GURU POOJA

One can follow this ritual on occasions like Datta Jayanti, Guru Poornima, Sankaracharya Jayanti, Daily pooja, Your Guru’s pooja on their birthday, Pooja when Guru visits your home, Pooja for Avadhootas.

The following procedure of worship is a step-by-step guide of how to perform Guru pooja. We express our reverence to the Guru with 16 methods of gesture along with the Vedic chants which are usually known as “Shodasha Upacharas”. This service is a standard practice in temples and at home on festivals.

The items required for the puja are photo of the guru, deepam, flowers, akshatas (rice grains mixed with turmeric powder), Lord Ganesh’s murti/turmeric lump shaped to cone, sandalwood, Vibhuti, agarbatti, camphor, bell (ghanta), betel leaves for tambulam, two panchapatras, two bowls, two cotton balls made from pooja cotton wicks, prasadam (jaggery/coconut/two bananas/dates/kheer), chamaram (optional), padukas (optional) and an altar to place the photo and worship the Guru.

PROCEDURE

A. Setting up the altar

Place a clean altar table in your worship room.
Draw an ornamental pattern on the altar with white flour (famously known as rangoli/muggu/kolam)
Place the photo on the altar and decorate the photo with flowers. Apply kumkum to the forehead of your Guru in the photo.
Place Lord Ganesh’s small murti or turmeric shaped to cone on the betel leaf on the altar before the photo and decorate with flowers and kumkum.
If you have padukas, you can place them before the photo in a small plate and do abhishekam. In case you do not have padukas, show spoon of water to the Guru as an offering and pour it into a bowl. You can take this abhishekam liquid at the end of the pooja as theerth.
Place a deepam/lamp facing the photo on the altar to light it when pooja commences.
Place a panchapatra filled with water on the altar for performing upacharas.
Use another panchapatra and a bowl for aachamanam. Do not mix this water with the water placed on the altar.
Place the food in a plate and keep it aside for offering during the pooja.

B. Starting the pooja

Prayer

Light the deepam/lamp on the altar and chant the sloka for the prayer.

śuklām-baradharam viṣnuṁ śaśivarṇaṁ caturbhujaṁ

prasanna vadanaṁ dhyāyèt – sarva vighnópa śāntayè

Mārjanam

Chant the below sloka when scattering some water on top of your head

om apavitra: pavitróvā sarvāvasthāṁgató pivā

ya: smarèt puṁḍarīkākṣaṁ sabāhyā bhyaṁtara śuci:

Dīpārādhana

Apply kumkum to diya while chanting the dīpārādhana sloka.

dīpatvaṁ brahmarūpósi jyótishāṁ prabhuravyaya:

saubhgya dèhi putrāṁścha sarvn kāmāṁścha dèhimè

Āchamanam

For women pronounce namah and for men pronounce svāhā while uttering the mantra. For doing āchamanam take the second panchapatra filled with water and clean your hands with a spoon of water in a bowl. Then utter the mantra while pouring a spoon of water in the right hand and drink it. Repeat it for the first three mantras and wash your hands in a bowl with a spoon of water. Now chant the remaining 21 mantras with folded hands

a) om kèśavāya svāhā/ nama:

b) om nārāyaṇāya svāhā/ nama:

c) om mādhavāya svāhā/ nama:

om góviṁdāya nama:
om viṣhṇavè nama:
om madhusūdanāya nama:
om tri vikramāya nama:
om vāmanāya nama:
om śrīdharāya nama:
om hṛiṣīkèśāya nama:
om padmanābhāya nama:
om dāmodarāya nama:
om saṁkarṣaṇāya nama:
om vāsudèvāya nama:
om pradyu mnāya nama:
om aniruddhāya nama:
om puruṣóttamāya nama:
om adhókṣajāya nama:
om nārasiṁhāya nama:
om achyutāya nama:
om janārdhanāya nama:
om upèṁdrāya nama:
om harayè nama:
om śrī kṛṣhṇāya nama:

Bhutócchāṭana

Chant bhutócchāṭana sloka while smelling few akshatas and throwing them over your left shoulder to ward off negative energies

uttiṣhṭaṁtu bhūtapiśāchā: ètae bhūmi bhārakā:

ètèṣā maviródhèna brahmakarma samārabhè

Prāṇāyāmam

For prāṇāyāmam, use Nasika mudra, and chant the sloka mentally during internal breath retention.

pūrakaṁ kuṁbhakaṁ caiva rèchakaṁ tadanaṁtaraṁ

prāṇāyāma midaṁ próktaṁ sarva dèva namaskṛtaṁ

Saṁkalpaṁ

Revering your guru, with folded hands, take the solemn vow to him with this simple saṁkalpaṁ sloka. You can also do it with the usual elaborative one mentioning yugam, year, tithi, nakhstram etc. for those who are accustomed to performing the Sandhyavandanam. While uttering the last word kariṣyè of the sloka immerse your ring finger in water (use 2nd Panchapatra used for aachamanam).

