32 Offenses mentioned in Deity worship
Offenses to be avoided against the Deity and the Holy Dham - from Archana Paddhati
Identifying the offenses by category
Concluding rites of seva pujan:
How to Avoid offenses
Gaining Relief from the offences
The process of atonement according to Hari Bhakti Vilas - Vaishnava smriti
THE MANTRAS FOR OBTAINING FORGIVENESS FOR ONE'S OFFENCES - Archana Paddhati
Pavitropanam Utsav for removal of offenses in Deity worship
NoD 8: Offenses
to Be Avoided
Chapter Eight
Offenses to Be Avoided
In the supplementary Vedic literature, there is the following list of thirty-two offenses in the matter of serving the Lord: (1) One should not enter the temple of the Deity in a car or palanquin or with shoes on the feet. (2) One should not fail to observe the various festivals for the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Janmäñöamé and Ratha-yäträ. (3) One should not avoid bowing down before the Deity. (4) One should not enter the temple to worship the Lord without having washed one’s hands and feet after eating. (5) One should not enter the temple in a contaminated state. (According to Vedic scripture, if someone dies in the family the whole family becomes contaminated for some time, according to its status. For example, if the family is brähmaëa their contamination period is twelve days, for the kñatriyas and vaiçyas it is fifteen days, and for çüdras thirty days.) (6) One should not bow down on one hand. (7) One should not circumambulate in front of Çré Kåñëa. (The process of circumambulating the temple is that one should begin circumambulating from the Deity’s right-hand side of the temple and come round. Such circumambulation should be performed outside the temple structure at least three times daily.) (8) One should not spread his legs before the Deity. (9) One should not sit before the Deity holding the ankles, elbows or knees with one’s hands. (10) One should not lie down before the Deity of Kåñëa. (11) One should not accept prasäda before the Deity. (12) One should never speak a lie before the Deity. (13) One should not talk very loudly before the Deity. (14) One should not talk with others before the Deity. (15) One should not cry or howl before the Deity. (16) One should not quarrel or fight before the Deity. (17) One should not chastise anyone before the Deity. (18) One should not be charitable to beggars before the Deity. (19) One should not speak very harshly to others before the Deity. (20) One should not wear a fur blanket before the Deity. (21) One should not eulogize or praise anyone else before the Deity. (22) One should not speak any ill names before the Deity. (23) One should not pass air before the Deity. (24) One should not fail to worship the Deity according to one’s means. (In Bhagavad-gétä it is stated that the Lord is satisfied if some devotee offers Him even a leaf or a little water. This formula prescribed by the Lord is universally applicable, even for the poorest man. But that does not mean that one who has sufficient means to worship the Lord very nicely should also adopt this method and try to satisfy the Lord simply by offering water and a leaf. If he has sufficient means, he should offer nice decorations, nice flowers and nice foodstuffs and observe all ceremonies. It is not that one should try to satisfy the Supreme Lord with a little water and a leaf, and for himself spend all his money in sense gratification.) (25) One should not eat anything which is not offered first to Kåñëa. (26) One should not fail to offer fresh fruit and grains to Kåñëa, according to the season. (27) After food has been cooked, no one should be offered any foodstuff unless it is first offered to the Deity. (28) One should not sit with his back toward the Deity. (29) One should not offer obeisances silently to the spiritual master, or in other words, one should recite aloud the prayers to the spiritual master while offering obeisances. (30) One should not fail to offer some praise in the presence of the spiritual master. (31) One should not praise himself before the spiritual master. (32) One should not deride the demigods before the Deity.
