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Lord Shree Swaminarayan has explained in the Shikshapatri a daily routine for all of His followers. Devotees are commanded to perform Daily Pooja immediately after taking their morning bath. If it is impossible to live without breathing, it is impossible to live without doing Daily Pooja! Pooja is for one’s Atma (soul); by not doing our Pooja we are harming ourselves. Never miss Daily Pooja, and always do the Tilak and Chandlo attractively.

A person should have his own Pooja set. Worship before a small household temple or another image of the Lord is not considered as Daily Pooja.

One should not have breakfast or even water before the Daily Pooja is completed and always concentrate whilst performing the Daily Pooja and do not talk with others.

 

Command of Lord Shree Swaminarayan:

 

"All my followers shall wake up before sunrise and pray (do Pooja) to God then do worldly affairs. Until you stop following the five major duties (pancha vartamaan) Lord Shree Nar Narayan will stay in these Pooja murtis. This is my command you have to follow it. All the followers were pleased and obey hearing the command of Lord Shree Swaminarayan. "

Vachnamrut G.P 48

 

Wake up in the morning before 6 a.m. every morning & meditate upon Lord Shree Swaminarayan.

After you attend the call of nature, (bathroom) left hand wash 10 times and both hands 7 times, and then brush your teeth & take shower. Chant the following mantra or ‘Swaminarayan Swaminarayan’.

 

Gange cha yamune chaiva, Godaavaree saraswatee |

Narmade sindhu kaaveree, Jalesmin sannidhim kuru.||

Put on a Dhoti & Shaal and prepare Asan to sit on. For females, they should wear clean clothes. (Sit in a clean and holy place facing North or East)

 

Achman:

Perform Achman to purify inner body, reciting the following mantras:

Note: Your Right hand palm should be in the shape of Gokarna (Cows ear) and the left hand should be touching right hand.

 

Om Shree Narayanaay Namah

Om Shree Vaasudevaay Namah

Om Shree Vishnave Namah

 

Tilak & Chandlo:

Place the ‘U’ of the Tilkayu between the bridge of your nose and carefully slide it up to the top of the forehead.

Chant mantra: Om Shree Vaasudevaay Namah


Repeat the above on the:
Chest - Om Shree Shankarshanaay Namah
Right Hand (upper forearms)  - Om Shree Pradyumnaay Namah
Left Hand (upper forearms) - Om Shree Aniruddhaay Namah

In the middle of the Tilak (forehead) imprint a red chandlo of kumkum or chandan, with mantra Om Shree Mahaa-Lakshmyai Namah.

For females: They only should do chandlo in the centre their forehead with the mantra Om Shree Mahaa-Lakshmyai Namah

Repeat Achman as above
Note: Ensure that your head is covered with the shaal.

Mansi Pooja

Utthaapan Mantras:

Utthishthottishth Govind! Utthishth Garudadvaja |
Utthishth Kamlaakaant Trailokyam Managalam Kuru ||
Utthishthottishtha He Naath! Swaminarayan Prabho! |
Dharmasuno Dayaasindho Sveshaam Shreyah Param Kuru ||

Then move a piece of cloth on the murti and invite Lord into your Pooja, reciting the following

 

 

Aavaahan mantra:

Aagachha Bhagavan Dev, Swasthaanaat Parameshwara |
Aham Poojaam Karishyaami, Sadaa Tvam Sanmukho Bhava ||

Do darshan of Lord (Murti), then offer food (Saakar, Peanuts, Kaju, Badam etc)

Perform Lords Aarti

Do 3 malas sitting down (Mala shouldalways be done in a Gaumukhi)

 

Then Perform 1 Tap Mala. (Stand on the left leg with the right leg crossed over the left the knee. Hold up both hands.)

Perform of 3 malas to the Lord whilst doing Pradakshina

Perform (5) Sashtang Dandvat Pranam from the right of God (male) / Panchang Pranam (female)

Perform a 6th dandvat, asking for forgiveness for any mistakes you may have made yesterday such as hurting another’s feeling or taking part in back biting.

Do Prarthna, eg. Vishvesh chho, Nijashritanam etc. (while doing danvat)

 

Ask Lord for forgiveness for any mistakes during Pooja, reciting mantra below:

Apraadha Sahasraani, Kriyante Harnisham Mayaa |
Daasoymiti Mam Matvaa, Kshamsva Parmeshwara ||

Read 5 shloka of Shikshapatri & any other Scriptures of interest Janamangal and Vachnamrut etc

Say Visarjan Mantra – End of Pooja Mantra as follows:

Svasthaanam Gachchha Devesha, Poojaamaadaay Maamkim |
Ishatakaam Prashidhyartham Punaraa Gamanaay Cha ||

 

Do danvat pranam (Male) Panchang Pranam (female) to murtis in your Temple at home.

Bow down to your parents and say ‘Jay Shree Swaminarayan’, and to all others present with both hands together say “Jay Shree Swaminarayan”.

 

 

NOTE: Gurumantra is given by Acharya Maharajshree to all males and Pujiya Gadiwalashri to all female satsangis. Gurumantras are taken to help in the development of satsang within you.

Devotees who have taken the Gurumantra need to make sure that they carefully follow all the niyams.

To ensure that the pancha vartamaan are being followed.
Our Nitya Niyam should be known by heart
To do the five mansi pooja everyday
Tilak and Chandlo must be done every day and everywhere you go.
To wear dhoti and ssaal whilst doing morning pooja.
To take a niyam of coming to Mandir for darshan.
To read daily, the scriptures of the Swaminarayan Samapraday for examples Satangji Jeevan and Vachnamurt etc. Vachnamurt is a must.
No devotees should consume onion and garlic
No outdoor catered foods, and fried food should be eaten.
Drinking of alcohol, smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco is prohibited.
Any drinks with caffeine inside them we should not drink. like:Redbull, tea, coffee and cola.
Know by heart the Janamangla stotra, Shree Gurubhajena Stotra NarNarayandevastak.
Upvaas to be done on Ekadashi
Always offer food to God first before we consume it.
Take part in Mandir activites.
Home Sinhasaan – Do dandvat every morning and evening along with Aarti, Stuti & Thaal.
Evening Sabha – Reading and commentary of Scripture, Kirtan Dhun & Chesta.
Extra Janmangal Path
Perfom Tulsibai’s pooja using prasadi jaar.
Perfom pooja of Bhagwan using tulsi patra (tulsi leaves)
 

NOTE: You cannot use half image of God it must be the full image. Within your pooja you must have only Gods murtis. No other pictures of Acharya,Swami, Guru and other devotees. 

SUTAK

Following a birth or death in the family, sutak should be observed. During sutak the following rules apply:

MALES:

Pooja of murtis cannot be done. In this situation you can give you pooja murti to a neighbour, friend or family member. If you have no one to give this to then you can leave you pooja in the Mandir.
You can continue to read the Shikshapatri.
Do Mahamantra Japa with Mala
Do Tilak and Chandlo
Do Gurumantra mala (if you have been given it)
You can continue to read the Shikshapatri.

FEMALES:

NOTE-* During the menstrual cycle for females:

You cannot touch the pooja.
You can read the Shikshapatri or any other scripture.
Do Gurumantra mala.
Do Swaminarayan Mahamantra mala.
Do not do Tulsi pooja