mama upātta samasta duritakṣaya dvārā śrī pārvatī paramèśvara prītyardhaṁ (or) śrī lakshmī nārāyaṇa prītyardhaṁ asmaakaṁ saha kuṭuṁbānāṁ kṣhèma sthairya vijaya abhaya āyurārógya iśvarya abhivṛdhyardhaṁ, dharmārdha kāma mokṣa chaturvidha puruṣhārtha phala sidhyarthaṁ, dhana dhaanya samṛdhyardhaṁ, iṣṭa kāmyārtha sidhyarthaṁ, jñāna vairāgya sithyardhaṁ, sakala lóka kalyāṇārdhaṁ, vèda saṁpradāyābhivṛdyardhaṁ , asmin dèśè góvadha niṣèdhārdhaṁ, gó saṁrakṣaṇārdhaṁ , śrī gurupādukāmuddiśya ṣóḍaśópacāra pūjāṁ kariṣyè

Ringing the bell

Chant along while sounding the bell to invoke and invite the deities

āgamārdhaṁtu dèvānāṁ gamanārdhaṁ tu rākṣasāṁ

kuru ghaṁṭāravaṁ tatra dèvatāhvāna lāṁcanam

Kalaśārādhana

To perform the upacharas to the guru, prepare the panchapatra placed at the altar by adding a bit of kumkum, turmeric, sandalwood and a flower in the water while chanting the sloka. After addition and while chanting write om or sri on the water’s surface with the flower.

kalaśasya mukhè viṣṇu: kaṁṭhè rudra ssamāśrita:

mūlè tatra sthitó brahmā madhyè mātṛgaṇā: smṛtā:

kukṣautu sāgarā ssarvè sapta dvīpaa vasuṁdharā

ṛugvèdó tha yajurvèda ssāmavèdó hyadharvaṇa:

aṁgaiśca sahitā ssarvè kalaśāṁbu samāśritā:

gaṁgèca yamunècaiva gódāvari sarasvatī

narmadā siṁdhu kāvèri jalèsmin sannidhiṁ kuru

Sprinkle this water on all items including yourself while chanting the below line to purify everything.

pūjādravyāṇi dèvaṁ ātmānaṁ saṁprókṣya

Gaṇapati dhyānaṁ/pūja

Offer salutations to Lord Ganesh by reciting the sloka to remove all the obstacles while performing this worship. Offer akshatas and flowers to Lord Ganesh. As the aim of the pooja is to keep it simple, instead of doing elaborative Ganapati pooja we are meditating upon him with a prayer to remove the hindrances.

vakratuṁḍa mahākāya kóṭisūrya samaprabha

nirvighnaṁ kurumè dèva sarva kāryèshu sarvadā

Now we start performing the shodashaupachara part of the pooja to the Guru which has 16 forms of respectful gestures.

i. Dhyānaṁ

For the first act of gesture, meditate on the Guru’s feet and recite the dhyana sloka. After reciting offer akshatas and flowers to the Guru’s photo &/or padukas.

guravè sarva lókānāṁ bhiṣajè bhavarógināṁ

nidhayè sarva vidyānāṁ dakṣiṇāmūrtayè nama:

dattātrèyaṁ mahātmānaṁ varadaṁ bhaktavatsalaṁ

prapannārtiharaṁ vaṁdè smartṛgāmi sanóvatu

nārāyaṇa samāraṁbhāṁ vyāsaśaṁkara madhyamāṁ

asmadācārya paryaṁtāṁ vaṁdè guruparaṁparāṁ

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: dhyāyāmi

ii. Āvāhanaṁ

For the second gesture, we cordially invite the Guru to our home while reciting the āvāhanaṁ sloka.

vaṁdè gurupadadvaṁdvaṁ avājmānasagócaraṁ

gururviśvaṁ na chānyósti tasmai śrī guravè nama:

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: āvāhayāmi

iii. Āsanaṁ

In the third gesture, we offer a magnificent seat for accommodating him/her at the altar by reciting the below sloka. Offer akshatas and flowers to the Guru’s photo &/or padukas after reciting the sloka.

namāmi sadguruṁ śāṁtaṁ pratyakṣa gururūpiṇaṁ

śirasā yogapīṭhasthaṁ mukti kāmārdha siddhidaṁ

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: navaratna khacita siṁhāsanaṁ samarpayāmi

iv. Pādyaṁ & Arghyaṁ

To the God who arrived, while reciting the sloka wash the feet of the Guru and offer him/her water to wash their hands as the fourth gesture by pouring water on to the padukas (if present) or show a spoon of water to the photo and pour it into a bowl kept for upacharas

vyaktāvyakta svarūpāya hṛshīkapatayè nama:

pādyaṁ tvaṁ prati gṛhṇīshva guru dèva namóstutè

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: pādyaṁ samarpayaami, arghyaṁ samarpayāmi

v. Āchamanīyaṁ

Chant the sloka while offering water to cleanse their mouth as the fifth gesture by pouring water onto the padukas (if present) or show a spoon of water to the photo and pour it into a bowl kept for upacharas.