This is a list of thirty-two offenses. Besides these, there are a number of offenses which are mentioned in the Varäha Puräëa. They are as follows: (1) One should not touch the Deity in a dark room. (2) One should not fail to strictly follow the rules and regulations in worshiping the Deity. (3) One should not enter the temple of the Deity without first making some sound. (4) One should not offer any foodstuff to the Deity which has been seen by dogs or other lower animals. (5) One should not break silence while worshiping. (6) One should not pass urine or evacuate while engaged in worshiping. (7) One should not offer incense without offering some flower. (8) Useless flowers without any fragrance should not be offered. (9) One should not fail to wash his teeth very carefully every day. (10) One should not enter the temple directly after sexual intercourse. (11) One should not touch a woman during her menstrual period. (12) One should not enter the temple after touching a dead body. (13) One should not enter the temple wearing garments of red or blue color or garments which are unwashed. (14) One should not enter the temple after seeing a dead body. (15) One should not pass air within the temple. (16) One should not be angry within the temple. (17) One should not enter the temple after visiting a crematorium. (18) One should not belch before the Deity. So, until one has fully digested his food, he should not enter the temple. (19) One should not smoke marijuana, or gaïjä. (20) One should not take opium or similar intoxicants. (21) One should not enter the Deity room or touch the body of the Deity after having smeared oil over his body. (22) One should not show disrespect to a scripture teaching about the supremacy of the Lord. (23) One should not introduce any opposing scripture. (24) One should not chew betel before the Deity. (25) One should not offer a flower which was kept in an unclean pot. (26) One should not worship the Lord while sitting on the bare floor; one must have a sitting place or carpet. (27) One should not touch the Deity before one has completed taking bath. (28) One should not decorate his forehead with the three-lined tilaka. (29) One should not enter the temple without washing his hands and feet.
Other rules are that one should not offer foodstuff which is cooked by a non-Vaiñëava, one should not worship the Deity before a nondevotee, and one should not engage himself in the worship of the Lord while seeing a nondevotee. One should begin the worship of the demigod Gaëapati, who drives away all impediments in the execution of devotional service. In the Brahma-saàhitä it is stated that Gaëapati worships the lotus feet of Lord Nåsiàhadeva and in that way has become auspicious for the devotees in clearing out all impediments. Therefore, all devotees should worship Gaëapati. The Deities should not be bathed in water which has been touched by the nails or fingers. When a devotee is perspiring, he should not engage himself in worshiping the Deity. Similarly, there are many other prohibitions. For example, one should not cross or step over the flowers offered to the Deities, nor should one take a vow in the name of God. These are all different kinds of offenses in the matter of executing devotional service, and one should be careful to avoid them.
In the Padma Puräëa it is stated that even a person whose life is completely sinful will be completely protected by the Lord if he simply surrenders unto Him. So it is accepted that one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes free from all sinful reactions. And even when a person becomes an offender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he can still be delivered simply by taking shelter of the holy names of the Lord: Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare. In other words, the chanting of Hare Kåñëa is beneficial for eradicating all sins, but if one becomes an offender to the holy names of the Lord, then he has no chance of being delivered.
The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. (2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Çiva or Lord Brahmä to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Viñëu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu. But one who is a devotee knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone thinks that he can chant “Kälé, Kälé!” or “Durgä, Durgä!”and it is the same as Hare Kåñëa, that is the greatest offense.) (3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. (4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. (5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kåñëa to be imagination. (6) To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. (7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the Lord. (It should not be taken that because by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reaction, one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Kåñëa to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.) (8) To consider the chanting of Hare Kåñëa one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-käëòa). (9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name. (Anyone can take part in chanting the holy name of the Lord, but in the beginning one should not be instructed about the transcendental potency of the Lord. Those who are too sinful cannot appreciate the transcendental glories of the Lord, and therefore it is better not to instruct them in this matter.) (10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter.
Every devotee who claims to be a Vaiñëava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success.
In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided:
to enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin
not to observe the prescribed festivals
to avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity
to offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one's hands after eating
to offer obeisances with one hand
to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity
to spread one's legs before the Deity
to sit before the Deity while holding one's ankles with one's hands
to lie down before the Deity
to eat before the Deity
to speak lies before the Deity
to address someone loudly before the Deity
to talk nonsense before the Deity
to cry before the Deity
to argue before the Deity
to chastise someone before the Deity
to show someone favor before the Deity
to use harsh words before the Deity
to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity
to blaspheme someone before the Deity
to worship someone else before the Deity
to use vulgar language before the Deity
to pass air before the Deity
to avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it
to eat something not offered to the Deity
to avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season
to offer food to the Deity which has already been used or from which has first been given to others (in other words, food should not be distributed to anyone else until it has been offered to the Deity)
to sit with one's back toward the Deity
to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity
not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master
to praise oneself before the Deity
to blaspheme the demigods.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7:5:23-24
A) Offences to the Deity
1) To enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin.
