22.4.55)  मङ्गलरात्रिकम् Maṅgalarātrikam

(This has already been referred in the previous part. Now, relevant mantras and procedures are being discussed.)

Now, by touching (abhimantraṇa) the plate, recite the following mantra which is known as navākṣarī ratneśvarī mantra (नवाक्षरी रत्नेश्वरी).

4 śrīṁ hrīṁ glūṁ slūṁ mlūṁ plūṁ nlūṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ

4 श्रीं ह्रीं ग्लूं स्लूं म्लूं प्लूं न्लूं ह्रीं श्रीं

After completing the recitation, show chakra mudra to the lamps.

Now recite mūlamantra by touching the plate (abhimantraṇa means abhi-mantraṇa-mantra; making anything sacred by a special formula or consecrating). Now take the plate and rotate clockwise nine times in front of (like dipārādhana) Kāmeśvarā and Kāmeśvarī (if idols are available) and Śri Cakra by reciting two mantras. First mantra is the first verse of Durgā Sūktaṁ.

i) जादेवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः। स नः पर्षदति विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं तुरितात्यग्निः॥

jādevedase sunavāma somamarātīyato nidahāti vedaḥ | sa naḥ parṣadati viśvā nāveva sindhuṁ turitātyagniḥ ||

ii) समस्त चक्र चक्रेशीयुते देवि नवात्मिके।

आरात्रिकमिदं दुभ्यं गृहाण मम सिद्धये॥

samasta cakra cakreśīyute devi navātmike |

ārātrikamidaṁ dubhyaṁ gṛhāṇa mama siddhaye ||

After having done this, we have to place the lamp to our right.

23) चतुरायतन पूजा Caturāyatana Pūjā

Āyatana means resting place or abode. Every place and every being is āyatana of Śiva. As we know that there are five types of śakti-s – citśakti, ānandaśakti, icchāśakti, jñānaśakti and kriyāśakti. The first three śakti-s along with the last two śakti-s are responsible for creation. These five śakti-s are known as Śiva, Śakti, Sadāśiva, Īśvara and Śuddhavidyā respectively. Technically, worshiping these five śakti-s is known as pañcāyatana pūjā. Therefore, pañcāyatana pūjā means worshipping the five primary principles of creation, as mentioned above. Śiva alone is Absolute and the rest have originated from Him. He alone pervades the entire universe. He is Cit (Absolute Consciousness) and Śakti is full of Bliss (Ānandaśakti). Both of them are known as Saccidānanda, who pervade the universe. In order to let us know that the whole world is permeated by Saccidānanda and no object or being is different from Saccidānanda, pañcāyatana pūjā is performed. There are three types of pañcāyatana pūjā – Śiva, Śakti and Viṣṇu pañcāyatana pūjā-s. In any pañcāyatana pūjā, five Gods are worshiped and they are Śiva, Śakti, Viṣṇu, Gaṇeśa and Sūrya. The presiding deity is placed in the middle and other deities are worshiped clockwise beginning from North East (īśāna), South East, South West and North West.

In navāvaraṇa pūjā, which is performed to attain Her Grace and Compassion, instead of pañcāyatana pūjā, caturāyatana pūjā is performed, as Kāmeśvarī is majestically seated in the middle of Śri Cakra along with Mahā-Kāmeśvara. Theoretically, caturāyatana pūjā is Śakti pañcāyatana pūjā. Kāmeśvarī is worshiped in the middle, Gaṇeśa in nirṛti (South West), Sūrya in vāyu (North West), Viṣṇu in īśāna (North East) and Śiva in agni (South East). Gaṇeśa is the chief of gaṇa-s, who protects the universe (14 worlds). He is an embodiment of knowledge. He is not only the obstacle remover, but also causes obstacles. Hence, he is worshiped first in order to remove any possible obstacles. (However, for a true devotee no obstacles will be there in his spiritual path; however, he has to undergo the pains and sufferings of life due to his or her individual karma and the group karma - group means society as well as relationships). Sūrya (the sun) has the ability to create and he rules the world along with his consort Savitā. Since he is the creator (creator contextually does not refer to Brahman), Sūrya is worshiped. Viṣṇu is the sustainer of the universe and hence Viṣṇu is worshiped. Śiva is worshiped as Rudra, who alone is capable of annihilating the universe, hence He is worshiped. Śiva has multiple manifestations, from a subordinate staff to the chief executive. Though He is known through different names such as Sadāśiva, Īśvara, Mahādeva, Īśāna, Kāmeśvara, Bhairava, etc, all these forms are different manifestations of Śiva only. Hence Śiva is worshiped. Parāśakti is worshiped in the centre, in the innermost triangle of Śri Cakra. She is the embodiment of everything that prevails in the universe. She gets Her energy from Śiva and She acts on behalf of Śiva. She gives spiritual knowledge and bliss. Without Her Grace, liberation cannot be attained. She is Prakāśa Vimarśa Mahāmāyā Svarūpini. The very purpose of navāvaraṇa pūjā is only to contemplate Her perpetually, setting aside attachments to material world (normal living is not material attachment; if we do not live normal materialistic life, Kṛṣṇa will be angry with us as we would be violating His teaching on karma yoga!)

