sri shiva puja🔗

Let us enter into the space of 'Sadashivoham'

and declare your oneness with Sadashiva.

Achamana is the ritualistic cleansing of the mouth.

Here ācamana is called tattvāchanamam because the mantras used for the ācamana are the three tattvas (principles) - ātmatattva (the principle of the soul - the individual Consciousness), vidyātattva (the principle of the science of transcending from identifying ourselves as Jiva to Shiva), shivatattva (the principle of Shiva - The Cosmic Consciousness).

| आत्मतत्त्वं शोधयामि स्वधा । | ātmatattvaṃ śodhayāmi svadhā । | | विद्यातत्त्वं शोधयामि स्वधा । | vidyātattvaṃ śodhayāmi svadhā । | | शिवतत्त्वं शोधयामि स्वधा । | śivatattvaṃ śodhayāmi svadhā । |

Kriya: Keep your right hand like a cow's ear (Gokarna), see illustrations below. Please take a uddharani of water in your right hand and drink the water after each of the three mantras given above.

Now, wash your hands.

We will begin the Shiva Puja with Dhyanam, remembering, meditating and welcoming Sadashiva and Adishakti.

Here we meditate upon Sri Nithyanandeshwara Sadashiva seated with Sri Nithyanandeshwari Adishakti. Request them to reveal themselves to you. Invite them into your inner space, and worship them in the form of the Atma Linga.

The meaning of the mantra we are going to chant now is:

The form of Sadashiva is illuminating like the Moon, having five faces and ten hands with divine weapons like shula-the trident, mriga- the deer, tanka- the sword , vajra - indefeatable weapon shaped like lightening, abhayam - protection, pasham - rope, varadam - benefactor, ankusham - noose, agni in his left hand, seated on the white lotus asana.

Kriya: Now keep your hands in the Namaskara mudra (folded hands) and chant the following mantra:

ॐ हां शिवासनाय नमः ॥ auṃ hāṃ śivāsanāya namaḥ ॥

ॐ हां शिवमूर्तये नमः ॥ auṃ hāṃ śivamūrtaye namaḥ

Now we are going to perform the invocation of Sri Nithyanandeshwara Sadashiva and Sri Nithyanandeshwari Adishakti - inviting them to manifest in their all-auspicious, all-powerful, compassionate direct presence.

Kriya: Start by placing both your hands on the Ananda Gandha, the space between your heart center and naval center.

āvahana mudra

Kriya: Turn your hands to face the ground, and chant:

स्थापन sthāpana

stāpana mudra

Keep your hands in fists with your thumbs up and chant:

सन्निधान sannidhāna

sannidhana mudra nishthura mudra

Insert your thumbs into your fists and chant:

निष्ठूर मुद्रम् niṣṭhūra mudrām

Interlock your fingers with your thumbs raised, show the kālakanthi mudrā and chant:

ॐ हः अस्त्राय हूंफट्। auṃ haḥ astrāya hūṃphaṭ।

Kaalakanthi mudram

Inset your left thumb in you right fists, hold your right fist in your left hand and show the Linga mudra.

ॐ हां शिवाय नमः । auṃ hāṃ śivāya namaḥ ।

iti liṅga mudrāṃ ।

Linga mudram

Now do namaskara with the folded hands to Sri Nithyanandeshwara Sadashiva and Sri Nithyanandeshwari Adishakti:

Namaskara Mudram

Avakunthana mudram

Next is Aasanam, offering of seating to Sri Nithyanandeshwara Sadashiva and Sri Nithyanandeshwari Adishakti. Please take a flower in your hands and offer it in front of the Atma Linga.

The next offering is Padyam, Arghya, and Achamaniyam – the offering of water for washing the feet, hands, and mouth of Sri Nithyanandeshwari-Adishakti and Sri Nithyanandeshwara-Sadashiva.