2) Not to observe the prescribed festivals.
3) To avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity.
4) To offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one's
hands after eating.
5) To offer obeisances with one hand.
6)
7) To spread one's legs before the Deity.
8) To sit before the Deity while holding one's ankles with one's
hands.
9) To lie down before the Deity.
10) To eat before the Deity.
11) To speak lies before the Deity.
12) To address someone loudly before the Deity.
13) To talk nonsense before the Deity.
14) To cry before the Deity.
15) To argue before the Deity.
16) To chastise someone before the Deity.
17) To show someone favour before the Deity.
18) To use harsh words before the Deity.
19) To wear a woollen blanket before the Deity.
20) To b laspheme someone before the Deity.
21) To worship someone else before the Deity.
22) To use vulgar language before the Deity.
23) To pass air before the Deity.
24) To avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is
able to perform it.
25) To eat something not offered to the Deity.
26) To avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season.
27) To offer food to the Deity which has already been used or from
which some has first been given to others; (in other words, food
should not be distributed to anyone else until it has been offered to the
Deity).
28) To sit with one's back toward the Deity.
29) To offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity.
30) Not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual
master.
31) To praise oneself before the Deity.
32) To blaspheme the demigods. In the worship of the Deity, these
32 offences should be avoided.
In the Varaha Purana the following offences are mentioned:
1) To eat in the house of a rich man.
2) To enter the Deity's room in the dark.
3) To worship the Deity without following the regulative principles.
4) To enter the temple without vibrating any sound.
5) To offer food that has been seen by a dog.
6) To break silence while offering worship to the Deity.
7) To go to the toilet during the time of worshipping the Deity.
8) To offer incense without offering flowers.
9) To worship the Deity with forbidden flowers.
10) To begin worship without having washed one's teeth.
11) To begin worship after sex.
12) To touch a lamp, dead body or a woman during her menstrual period,
or to put on red or bluish clothing, unwashed clothing, the clothing of
others or soiled clothing. Other offences are to worship the Deity
after seeing a dead body, to pass air before the Deity, to show anger before
the Deity, and to worship the Deity just after returning from a crematorium.
After eating, one should not worship the Deity until one has digested his
food, nor should one touch the Deity or engage in any Deity worship after
eating safflower oil or hing. These are also offences.
In other places, the following offences are listed:
1) To be against the scriptural injunctions of the Vedic literature
or to disrespect within one's heart the Srimad-Bhagavatam while externally
falsely accepting its principles.
2) To introduce differing sastras.
3) To chew pan and betel before the Deity.
4) To keep flowers for worship on the leaf of a castor oil plant.
5) To worship the Deity in the afternoon.
6) To sit on the altar or to sit on the floor to worship the
Deity (without a seat).
7) To touch the Deity with the left hand while bathing the Deity.
8) To worship the Deity with a stale or used flower.
9) To spit while worshipping the Deity.
10) To advertise one's glory while worshipping the Deity.
11) To apply tilaka to one's forehead in a curved way.
12) To enter the temple without having washed one's feet.
13) To offer the Deity food cooked by an uninitiated person.
14) To worship the Deity and offer bhoga to the Deity within the vision
of an uninitiated person or non-Vaisnava.
15) To offer worship to the Deity without worshipping Vaikuntha deities
like Ganesa.
16) To worship the Deity while perspiring.
17) To refuse flowers offered to the Deity.
18) To take a vow or oath in the holy name of the Lord.
B) The Ten Offences to the Holy Name
Padma Purana (Brahma Khanda 25.15-18) (Sanat-kumara to Narada Muni)
satam ninda namnah paramam aparadham vitanute
yatah khyatim yatam katham u sahate tad vigariham
sivasya sri-visnor ya iha guna-namadi sakalam
dhiya bhinnam pasyet sa khalu hari-namahita-karah
1) Blasphemy of the great saintly persons who are engaged in the
preaching of the Hare Krsna mantra is the worst offence at the lotus feet
of the holy name. The Nama-prabhu, who is identical with Krsna, will
never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as
a great devotee.
