1. Do Guru Pujā yourself
What Is Guru Puja?
What is Guru PAjA? This pAjA is from the Vedic tradition, from the Advaita Parampara - lineage of advaitAes - non-dualists; where the goal of our life is enlightenment and not just darAan or seeing God. Experiencing the Divine inside us is the goal. The root of the word pAjA is the Sanskrit word pAj, meaning worship or a to adoreaTM. PAjA is thus an act of worship or adoration. Performed daily, Guru pAjA is a personal way of remembering, honoring, and thinking of oneaTMs Guru. It is an avenue through which we can concentrate and focus our thoughts on Him, thus imbibing Him in a joyful manner. It is an opportunity to express gratitude towards Him for everything He so compassionately bestows upon us. By consistently recalling and thinking of the Guru, we move forward in our spiritual journey. Through the steadfast practice of Guru pAjA, one develops a deep and intimate relationship with the Guru. We start the day with Guru pAjA, an offering to the feet of the Guru, by remembering the Guru Aakti - energy. By remembering our Master who liberates us from this bondage through His words, through His presence, through His body language or any of His other mystical ways, we offer our gratitude to Existence itself. This is the essence of Guru pAjA. When we do the Guru pAjA or when we chant the Guru pAjA mantra, we tune in to the consciousness of the Master. By worshipping Him in our inner space - mAnasa pAjA - and worshipping ritually with the paraphernalia of worship - bAhya pAjA - we tune in to His consciousness. By performing the Guru pAjA, we start the day with a fresh and ecstatic mood. If we remember the great Truths in the mantras used in Guru pAjA all through the day, we can experience the same ecstatic mood in all our activities. While we are asleep, the connection with the Guru gets disconnected, and our consciousness starts expressing our old memories. When we are in the waking state, one ka1aa1a takes birth from another ka1aa1a. Ka1aa1a is the time period between one thought and the next. If we start the day with Guru pAjA, every ka1aa1a is with an ecstatic mood. During sleep, the ka1aa1a stops and we go back into our causal body, or the space where our engraved memories or saa1skAras are recorded. When we wake up, we will be in the mood of those memories. So, the moment we get up from bed, if we remember the Guru pAjA mantra, the whole day, the ecstatic mood is maintained. The Guru pAjA brings us back to the Truth. It is a shift from our consciousness to that of the Master.
Items Needed for Puja
Items for doing Guru PAjA We offer Guru pAjA to either the feet of the Master or to the Guru pAdukAs - sandals of the Guru. Items needed for pAjA: 1 - Guru pAdukA - sandals symbolizing the feet of the Guru on a plate 2 - Flowers (a handful) on a plate 3 - A bilva leaf (You could offer water if bilva leaf is not available) 4 - PaAcapAtra and Uddharani - small water cup with a spoon (koAa koAi can also be used. It is a fish-shaped vessel) 5 - Conch 6 - Kamaa1a alu - small holy water jug You can use the uddharani in place of the Kamaa1a alu 7 - Camphor on camphor plate 8 - Sandal Paste 9 - Kua1...kum - vermillion - powder 10 - Two incense sticks 11 - Oil lamp and match box 12 - Small piece of saffron cloth 13 - Food for offering (any fresh / dry fruits, nuts, fresh cooked food.) 14 - Bell
Invoking the Presence of the Guru
(Meditating upon the Guru to invoke Him) a aaaa a34a a aaa aaaaa aaaa aaaa2a aaaza34a aaaaaaa aaaa aaaaa34aaaa aaa a aaaa aaaaaa aa a34aa a2aaaaa a a aaa a aaaa a aaaa2aasa2a a aaaaaa a34aaaaaaaa aa34aa34aaaa aaaaaaaaa1aaa a aaaaaaa aa a aa34aa a nityAnandama paramasukhadama kevalama jAAnamArtim dvandvAtAtama gaganasadrAama tattvamasyAdi laka1yam I ekama nityama vimalam acalama sarvadhA-sAka1i-bhAtam bhAvAtAtama trigunarahitama sadguruma tama namAmi II Invoke the presence of the Guru: Visualise your inner space to be a seat at your heart chakra. Take a flower in your hand, hold it with kArmamudra, close your eyes, meditate on the Master and chant the mantra. KArma means tortoise. This mudra signifies your inner space. The tortoise has the power to go into concentration within one second. It can withdraw its five senses at once! This symbolically represents pulling all your senses inside in a moment. You just take your whole mind within you like a withdrawing tortoise. Just stop the wandering of the mind and start chanting.   