Divine Vastu Tips for 'Dhanteras' and 'Diwali'- 2015:
‘Dhanteras’
‘Puja’
Date and Time: November 8, 2015
Time
of ‘Puja’ 17:23 to 19:14 (USA)
‘Diwali’
Date
and time November 10, 2015
Time
of ‘Puja’ 17:15 to 19:06 and/or 16:40 to 20:24 (USA)
‘Dhanteras’ (Hindi: धनतेरस, Sanskrit: धनत्रयोदशी)
This is the first day of the five-day Diwali
Festival as celebrated in India. The festival, known as
"Dhanatrayodashi" or "Dhanwantari Trayodashi”. The word ‘Dhana’
means wealth and ‘Trayodashi’ is 13th day. It is celebrated on the thirteenth
lunar day of ‘Krishna Paksha’ (dark fortnight) in the Hindu calendar month of
‘Kartik’. On ‘Dhanteras’, Goddess ‘Lakshmi’ is worshiped to provide prosperity
and wellbeing. ‘Dhanteras’ holds special significance for the business
community due to the customary purchases of precious metals on this day. Lord
‘Kubera’, the God of Wealth is also worshipped on this day.
‘Puja’ Rituals for ‘Dhanteras’
It
is considered auspicious to buy Silver coins, Gold items or 5 steel utensils on
Dhanteras. You can buy all if you wish. Buy a new broom also but do not use it
till Diwali. During ‘Puja’ keep all new things and other old jewelry, coins or
valuables. Make sure not to broom from November 8th till Diwali November 10th.
On November 8, 2015, the ‘Dhanteras’ day, take one steel or silver glass, one red
cloth or pouch, 8 dry dates, 11 copper pennies, a small bowl of raw rice, pinch
of saffron and 5 green cardamoms. Tie all of them in the red pouch or
cloth and keep them on silver/ steel glass filled with water either in North
direction of your house nearby any window or in North/ North-East/ East direction
(preferred ‘Puja’ place direction) from Nov. 8 through Nov. 12. On Nov. 12,
pour the water in any plants inside the house or take shower with that water. Keep
11 pennies inside the rice container and prepare ‘kheer’ using the same rice,
saffron and cardamoms. Keep 8 dry dates tied in the red cloth/pouch at your
money place.
‘Dhanteras ‘Puja’ Vidhi’
1.
Take a small wooden slab with small legs (‘पट्टा’).
2.
Make a ‘swastika’ with ‘roli’ on it.
3.
Now put an earthen lamp on it and light it.
4.
Take a ‘cowry shell’ with hole and put it into the earthen lamp.
5.
Sprinkle ‘Gangajal’ or pure water around the lamp 3 times.
6.
Put a ‘tilak’ of ‘roli’ and raw rice on lamp.
7.
Offer some sugar and one quarter coin to it.
8.
Now offer some flowers to lamp.
9.
Do ‘Pranam’ to earthen lamp.
10. Offer ‘Tilak’ to family members.
11. Sit in your ‘‘Puja’’ room.
12. Recite the following ‘Dhanwantari Mantra’ at least 108 times.
“Om Dhan Dhanvantaraye
Namah”
“ॐ धं धन्वन्तरये नमः“
Another धनतेरस मंत्र
(Dhanteras Mantra):
“मृत्युना
पाशदण्डाभ्यां
कालेन
च
मया
सह।
त्रयोदश्यां
दीपदानात
सूर्यज:
प्रीयतामिति॥“
It means:
त्रयोदशी को दीपदान करने से मृत्यु, पाश, दण्ड, काल और लक्ष्मी के साथ सूर्यनन्दन यम प्रसन्न हों।
इस मंत्र के द्वारा लक्ष्मी जी भी प्रसन्न होती हैं।
Say
after the end of recitation, “O Lord Dhanwantari! I offer this recitation in
your lotus feet. Please give us good health.”
‘Naraka Chaturdashi’
Nov.09, 2015 ‘Naraka Nivaran Chaturdashi’ (popularly
known as ‘Naraka Chaturdashi’) is a Hindu festival, which falls on the second
day of the five-day-long festival of Diwali. The Hindu mythology narrates that
the ‘Asura’ (Demon) Narakasura was killed on this day by Krishna and Kali. The
day is celebrated by early morning religious rituals and festivities followed
on. Lighten two earthen lamps (‘Diyas’) for Lord
‘Yama’, the Lord of Death’, (‘Yama Deepak’) filled with mustard oil and place
them on right and left side of outside the main entrance gate of your house door.