Please take the uddharani of water and offer in the padya paatram (bowl) chanting the mantra:

Then take the uddharani of water and offer it in the arghya paatram (bowl) chanting the mantra:

Please take the uddharani of water in and offer it in the achamana paatram (bowl) chanting the mantra:

The next offering is snānīyam, the Sacred Bath. Please take the uddharani of pure water and offer it on the Atma Linga with the mantra, and please ring the bell as you do so.

Now take the uddharani of water and pour it in the achamana paatram at the end of the mantra:

The next offering is Vastram – the offering of fresh clothes.

Kriya: Now please take some akshata (turmeric rice) in your hands and offer it in the achamana paatram along with the mantra.

The next offering is gandha and kumkum – the offering of sandalwood paste and kumkum.

Kriya: Take the sandalwood paste and apply it onto the Atma Linga, followed by Kumkum.

The next offering is aṣṭha puśpa – the offering of flowers to Sri Nithyanandeshwari-Adishakti and Sri Nithyanandeshwara- Sadashiva in their various forms.

Kriya: Now, please take some flowers your hands and offer the flowers on the Linga along with each mantra.

auṁ bhavāya devāya namaḥ bhavasya devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ sarvāya devāya namaḥ sarvasya devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ īśānāya devāya namaḥ īśānasya devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ paśupataye devāya namaḥ paśupataye devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ ugrāya devāya namaḥ ugrasya devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ rudrāya devāya namaḥ rudrasya devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ bhīmāya devāya namaḥ bhīmasya devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ mahate devāya namaḥ mahato devasya patnyai namaḥ । auṁ hāṁ hauṁ śivāya namaḥ ॥

The next offering is Bilva patram – the offering of bilva leaf, which is dear to Lord Sadashiva. Now please take the Bilva leaf smeared with sandalwood paste in your hands and offer it your Atma Linga along with the mantra.

The next offering is dhūpa – the offering of incense for Sri Nithyanandeshwari-Adishakti and Sri Nithyanandeshwara-Sadashiva.

Kriya: Please clap your right hand index finger and middle finger on the left hand palm while you chant the following mantra:

Now, sprinkle some water on the dhupa patram (stand) using the uddharani and ringing the bell, chant:

Now please take the lit incense sticks in your hands and slowly wave it clockwise in front of the Linga. Please chant the mantra and please sound the bell as you do so.

The next offering is dīpah – the offering of lit lamp. Please clap your right hand index finger and middle finger on the left hand palm, while you chant the following mantra:

Now sprinkle some water on the dipa patram while ringing the bell and chanting the mantra:

Now please take the lit lamp in your hands and slowly wave it clockwise in front of the Linga. Please chant the following mantra and ring the bell as you do so.

The next offering is naivedyam – the offering of sacred food to Sri Nithyanandeshwari-Adishakti and Sri Nithyanandeshwara-Sadashiva.

Please clap your right hand index finger and middle finger on the left hand palm while you chant the following mantra:

Now sprinkle some water on the naivedyam paatram ringing the bell and chant the mantra:

Now take a uddharani of water and hover it clockwise over the Naivedyam. Please chant the mantra and sound the bell as you do so.

Now please offer the water in the uddharani in front of the linga.

The next offering is tāmbūlam – the offering of betel leaves and betel nuts. Now please take the tāmbūlam in your hands and slowly wave towards the Linga with the mantra.

The next is ārātrikam – the offering of Aarati, offering our inner light, consciousness to the Ultimate Consciousness, Sadashiva. The meaning of the mantra we are going to chant now is:

To the One who is as pure and white as camphor, who is the the Avatar of intense compassion, the One who is the very essence of Life and Existence, the One who has the king of serpents as His garland; who is eternally residing in the heart as pure as the lotus; onto that Shiva, who is the Ultimate Source (Bhava), along with Devi, the Cosmic Energy (Bhavānī) who is the consort of Shiva, I bow down and offer my worshipful salutations.