Explanation: Salutation to the inner Guru which is the state of Eternal Bliss; ultimate ease; the space of pure knowledge The inner Guru that is beyond all dualities, is expansive like the infinite sky, can be intuited with the MahAvAkya as 'That art Thou' The Only one a eternally pure, unwavering, the witnessing Self and innate intelligence in all beings That is the state beyond the play of emotions and the state wherein one transcends the three states of satva (tranquility), rajas (activity) and tamas (dullness) and becomes the Master deftly handling the states. nityAnandaa1: Eternal Bliss, or the state of expressing the Truth or Existence or bliss every moment. paramasukhadaa1: Ordinary sukha or happiness, comes from doing something. Paramasukhadam is supreme happiness which happens continuously with no reason. It brings with it the ability to remain utterly relaxed in action and inaction. kevalaa1: Established in aloneness jAAnamArtim: Pure knowledge, expression of enlightenment, embodiment of knowledge. Whatever He does radiates knowledge. He is the manifestation and complete expression of energy and wisdom in the human body. dvandvAtAtaa1: Beyond duality. For Him, there is no rich or poor, happiness or sorrow. He is beyond all opposite or dual emotions. His inner space is always blissful. gaganasadrAaa1: All pervading, pure like the sky, filled with animate and inanimate things, with whatever you know and don't know, with whatever you can perceive and not perceive. tattvamasyAdi laka1yam: Again and again, the Sadguru makes you realize that He and you are one and the same. He is the embodiment, the goal; you are That, the Atman Brahman. He enables you to experience and express that understanding. His very presence will remind you that you are That and that He is that laka1ya or goal, He is that embodiment and you are Him. Again and again through His body language, He indicates: you are That. There are three levels of progress in all of us: the first is understanding, the second is feeling and the ultimate is experiencing. Understanding is intellectual, feeling is emotional, and experiencing is what happens at the being level. To be with the Master, it is a basic necessity to have intellectual understanding. When you don't have the intellectual understanding, and the flood of devotion happens, all relationships disappear; you will be frightened; your whole will shrink in fear. In BhAgavatam, the popular Hindu epic, Asia1upAla started claiming himself as enlightened, having girl friends and calling them gopAs Somebody asked VyAsa, the author of BhAgavatam, 'Whatever Ka1a1a1a is doing, Asia1upAla is also doing. Why do you call his actions as immoral and Ka1a1a1a's actions as madhura bhAva - a relationship where one sees the other as a beloved - and rAsa lAlA - Divine play?' VyAsa replied, 'The gopAs deeply know Ka1a1a1a is God. Their whole relationship is based on enlightenment. They are His disciples. They are around Him to realize the experience of the Divine. But in Asia1upAla's case it is not so.' An intellectual base transforms the quality of the relationship. The gopAs are clear about what they are doing and with whom they are playing. They have a clear base of intellectual understanding.
Tattvamasi and the Inner Offering
If there is no understanding, if we are not intellectually convinced, we would not be here. The moment it becomes a feeling, we will simply fall into the experience. But many times, we struggle between understanding and feeling. At this point, we need something called smaraa1a - remembrance; remembering the Truth. Injecting the Truth in ourselves will remind us of the Ultimate Truth again and again. Whenever we have vested interests, nothing solid happens; this is the truth. If it becomes a deep feeling, then straightaway it becomes pure experience. The word laksya has a deep meaning; it means a goalaTM, the needle which is continously pointing towards the goal, like a compass. Tattvamasi is the vedic mahAvAkya (great declaration) which means a Thou art ThataTM. There was a disciple who asked his Master, a Master, please give me knowledge.aTM The Master in response recited the whole Vedas. The disciple could not grasp anything of what he recited. He said, a Master, please simplify and tell meaTM. The Master now recited the whole Upania1ad. The disciple again said, a This is also too much. Please teach me the gist of it.aTM The Master now recited the entire Bhagavad GAtA. The disciple said, a No, no! This is too much. Please teach me the simple way.aTM The Master then recited the BrahmasAtra! The disciple could not take it anymore. He said, a Please Master, give me just the essence.aTM Then the Master uttered only one word: Tattvamasi - you are That. This mahAvAkya - great declaration - is the essence of all