Its flame must face towards south direction. Since this is the night before Diwali, it is also called 'Chhoti
Diwali' or Minor Diwali. It is believed that by performing this ‘Puja’ untimely
death of any of the family member is prevented.
Diwali
‘Puja’:
Date and Time November 10, 2015; Time of
‘Puja’ 17:15 to 19:06 and/or 16:40 to 20:24 (USA)
Lakshmi ‘Puja’
is an important ritual during Diwali. First and foremost step is to clean the
house. Through the ‘Puja’ we are inviting Goddess Lakshmi to our house and she
likes everything to be neat and clean. In some communities, even the broom is
worshipped on the Lakshmi ‘Puja’ day. This symbolically represents the need for
cleanliness.
Three
forms of ‘Shakti’: Goddess ‘Lakshmi’, Goddess ‘Saraswati’ and Goddess ‘Durga’; Lord
‘Ganesha’ and Lord ‘Kubera’ are worshipped on the day. No ‘Puja’ is performed
without paying customary tributes to Lord ‘Ganesha’. Lord ‘Kubera’, represents
wealth, and he is the treasurer of Gods. In homes, usually the locker or safe
in which gold and cash is kept symbolically represents the seat of ‘Kubera’.
‘Panchopchar ‘Puja’’ of Lord ‘Ganesha’
and Goddess ‘Lakshmi’
Ganesh Panchopchar ‘Puja’: First do ‘Puja’
of Ganesh ji.
Show
earthen lamp to Him.
Offer ‘dhoop’
to Him.
Offer scent
to Lord Ganesha.
Offer
flowers in his lotus feet.
Offer
sweets (‘Naivedya’) to Lord Ganesha.
Diwali
‘Puja’/ Lakshmi ‘Puja’ Process
First
decide on a place to perform the ‘Puja’. Spread a clean cloth and create a bed
of rice.
A Kalash
(pot) is placed on the bed of rice. Fill about 75% of the Kalash with water. Put
a betel nut, flower, a clean coin, and some rice in the Kalash. Now arrange
mango leaves around the opening of the Kalash. Place a Thali (a small plain
plate) on the Kalash. On the Thali, draw a lotus with turmeric powder and place
the idol or small photograph of Goddess Lakshmi.
Place
some coins on the Thali. On the right of Kalash, place the idol of Lord
Ganesha.
If you
need, you can also place the idols of Saraswati and your favorite deities. Create
a peaceful and calm atmosphere. Take some water and sprinkle on all ‘Puja’
items to purify them.
To begin
with lit 4 Mukhi Diya with 2 ‘Elaichi’ and some ‘Kesar’ at the puja place and put
silver coin/s along with other jewelry and whatever you brought on Dhanteras
near Laxmi Mata and Diya. For ‘Prasad’ soak some ‘jalebi’ in milk and offer it
to Laxmi Mata and Ganesh ji. Keep $11 (1 set) and $72 while doing ‘Puja’. Next
day donate $11 in temple and wrap $72 with silver coin in a yellow cloth and
keep it in the locker/ ‘safe’. (You can keep this money along with the earlier Diwali
puja money also).
