Diwali Pooja

1)   Pooja Initiation

2) Aachmanam

२) Ganesh Shodasha Upachara puja

3) Lakshmi Shodasha Upachara puja

1) Pooja Initiation:
om sarvebhyo gurubhyo namaḥ | 
om sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ | 
om sarvebhyo brāhmaṇebhyo namaḥ || 
prāraṁbha kāryaṁ nirvighnamastu | 
śubhaṁ śobhanamastu | 
iṣṭa devatā kuladevatā suprasannā varadā bhavatu ||
 anugyaāṁ dehi ||
2) Achmanam
 ācamanam (take a spoonful of water sip it, and repeat the process three times with each mantra outlined below and wash your hands at end) 

 om keśavāya svāhā | om nārāyaṇāya svāhā | om mādhavāya svāhā |

3)  Offer flower petals to Ganesha
om śrī mahāgaṇādhipataye namaḥ | śrī gurubhyo namaḥ | śrī sarasvatyai namaḥ | śrī vedāya namaḥ | śrī vedapuruṣāya namaḥ | iṣṭadevatābhyo namaḥ | kuladevatābhyo namaḥ | sthānadevatābhyo namaḥ | grāmadevatābhyo namaḥ | vāstudevatābhyo namaḥ | śacīpuraṁdarābhyāṁ namaḥ | umāmaheśvarābhyāṁ namaḥ | mātāpitṛbhyāṁ namaḥ | padmāvatī nārāyaṇābhyāṁ namaḥ | sarvebhyo devebhyo namo namaḥ | sarvebhyo brāhmaṇebhyo namo namaḥ | karma pradhāna devatābhyo namo namaḥ

4) ganesh Pooja

om mahāgaṇapataye namaḥ | āvāhanaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer akshata)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, ratna simhasanam samarpayaami. (offer flower petals, akshata)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, padyo padam samarpayaami. (sprinkle water on ganesha’s feet)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, hastyo arghyam samarpayaami. (offer flower petals, water drops and akshata)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, aachamaniyam samarpayaami. (offer a spoonful water)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, snanam samarpayaami. (offer a spoonful water for bathing)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, vastram, abharanam akshatam samarpayaami. (offer akshata, flowers )

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, yagnopaveetham akshtam samarpayaami. (offer flowers, akshata)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah divya parimala gandham samarpayaami. (offer kumkum)

Glorify God by reciting His 108 names, and offer one flower or a petal at a time, like offering flowers/flower petals to Lord Venkatesha and Lakshmi Devi, Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi etc

ॐ सुमुखाय नमः
ॐ एकदन्ताय नमः
ॐ कपिलाय नमः
ॐ गजकर्णकाय नमः
ॐ लम्बोदराय नमः
ॐ विकटाय नमः
ॐ विघ्नराजाय नमः
ॐ गणाधिपाय नमः
ॐ धूम्रकेतवे नमः
ॐ गणाध्यक्षाय नमः
ॐ फालचन्द्राय नमः
ॐ गजाननाय नमः
ॐ वक्रतुण्डाय नमः
ॐ शूर्पकर्णाय नमः
ॐ हेरम्बाय नमः
ॐ स्कन्दपूर्वजाय नमः

Om Sri Mahaganapatye namah nanavidha parimala patra pushpani samarpayaami, puspayi pujyami

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, deepam darshyaami.

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, naivedyam samarpayaami.

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, tamboolam samarpayaami. (take a betel leaf, betel nuts and offer)

Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah, karpoora niranjanam sandarshyaami, raksha raksham dharayami.

om mahāgaṇapataye namaḥ | dakṣiṇāṁ samarpayāmi | (offer coins)

om mahāgaṇapataye namaḥ | ārtikyaṁ samarpayāmi | (light ghee lamp, do arati three times)

om bhūrbhuvasvaḥ mahāgaṇapataye namaḥ | mantrapuṣpaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer flowers)

om bhūrbhuvasvaḥ mahāgaṇapataye namaḥ | pradakṣiṇān namaskārān samarpayāmi | (offer akshata, flowers

om mahāgaṇapataye namaḥ | sarva rājopacārān samarpayāmi || (offer akshata) 

anayā pūjayā vighnahartā mahāgaṇapatiḥ priyatām ||

 lakṣmī pūjā

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | āvāhayāmi | (offer akshata)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | dhyāyāmi | dhyānaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer akshata)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | āvāhanaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer akshata)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | āsanaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer flower petals, akshata) 