spiritual Truths. There are five mahAvAkyas given by the a1a1is - ancient scientists of the inner world. They are: Tattvamasi Aham BrahmAsmi PrajAAnam Brahma Ayam AtmA Brahma Sarvam khalvidam Brahma Aham BrahmAsmi : I am Brahman. Brahman is what resides in us as a IaTM consciousness. We usually associate ourselves with the body and mind. Each one of us thinks: I am the body and mind. If we eliminate a bodyaTM and a mindaTM in this sentence, whatever is remaining is Brahman. What resides in you as a IaTM is consciousness, brahman, gAana, atman, whatever you may call it. Continuously, we repeat to ourselves: we are body and mind. We continuously believe: I am that, I am this. But if you eliminate a thataTM and a thisaTM, and just stop at a IaTM, it becomes pure consciousness. We are just as we are. We fall back into consciousness. We become enlightened, liberated. AyamAtmA Brahma : Whatever is my Atman is Brahman. AyamAtmA means a my AtmaaTM; whatever we feel as the soul; the very life itself is Brahman. PrajAAnam Brahma : This implies consciousness; what is there as a IaTM feeling is also Brahman or God. PrajAa means the a IaTM feeling. The Master is the embodiment of these four mahAvAkyas. The moment you start feeling this way, it means that the experience has started happening, and you donaTMt need a signboard. When you donaTMt even have an intellectual understanding, you donaTMt need a Master as yet. Let us say you are traveling from Seattle to LA. When you are in Seattle, you donaTMt need an LA signboard. The moment you enter into the suburbs of LA, that is when you have start having emotional experience also, then too you donaTMt need a signboard! But in the gap, while you are traveling, you need signboards. You need signboards to show the way. If you have intellectual understanding but it has not become emotional experience, in that gap, you need sign boards. The laka1ya or goal, which reminds you of your real state, which reminds you that you are That, is the presence of the Master. Again and again, He will remind you; He will not let you forget. His very presence will remind you. His very presence shows us how He is: living like a flower among us. The very presence of the Master is to remind you to come up to His level. The very presence of the Master is a compass needle that shows the path. The word laka1ya has got three meanings: the goal, the needle (the need in idle time!) and third that He is the embodiment of the Truth. His walking, sitting, living - everything reminds us of enlightenment. Ekaa1 nityam : The Master is eternal, with neither beginning nor end. vimalam : Beyond the state of being pure or impure; no impurity can touch Him. acalam: Steady. He is like an immovable mountain. saryadhA-sAka1i-bhAtaa1: The witnessing self and innate intelligence. All of us have the delusion that we will live forever. We don't really believe that we are going to die; the understanding of impermanence of life is superficial. Have we really been shaken by death? Never! Even if we see death on the road, we never stop to think that one day we are also going to die. Whenever we fall back into pure consciousness, we feel a deep assurance of the Eternal. But we falsely associate this feeling of permanence or nitya mood with the body and mind. There is no partition between pure consciousness - pure energy, and the body and mind - pure matter. The quality of pure consciousness is that which knows, 'I will be forever'. The quality of body and mind is that it will perish. We attribute this quality of pure consciousness to the body and mind and that is the mistake. If we realize that the body and mind will perish one day, then we will be in this consciousness forever, eternally. Or if we know that pure consciousness is eternal, we naturally will not be caught in the body and mind. The quality of the energy is confused with the quality of matter. Now in every one of us, the quality of pure consciousness is present; it never dies. That is eternal consciousness, eternal bliss, nitya Ananda. We are the pure witnessing consciousness in all the elements. This is what the Master, who is the embodiment of pure consciousness, reminds us. bhAvAtAtaa1: Beyond the emotional states. You cannot place the Master in any single frame. He is most unpredictable. The moment you predict the Master, you lose Him; you are lost. You will be caught in His reflection. You are no more a disciple. Arguing with the Master doesnaTMt refer only to the outside; all our related inner chatter is also included. All our inner chatter is arguing with Existence that is reality. If we have total acceptance, we