Shiva Puja- Tips/Advice?

[Makaranda]

Namaste everyone,


I have recently decided to obtain a lingam and perform puja to Shiva in my home. Can members familiar with doing puja to Shiva provide some helpful tips and advice for preparing the home/shrine and performing the puja? The internet offers lots and lots of conflicting advice so I thought better to ask practising Hindus themselves.

Thank you very much

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste everyone,

I have recently decided to obtain a lingam and perform puja to Shiva in my home. Can members familiar with doing puja to Shiva provide some helpful tips and advice for preparing the home/shrine and performing the puja?

Thank you very much

In my tradition, one has to be initiated. Still, I'm a bit familiar from years of watching. Here's the basics, and it will vary.

Preparation - cleanliness
Water sipping, purifying the pujari
Abhishekham, ritual bathing
Dressing with clean cloths
Offering incense
Offering flame, aarti
Offering food
Chanting His names, while offering flowers.
Final aarti
Taking of prasadam
Apology

I would suggest starting with the basics, and adding more as you go along.

 

[Makaranda]

In my tradition, one has to be initiated

Well, that isn't going to happen where I live

Any tips on preparing the house/shrine or installing the lingam? Do I need to offer any particular mantras etc beforehand?

 

[Vinayaka]

Well, that isn't going to happen where I live

Any tips on preparing the house/shrine or installing the lingam? Do I need to offer any particular mantras etc beforehand?

Help may be closer than you expect. There are a lot of temples around. Generally, where are you?

However ... personally, I think sincerity is the best thing. I was the temporary pujari when the temple here installed a Sivalingam some 33 years ago. We had Ganga water, and did a large abhishekham, but we had a pre-built stand with waterproof tile and a drain. Generally, an acceptable way at home is to have a large flat tray and put the lingam on a center brick or stand. You may have to empty the tray a couple of times. For an installation, it should be a bigger puja. After setting the lingam where you want to, its probably best not to move it much.

We're moving our shrine room up to the main floor in a couple of weeks, but I'll probably hire the local priest for installation.

Mantras ... well, what do you know already?

 

[Sb1995]

Where do you live? I guarantee that there must be something nearby. Even Pakistan has a temple

 

[Aupmanyav]

Is lingam worship allowed in homes? Where I come from (Jodhpur, Rajasthan), we thought lingams are for temples, and idols or images are for homes.

 

[Makaranda]

Is lingam worship allowed in homes? Where I come from (Jodhpur, Rajasthan), we thought lingams are for temples, and idols or images are for homes.

There is conflicting advice on the internet about it (which is why I wanted to ask here) but most seem to say yes as long as it's small and you abide by some strict guidelines.

Where do you live? I guarantee that there must be something nearby. Even Pakistan has a temple

A small place in north UK. I've already checked for nearby temples and there is only an ISKCON temple which is still quite a distance away, and, well, somewhat doubt Shiva is worshipped there...

Mantras ... well, what do you know already?

I mean specifically something to cleanse my home and shrine room of negative energy before I setting the lingam down. But perhaps even a simple mantra to Shiva will be acceptable if chanted earnestly?

However ... personally, I think sincerity is the best thing.

:bow:

 

[Ravi500]

I mean specifically something to cleanse my home and shrine room of negative energy before I setting the lingam down. But perhaps even a simple mantra to Shiva will be acceptable if chanted earnestly?

What other mantra than 'Om Namah Shivaya ' to increase positive vibrations and reduce negative vibrations.

There was interestingly, an experiment in Japan where water was photographed when it became crystals.

This photographing was done, when different songs and chants were played.

The most perfect crystal was formed when 'Om Namah Shivaya' was chanted.

It was symmetrical and well-proportioned from centre to circumference.


In other crystals, disturbances in the crystal formation was found when negative words denoting self-blame were used in some songs.

Sri Ravi Shankar talks about this in the following link....

Prayer is an expression of the deepest anguish and or the deepest gratitude | Art of Living India





http://m.artofliving.org/in-en/prayer-expression-deepest-anguish-and-or-deepest-gratitude

 

[Vinayaka]

Is lingam worship allowed in homes? Where I come from (Jodhpur, Rajasthan), we thought lingams are for temples, and idols or images are for homes.

It's the tradition in my sampradaya, for those trained. In an effort to undercut and undervalue and dilute worship, other more aggressive faiths had a policy of infiltrating and creating rules. Of course it's had a bigger effect in thne north, because of geography.

 

[Maya3]

For me a Puja can be very simple, you can burn incense, offer water, a sweet and flowers.
Chant mantras and meditate.
I think it is what is in your heart and intention that matters, not if it is done correctly.

Maya

 

[Vinayaka]

A small place in north UK. I've already checked for nearby temples and there is only an ISKCON temple which is still quite a distance away, and, well, somewhat doubt Shiva is worshipped there...

I mean specifically something to cleanse my home and shrine room of negative energy before I setting the lingam down. But perhaps even a simple mantra to Shiva will be acceptable if chanted earnestly?

:bow:

Once you have completed the first abhishekham, sprinkle (usually a grass is used, and dipped into a special cup) the water into every corner of each room as you chant Aum Namasivaya. That should get rid of the unwanted forces, if there are any. Over time the house will develop a psychic bubble.

Many temples remain unlisted, especially the South Indian or Sri Lankan variety. Most would have a Siva of some sort, even ISKCON. This list is quite incomplete:
List of Hindu temples in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Aupmanyav]

there is only an ISKCON temple which is still quite a distance away, and, well, somewhat doubt Shiva is worshipped there...

I think ISKCON have no problem with Shiva or Shakti, of course, they are not para-Brahman for them. Search for 'ISKCON images for Shiva' on Google. They are nice. The first row includes a Vaishnava swami (Bhakti Charu) worshiping a Shiva lingam. Did not Lord Rama worship Shiva at Rameshwaram?

 

[Makaranda]

I think ISKCON have no problem with Shiva or Shakti, of course, they are not para-Brahman for them. Search for 'ISKCON images for Shiva' on Google. They are nice. The first row includes a Vaishnava swami (Bhakti Charu) worshiping a Shiva lingam. Did not Lord Rama worship Shiva at Rameshwaram?

Well I actually visited there once (the ISKCON place), and I don't recall seeing any lingam. They did have a big statue of Prabhupada, though.

Once you have completed the first abhishekham, sprinkle (usually a grass is used, and dipped into a special cup) the water into every corner of each room as you chant Aum Namasivaya. That should get rid of the unwanted forces, if there are any. Over time the house will develop a psychic bubble.

Thank you, Vinayaka.


Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Vinayaka]

I have seen ISKCON temples with a lingam, but it's not viewed in the same way as in a Saiva temple... obviously, I suppose.