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | pādyaṁ samarpayāmi | (sprinkle water drops)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | arghyaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer flower petals, water drops and akshata

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | ācamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer a spoonful water)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | snānaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer a spoonful water)

Now chat following mantra 108 times and keep offering mixture of milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey on mahalakshmi’s idol, lakshmi coins, if you don’t have lakshmi coins you can use regular dollar coins etc… and then pour clean water cleanse and put again them in clean puja plate.

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | or 

Om Hreem Shreem Kleem Maha Lakshmi Namaha

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | abhiṣeka snānaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer a spoonful water)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | ācamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer a spoonful water)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | vastraṁ samarpayāmi | (offer akshata, flowers )

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | caṁdanaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer chandan paste)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | parimala dravyaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer kumkum)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | puṣpāṇi samarpayāmi | (offer flower petals)

Now take flower petals chant following mantras one after another and keep offering petals. Alternatively you can also offer flower petals by chanting 

108 names of mahalakshmi om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | aṣṭottaraśatanāma pūjāṁ samarpayāmi।

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | dhūpaṁ samarpayāmi | (show lighted dhoop/agarbatti)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | dīpaṁ samarpayāmi | (show lighted ghee lamp)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | naivedyaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer banana)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | tāmbūlaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer betel leaf, betel nuts) 

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | phalaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer some fruits)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | dakṣiṇāṁ samarpayāmi | (offer coins)

Mahalakshmi Aarati (Light lamp and do aarati)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | ārtikyaṁ samarpayāmi | (light ghee lamp, do arati three times)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | mantrapuṣpaṁ samarpayāmi | (offer flowers)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | pradakṣiṇān namaskārān samarpayāmi | (offer akshata, flowers)

om namo mahālakṣmyai namaḥ | sarva rājopacārān samarpayāmi || (offer akshata)

अनमा ऩूजमा भहारक्ष्मी: नप्रमताभ् ॥ anayā pūjayā mahālakṣmīḥ priyatām ||

Diwali - Things to do

Things to do
1	Purchase a new Broom (Jhaadu) on Diwali and clean the house with it to remove poverty of house and bring prosperity
2	Idols of Lakshmi and Ganesh need to be bathed with water first, followed by rose water, and finally once again by plain water, and then put them in Pooja room
3	Panchmitra needs to be made out of 5 ingredients, namely milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey. Prasad also needs to be offered to the deities and as well as distributed among family members. Some sweets or fruits can act as Prasad.
4	Make Swatika (Fylfot) at the entrance of main gate of your home by Kumkum and Write “Shubha” and “Labh” both sides of Swastika.
5	Take a coconut (Naariyal), apply Kumkum, Akshat/Chawal (rice) and place a flower on it and include it in Diwali Lakshmi puja.
6	Take a Betalnut (Supari) wrapped in red thread and worship it with Lakhmiji in Diwali Pujan. Keeping this Betalnut (Supari) in locker or safe brings prosperity and wealth.
7	If you are suffering from Rahu-Ketu Dosha or Shani Dosha then donate a black blanket to any poor man on Diwali. All the dosha will be finish automatically and Godess Laxmi will be happy with you.
8	Do puja of your shop’s safe or tijori or money box, office computer, including all things from which you get income to increase your income sources.
9	Include Shree yantra in Diwali puja and also perform Shree Yantra puja by performing Rice (Chawal/Akshat) and kumkum.
10	Include a turmeric gland in Diwali pujan and after completion place it in your locker or safe.
	Apply Kesar (Saffron) tika on your forehead daily. Start this from Diwali day. Godess lakshmi will be happy with you
11	Put some oil and clove (Loung) in a Diya and Worship Lord Hanumana with this diya.
	Perform Hanuman Chaalisa path or Ramraksha Strot path on Diwali.
12	Include Gomati Chakra in Lakshmi puja on Diwali to get benefit in your financial parts.
13	Worship Godess Lakshami and Lord Kuber on diwlai night and chant following Kuber mantra at 108 times.
14	Chant the Goddess Lakshmi Mantra 108 times during Diwali puja.
15
16	Take a Ghee diya/Deepak in the night of Diwali and perform aarti of Godess Lakshmi with this diya after completing the Diwali Puja.
17	Feed the wheat flour balls to fishes, your all problems will be solve
1)	Wake up before sunrise and take bath with kachha dudh(milk) mixed water on Diwali morning.
	दीवाली की सुबह सूर्योदय से पहले जागो और kachha Dudh (दूध) मिश्रित पानी के साथ स्नान ले।