Pūjayāmi and Tarpayāmi:

This is the most significant aspect of navāvaraṇa pūjā.  Hereafter, at the end of every mantra pūjanaṁ and tarpaṇaṁ are to be done. Flowers are to be taken in the left hand. In the right hand, tweezers is to be taken with a piece of ginger held between the tweezers. At the time of saying pūjayāmi flowers from the left hand are to be placed. At the time of saying tarpayāmi, the ginger piece is to be dipped into viśeṣa arghya using the tweezers and a drop of viśeṣa arghya is to be offered in the same place where flowers are placed. This is further explained in Gaṇeśa pūjā.

23.1) Gaṇeśa pūjā.

i) Gaṇeśa āvahana:

4 सिद्धलक्ष्मी समेत श्री महागणपति ध्यायामि। आवाहयामि ॥

आसनं ।पाद्यं। अर्घ्यं।स्नपयामि।आचमनीयं।वस्त्रं।गन्धान् धारयामि। पुष्पैः पूजयामि॥

4 siddhalakṣmī sameta śrī mahāgaṇapati dhyāyāmi | āvāhayāmi ॥

āsanaṁ | pādyaṁ | arghyaṁ | snapayāmi | ācamanīyaṁ | gandhān dhārayāmi | puṣpaiḥ pūjayāmi ||

ii) Gaṇeśa mūlamantra:

(to be recited three times)

4 ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं क्लीं ग्लौं गं गणपतये वरवरद सर्वजनंमे वशमानय स्वाहा । सिद्धलक्ष्मी समेत श्री महागणपति श्री पादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 om śrīṁ hrīṁ klīṁ glauṁ gaṁ gaṇapataye varavarada sarvajanaṁme vaśamānaya svāhā । siddhalakṣmī sameta śrī mahāgaṇapati śrī pādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

Now take flowers in the left palm and place the flowers, where Gaṇeśa idol is kept (nirṛti - South West) and simultaneously take amṛta using a tweezers made of either silver or copper. This is meant to perform tarpaṇa. Instead of a tweezers, a thin silver rod with spikes on one side and a very small uttaraṇi like structure which can hold one or two drops of viśeṣa arghya can also be used. At the end of the tweezers peeled ginger should be placed firmly. The tip of tweezers is dipped into viśeṣa arghya, a drop of amṛta is taken and immediately placed in the place where flowers are placed. This procedure is known as pūjayāmi and tarpayāmi. In fact, both pūjanaṁ and tarpaṇaṁ should be done simultaneously.

Note: śrī pādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ will hence forth be referred as spptn.

iii) Arcana:

(only flowers to be offered)

ॐ सुमुखाय नमः। एकदन्ताय नमः। कप्लिलाय नमः।  गजकर्णकाय  नमः। लम्बोदराय नमः। विकटाय नमः। विग्नराजाय नमः। विनायकाय नमः। धूमकेतवे नमः। गणाध्यक्षाय नमः। फालचन्द्राय नमः गजाननाय नमः। वक्रतुण्डाय नमः।  शूर्पकर्णाय नमः। हेरम्बाय नमः। स्कन्दपूर्वजाय नमः॥

om sumukhāya namaḥ | ekadantāya namaḥ | kaplilāya namaḥ |  gajakarṇakāya  namaḥ | lambodarāya namaḥ | vikaṭāya namaḥ | vignarājāya namaḥ | vināyakāya namaḥ dhūmaketave namaḥ |

gaṇādhyakṣāya namaḥ | phālacandrāya namaḥ | gajānanāya namaḥ | vakratuṇḍāya namaḥ |  śūrpakarṇāya namaḥ | herambāya namaḥ | skandapūrvajāya namaḥ ||