Lit
Deepak in Desi Ghee and Dhoop. Firstly perform Ganesh ‘Puja’. After Ganesh ‘Puja’
perform Navagraha ‘Puja’. Do Lakshmi ji ‘Avahan’ and recite mantra:
“Aadi Shakti Mateshwari, jai Kamaley Jagdamb,
Yahan Padharo Murti mai, Kripa karo avilamb. “
Offer ‘Akshat’
i.e. rice to Ma Lakshmi Ji. Sprinkle water in a ‘Puja’ Thali thrice. Pour and
rinse/ offer the idol of Ma Lakshmi ji stepwise with Ganga Jal, Milk, Curd,
Desi Ghee, Honey, Sugar and after that mix all the items and again offer idol
of Ma Lakshmi ji with the mixture called ‘Panchamrit’ and finally offer Ma
Lakshmi Ji Ganga Jal. Wipe the idol with a clean cloth. Offer ‘Vastram’ i.e
cloth to Ma Lakshmi Ji. Smear forehead of Ma Lakshmi ji with tilak of ‘Roli’. Offer
flowers specially Lotus to Ma Lakshmi Ji. Offer other ‘Shringar’ Items like ‘Sindoor’,
Bangles etc. to Ma Lakshmi Ji. Perform ‘Puja’/ ‘Archana’ of Ma Lakshmi Ji with
“Dhoop” and ‘Deepam’. Read Lakshmi Ji ‘Katha’. Offer ‘Prasadam’ or ‘Bhog’ to Ma
Lakshmi Ji. Offer ‘Tambool’ which is a combination of ‘Paan, ‘Elaichi’ etc. to
Ma Lakshmi ji. Do ‘Puja’ of your Accounts books, Cash Box, Pen, Ink and other
items. Offer money/ gift as per your status and offer it to your ‘Guru’ or in
temple. With full devotion do the ‘Aarti’ of Ma Lakshmi Ji. Once again offer flowers
to Ma Lakshmi Ji. Make a Prayer or a wish to Ma Lakshmi ji. Do the “Shama
Prarthana” asking Ma Lakshmi ji to forgive you if anything wrong have been
committed by you during the ‘Puja’ and to accept your offerings and wish.
Later on
lit five desi ghee diyas and keep one in kitchen, one in bedroom, one in living
room, one in restroom and last one in any other room. Lit all other diyas in mustard
oil and decorate them on the outside boundaries of your house, parapet and
other surroundings.
Please note that this is only a
guideline. You can show flexibility in the ‘Puja’ process. Some of the items
needed might not be readily available. But you can keep the house and
surrounding clean. Finally, if you can’t perform the ‘Puja’, wherever you are
simply mediate on Goddess Lakshmi.
What
to DO and Not to DO
DOs
·
Always
fill the main ‘Puja’ Diya with Ghee. You can use mustard oil for other diyas.
·
Always
set the ‘Puja’ area in the North-East direction and sit facing the North while
doing ‘Puja’
·
Place
the idols left to right Lord Ganesha, Lakshmi ji. You can place other idols
also.
·
Keep
another ghee Diya lit throughout the Diwali night in the South-East corner of your
home.
·
Always
arrange diyas in a group of four denoting Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, Lord
Kuber and Lord Indra.
·
Make
greater use of the colors red, like you can use red diyas, candles, lights,
bedsheets and red flowers. You may supplement it with the pink color.
·
Always
start Diwali ‘Puja’ with the worship of Lord Ganesha who is worshipped as
“Vighnaharta” in Indian tradition.
·
You
should worship your account books also, if maintained. They should be placed in
front of the idol of Goddess Lakshmi, but a little towards the west.
·
Include
lotus flower in Diwali ‘Puja’ as it is the favorite with goddess Ma Lakshmi.
·
Recite
the ‘Mantra’:
“OM ANG HARING KALIM SHREE MAHALAXMI NAMAH”.
DON’Ts
·
When
choosing gifts for friends and relatives, avoid leather items, cutlery and crackers.
If you want to gift any of these, accompany them with some sweets/ ‘mithai’.
·
Gambling
should be avoided and even if it is played, it should be done as a game and
play it without money.
·
Avoid
alcoholic drinks and taking non-vegetarian food on Diwali.
·
Don’t
leave the ‘Puja’ area unattended throughout the night to make sure that the diyas
remain lit. Keep on adding ghee to it when required.
·
Do
not use too many candles. Use ‘diyas’ instead.
·
Do
not place such an idol of Ganesh ji in the ‘Puja’ area, which is not in a
seated position and the one with right-side turning trunk.
·
Do
not light crackers when the Lakshmi Puja is on or immediately after it.
·
Do
not clap while singing ‘Aarti’ of Lakshmi ji (you can use a small bell) and do
not sing too loud as it is believed that goddess Lakshmi abhors loud noise.
·
Do
not place goddess Lakshmi alone, without her constant companion Lord ‘Vishnu’.
“Wishing you and your family very Happy Diwali
2015”
REWA
KUMAR Ph.D. (Vastu)
Vastu Specialist
+1-510-868-3338
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