will not have inner chatter. If we have inner chatter, it means that we donaTMt have acceptance; it may be a verbal argument or silent argument, itaTMs all the same. The Master is beyond comprehension, beyond imagination. trigunarahitam: One who is beyond the 3 basic qualities of satva - pure intelligence, rajas - dynamic activity, and tamas - dullness. The Master is not married to any of the three gua1as. He just moves with and beyond all three. None of them touches Him and He is not attached to any of them. He simply plays with all three of them. When He displays tamas, He refrains from activity. When He displays rajas, He exhibits his dynamism and does multitasking. When He displays satva, He radiates pure intelligence. sadgurua1 taa1: There are many Gurus: our mother, our father, our teachers etc., but the Sadguru is the one who removes all darkness of mAyA or illusion. He is the only one who can do it. namAmi: MA means mine, Ami means I. Mine and I, I offer at Your feet. Why do we need to offer the concept of mine? It has been proven that children start developing 'I' consciousness when they know what is theirs (mine). Only based on your ownership, you start developing 'I'. Based on the notion of mine, you develop 'I'. The moment mine is taken away, 'I' will be shaken. Try to snatch a toy from a child; he will be shaken. He will start crying, because for him, that is his very being. Children build their I-consciousness based on their concept of mine. We have built our consciousness based on what we have. That is why we surrender. Here, in this pAjA, there is no giving because there is nobody who is taking. There is only offering; you only offer, you surrender everything to Him. You are offering whatever you think is yours and you. From your birth, your personality is based on mine; on that which is our property or what we think as ours. When the mine is taken away, we are shaken inside, and feel our whole being is taken away. It will never be taken; it's the attitude that matters. Only a man who has surrendered 'mine' and 'I' can utter this Aloka: Oh Sadguru! I offer 'mine' and 'I' at your lotus feet. You don't need any meditation if you remember the meaning of this mantra throughout the day. You will simply know that an intelligent, supreme energy is there. That's all. Nothing more is needed. a aa34aaaa aa34aaaa a aaTMaaaa34asa34aaa aaaa aa34aa a a...a aaaa34asa34aaa aaaaa a aaa34a aa aaa aaaaaaaaaaaaa34aa a sadAAiva-samArambhAa1 Aaa1...karAcArya-madhyamAa1 a asmadAcArya-paryantAa1 vande guruparamparAa1 a
Tattvamasi and the Inner Offering 2
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Mentally invite the Master to this seat within. aa a34aaaaaaaa aaaaa34aaaaaaaaa a aaaza34a aaaaaaaa as aaazaasaaa a aaa aaazaasaaaaaaa34aaaaaaaaaa a a aaaaaa aaa a aaaaaaaa a om ha1t-padmamAsanAa1 dadyAt / sahasrAracayutAma1taia / pAdyAa1 caranayor-dadyAt / manastu arghyaa1 nivedayet // tena ama1tena AcamnAyam / snAnAyaa1 tena ca sma1tam // AkAAatatvaa1 vastrAa1 syAt / gandhaa syAt gandhatatvakam // cittAa1 prakalpayet pua1paa1 / dhApAa1 prAa1An prakalpayet // tejastatvaa1 ca dApArthaa1 / naivedyaa1 syAt sudhAa1 budhia // anAhatadhvanirghaa1a1A / vAyutatvaa1 ca cAmaram // sahasrAraa1 bhavet chatraa1 / Aabdatatvaa1 ca gAtakam // na1tyam indriyakarmanA / cAAcalyaa1 manasas-tathA // sumekhalAa1 padmamAlAa1 / pua1pAa1 nAnAvidhAa1 tathA // amAyAdyair-bhAvapua1paia / arcayet bhAva-gocaram // amAyaa1 anahaa1...kAraa1 / arAgaa1 amadaa1 tathA // amohakam adambhaa1 ca / advea1a-aka1obhakau tathA // amAtsaryam alobhaa1 ca / daAapua1paa1 vidurbudhAa // ahira1sA paramAa1 pua1paa1 / pua1paa1 indriyanigrahAa // dayA pua1paa1 ka1amA pua1paa1 / jAAnapua1paa1 ca paAcamam // iti paAcadaAair-bhAvapua1paia saa1pAjayet sadgurum Offer a flower at the Master's feet om ha1t-padmamAsanaa1 dadyAt sahasrAracyutAma1taia pAdyama caraa1ayor-dadyAt manastu arghyaa1 nivedayet tena ama1tena AcamanAyam snAnAyam tena ca sma1tam AkAAatatvam vastraa1 syAt gandhaa syAt gandhatatvakam cittam prakalpayet pua1pam : Citta is the collected saa1skAra or engrams or engraved memories that are stored in us as a result of our past and they affect our decision-making. The citta, the many thoughts that come to our mind, I offer as flowers at His feet. The old memories, the visualization, I offer as flowers at His feet, and they will never be taken back. dhApam prAa1An prakalpayet : The whole prAa1a - inhalation and exhalation - is the incense stick for Him. The breath which is going in and out, I offer as incense stick to Him. It means that your whole life is made only for the Divine. Breathe only for Him. Let