Diwali - Miscellaneous tips

Diwali Significance

Amavasya (New Moon) on Diwali is considered auspicious and prosperity bestowing. As Diwali falls on a New Moon day, it is also good to perform ancestral rituals and seek their blessings. Ancestral rituals of tarpanam are only done in daylight hours (after sunrise and before sunset).

• Daylight hours means – tarpanam rituals should be performed only during daytime and nights are to be avoided. Sun should be there in the sky during the rituals.

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Goddess Lakshmi is the presiding deity of Diwali. Diwali rituals always begin with a worship of Ganesha, remover of obstacles, to bestow blessings of success and ward off evil. Ganesha is worshipped for good beginnings and Lakshmi is invoked for wealth, good health, fortune and prosperity.Her blessings are essential to make our lives prosperous, fruitful and peaceful.

·        Auspicious time for performing Lakshmi Pooja is during PradoshKaal. This period starts after sunset and lasts up to two hours. PradoshKaal on TrayodashiTithi (13thMoon Phase) is considered very auspicious.

·        The best time for this day’s Lakshmi Pooja is during PradoshKaal when the Ascendant (also known as Lagna or Rising Sign, the Zodiac sign coming up on the eastern horizon) falls in a “fixed” sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius). When the Ascendant is in a fixed sign, it is known as Sthir Lagna.Worship during this time on this day is said to make prosperity always flourish in your house.

By lighting numerous Diwali lamps and drawing rangolis (colorful patterns) with rice flour and flowers on the floor and entrances of homes, you can attract auspiciousness into household

Significance of celebrating Diwali

·        Diwali is an important time for business persons and traders. They also sanctify their new account books with the worship of Saraswati, Goddess of Manifestation and Knowledge, Arts and Sciences. She is traditionally worshipped on Diwali for knowledge, the ultimate wealth. Knowledge is an ultimate strength that can defeat brute force and give victory.

·        Business persons and traders settle old accounts and open new account books in the presence of Goddess Lakshmi to seek her blessings for the next financial year.

Ritualistic Observances of Diwali

·        It is considered auspicious to clean homes before the celebration of Diwali. Houses are painted and decorated.

·        People decorate their homes and offices with fresh flowers like marigold, jasmine, and chrysanthemum. Mango and banana leaves are tied on doorways for auspiciousness.

·        Wearing new clothes and jewelry is believed to attract good fortune for the coming year.

·        Many buy new household utensils in metals. If not possible, ok to buy any new utensil that is affordable. The new utensil is considered a good sign to sustain prosperity in your household.

·        Preparing delicious sweets and food is another enjoyable part of Diwali. Sweets and dried fruits are given to friends and relatives as a token of sharing and caring for one another.

·        Colorful stream lights, candles and especially earthen lamps are lit across households to enjoy the festivity.

·        Firecrackers are burst with enthusiasm to welcome the coming year and rejoicing the festive spirit.

·        Family gatherings, visiting friends and relatives commonly occurs during Diwali. It is a great festival for hospitality and social refreshment.

Acts of charity are highly auspicious during this time. Feeding the hungry, giving new clothes to the poor, helping the downtrodden, giving aid to disabled persons and providing joy and cheer to those in despair is the true prayer to Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali