 1, I plan to give Devi - 1 today. I am going a bit slow, because I want you all to have time to be fairly comfortable with what I have given, before I proceed with the next. Love & regards, Chithra.
durga devi slokam hii, this is a durga devi slogam. we can recite this to ambal/devi/amman/parvathi/.... "sarva mangala maangalye , shi've , sarvaartha sadhi'ke charan'ye tra'yam'bha'ke gowri narayani namos'thute " if we realise it is the sloka recited druing marriages, the priest during tying of the maangalyam. it is a slokam to show our gratitude and salutation to Goddess Devi! regards, sri
Questions In Queue... Hi Dear Chithra, I've noted down some long-standing doubts on puja vidhi / slokams etc, but for so far nobody to ask . When you can spare some time, do please explain my queries. {1} Is it OK to light just one lamp for daily praying or 2 lamps on either side are a must ? Or can we put 2 deepams [wicks] in one lamp ? Similarly, for kuthuvilakku must we keep both kuthuvilakkus everytime or one vilakku with 2 mugams lit, is alright ? I do not get 'nel' [paddy] here to keep underneath the kuthuvilakku, so am placing only on a simple kolam, is it ok ? I have seen a couple of neighbours & also a relative, pushing the lit wick back into the lamp , thereby 'offing' the vilakku, after namaskaram / finishing the stothras for the morning ???? They justify saying otherwise the thiri will burn down or if it offs on it's own, burnt smell will come in the house !!! How far is this reasonable ? {2} How many agarbathis are to be lit ? Is 'Nagchampa' variety alright ; because a colleague has said if we burn Nagchampa incense, snake / reptiles etc. will come to our house ???? But I love it's heady fragrance, just like Indian temples .... {3} Do we put chandan / kumkum even for Goddess pictures, or should we use only manjal / kumkum for the Goddess photos ? Also, I'm finding even daily wiping with soft cloth not able to remove the dust on the pictures which settles everyday....any tips for that ? Or can we fix a small curtain in front of my puja shelf or that practice [nadai saathuvadhu] is strictly only for temple deities ? {4} Here flowers for God like saamandhi, chemparuthi, malli etc. are not available easily on a daily basis. Can we use others that are not too fancy like single pink arali poo, blue sangu poo etc. ? Or will akshadai be better --- how to make it & how to dispose of it the next day morning ? Can we make a cup of akshadai & keep for some time or daily fresh must be made ; is there a significance for it ? {5} On what days of the week is it ideal to wash the Swami vessels -- and on what days should we change the yellow mangalyam thread ? {6} I'm putting daily 2 kinds of navagraha kolam, in front of puja shelf, for each day of the week, one from a site & one from a neighbour ; is it ok, or this kolams should be put only outside the house like on verandah/ road etc.?? {7} What is the proper fasting procedure for South Indians ; like my Rajasthani friend has sabudana, aloo, singhade ke aata, sendha namak etc. which are allowed , that too she eats 3 meals using those ingredients, and I saw no 'fasting' as such. For tamil religious practices, like Kandhar sashti, Purattasi sanikiyamai etc. must we abstain from all solids from dawn to dusk, and eat only fruits after finishing evening prayers ? Or must we have naivedhyam & some tiffin at night ? Can we have some liquids like juice, mor, tea, coffee during the day or only water ? {8} How to do Amavasai vradham for the peace of our ancestors ? Is there a slogam for chanting to give peace to the soul of our dear departed ? Absolutely no hurry at all for replying. Hope it is not a trouble, Bye,
hello Sri Thanks for the slokam.This is one of the first slokam i learnt in my early age. Love, Suba. Dear Mrs.Chithra, Kute Kiddo has raised some questions which now that i think about it has occured to me also at times.Waiting for yr answers. Love, Suba.
Some Sarasvathi shlokas:1 1 - Sarasvathee namasthubhyam varadae kaamaroopinee Vidyaarambam karishyaami siddhirbhavathumae sadaa ஸரஸ்வதீ நமஸ்துப்(4)யம் வரதே(3) காமரூபிணீ வித்(4)யாரம்ப(4)ம் கரிஷ்யாமி ஸித்(3)தி(4)ர்ப(4)வதுமே ஸதா(3) 2- Yaa daevee sthooyathae nithyam vibudairvedapaaragaih saa mae vasathu jihvaagrae brahmaroopa sarasvathee யா தே(3)வீ ஸ்தூயதே நித்யம் விபுதை(3)ர் வேத(3)பாரகை(3): ஸா மே வஸது ஜிஹ்வாக்(3)ரே ப்(3)ரஹ்மரூப ஸரஸ்வதீ 2 - Sree vidyaroopini sarasvathi sakala kalaavalli chaaru bimbhaadharee s(h)aradaa devi s(h)asthravalli veenaa pusthaka dharinee vanee kamala paanee vaagdevee varadaayaki pusthaka hasthae namasthae ஸ்ரீ வித்(4)யரூபிணி ஸரஸ்வதி ஸகல கலாவல்லி சாரு பி(3)ம்பா(4)த(4)ரீ சா(H)ரதா(3) தே(3)வி ஸ்ஹஸ்தரவல்லி வீணா புஸ்தக தா(4)ரீணீ வாணீ கமல பாணீ வாக்(3)தேவீ வரதாயகீ புஸ்தக ஹஸ்தே நமஸ்தே Yaa devee sarva bhoothaeshu smruthi roopaena samsthithaa Namasthasyai namasthasyai namasthasyai namo nama: யா தேவீ ஸர்வ பூ(4)தேஷு ஸ்ம்ருதி ரூபேண ஸம்ஸ்திதா நமஸ்தஸ்யை நமஸ்தஸ்யை நமஸ்தஸ்யை நமோ நம: 3- Yaa kundendu thushaara haara davalaa yaa s(h)ubra vasthraavruthaa Yaa veena varadanda mandithakaraa yaas(h)wetha padmaasanaa Yaabrahmaachyutha s(h)ankara prabrithibhih daevaih sadaa poojithaa saamaam paathu sarasvathi nisaesha jaadyaapahaa யா குந்தே(3)ந்து(3) துஷார ஹார த(4)வலா யா சு(H)ப்ர வஸ்த்ராவ்ருதா யா வீணா வரதண்ட(3) மண்டி(3)தகரா யாச்(H)வேத பத்(3)மாஸனா யாப்(3)ரஹ்மாச்யுத ச(H)ங்கர ப்ரப்ருதிபி(4): தே(3)வை: ஸதா(3) பூஜிதா ஸாமாம் பாது ஸரஸ்வதி நிசேஷ ஜாட்(3)யாபஹா For more Sarasvathi shlokas go to A Rare Saraswathi Shloka Vaak Siddhikara Shree Sarasvathee Sthothram Love & regards, Chithra.
Nice to know Kute Kiddo, It is heartening to see how closely you have observed all the ritualistic details of pooja. Your questions are very valid. Some of them have bothered me too and I went about it giving my own reasonings and pacifying my doubts. It will be interesting to know what advise a well informed person like Chitraji has for us. It will be a great help to many of us. L, Kamla
Adding to the questions by Kute Kido Hello Chithra Madam, I want to add a few questions to those raised by Kute Kiddo (though she is cute to have covered up a wide range of questions)... 1) I have heard people say that Sumangali ladies should not fast (oru pozhudhu skipping dinner) on Friday. Is that true? 2)Many times when we are not able to make any cooked neyvedhyams to God, is it ok to keep fruits? If so, what are the fruits that are more suitable? 3) I have also heard people say that ladies while doing poojas, should not wear the towel covering their head after taking head bath. Is it true? But I see in most movies, ladies do pooja with their towels wrapped around their head. Please share your views whenever time permits. Thank you. With love, Kanmani
Hello Friends ! Last night I answered all these queries before going to bed & Now I don't see them ! Here I go again. Please take it that I am answering them as far as I know 1 - When I was young my mother, MIL etc used to light only one lamp in our house. Many people still continue that way. Only now the concept of two lights is very popular ! It is not necessary to have 2 lamps. You can keep 2 wicks at diametrically opposite points in one lamp or kuthuvilakku & light or in an interval of 1". 2 no:s of kuthuvilakkus are not a must unless you like it from the aesthetic point or you have2 & want to use both. 2- Never keep any lamp directly on the kolam. Always keep it on a plate ( can be brass, silver or teracotta, not steel). If you like keep a few grains of raw rice below the lamp - this is necessary only when you do vilakku poojai etc & not necessary everyday. 3- As soon as you finish namaskarams, shlokas etc, it is customary to keep a dot of milk on either side of the burning lamp after which you can draw the thread inside & put it off. Or you can leave it to get over on its own. If you feel unsafe, you should do it, otherwise it can stop on its own. After it burns for a minimum 30 mts, you can put it off, there is nothing wrong. 4 There is no count of agarbathis to be lit or brand. Besides pooja room, I usually keep one in the foyer because that is supposed to prevent the negative energy from entering the house. Not only that, there is a nice aroma when somebody enters the house which is a pleasant feeling. Preferably stick to one brand so that the smell will get associated with your house ( this is not sasthram, but experience !) 5- It is enough if you put chandan ( not manjal) & kumkum once a month or before festivals etc. Wiping may be done as & when necessary, more from cleanliness point of view, not from sasthram point of view. I have a curtain in front of my pooja room ! that is because it is in front of my dining room & I like to use it when somebody has periods. All this is purely subject to convenience, remember. 