Him breathe to His heart's content. tejastatvam ca dApArtham : The light that shines without any outside source, this source-less effulgent light is tejas. Even SArya, the Sun, is not tejas. Scientific research says that Surya may cool down after a few million years. The only source-less light is the Atma, the soul of the individual consciousness. That, I offer as Arati. I offer my very soul, my very consciousness, the very individual feeling of 'I' as an Arati to Him. Another deeper level meaning according to Advaita philosophy of non-duality is, the individual consciousness is the reflection of the super consciousness in the mirror of your body-mind. If your body-mind is polished so deeply, your consciousness reflects and that reflection is the individual consciousness. You offer that reflection directly towards the source itself. You turn yourself towards your enlightenment. Now your individual consciousness is directed in so many directions: I am thisaI am thataInstead, if it is used this way, you see the source. You use that light to see God. The individual consciousness is the light to see God or Enlightenment. What you think as you, should be directed to see that Light. Tejastatvam ca dApArtham -The source-less light which is in me is the light to see God. In our body, there are seven places that shine with tejas, for example - the eyeballs, the center of the nails, etc. Tejas is the energy which shines in our body. Once the soul leaves the body, at the time of death, this tejas leaves the body. The One who locks the tejas within, the enlightened Master, his body never perishes. This tejas tatva we offer as dApam (lamp) to the Master. naivedyaa1 syAt AuddhAa1 budhia : The pure intelligence, which happens with enlightenment and the constant remembrance of purposelessness or nirvAa1a, I offer as naivedyaa1 - food - to the Master. The nectar flowing in the sahasrAra on the attainment of inner clarity is offered as the naivedyaa1 or offering of gratitude. anAhatadhvanirghaa1a1A : The anAhatadhvani - the uncreated sound of silence - is the bell for the pAjA or offering. The unheard sound or the sound which is created when the planet Earth or the whole Existence is moving, is the bell! Ahata is the sound that is created with two objects. AnAhatadhvani is the sound which is created without even in the presence of any object. It is the sound that we hear in our heart when we are silent, when our mind is not crowded by thoughts. It is the vibration of our very being. vAyutatvaa1 ca cAmaram : VAyu is the breeze or air that I offer as fan for Him. Inside us, there are 5 prAa1as or vAyu or air movements: air that is going in, stay in, spreading all over, cleaning and coming out. These five air activities, I offer as cAmaram for Him. sahasrAraa1 bhavet chatram : When we become enlightened, our sahasrAra blossoms with gratitude like a thousand petalled lotus; which I offer as an umbrella for Him. Aabdatatvaa1 ca gAtakam : The Aabda, the principle sound of the universe, is the music for him. Asabdatatva means that which converts air into sound. In the area near the throat, this Aabdatatva is present. The Sanskrit language has been created to purify the Aabdatatva. There is a mechanism which converts part of air into sound. When we chant in Sanskrit, the remaining part of the air also gets purified. Sanskrit is the only language, which vibrates from the mAlAdhAra - base of spine. All other languages come just from the lips. At least for ten minutes, if we chant any Sanskrit mantra, it will completely clear the Aabdatatva. The vibration created by Sanskrit language goes inwards also, unlike other languages. This Aabdatatva, I offer as music at the feet of the Master. It also means, we should maintain the purity of our words. Whatever comes out of the throat is a song sung for the Master. So only healing words should come out. nrtyam indriyakarmAa1i : Whatever our indriyas or five senses do, whether smelling, eating, seeing, touching or listening, we offer everything at the feet of the Master. They are offered to the Divine as a dance for him. Only in the presence of the Master (universal consciousness), these senses function. By offering these senses back to Him, we pay our deep respect to Him. All the movements of our body are a dance that we perform in His presence. It means that we cannot have ugly body language! Our whole body language should be graceful - a dance that we are performing to please Him. Decide today that everything you do will be done with patience and in a graceful way. cAAcalyama manasas-tathA : The ever wavering mind is offered as a dance to Him!
Closing Prayers and Completion
sumekhalAm padmamAlAm pua1pam nAnAvidham tathA : I offer this girdle of lotus flowers, made of the blossomed emotions as described further amAyAdyair-bhAvapua1paih : The absence of mAyA; illusion becomes this flower we offer at the feet of the Master. arcayet bhAva-gocaram : I offer all my blossomed emotions at the feet of the Master. amAyam anahaa1...kAram : Ahaa1...kAr is the ego which is constantly putting itself between us and the Self. It is the identity that we show to the outer world. I offer the flower of freedom from this ego at the feet of the Master. arAgam : Freedom from attachment and not giving power to your fantasies. When your body gets filled with the power to actively involve itself in sexual pleasure, when your body has enough energy to enter into the sexual act, the same fantasy, the same visualization will fill your inner space so much, but after the act is over, after the release of the fluids, the same fantasy does not have the same influence on your inner space. The energy which empowers your fantasies along with your hormonal build is called raga. When the power is about to give life to these fantasies, your whole body will have a special energy. If you do not allow those fantasies to become active, these energies will stay with you forever. amadam tathA : Mada means pride and amadam means no pride. RAmaka1a1a1a Paramahamsa says that one has to give up attraction and repulsion that constantly trigger our lust and greed, and are not allowing our mind to be contented in the present moment. amohakam : Freedom from illusion adambharA ca : And freedom from the instinct of flaunting advea1a : Freedom from hatred aka1obha : Steadfast kau tathA : Constant awareness amAtsaryam : Freedom from jealousy alobharA ca : Freedom from greed daAapua1pam vidurbudhAa : The wise ones count these ten blossomed qualities as flowers ahira1sA paramam pua1pam : Non-violence is the Supreme flower among all the flowers, and is the most fragrant. pua1pam indriyanigrahaa : Refraining the senses from speaking out to the world or not reacting to anything brought to the mind's eye through the senses dayA pua1pam : Flower of compassion ka1amA pua1pam : Flower of forgiveness jAAnapua1pam ca paAcamam : Flower of enlightenment. iti paAcadaAair-bhAvapua1paia sampAjayet sadgurum : We offer these 15 supreme emotions in the form of flowers at the feet of our most revered and respected Guru. These 15 types of flowers that we are offering for worship have their own qualities with respect to colour, form and fragrance. They are symbolic representations of our feelings. Our feelings have their own role in our lives. Just like flowers give happiness to others by sacrificing their lives, likewise, we have to sacrifice our life through mind, body and deeds, for the welfare of society. We are offering them as a sacrifice close of love at the feet of our Beloved Master. Those who can offer all these things will be close to being a Master by himself. With the above mantras we worship the Master in our inner space. Once you understand the meaning and along with the chanting have the 'click', it is enough. Remembrance is enough. aa34a1aa aaaaa34 BAhya pAjA (Ritual or outer worship) Light the lamp and start the pAjA a a1aaaa aaaa aaa34aaa a aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAm etat pAdyam ArAgurave namaa Offer water from the koAa koAA (the fish-like vessel) at the Master's feet (symbolizes washing the feet of the Master). a a1aaaa aa a...aaa aa a aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAm esa arghyah ArAgurave namaa Offer water from the conch shell (with flowers placed on the conch) at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering rice, bilva leaf, flowers and arugam pullu - sacred grass). Offer the flower as well to the Master. a a1aaaa aaa aasaa aa a aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 AcamanAyaa1 ArAgurave namaa Offer water fom the koAa koAi at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering of water to rinse His mouth). a a1aaaa aaa a aa a34a aa a aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 snAnAyaa1 ArAgurave namaa Offer water from the kamaa1a alu (holy water jug) at the Master's feet with the right hand and ring the bell with the left hand (symbolizes offering water for His ceremonial bath). a a1aaaa aaa aa aaaaa aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 vastrAa1 ArAgurave namaa Offer the saffron cloth at the Master's feet. This is done by taking water from the koAa koAi and circling it over the saffron cloth three times and offering the water at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering clothing to the Master). a a1aaaa aa aa aa: aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 ea1a gandhaa ArAgurave namaa Dab the middle finger in the sandal paste and fore finger in kua1...kum (vermillion) powder. First apply the sandal paste to the Master's feet, and then the kua1...kum on top of the sandal paste (symbolizes offering sandal and kua1...kum to the Master). a a1aaaa aaa a asa aaa aaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 sacandanapua1pam ArAgurave namaa Take a flower, dab it in the sandal paste and offer it at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering of our desires to the Master). a a1aaaa aaa a asa aaa aaa2aaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaa a aa Take a bilva leaf, dab it in the sandal paste and offer it at the Master's feet. (The bilva leaf is believed to have a cooling effect on the deity to which it is offered. Its three leaves stand for creation, sustenance and destruction. It also symbolizes the three eyes of Lord Shiva.) a a1aaaa aa aaaaa aaaaaaaaa a aa Ring the bell with your left hand, take the lit incense sticks in your right hand and move it in a circle near the Master's feet. (In the incense, we see the potential that is in ourselves. Just as the incense itself is worthless until it is put to the flame, we know that our lives are useless too, unless our potential is fulfilled. In the incense we also recognize that our lives are just as fleeting as its sweet smoke.)
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    a a1aaaa aa aaaaa aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 ea1a dApaa ArAgurave namaa Ring the bell with your left hand, take the lit lamp in your right hand and move it in a circle near the Master's feet. (The glory of the Master's feet is intensified by the light emanated by the lamp). a a1aaaa aaa a aaaaaaa aaaaaa a aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 sopakaraa1a naivedyaa1 ArAgurave namaa Offer the food at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering food to the Master). a a1aaaa aaa aaa34a a34aaaaaaa aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 pAnArthodakaa1 ArAgurave namaa Offer water from the koAa koAA at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering drinking water to the Master). a a1aaaa aaa aaaa aa34asaa aa a aaaaaaaaa a aa om hrAa1 idaa1 punarAcamanAyaa1 Arigurave namaa Offer water from the koAa koAA at the Master's feet (symbolizes offering water to rinse His mouth). aaa34aaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaa aaaaa34aaa34aa a aa a34aa a34aa aaaaaa aaaaa1a34aaa a a aa34aa a aaa a1aaa a34aaaa aaa aaa aaa34a aa a1aaa a aa34aa a ArAtrikaa1 karpAragauraa1 karua1AvatAraa1 samsArasAraa1 bhujagendrahAram I sadAvasantaa1 ha1dayAravinde bhavaa1bhavAnAsahitaa1 namAmi II Offer Arati (lit camphor) to the Master while chanting the following mantra. Ring the bell with the left hand while moving the lit camphor in a circle with right hand. (Camphor burns itself out completely without leaving a trace. It represents our un-manifested desires. So also if we were to take refuge in the Master's feet to obtain knowledge, these desires will get burnt out. As the camphor burns itself out, it emits a nice perfume. On a human plane it means that we should sacrifice ourselves to serve society, and in the process, spread the perfume of love and happiness to all. Salutations to that inner guru the pure consciousness, the form of supreme compassion, the essence of existence, adorned by the coiled serpentine divine (kundalini) energy,ever established in the inner space represented as the union of the male and female aspects.
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ArAtrikaa1 samarpayAmi sadgurucaraa1akamalebhyo namaa Take a flower in your hands, make three circles around the lit camphor with it and offer it at the feet of the Master, while chanting this line below. Explanation: karpAragauraa1 : Whitish like camphor karua1AvatAraa1 : The avatAr (incarnation) who is the embodiment of compassion samsArasAraa1 : Helping to cross the ocean of samsAra or endless cycle of life bhujagendrahAraa1 : With a snake as an ornament sadAvasantaa1 : Forever and permanently blissful ha1dayAravinde : Who resides in my very soul, the center of my being bhavambhavAnAsahitAa1 namAmi : I bow down to Asiva and Devi and offer myself at their feet, three times To the Lord of whitish glow like the camphor, the avatar who is the very embodiment of compassion, the one who alone helps in crossing the ocean of samsAra, to the Lord who wears the snake as a garland, who is forever and permanently blissful, who resides in my heart-lotus, I bow down in surrender to the Lord, who forever is in the company of BhavAni. aaaaaaaa34azaaa2a: pua1pAAjalaa (An offering of flowers) Take a few flowers, position them between folded hands and chant these mantras. aaaaaaaaaa1aaa34 aaaaaaaaaaa: aaaaaaaa aa1aaaaa: a aaaaa a a34aaaa34aa aaaaaaa1aa aa aaa aaaaaaaaa a aa a gurur-brahmA gurur-via1a1ua gurur-devo maheAvaraa I guruh-sAka1At parabrahma tasmai ArAgurave namaa II a...aaaaaaaaa2a34aa34aa aaa a34aaaaa a aa asaa34asaaa a aaaaaaa aaaaaaa a aa aa aaa aaaaaaaaa a aa a akhaa1a amaa1a alAkAraa1 vyAptaa1 yena carAcaram I tatpadaa1 darAitaa1 yena tasmai