Shodashopachar Puja

Shodashopachar Puja

Shodashopachara is a Sanskrit word. It is made of two words -
Shodash = sixteen { shasht+dash = 6+10 },
Upachar= seva/service
therefore Shodashopachara = sixteen sevas

 

The worship of God  involves sixteen steps. This is called Shodasha-upachara Pooja.  This is a standard practice in temples as well as homes on all special occasions. 
 
To make it clear, let us understand the meaning and significance of the
sixteen sevas. --

1. Avahhanam / Dhyanam -- { Inviting }
2. Aasanam ----- { Offering Seat }
3. Paadyam ---- { Washing Feet }
4. Arghyam  ---- { Offering water to wash hands}
5. Achmanam -- { Purifying Ourselves}
6. Snanam ------ {  Offering baath to Deity }
7. Vasthram ----  { Offering clothes }
8. Yagnopaveetam-- { Offering sacred thread }
9. Gandham --- { Offering sandalwood paste} 
10. Pushpam ---- {  Offering flowers }
11. Dhoopam ------ { Burning aggarbattis, dhoop }
12. Deepam ------{  Offering lamps }
13. Naivedyam -- {  Offering sweets, food }
14. Tamboolam -- {  Offering pan, supari, camphor }
15. Neerajanam --{ Aarti }
16. Pranaam & Pradakshina  -{ Prostrations before the deity and going around the deity }

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1. Dhyanam / Avahhanam { Inviting }: 
 
When we want an important person to visit our house, we
extend a formal and respectful welcome. This is 'Avaahana'. While inviting, we
remember his good qualities.

Similarly Dhyanam is reciting a short prayer specific to god that one worships and engage our mind into lotus feet of that god.
Avahhanam means inviting the worshipped God to come into the place of worship or idol. 
This is called 'Dhyanam'.

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 2. Aasanam { Offering Seat }
 
We offer a chair to our guest. This is called as Aasana Samarpana.

Similarly we offer our God a seat {a beautifully decorated chauki }.

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 3. Paadyam { Washing Feet }
 
It is a tradition in India to offer water to wash the feet when a guest visits a
house. 

Similarly we wash the feet of God by pouring water at His feet.

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 4. Arghyam { Offering water to wash hands }
 
Arghya means offering water to a guest to wash the hands.

Similarly water is offered so the deity to wash hands.

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 5. Aachamanam { Purifying Ourselves}

Taking three gulps of water. This is an important practice among those who
follow ancient tradition of Rishis. By drinking water three times, the throat
and other parts pertaining to speech faculty become smooth and the speech also
becomes soft.

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 6. Snanam { Offering bath to Deity }
 
We request the guest to bathe. 

Similarly in the case of an idol, we bathe it with different articles like milk, curd, ghee etc.. We can also bathe the idol with
plain water.

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 7.Vastram { Offering clothes }
 
We give clothes to our guest to wear after the bath.

Similarly we offer new clothes, jewellary etc. to deity.

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8. Yagnopaveetam-- { Offering sacred thread }

 We offer Yajnopaveetham(sacred thread/flower/akshathas) to our deity.

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 9. Gandham { Offering sandalwood paste } 

It is an ancient tradition to apply tilak on the forehead of our guest.

Similarly we apply sandalwood paste on the forehead of God.

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 10. Pushpam {  Offering flowers }
 
Nowadays only women use flowers. In ancient times even men used to wear flowersjust like women. 

Symbolically, flower signifies our heart. In pooja, we offer different flowers while chanting the 108 or 1008 names of God.

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 11. Dhoopam { Burning aggarbattis, dhoop }
 
Dhoopa means fragrant smoke. According to Ayurveda, inhaling of smoke by burning certain herbs is considered to be good for health.

 We offer dhoopam to please our Lord.

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 12. Deepam { Offering lamps }
 Deepa means light. 

We show oil/ghee lamp to god symbolizing bringing of light into one’s place and life.

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 13. Naivedyam { Offering sweets, food }
 
We offer our guests different kinds of dishes. 

Similarly we offer specially prepared food to God. This food must be prepared cleanly in separate utensils, other than in which we eat, and without tasting beforehand.

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 14. Tamboolam { Offering pan, supari, camphor }
 
'Tamboola' means betel leaf (paan). According to Ayurveda, chewing the betel leaf with other herbs after food is considered a healthy habit.

Similarly we offer betel leaves and betel nuts are offered to God after the Naivedhyam.
 
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 15. Neerajanam { Aarti }
 
We are nearing the end of Pooja. Aarati consists of showing a big flame of
camphor light to the deity. 

This is to remind the person that the Almighty is
of the form of light.

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 16. Pranaam & Pradakshina { Prostrations before the deity and going around the deity }
 
To experience the original nature of the Almighty i.e., His Mantra form is the
purpose of offering this service. By going round (pradakshina), we imply that
the Almighty is present in all directions.

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