Presented by Sukanya Jaiswal, Sujan Amin & Garima Verma, DIYA (Gayatri Parivar)

1. Practical Pooja in 20 Minutes By- SujanAmin GarimaVerma Sukanya Jaiswal

2. Pooja for the Busy Person

3. Objectives To give a spiritual basis for daily pooja. To provide scientific evidence that daily practice of pooja is effective. To give a demonstration of the process.

4. Why Bother? Directs the mind. Enhances concentration. Refines mind and soul. Disciplines the mind and the body. Focuses upon self and your impact in society. Critique yourself.

5. Is There Any Evidence To Support These Assertions? Saam Veda mantra 163 says: "Yoge yoge Indramuteye hawamahe“

6. Yoge - the matter of practicing Ashtang Yoga. When we learn and do yoga practice of aasan, pranayam Indram- Almighty God Uteye - protection from evils such as, anger, ego and jealousy, control the five senses and the false materialistic affairs

7. Is There Any Evidence to Support These Assertions? In BhagwadGita, Krishna provides guidance on: Bhakti Yoga: Devotion Karma Yoga: Selfless Action Jnana Yoga: Self Transcending Knowledge The Gita’s 18 chapters are divided into 3 section each with 6 chapters Karma Yoga: means to the final goal Jnana Yoga: final goal ( knowledge) Bhakti Yoga: dissolve ego and self surrender to God

8. What About Scientific Evidence? At Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar India research projects have been investigated whether there are any benefits in various aspects of the pooja process. Meditation, pranayama and mantra jap have all been found to have very beneficial effects on the body and mind.

9. Study #1: Benefit of Mahamritunjaya Mantra Objective: to assess the impact of the mantra on depression levels and feelings of self-inferiority. Study group: 40 subjects (18-40 year age range). Method: 3 Maharitunjaya mantra malas per day for 40 days. Result: Both depression levels and self-inferiority levels reduced to statistically significant levels.

10. Study #2: Comparison Of Self-Concept Of The People Living In Spiritual And Normal Environment Aim: To study the comparison of self-concept of the people living in spiritual and normal environment. Study group: 40 males and 40 females from Shantikunj, Haridwar for spiritual environment and from Ranipokhari, Rishikesh for normal environment. Result: People living in a spiritual environment show higher self awareness compared to people living in a normal environment.

11. Further Research Material http://www.dsvv.org/?Research/Publications/ResearchPublicationsofTeachers/ http://www.dsvv.org/?Research/Publications/PhDResearchAbstracts/ http://www.medscape.com

12. Anyone Sceptical? Pooja is a subjective thing. There is no materialistic measurement. Your aura becomes positively charged. Through biochemical interactions, your body and mind become more energised. Hopefully, through both evidence from Scriptures and scientific evidence, concerns regarding the benefit of pooja are somewhat dispelled.

13. Gayatri Mantra ||Om bhurbhuvahswahtatsaviturvarenyambhargodevasyadhimahidhiyoyo nah prachodayat || Meaning: May almighty illuminate our intellect and inspire us towards the righteous path

14. A Universal concept Upasana- becoming one with the divine through pooja practice. Sadhana- adopting good habits. Aradhana- service for others. Samaydaan- donation of a proportion of your time for good causes. Anshdaan- donation of small portion of earnings.

15. Tools Needed You (i.e. your concentrated mind). Appropriate place for pooja. Mat. Pooja items (incense, deepak, aarthi, water in a kalash (or dish), flowers, prasaad, etc). Rosary. Altar.

16. Overview of the Process

17. Create the Right Ambience Light the deepak using an incense stick. Circumnavigate the incense stick at the altar. Keep some water in a covered container

18. Purification The physical and spiritual bodies are cleansed with the aid of mantras. This prepares the body and mind for the Dev Pujan, later in the process.

19. Purification

20. Pavitrikaranam Put some water in your left palm and cover with the right hand. Chant the mantra and sprinkle the water over your head and body with the feeling that spiritual cleansing of your mind and body is occurring. Your physical and spiritual bodies are being cleansed.

21. Pavitrikaranam Mantra Om apavitrah pavitro vah sarvavstha gathopi va, Yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyantarah sucihi. Sprinkle water over head and body and chant: Om punatu pundarikaksah, punatu pundarikaksah, punatu.

22. Aachman Put some water in your right palm and after reciting the mantra, each time upon the word “Swaha”, drink the water. Your body, mind and spiritual body are being supercharged (Hrim, Srim, Klim). Wash your hands.