Please clap your right hand index finger and middle finger on the left hand palm while you chant the following mantra:

Now sprinkle some water on the aratrika paatram ringing the bell and chant:

Now please take the lamp with the lit camphor in your hands and slowly wave it clockwise in front of the Linga along with the mantra. Please sound the bell as you do so.

The next offering is puṣpāñjaliḥ – the offering of fragrant flowers. Now please take some druva grass, flowers and some akshata in your folded hands and offer it on the Linga at the end of the mantra.

The next is kṣamāprārthanā, prayer for pardoning any non-integrity in thoughts, words and action during the puja, done knowingly or unknowingly. We pray to restore integrity and establish ourselves in the space of Sadashivoham.

Whatever actions that have been done by me always, O Lord of Devas, be it the actions done from the space of completion - sukrta, or actions from the space of incompletions - dushkrta, please consume them, burn them and forgive me, O Shankara.

Shiva is the Giver, Shiva is the Enjoyer and Beneficiary, Shiva verily is this whole Universe. Shiva Himself is the Worshipper pervading everywhere in all spaces and time, who performs the puja – that SHIVA indeed is me - SOHAM.

Kriya: Now take an uddharani of water, hold the water in your left hand, and open your right hand palm. At the end of the mantra offer the water onto the open palm allowing it to flow down in front of the Linga.

Achamana is the ritualistic cleansing of the mouth.

Here ācamana is called tattvāchamanam because the mantras used for the ācamana are the three tattvas (principles) - ātmatattva (the principle of the soul - the individual Consciousness), vidyātattva (the principle of the science of transcending from identifying ourselves as Jiva to Shiva), shivatattva (the principle of Shiva - the Cosmic Consciousness).

Kriya: Keep your right hand like a cow's ear (Gokarna), for illustrations see page 75. Please take the uddharani of water in your right hand and drink the water after each of the three mantras given below .

Now, from this space of Completion, please prostrate down, offering your Complete self at the lotus feet of your Sadguru Bhagavan Paramahamsa Nithyananda and at the Atma Linga, the embodiment of Sri Nithyanandeshwari-Adishakti and Sri Nithyanandeshwara-Sadashiva.

Aum. This is Completion (Purna), that is Completion (Purna). If This is removed from That, both remain, continue as Completion. When the Completion merges into Completion, Completion alone remains. If the Completion is removed or perceived to be removed from Completion, again Completion alone remains as Completion. Let there be peace in my inner space, peace in the outer space, peace in the Cosmos.

Let everything be offered onto the Pādukā, the sacred sandals of the Sadguru.

Shiva Deeksha is the sacred initiation into the state of Shiva - Sadashivoham, which is manifesting and radiating all the powers of Sadashiva. Deeksha is the process of initiation.

Mūlāgama, the source Agama reveals:

“That action which bestows Enlightenment, destroys the three impurities, bondages of the self – anavamala, karmamala and mayikamala (feeling bellittled, karmic baggage and the forgetfulness of one’s original state) is called Deeksha which bestows liberation. It is called so because it gives Enlightenment and also takes away the bondages.”

In the Agamas, Sadāshiva ordains various types and levels of Deekshas. The preliminary level deeksha is called Samaya Deeksha.

Maya means - the individual identity – ‘I’ and ‘mine’

Sa + maya means - transforming this identity - ‘I’ and ‘mine’ into the Divine - SHIVA.

Samaya Deeksha is the first level the Shiva’s initiation. Through this deeksha the bondages that bind the individual self from experiencing its SADASHIVATVA (the space of Sadashiva) is destroyed by the loving grace of Guru, who is Sadashiva; thereby awakening the space of SADASHIVOHAM – Oneness with Sadashiva – in the disciple. Through this Samaya Deeksha one becomes formally eligible to live and practice the Vedic lifestyle as ordained by Sadashiva in the Agamas.