2) In this material world the holy name of Visnu is all-auspicious.
Visnu's name, form, qualities and pastimes are all transcendental, absolute
knowledge. Therefore, if one tries to separate the Absolute Personality
of Godhead from His holy name or His transcendental form, qualities and
pastimes, thinking them to be material, that is offensive. Similarly,
to think the names of demigods such as Lord Siva to be as good as the name
of Lord Visnu is also blasphemous.
guror avajna sruti-sastra-nindanam
tathartha-vado hari-namni kalpanam
namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi suddhih
3) To consider the spiritual master to be material and, therefore,
to envy his exalted position.
4) Blasphemy of Vedic literatures, such as the four Vedas and
the Puranas.
5) To consider the glories of the holy name to be exaggeration.
6) To consider the holy name of the Lord to be imaginary.
7) To think that since the Hare Krsna mantra can counteract all
sinful reactions one may therefore go on with all his sinful activities
and then, at the same time, chant the Hare Krsna mantra to neutralize them
is the greatest offence at the lotus feet of Hari-nama. One who thinks
in this way cannot be purified by any means of sense restraint and severe
austerities, nor can he be purified by the various punishments of Yamaraja.
dharma-vrata-tyaga-hutadi-sarva-
subha-kriya-samyam api pramadah
asraddadhane vimukhe 'py asrnvati
yas copadesah siva-namaparadhah
8) It is offensive to consider the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra to be equal to the performance of religious ceremonies, following austere vows, practising renunciation and fire sacrifices, which are all materialistic auspicious activities.
9) It is an offence to preach the glories of the holy name to
those who will not year, to those who are atheistic and those who have
no faith in the matter of chanting the holy name.
srutvapi nama-mahatmyam
vah priti-rahito 'dhamah
aham-mamadi-paramo
namni so 'py aparadha-krt
10) That lowest among men who, even after hearing the glories of the transcendental holy name of the Lord, continues in a materialistic concept of life, thinking, "I am this body, and everything belonging to this body is mine (aham mameti)" and does not show respect and love for the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is an offender to the holy name.
C) The Ten Offences to the Holy Dhama
1) Contempt and disrespect towards the guru who is the revealer
of the dhama to his disciple.
2) To think that the holy dhama is temporary.
3) To commit violence towards any of the residents of the holy
dhama or to any of the pilgrims who come there, or to think that they are
ordinary mundane people.
4) Performing mundane activities while living in the holy place.
5) Earning money by and making a business of Deity worship and
the chanting of the holy name.
6) To think that the holy dhama belongs to some mundane country
or province such as Bengal, to think that the dhama of the Lord is equal
to a holy place connected with some demigod, or to attempt to measure the
area of the dhama.
7) To commit sinful acts while residing in the dhama.
8) To consider Vrndavana and Navadvipa to be different.
9) To blaspheme the sastras which glorify the dhama.
10) To be faithless and think that the glories of the dhama are imaginary.
Following is a list of some of the offenses in deity worship. This not a complete list of all possible offenses towards the Lord, but gives one an idea of how one should respect the Lord. the offenses have been divided into five groups for convenience, according to the Padma Purana .
Lack of purity in body and mind:
To come to the temple after associating with drunkards.
To worship the deity after talking to beggars or tantriks.
To touch anything eaten by a dog and then com into the temple.
To appear before the Lord after taking food without first washing hands
and mouth, or in any unclean state.
To come before the deity after having seen a corpse, having visited
a burning ghat, or after having eaten onions, meat or other forbidden foods.
To touch the Lord without having brushed the teeth, or after having
touched a woman in her period, a lamp or a dead body.
To serve the deity after having rubbed oil on ones body (an impure
state).
To come before the deity improperly dressed: wearing red, blue, unwashed,
dirty or another persons clothing.
To enter the temple with unclean feet.
To serve the Lord with undigested food in ones stomach.
To worship the deity while sweating.