ArAgurave namaa II a...aaaza34a aaaaaa34a aaa aa aaaza34a a34azaaa aa2a34aa a34 a asaaaaaaa aaaa2aaa a aa aa aaa aaaaaaaaa a aa a ajAAnatimirAndhasya jAAnAAjanaAalAkhayA I caka1urunmAlitaa1 yena tasmai ArAgurave namaa II a...a aaaa aaa aaaaaaa34aaaa-aaaaaa aaaaaa34a1aa a a aaaaaaaza34a aaaaaa34a aa aa aaa aaaaaaaaa a aa a anekajamma-samprApta-karmabandha-vidAhine I Atma-jAAnapradAnena tasmai ArAgurave namaa II aa aa a34aa aaaaaaa aa a34aa aaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaa a aaa34aaaa34 a aaaaaaa34aaaa34 aa aaa aaaaaaaaa a aa a mannAthaa ArAjagannAtho madgurua ArAjagadgurua I mamAtmA sarvabhAtAtmA tasmai ArAgurave namaa II I bow down to the Guru who is my Lord and who is the Lord of the Universe, my Guru, who is the Guru of the Universe, who is the Self in me and the Self in all beings. aaaaaa aaaaaa34aaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaa34aaa a a aaa aaaaa aaa a34aaaaaaa1a34a aaaaaaa34aaaaaa a a aa a AAvaro gururAmeti mArtibhedavibhAgine I vyomavat vyAptadehAya daka1ia1AmArtaye namaa II I prostrate to the Master with the cosmic form of Sri Daka1ia1AmArti, who came down to remove the differences of forms of God, Master and the soul. a aaaa a34a a aa aaaaa aaaa aaaa2a aaaza34a aaaaaaa aaaa aaaaa34aaaa aaa a aaaa aaaaaa aa a34aa a2aaaaaaa a aaa a aaaa a aaaa2aasa2a a aaaaaa a34aaaaaaaa aa34aa34aaaa aaaaaaaaa1aaa a aaaaaa aa a aa34aa a aaaaaaaa34azaaa2aa a aaaaaa a34aa a aaaaaa asaaaaa2aaaa a a aa a nityAnandam paramasukhadam kevalam jAAnamArtim dvandvAtAtam gaganasadrAam tattvamasyAdi laka1yam I ekam nityam vimalam acalam sarvadhA-sAka1i-bhAtam bhAvAtAtam trigunarahitam sadgurum tam namAmi II pua1pAAjalim samarpayAmi sadgurucaranakamalebhyo namaa Offer the flowers at the feet of the Master
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 Do namaskAr (prostrate) to the feet of the Master. About Paramahamsa NityAnanda Paramahamsa NityAnanda is an enlightened master living amidst us today. With a worldwide movement for meditation and inner bliss, NityAnanda offers solutions for situations as practical as every day stress to the quest for something as profound as enlightenment. He left home at a young age and traveled the length and breadth of India, visiting holy shrines and associating himself with spiritual masters and mystics. He realized his intrinsic knowledge through the paths of meditation, yoga, tantra, knowledge, devotion and other Eastern metaphysical sciences. With an enlightened insight into the core of human nature, NityAnanda has defined his mission for humanity at large. Rooted in the ancient tradition of living enlightenment, and embracing all world religions as sacred and unique, NityAnanda draws people from around the globe, crossing all societal, cultural, language, age and gender barriers. About NityAnanda Mission NityAnanda Mission is a worldwide movement for spreading meditation and inner bliss. The services provided by the organization include meditation a yoga a corporate leadership programs a free energy healing through the Nitya Spiritual Healing system a free education to youth a promoting art and culture a satsangs (spiritual gatherings) a free medical camps and eye surgeries a free meals at all ashrams worldwide a a holistic system of education for children through the ashram gurukul and a host of specially designed meditation programs. Programs Offered by NityAnanda Mission Inner Awakening Inner Awakening is a 21-day a masteraTM program that is intensely transformative. It is designed to reproduce all the components of jeevan mukti or a Living EnlightenmentaTM in every individual and brings about an irreversible alchemy of moving from the mundane to the Divine. Life Bliss Engineering (LBE)
Closing Prayers and Completion 85
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