23. Aachman Mantra Om amrato pastaranmasiswaha Om amratapidhanamasiswaha Om satyam yasha sirmayishri srayatam swaha

24. Sikha Vandana A sikha is a tuft of hair with is tied with a knot. Put some water in your left hand and dip your fingers and thumb of your right hand into this. Then place fingers and thumb on the sikha (or at the point where a sikha is positioned if you do not have one).

25. Sikha Vandana Mantra Om chidrupini mahamaye Divya tejah samanvite Tistha devi sikha madye Tejo vridhim kurushwa me

26. Pranayama Deep breathing exercise. With constant practice, it will increase your lung capacity. Helps clear the mind and increase focus and concentration. Perform at least three rounds.

27. Pranayama Mantra Om bhur, Om bhuwaha, Om swaha Om maha, Om janaha, Om tapaha, Om Satyam Om tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dheemahi, dhiyo yo naha prachodayat Om apo jyotir rasoamatam brahm bhur bhuwah swahaOmm

28. Nyasa Worshipping your senses. Put some water in your left hand and dip the fingers and thumb of your right hand into this and touch the various parts of your body as directed. Work from left to right. Each time dip your fingers and thumb into the water.

29. Nyasa Mantra Om vangmeasyestum (both sides of mouth) Om nasormepranorastu (both nostrils) Om aksnormechaksurastu (both eyes) Om karnoyormsrotramastu (both ears) Om bahwormebalamastu (both shoulders) Om urvormojoastu (both thighs) Om arsitanmenagnitanustanwa me sahasantu (sprinkle water on the head and body)

30. Dev Poojan Forget not yourself in times of anger

31. PrithwiPoojan Paying salutations to Mother Earth. Mother Earth gives us a place to stay. She gives us everything for sustaining ourselves. Place a spoonful of water and a flower on the ground/floor and worship it. Ask God to be made grateful for all the good things that you have been taking for granted

32. PrithwiPoojan Mantra Om prithwitwayadihrithaloka Devi twamVishnuanadhriwam Twam cha dhareyamamdevi Pavitramkuruchashanam

33. Invocation of Vedmata Gayatri Mother of the Vedas Provided knowledge to Lord Brahma in order that he create the world. Mother of righteous knowledge.

34. Invocation of Vedmata Gayatri Mantra Om ayatuvardedevi, tryakashareBrahmavadini Gayatri Chandasam Mata, Brahmyonenamostute Om Sri Gayatri namaha, avhahyamistapayami, pujayami, dhyayami Thathonamaskaramkoro me (Bow down to welcome Vedmata Gayatri)

35. Invocation of Guru Spiritual guide. Dispels darkness and replaces with illumination. One who has engaged in a tremendous amount of penance.

36. Invocation of Guru Mantra Om Gururbrahma, Gururvishnu, GururevaMaheshwara GururevaSakshatParabrahma, Tasmai Sri Guruvenamaha. Akhandamandalakaram, vyaptumyenacharacharum Tatpadamdarsitamyena, tasmai Sri Guruvenamaha. Om Sri Guruvenamah, avhahyamistapayami, pujayami, dhyayami Thathonamaskaramkoro me (Bow down to welcome your Guru)

37. Jap and Dhyan One rosary of Gayatri Mantra (three if you have the time). Concentrate on the deepak in front of you then close your eyes. Position the flame in your mind’s eye in between your eye brows. If the flame disappears from your mind, open your eyes and refocus on the flame and then close your eyes.

38. Jap and Dhyan Five MahamritunjayaMantra for the needy in the world. Om tryambakamyajamahe sugandhimpusjtivardhanam urvarukamivabandhanan mrytormukshiyamamrtat

39. Aarthi Light the arthi. Rotate clockwise around the altar.

40. ShantiPaath Prayer for peace throughout the world and the galaxy. Peace for all beings.

41. Suryadhyana The water in the kalash or dish should be slowly poured on to the stem of a basil plant. If you don’t have one, pour on to another plant or on the soil. Pour the water whilst you are facing east, reciting the mantra. This is symbolising that you are giving something back to the world.

42. Suryadhyana Mantra Om Suryadevosahastrano tejorasejagatpate Anukampayamambhaktya grahanardhyamdivakara Om Suryayanamaha Adityayanamaha Bhaskarayanamaha.

43. Further Information www.awgp.org www.dsvv.org www.akhandjyoti.org www.diya.net.in AkhandJyotimagazine (Hindi, Gujarati, English). Books by VedmurthiTaponisthaPdt. Sri Ram Sharma Archaryaji

44. Thanks to Chancellor of Dev Sanskrit University, Shradheya Dr PranavPandya, for providing the scientific data and spiritual content of this presentation For further information, please contact Neeraj Ram: u2jam@hotmail.com Anand Jaiswal: jaiswala@iprimus.com.au

45. Any Questions?