To exit from puja to stool.
To serve the Lord while angry.
To talk mundane matters while worshipping the Lord.
Lack of respect:
To enter the Lord's temple in a vehicle of any sort.
To enter the Lord's temple with shoes on.
To come before the Lord without paying pranamas.
To pay pranamas with one hand.
To circumabulate in front of the deity.
To point at the Lord with ones finger.
To show ones feet to the deity.
To squat before the Lord.
To lie down and sleep before the Lord.
To eat before the Lord.
To chew pan before the Lord.
To wear a covering such as chaddar over the head and body before the
Lord.
To pass air in front of the Lord.
To sit with ones back to the Lord.
To spit in the Lord's temple.
To wear horizontal tilaka before the deity.
To accept or give things to another person in front of the Lord.
To offer an article which has already been enjoyed by another person.
To look at the Lord when he is not open for viewing.
To disrespect the nirmalya (prasada garlands, caranamrta),
To offer meat the Lord.
To speak lies, loud words, cruel words, angry words, indecent words,
or unspiritual words before the deity.
To cry before the deity.
To criticize or praise someone in front of the deity.
To greet another person before the Lord.
To criticize the Lord or the devatas.
To curse the Lord.
Lack of effort:
To perform worship with less than what one is capable of.
To neglect the Lord during his festivals.
To worship the Lord without offering items such as incense,
gandha, malya etc.
To neglect to offer the season's fruits to the Lord.
To come before the spiritual master without words of praise.
To serve the Lord while ignoring the pancaratrik injunctions.
To open the temple doors without sounding of instruments.
To touch the Lord in the dark (neglecting to light any lamp).
To touch the deity with the left hand.
To worship or touch the deity without having performed acamana.
To worship the deity without sitting on an asana.
To worship the Lord with old flowers.
To worship the Lord with unsuitable flowers.
to worship the Lord with begged flowers.
To worship The deity while sitting on the Lord's asana (pitha).
To worship the deity without having first worshipped the destroyer
of obstacles. To bathe the Lord in water touched by the fingernails.
To offer the Lord grains cooked by a non vaisnava.
To worship the Lord before non vaisnavas.
To worship the deity during asura kala.
Lack of faith:
To eat the food offered to devatas or wear garlands offered to
them.
To eat food without first offering it the Lord.
To eat the food of a materialist.
To fail to observe the vratas such as ekadasi.
Lack of servitorship (pride):
To show pride before the deity, by thinking oneself the best worshiper,
or by performing elaborate puja for name and fame.
To praise oneself before the deity.
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada - Must
maintain our love for Krishna....or puja becomes offensive
Pranama (vandana):
Offering respect by lowering the body is called pranama. Nrsimha Purana says that prostration before the Lord is the best of yajnas.
namaskarah smrto yajnah sarva yajnesu cottamah
namaskarena caikena narah puto harim vrajet
Among all yajnas the pranama is the best. By one pranama the
living entity becomes pure and attains the Lord.
Narasimha Purana
As it is a physical expression of complete surrender to the Lord
and indicates offering ones head beneath the Lords lotus feet, it is an
apt conclusion to the worship. It is counted as the sixteenth upacara.
Reading of stotras or stava and pradaksina, as well as karmarpana and atma
samarpana (following pranam) are sometimes included as part of the
upacara called "pranama." The whole section titled "Concluding
Activities" may be regarded as an expansion of the pranama upacara.
Whereas the the other upacaras are items, the pranama upacara is an offering
of the self to the Lord.
Types:
pancanga pranama (five limbed ): touching the ground with two knees, two arms, head, while mind and intelligence are intent on surrender, and while the tongue offers words of submission.
astanga (or sastanga) pranama: touching two arms, two feet, two knees, chest and head to the ground, with eyes half closed, with mind thinking that ones head is at the lotus feet of the Lord, and with tongue uttering words of submission.
Words of submission may be "prasida bhagavan" (Oh Lord, please accept my service, be satsified with me.) or suitable pranama prayer.
