Which gods do you perform Puja for?

[The Sum of Awe]

And why those gods in particular?

Is it possible to focus entire devotion directly to Saguna Brahman? Perhaps even Nirguna Brahman (but as I understand that concept, that would seem pointless to some but perhaps the benefit to that is simply showing appreciation to existence itself in a similar way to Taoists who merge their will with the Tao)

 

[Jainarayan]

My daily puja is for Krishna. For me he is the personal form of Vishnu, who is God to me. Not that Shiva, or Devi or any other deity is not God, they are all the same, it's just that Krishna is the form that God appears to me as. Why? I'm not really sure. I think it was Saraswati who drew me to Krishna.

You could certainly focus on an aspect of Brahman and meditate on om. This is more the path of jnana, knowledge, than bhakti, devotion. As I understand it this is the path Advaitins use. I believe @SalixIncendium takes this approach.

 

[SalixIncendium]

You could certainly focus on an aspect of Brahman and meditate on om. This is more the path of jnana, knowledge, than bhakti, devotion. As I understand it this is the path Advaitins use. I believe @SalixIncendium takes this approach.

I don't exactly focus on an aspect of Brahman. Aham Brahmasmi...I am Brahman, appearing as SalixIncendium in vyavaharika. I don't perform pujas as it were, because I'm not a Bhakta, but I do meditate daily. I don't really focus on anything. I just sojourn exclusively in uninterrupted samadhi bliss.

 

[Vinayaka]

And why those gods in particular?

Is it possible to focus entire devotion directly to Saguna Brahman? Perhaps even Nirguna Brahman (but as I understand that concept, that would seem pointless to some but perhaps the benefit to that is simply showing appreciation to existence itself in a similar way to Taoists who merge their will with the Tao)

I do daily Saiva Atmartha (means personal) puja for Siva, switch it up every Friday and do basically the same puja, but for Ganapati. It takes about half an hour.

 

[Vinidra]

I do puja for Ganesha, Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

I chose those because Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati are all just facets of the same Adi Parashakti for me. Then, Ganesha because he's done so much for me.

 

[JustGeorge]

Most often, Krishna or Shiva.

During Navaratri we do puja for Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati as well.

Occasionally, I'll feel called to do one for someone else at other points.

 

[Aupmanyav]

None (Atheist Hindu). But have no problems if others do. If they need it, I encourage them.

 

[Jainarayan]

OK, now I have a question ... for those of you who mentioned multiple pujas and deities, how and when do you do them? Do you somehow incorporate several deities into one puja or do them separately? I always wondered about that. I think some people do pujas to different deities on different days. I have a set of puja cards for that but I just never felt right about it. I once tinkered with the idea of a pan-deities puja using something like this for each of the offerings, with meaning "all deities" ... Sanskrit grammatical inflections for plural.

oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ acamaniyam samarpayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ puśpam samarpayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ dhūpam āghrāpayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ dīpam darśayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ phalam samarpayāmi

There is also the feminine oṃ sarvābhyo devībhyo namaḥ but sarvebhyo devebhyo is inclusive masc. and fem. But now I'm getting pedantic.

 

[Vinidra]

OK, now I have a question ... for those of you who mentioned multiple pujas and deities, how and when do you do them? Do you somehow incorporate several deities into one puja or do them separately? I always wondered about that. I think some people do pujas to different deities on different days. I have a set of puja cards for that but I just never felt right about it. I once tinkered with the idea of a pan-deities puja using something like this for each of the offerings, with meaning "all deities" ... Sanskrit grammatical inflections for plural.

oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ acamaniyam samarpayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ puśpam samarpayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ dhūpam āghrāpayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ dīpam darśayāmi
oṁ sarvebhyo devebhyo namaḥ phalam samarpayāmi

There is also the feminine oṃ sarvābhyo devībhyo namaḥ but sarvebhyo devebhyo is inclusive masc. and fem. But now I'm getting pedantic.

I do mine separately. I just picked a day of the week for each deity and said, "This is the day I'm doing puja for you."

 

[Aupmanyav]

Do you somehow incorporate several deities into one puja or do them separately? I always wondered about that.

Jai, it all depends on you or the person who is doing the puja. It is like an invite to friends, you may want to invite just one or many. Both are OK. But remember, you have to go to the door and welcome each friend individually. After doing that, you may address them collectively. IMHO.

 

[Jainarayan]

I do mine separately. I just picked a day of the week for each deity and said, "This is the day I'm doing puja for you."

Interesting, because that’s what I was going to do. Actually, I did it a couple of times. I have a set for Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, Hanuman, and Shiva, and of course my main Krishna puja.

I tried to be careful about grammatical gender. Y’know, changing bhagavan to bhagavati, parameswara to parameswari, deva to devī, etc. in the mantras and prayers. I think the worst is that the god or goddess would be amused and smile the way a parent is amused and smiles at a child’s kindergarten drawings to hang on the refrigerator.

 

[Jainarayan]

Jai, it all depends on you or the person who is doing the puja. It is like an invite to friends, you may want to invite just one or many. Both are OK. But remember, you have to go to the door and welcome each friend individually. After doing that, you may address them collectively. IMHO.

In my twisted and irreverent sense of humor I can imagine chanting sarvebhyo devebhyo sarvābhyo devībhyo āvāhanam āvāhayāmi (“all gods, all goddesses, come on in”) and the door being busted down by thousands of deities, like a college frat party.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yeah, that will be funny, like what you Americans say " Hi! whatever ..". I do not know how they do it. I suppose the person thus greeted will be astounded.

I think the worst is that the god or goddess would be amused and smile the way a parent is amused and smiles at a child’s kindergarten drawings to hang on the refrigerator.

My younger grandson is good at drawing. He made a very nice drawing of a dinosaur's head.

 

[Jainarayan]

Yeah, that will be funny, like what you Americans say " Hi! whatever ..". I do not know how they do it. I suppose the person thus greeted will be astounded. My younger grandson is good at drawing. He made a very nice drawing of a dinosaur's head.

Please encourage him! I have a great-nephew (technically ‘grandnephew’, my brother’s grandson) who is about 22 and been doing graphic arts and anime type drawings of superheroes. I hope he pursues it even as just a sideline.

 

[Laddu1]

My "puja" is very simple these days.. I just offer incense or a bath for a small shiva lingam or laddu gopal.

 

[DeviChaaya]

Nightly, very short, aarti to Ganesh, Shiva and Durga Ma. I'm studying so I ask Ganesh to remove the obstacles in my path and help me as I start on this new journey. Shiva because... well, He just deserves it. And Ma because, like Shiva, She deserves it. Shiva brought me to Sanatan Dharma and Ma has held me close as I set out on my own life away from the family home.