Numerous Pooja Vidhis (Propriation/Worship procedures) are there laid down by Vedas right from few minutes to many years of continuous worship with “Upacharas” (Offerings). The time duration for the Pooja does not matter, what matters is the Bhakti (Salvation and Devotion) and Shraddha (Faith). One such method of pleasing the Gods during Pooja is called “Shodasha Upacharas” (The 16 Offerings). I briefly enumerate them.
1. Dhyanam (Meditate on them)
2. Avahanam (Invite them to occupy the idol you have)
3. Padyam (offering water to wash their feet)
4. Arghyam (offering water for washing hands)
5. Aachamanam (offering water to drink)
6. Madhuparkam (offering honey and milk to drink)
7. Snanam (offering water for their bath-Abhisekam is done here)
8. Vastram (offering fresh set of clothes to them)
9. Alankaranam (decorating them with ornaments/flower garland)
10. Gandham (offering them sandalwood paste/kumkum)
11. Pushpam (offering them fragrant flowers)
12. Doopam (offering them incense sticks)
13. Deepam (lighting a ghee lamp)
14. Naivedyam ( offering food cooked for them)
15. Tamboolam (offering betel leaves and nuts)
16. Karpoora Neerajanam (lighting and showing Camphor)
Subsequently we take their blessing by chanting Mantra Pushpam and Namaskaram (Prostration) and Kshama Prarthana (seeking pardon for mistakes in chanting mantras) . You could see some of these, we do for our guests. Similarly when we invite the Devatas in the Pooja as our guests with full Bhakti, they in their “Sukshma Swaroopa” occupy the idol to which we pray and accept all our offerings and bless us in return. Right from 5, 12, 16, 32 upto 64 Upacharas have been mentioned in scriptures. Ultimately, I reiterate that it’s the Bhakti not the length of the Pooja that these divine beings judge. By doing “Deva Pooja” you reduce the “Deva Rina”, however small the Pooja might be, it is essential for each one to do it.