According the Kurma Purana, the hands should be crossed, with the thought that ones right hand is touching the right foot of the Lord and ones left hand is touching the left foot of the Lord.
siro mat padayoh krtva bahubhyam ca parasparam
prapannam pahi mam isa bhitam mrtyu graharnavat
Holding my right foot with your right hand and my left foot with your
left hand, and your head upon my feet, and saying prapannam pahi mam isa
bhitam mrtyu graharnavat (being afraid of the material ocean of death,
and surrendering unto you, please protect me), one should pay his
obeisances.
Srimad Bhagavatam
Before the puja, after the offering of upacaras and after the japa one may offer five limbed pranama, but at the conclusion of puja one should offer eight limbed pranama.
According to some, women should only perform the five limbed pranama, since there is an injunction that women's breasts should not touch the earth.
Number:
One pranama is insufficient. One should offer three times
or any greater uneven number of times. Not only the head, but the
whole body should be lifted after each pranama.
garudam aksine krtva kuryat tat prsthato budhah
avasyam ca pranamams trin saktas ced adhikadhikan
Keeping garuda on the right and the deity on the right one should
pay obeisances, at least three times and more if possible.
(In many old temples the garuda is placed near the main entrance in the
yard in front of the temple, and there the devotees pay their obeisances.)
Time:
sandhim viksya harim cadyam gurun svagurumeva
ca..
namet.....
One should first pay obiesances to the Lord, then the spiritual master, but one should avoid improper times, such as when they are asleep or while eating.
Place:
One should not pay pranamas direct in front of the deity, nor behind the deity, nor too close to the deity, nor in the deity room.
The deity of the Lord and the spiritual master should be seen from a
distant place. This is called maryada. Otherwise, as is said,
familiarity breeds comtempt. Sometimes coming too near the deity or the
spiritual master degrades the neophyte devotee. Personal servants of the
deity and the spiritual master should therefore always be very careful,
for negligence may overcome them in their duty.
CC Madhya v.5.p.105
Since one should not pay pranamas directly in the deity room, while
doing puja one may offer pranamas by using the pranama mudra and reciting
the pranama prayers. The pranama mudra consists of folding the hands
and placing in front of the heart.
Though one should pay obeisances to vaisnavas and spiritual master the following discretion is observed in the temple:
According to the rules and regulations, no one should accept obeisances
in the temple of the Lord before the deity. Nor is it proper for
a devotee to offer obeisances and touch the feet of the spiritual
master before the deity. This is considered an offense. The
point is that even though one plays the part of a spiritual master, he
should not accept obeisances or permit a disciple to wash his feet before
the deity. This is a matter of etiquette.
CC Madhya v.5.p.60
Direction:
One should approach from the Lord's right side and pay pranama showing ones left side to the deity. One should show ones right side in paying pranamas to siva and parvati, and one should directly face the spiritual master in paying pramanas.
svavame pranamet visnum daksine sakti sankarau
pranamec ca guror agre canyatha nisphalam
bhavet
One should pay obeisances to visnu with ones left facing the Lord,
to Siva with the right side facing Siva , and to the spiritual master
head-on. To perform ones obeisances in any other way is fruitless.
Dress:
Ones head should not be covered with a cloth, nor should only one hand touch the ground.
Anyone who offers respects and obeisances to the deity while wearing
garments on the upper portion of his body is condemned to be a leper for
seven births.
CC Antya v.4.p.68
ardra vasah krtabhyango jale tisthati yo narah
namaskrto namas kuryad dhanti punyam purakrtam
One should not give or accept pranams while wearing wet cloth, while
having oil on the body or while standing in water. By doing so, all
ones previous punyas are finished.
Karmarpana (offering ones activities to the Lord):
Just as one expresses verbally ones intended act of worship by the recitation
of sankalpa at the commencement of puja, , at the conclusion of the
puja one expresses verbally the completion of the activity and its
purpose, to please the Lord, by the act of karmarpana. By reciting
this, one reaffirms that all of ones activities are only meant for the
pleasure of Sri Krsna.
Atmasamarpana:
After offering all of ones activities, one should offer the doer of
those activities--oneself--to the Lord. To surrender completely and
offer oneself to the Lord is the final act of worship and the goal one
is attempting to reach through the sadhana of puja.