6 - Single arali, sanku poo etc can definitely be used. I always wrap the old pooja flowers in a separate cover & drop in the garbage ( I have no choice now in a flat ! ).If you live in an independant house, you can drop it under any tree where nobody will trample. If there is a homam, elaborate puja etc, I wrap all used up basmam, flowers in a big cover & after 3,4 days, empty it into the sea ! this is possible since I live near the beach ! For everybody in general, dropping in a separate cover in garbage is unavoidable. 7-Thursday is ideal to wash swami things according to my MIL ! they will look bright & nice on Friday. Mangalyam thread can be changed on Wednesday or Sunday. 8 -Navagraha kolams should be drawn only in swami sannadhi & not entrance or road etc. Nobody should trample over them. It is very important. 9 - I was never " obsessed" with fasting in my life. When you have no help, the next day after fasting you are so tired that you end up in a foul mood & the whole family gets irritated with your fasting ! Anyway I tell you. There are 2,3 ways. One is avoiding rice in any form. Eat chappathis or lapsi etc for lunch & milk & fruts in the night. The other is avoiding salt & buttermilk. But this will result in your becoming very tired next morning, remember.You can have fluids, no problem. As Kanmani has said, my MIl used to say that sumangalis should not fast. I think it is mainly because we have a home & family to look after, to cook for etc & we can't afford to fast & end up feeling tired, not being able to do our work etc . So fasting is mainly according to one's constitution & support system at home. 10 - For amavasai, only men ( & that too after they are initiated into it by a priest on a suitable day) should do tharpanam. There is nothing for ladies to do. If men do tharpanam, we don't eat sadam as such in the night, but have tiffin. There is no shloka for departed souls etc. 11 - Yes, after head bath, one should remove the head towel before even lighting the lamp ! Please do not follow the cinema rules - what do they know about do' s & don'ts ? Not only that, now doctors say, that also induces synusitis ! 12 - yes, you can offer fresh or dry fruits for naivedyam everyday. In face I have asked my daughter & DIL to keep kalkandu dhrakshai in the puja room cupboard itself, so that they won't forget ! Since we cook at all odd times, this is a more practical suggestion. Friends, pleae remember all these rules were made when we lived in our own country, in individual houses & more, when there was a leisurely pace in life. Now we ( you) live abroad, we live in flats & the pace of life - the less said about it, the better. So just follow whatever is easy, practical & possible. Just because others do it, don't think it is correct or otherwise.. Go by your own " mental rhythm". Never be obsessed. God is Grace personified & will not be offended if we do anything out of ignorance. Enjoy whatever you do & not out of compulsion. I think I have answered all queries. If still doubt persists, please feel free to ask me. I shall be only happy to help with what little I know. Remember, the attitude is the most important. Love & regards, Chithra. Sorry, I forgot to mention about akshatai. you can make a cup or so once a month or as & when it gets over. Take whole rice ( the edges should not be broken, which I find possible only with best qualiy basmathi). Add a drop of ghee ( supposed to be for purification), a little haldi & a sprinkling of water. Nicely gather it with your hand so that it will get uniformly mixed. Then just spread it on a plate to dry & store.
dark clouds clearing slowly from our minds......... Dear Chitra, the queries raised by KK answered a lot of our own doubts. (thanks KK) thanks for your detailed answers. I do have one query. during periods normally girls don't enter puja rooms but I've heard that after taking bath on 3rd day, we can do pujas. but what if we have spottings the 4th or even 5th day.. shld the period stop completely and then only we do pujas or is it okay after 3rd day??? also, can yu pls give a short shlokam to be chanted while cooking.. a very short one cause I'm a beginner and can't memorise long shlokas fast. can't carry print outs while cooking - so pls do oblige.... thanks in advance. Love & regards,
Shows you are eager to learn ! Dear Meena, It is customary to enter the puja room only on the 4 th day after a head bath. Even if spotting etc continue, don't bother. I am giving next, shlokams on Annapurani. Till you learn atleast one of them by heart, just chant " Om Namashivaya" or " Om namo Narayanaya" or " Om namo Bhagavathae Vasudevaya" or " Ammae Narayana-Devi Narayana- Lakshmi Narayana- Bhadrae Narayana" Or " Om sri Sairam" or any one liner which you are comfortable with. It is just to focus your thoughts without getting disturbed. Love & regards, Chithra.