(Any verses and hymns in praise of Gaṇapati such as Śrī Gaṇeṣātharvaṣīrṣam can be chanted at this point. Similarly verses, hymns and Veda mantras can be recited while doing pūjā-s to Sūrya, Viṣṇu and Rudra).

iv) Upacāra-s:

dhūpa , dipārādhana, naivedya and nīrājana.

v) Gaṇeśa gāyatrī:

तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि।

तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात्॥

tatpuruṣāya vidmahe vakratuṇḍāya dhīmahi |

tanno dantiḥ pracodayāt ||

{From this point onwards, naivedya should be kept ready for every upacāra. There will be a need of 14 sets comprising of 4 (caturāyatana pūjā) + 9 (for nine āvaraṇa –s) + 1 (after completing pūjā for all the nine āvaraṇa –s; this is the main one) dhūpa , dipārādhana, naivedya and nīrājana; necessary materials should have been kept ready).

23.2) Sūrya pūjā.

i) Sūrya āvahana:

4 प्रकाश शक्ति सहित मार्तण्डभैरव ध्यायामि। आवाहयामि ॥

आसनं ।पाद्यं। अर्घ्यं।स्नपयामि।आचमनीयं।वस्त्रं।गन्धान् धारयामि। पुष्पैः पूजयामि॥

4 prakāśa śakti sahita mārtaṇḍabhairava dhyāyāmi | āvāhayāmi ॥

āsanaṁ | pādyaṁ | arghyaṁ | snapayāmi | ācamanīyaṁ | gandhān dhārayāmi | puṣpaiḥ pūjayāmi ||

(Mārtaṇḍa is derived from mārtāṇḍa, which means bird sprung from a lifeless egg. Mārtaṇḍa, which is used here refers to sun god. Mārtaṇḍa also signifies numeric twelve and therefore could possibly refer twelve Āditya-s)

ii) Sūrya mūlamantra:

(following spptn to be done 12 times; there are texts which say only 3 times; ultimately Guru’s words alone count)

4 ॐ घृणिः सूर्य आदित्योम्॥ प्रकाश शक्ति सहित मार्तण्डभैरव श्री पादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः (spptn) ॥

4 om ghṛṇiḥ sūrya ādityom || prakāśa śakti sahita mārtaṇḍabhairava śrī  pādukāṁ  pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ (spptn) ||

(spptn - śrī  pādukāṁ  pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ;  spptn - श्री पादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः)

iii) Arcana:

(only flowers to be offered)

(om is to be prefixed and namaḥ to be suffixed to each nāma)

ॐ मित्राय नमः। रवये। सूर्याय। भानवे। खगाय। पूष्णे। हिरण्यगर्भाय। नीलरुचये। आदित्याय। सवित्रे। अर्काय। ॐ भास्क्राय नमः॥

om mitrāya namaḥ | ravaye | sūryāya | bhānave | khagāya | pūṣṇe | hiraṇyagarbhāya | nīlarucaye | ādityāya | savitre | arkāya | om bhāskrāya namaḥ ||

iv) Upacāra-s:

dhūpa , dipārādhana, naivedya and nīrājana.

v) Sūrya gāyatrī:

ॐ भास्कराय विद्महे महाद्युतिकराय धीमहि। तन्नो आदित्यः प्रचोदयात्॥

om bhāskarāya vidmahe mahādyutikarāya dhīmahi | tanno ādityaḥ pracodayāt ||

23.3) Viṣṇu pūjā.

i) Viṣṇu āvahana:

ॐ नमो नारयणाय। महालक्ष्मी समेत श्री महाविष्णु आवाहयामि।

आसनं ।पाद्यं। अर्घ्यं।स्नपयामि।आचमनीयं।वस्त्रं।गन्धान् धारयामि। पुष्पैः पूजयामि॥

om namo nārayaṇāya | mahālakṣmī sameta śrī mahāviṣṇu āvāhayāmi |

āsanaṁ | pādyaṁ | arghyaṁ | snapayāmi | ācamanīyaṁ | gandhān dhārayāmi | puṣpaiḥ pūjayāmi ||

ii) Viṣṇu mūlamantra:

ॐ नमो नारयणाय। om namo nārayaṇāya |

(following spptn to be done three times)

श्री महालक्ष्मी समेत श्री महाविष्णु spptn ॥

Śrī mahālakṣmī sameta śrī mahāviṣṇu spptn ॥

iii) Arcana:

(only flowers to be offered)

Puruṣasūktam can be recited here.