PRAYASCITTANY ASESANI TAPAH KARMATMAKANI VAI
YANI TESAM ASESANAM KRSNA ANUSMARANAM PARAM
KRTE PAPE'NUTAPO VAI YASYA PUMSAH PRAJAYATE
PRAYAS CITTANTU TASYAIKAM HARI SAMSMARANAM PARAM
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/49,50 from VISNU PURANA)
Among all atonements such as austerity, charity, japa (silent chanting), and fasting, the remembrance of Lord Sri Krsna is the topmost. The atonement to remove sinful activities is the only way, but remembering Lord Hari is the topmost atonement to remove sin.
KARMANA MANASA VACA YAH KRTA PAPA SANCAHAH
SO'PY ASESAH KSAYAM YATI SMRTVA KRSNANGHRI PANKAJAM
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/55 from BRAHMA VAIVARTA PURANA)
Anyone who has accumulated sins by actions, mind and words, those sins are removed only by remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna.
SAKRN MANAH KRSNA PADARAVINDAYOR
NIVESITAM TAD-GUNA-RAGI YAIR IHA
NA TE YAMAM PASA-BHRTAS CA TAD-BHATAN
SVAPNE 'PI PASYANTI HI CIRNA-NISKRTAH
(SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM 6.1.19)
Even if a person has not fully realized Krsna, he becomes completely free from all sinful reactions by accepting the true method of atonement, full surrender at His lotus feet. Even in dreams, such surrendered souls do not see Yamaraja or his carriers, who are equipped with ropes to bind the sinful.
LABHAS TESAM JAYAS TESAM KUTAS TESAM PARA BHAVAH
YESAM INDIVARASYAMO HRDAYASTHA JANARDANAH
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/62 from PANDAVA GITA)
The blue lotus-colored Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of Syamasundara, in whoever's heart He resides, ?
VEDESU YAJNESU TAPAHSU CA IVA DANESU TIRTHESU VRATASU CAIVA
ISTESU PURTESU CA YAT PRADISTAM NRNAM SMRTE TAT PHALAM ACYUTE CA
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/63 from SKANDA PURANA)
Whatever merit is gained by performing sacrifice, performing austerities, giving charity, going to the places of pilgrimage, fasting, following the scriptural rules and regulations and building water ponds and gardens is all attained by one who remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Visnu (Krsna).
YASYA SMARANA MATRENA JANMA SAMSARA BANDHANAT
VIMUCYATE NAMAS TASMAI VISNAVE PRABHA VISNAVE
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/71 from SKANDA PURANA)
Just by remembering the all-influential, powerful Lord Sri Visnu, one's connection within this world of repeated birth and death is completely cut. To such a Personality of Godhead, I pay my obeisances.
TADAIVA PURUSO MUKTO JANMA DUHKHA JARADIBHIH
BHAKTYA TU PARAYA NUNAM YADA IVA SMARATE HARIM
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/? from SKANDA PURANA spoken by Parasara Muni)
When someone remembers the Supreme Lord Hari with devotion, at once he becomes free from fear, distress, old age, etc. without a doubt.
NIRASIR NIRMAMO YASTU VISNOR DHYANA PARO BHAVET
TAT PADAM SAM AVAPNOTI YATRA GATVA NA SOCATI
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/77 from VISNU DHARMOTTARA)
Anyone who, after giving up all sense enjoyment and greed, engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord Visnu, he attains Lord Visnu's abode where there is no distress.
ETAN SANKHYA-YOGABHYAM SVA-DHARMA-PARINISTHAYA
JANMA-LABHAH PARAH PUMSAM ANTE NARAYANA SMRITI
(SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM 2.1.6)
The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.
TATAH PADODAKAM KINCIT PRAK PITVA TULASI DALAIH
GRHITE NACARET TENA SVA MURDHNY ABHISECANAM
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/87)
SARVA MANGALA MANGALYAM VARENYAM VARADAM SIVAM
NARAYANAM NAMASKRTYA SARVA KARMANI KARAYET
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/89 from VAMANA PURANA)
The Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, who is all auspicious among auspicious things, who is the best of all, who gives benedictions of all kinds, should always be remembered while performing all kinds of activities.
UPA PATAKESU SARVESU PATAKESU MAHATSU CA
PRAVISYA RAJANI PADAM VISNU DHYANAM SAMACARET
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/102 from NARADA PANCARATRA)
Anyone who wants to become free from all kinds of obstacles and great difficulties, should always remember and worship Lord Sri Visnu early in the morning or the last part of the night within his house.
VIBHAJYA PANCADHA RATRIM SESE DEVA ARCAN ADIKAM
JAPAM HOMAM TATHA DHYANAM NITYAM KURVITA SADHAKAH
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/104 from VAIHAYASA PANCARATRA)
A mendicant should divide the whole night into five parts after sunset and in the last part he should daily perform japa, sacrifice and meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
RATRES TU PASCIME YAME MUHURTAU BRAHMYA UCYATE
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 3/105 from VISNU SMRTI)
Therefore it is written that the last part of the night is called
the brahma muhurta.
7. THE MANTRAS FOR OBTAINING FORGIVENESS FOR ONE'S OFFENCES
mantra-hinam kriya-hinam
bhakti-hinam janardana
yat pujitam maya deva
paripurnam tad astu me
"O my Lord, O Janardana, whatever little puja or worship that has been
performed by me, although it is without devotion, without proper mantras
and without the proper performance, please let that become complete."
yad-dattam bhakti-matrena
patram puspam phalam jalam
aveditam nivedyan tu
tan grhananukampaya
"What has been offered with devotion, the leaf, the flower, the water,
the fruit, the foodstuff, which has been offered, please, out of Your causeless
mercy, accept it."
vidhi-hinam mantra-hinam
yat kincid upapaditam
kriya-mantra-vihinam va
tat sarvam ksantum arhasi
"Whatever has happened without the proper chanting of the mantra, or without following the proper procedure, kindly forgive all that."
ajnanad athava jnanad
asubham yan maya krtam
ksantum arhasi tat sarvam
dasyenaiva grhana mam
sthitih seva gatir yatra
smrtis cinta stutir vacah
bhuyat sarvatmana visno
madiyam tvayi cestitam
"Whatever inauspicious things I have done out of ignorance or unknowingly, please forgive that and accept me as Your insig-nificant servant. Let my normal condition be service; let my movement be holy pilgrimage; let my thought be remembrance of You; let my words be glorification of You. O Visnu, let my activities, with my whole mind and body and soul, be engaged in You."
aparadha sahasrani
kriyante 'har nisham maya
daso 'ham iti mam matva
kshamshva madhusudana
"Thousands of offenses are performed by me day and night, but thinking of me as Your servant, kindly forgive those, oh Madhusudana."
pratijna tava govinda
na me bhaktah pranashyati
iti samsmrtya samsmrtya
pranan samadharayamya aham
"O Govinda, Your promise is that Your devotee will never perish. By
remembering this over and over again, I am able to retain my life airs."
If one commits any of the above offenses (the offenses in Deity worship), one must read at least one chapter of Bhagavad Gita. This is confirmed in the Skanda Purana, Avanti khanda. Similarly, there is another injunction, stating that one who reads the thousand names of Vishnu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda, it is said that one who recites prayers to Tulasi or sows a Tulasi seed is also freed from all offenses. Similarly, one who worships the Salagram sila can also be relieved of offenses. In the Brahmanda Purana it is said that one who worships Lord Vishnu, whose four hands bear a conchshell, disc, lotus flower and club, can be relieved from the above offenses. In the Adi-varaha Purana it is said that a worshipper who has committed offenses may fast for one day at a Holy place known as Saukarava and then bathe in the Ganges (Archana Paddhati – The Process of Deity Worship, page 96 - 97.)
Pavitrotsavam
http://balaji.sudarshana.org/tirupati-sevas-pujas.htm
Pavitrotsavam is a purificatory ceremony, the objective of which is to expiate the mistakes and offenses arising in the daily worship of the deity. This function is elaborately performed in the month of August every year.
See more on Pavitropana utsav here