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं

विश्वाकारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम्।

लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिध्यार्नगम्यं

वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम्॥

śāntākāraṁ bhujagaśayanaṁ padmanābhaṁ sureśaṁ

viśvākāraṁ gaganasadṛśaṁ meghavarṇaṁ śubhāṅgam |

lakṣmīkāntaṁ kamalanayanaṁ yogibhidhyārnagamyaṁ

vande viṣṇuṁ bhavabhayaharaṁ sarvalokaikanātham ||

ॐ केशवाय नमः। नारायणय। माधवाय। गोविन्दाय। विष्णवे। मधुसूदनाय। त्रिविक्रमाय। वामनाय। श्रीधराय। हृषिकेशाय। पद्मनाभाय। ॐ दामोदराय नमः॥

om keśavāya namaḥ | nārāyaṇaya | mādhavāya | govindāya | viṣṇave | madhusūdanāya | trivikramāya | vāmanāya | śrīdharāya | hṛṣikeśāya | padmanābhāya | om dāmodarāya namaḥ ||

iv) Upacāra-s:

dhūpa , dipārādhana, naivedya and nīrājana.

v) Viṣṇu gāyatrī:

ॐ नारायणाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो विष्णुः प्रचोदयात्॥

om nārāyaṇāya vidmahe vāsudevāya dhīmahi | tanno viṣṇuḥ pracodayāt ||

23.4) Śiva pūjā:

i) Śiva āvahana:

नमस्ते अस्तु भगवन् विश्वेश्वराय महादेवाय त्र्यंबकाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय त्रिकाग्नि कालाय कालाग्निरुद्राय नीलगण्ठाय मृत्युंजयाय सर्वेश्वराय सदाशिवाय  श्रीमन्महादेवाय नमः॥

उमा समेत श्री महेश्वरं आवाहयामि॥

आसनं ।पाद्यं। अर्घ्यं।स्नपयामि।आचमनीयं।वस्त्रं।गन्धान् धारयामि। पुष्पैः पूजयामि॥

namaste astu bhagavan viśveśvarāya mahādevāya tryaṁbakāya tripurāntakāya trikāgni kālāya kālāgnirudrāya nīlagaṇṭhāya mṛtyuṁjayāya sarveśvarāya sadāśivāya  śrīmanmahādevāya namaḥ ||

umā sameta śrī maheśvaraṁ āvāhayāmi ||

āsanaṁ | pādyaṁ | arghyaṁ | snapayāmi | ācamanīyaṁ | gandhān dhārayāmi | puṣpaiḥ pūjayāmi ||

ii)  Śiva mūlamantra:

ॐ नमशिवाय।

साङ्गाय सायुधाय सशक्तिपरिवाराय सर्वालङ्गारभूषिताय उमामहेश्वर॥

om namaśivāya spptn |

sāṅgāya sāyudhāya saśaktiparivārāya sarvālaṅgārabhūṣitāya umāmaheśvara spptn ||

iii) Arcana:

(only flowers to be offered)

Śrī Rudraṁ can be recited here.

ॐ भवाय देवाय नमः। शर्वाय। ईशानाय। पशुपतये। रुद्राय। उग्राय। भीमाय। ॐ महते देवाय नमः॥

om bhavāya devāya namaḥ | śarvāya | īśānāya | paśupataye | rudrāya | ugrāya | bhīmāya | om mahate devāya namaḥ ||

iv) Upacāra-s:

dhūpa , dipārādhana, naivedya and nīrājana.

v) Śiva gāyatrī:

ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्॥
om tatpuruṣāya vidmahe mahādevāya dhīmahi | tanno rudraḥ pracodayāt ||

24) लयाङ्ग पूजा layāṅga pūjā

Some do not perform this pūjā. layāṅga comprises of laya and aṅga; laya means absorption and aṅga means body, mind, etc. Therefore layāṅga means absorption into Brahman. The very purpose of performing navāvaraṇa pūjā is to get absorbed into Brahman, setting aside the body and mind. Only to accentuate this point, layāṅga pūjā is prescribed. This principle can be interpreted from the point of view of Trika philosophy (triads). All the triads originate from the innermost triangle and bindu of Śri Cakra. Bindu is both Prakāśa and Vimarśa (Śiva and Śakti), the source of kāmakalā (īṁ ईं). The universe originates from Bindu and dissolves into Bindu. Keeping this philosophy in mind, layāṅga pūjā is done. Bindu is worshiped three times at this point. The first pūjanaṁ and tarpaṇaṁ is for the union of Kāmeśvarā and Kāmeśvarī; the second one is for kāmakalā, the source of creation; the third one is identifying ourselves with the universe. Self-realization does not end with the realization of the Self within. Self-realization also means of identifying universe with the Self. The Self, the individual self (the Self within, veiled by māyā; this is known as individual soul) and the universe. Ultimately, individual soul and the universe get absorbed (laya) into the Self. This is the purpose of layāṅga pūjā.

This is to be done three times on the Bindu.

4 - mūlaṁ (mūlamantra) – अखिलाण्डकोटि ब्रह्माण्डनायकि श्री राजराजेश्वरी ललितामहात्रिपुरसुन्दरी पराभट्टरिका महादेव्याः प्राकाश विमर्श महामाया स्वरूपिनि श्री पादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 – मूलं (mūlamantra) - akhilāṇḍakoṭi brahmāṇḍanāyaki śrī rājarājeśvarī lalitāmahātripurasundarī parābhaṭṭarikā mahādevyāḥ prākāśa vimarśa mahāmāyā svarūpini śrī pādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

25) षडङ्गार्चनम् ṣaḍaṅgārcanam:

Basically, this pūjā is also based on pañcāyatana, caturāyatana and layāṅga pūjā-s. Ṣaḍaṅga means six parts. The following two nāma-s of Lalitā Sahasranāma speaks about ṣaḍaṅga devata-s.
ṣaḍaṅaga-devādāyuktā षडङग-देवादायुक्ता (386): ṣaḍ (six) + aṅaga (parts) means six parts.  For every mantra there are six parts and each such part is under the control of a god/goddess called aṅaga devatā-s of the presiding deity.  These six parts are heart, head, tuft of hair, arms, eyes and weapons.  Before and after the recitation of a mantra, the deities of these parts are worshipped in our bodies by touching the respective body parts with fingers.  This is with regard to the external worship.  Śiva has six types of known qualities and they are omniscience, completeness, supreme level of consciousness, freedom, everlasting power and infinity.  These six are the qualities of the Brahman without attributes or prakāśa form of the Brahman.  This nāma says that She is surrounded by these six aṅaga devatā-s.  It is important to remember that She is described both as Brahman without attributes or the prakāśa form and as Brahman with attributes or the vimarśa form.

ṣāḍguṇya-paripūritā षाड्गुण्य-परिपूरिता (387) She is endowed with six qualities that are considered auspicious.  They are prosperity, righteousness, fame, material wealth, wisdom and dispassion.  Dispassion because, She will not show any special favours to a select few, transcending the law of karma.  She does not encourage favouritism.

This is to be done at the bindu.

Note: Those who are initiated into Ṣoḍaśī should use Ṣoḍaśī mantra, which is to be divided into six pāda-s. Those who are not initiated into Ṣoḍaśī should go with saubhāgya-pañcadaśī. What is given here is saubhāgya-pañcadaśī.

i) 4 ऐं क ए ल ह्रीं हृदयाय नमः। हृदयशक्ति श्री पादुकां तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 aiṁ ka e la hrīṁ hṛdayāya namaḥ | hṛdayaśakti śrī pādukāṁ tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

ii)  4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं शिरसे स्वाहा। शिरःशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ śirase svāhā | śiraḥśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

iii) 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं शिखायै वषट्। शिखाशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ śikhāyai vaṣaṭ | śikhāśakti  śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

iv) 4 ऐं क ए ल ह्रीं कवचाय हुं। कवचशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 aiṁ ka e la hrīṁ kavacāya huṁ | kavacaśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

v) 4 क्लीं ह स क ह ल ह्रीं नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्। नेत्रशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 klīṁ ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ netratrayāya vauṣaṭ | netraśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||

vi) 4 सौः स क ल ह्रीं अस्त्राय फट्। अस्त्रशक्ति श्रीपादुकां पूजयामि तर्पयामि नमः॥

4 sauḥ sa ka la hrīṁ astrāya phaṭ | astraśakti śrīpādukāṁ pūjayāmi tarpayāmi namaḥ ||