kusumākṣata saṁmiśraṁ prasannāṁbu pariplutaṁ

nirmala jñānarūpāya dattamācamanīyakaṁ

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: āchamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi

vi. Snānaṁ

Extend water and chant the sloka for a holy bath as the sixth gesture by pouring water on to the padukas (if present) or show a spoon of water to the photo and pour it into a bowl kept for upacharas. After bath offer water for āchamanīyaṁ.

gaṁgādi sarva tīrthèbhya:, tóyamètatsu nirmalaṁ

snānaṁ svīkuru dèvèśa mayā dattaṁ surèśvara

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: snānaṁ samarpayāmi

snānānaṁtaraṁ āchamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi

vii. Vastraṁ

If padukas are used then clear out all water from container holding the padukas into a bowl kept for upacharas. Wipe the padukas with a piece of absorbent cloth and while chanting the sloka offer vastram or akshatas and flowers or two balls of cotton representing the vastram. This is the seventh gesture. After adorning with cloths offer water for āchamanīyaṁ.

vyómavat vyāpta dèhāyā, nirguṇāya gaṇātmanè

vastrayugmaṁ mayā dattaṁ gṛhāṇa mahatāṁ vara

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: vastrayugmaṁ samarpayāmi

vastrayugma dhāraṇānaṁtaraṁ āchamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi

viii. Yajñópavītaṁ

Chanting the sloka, offer akshatas representing Yajñópavītaṁ to the Guru. This is the eighth gesture.

vèdamaṁtrai: samāyuktaṁ brahmavishṇu śivātmakaṁ

upavītaṁ prayacchāmi gṛhāṇa suranāyaka

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: yajñópavītaṁ samarpayāmi

ix. Gaṁdhaṁ

As the ninth gesture, offer sandalwood and kumkum to the photo &/or padukas while chanting the sloka.

divya siṁdhūra karpūra mṛganābhi samanvitaṁ

sakuṁkumaṁ pītagaṁdhaṁ lalāṭè dhārayānagha

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: gaṁdha samarpayāmi

x. Pushpaṁ

Offer flowers to the Guru while chanting the sloka as tenth gesture of love.

mālyādīni susaṁdhīni mālatyādīvi vai prabhó

māyā hṛtāni pūjārdhaṁ puṣpāṇi pratigṛhyatāṁ

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: puṣpāṇi samarpayāmi

At this moment we halt the shodashaupachara part of the puja and do aṁga puja to our Guru. We offer our humble pranams to each part of the body with namas given below which encases the whole Guru tattwa. Offer akshatas and flowers to the photo &/or padukas while reciting each nama.

Aṁga pūja

divyapādāya nama: - pādau pūjayāmi
mahābalāya nama: - jaṁghè pūjayāmi
brahmavidvarāya nama: - jānunī pūjayāmi
siddhāsanāya nama: - ūrūn pūjayāmi
jitèṁdriyāya nama: - guhyaṁ pūjayāmi
sarvādhārāya nama: - kaṭiṁ pūjayāmi
brahmāṁḍódarāya nama: - udaraṁ pūjayāmi
śiṣhyavatsalāya nama: - vakṣasthalaṁ pūjayāmi
karuṇāpūrṇahṛdayāya nama: - hṛdayaṁ pūjayāmi
śivaśakti svarūpāya nama: - stanau pūjayāmi
viśvóddārakāya nama: - bāhūn pūjayāmi
varadābhayahastāya nama: - hastau pūjayāmi
gaṁbhīra kaṁṭhāya nama: - kaṁṭhaṁ pūjayāmi
smitavadanāya nama: - mukhaṁ pūjayāmi
madhurasallāpāya nama: - jihvāṁ pūjayāmi
kṛpāṁgavīkṣaṇāya nama: - nètrè pūjayāmi
śṛtirahasyabódhakāya nama: - karṇau pūjayāmi
sahasrārakamalavāsāya nama: - śira: pūjayāmi
sarvèśvarāya nama: - sarvāṇyaṁgāni pūjayāmi

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: - nānāvidha patra puṣpa pūjāṁ samarpayāmi

After the aṁga puja you have to read any stotras or/& ashtottaras or/& mantras eulogizing your Guru. Following this we resume shodashaupachara part of the puja.

xi. Dhūpaṁ

As the eleventh gesture, light and wave the agarbatti at the Guru on the altar while reciting the Dhūpaṁ sloka

vanaspati rasair divyai: nānā gaṁdhai: susaṁyutaṁ,

dhūpamāghrāṇa bhó svāmin tava śiṣyai: samarpitaṁ

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: dhupaṁ āghrāpayāmi

xii. Dīpaṁ

While sounding the bell and showing the dīpaṁ at the Guru chant the below sloka as the twelfth gesture of respect.

sājyaṁ trivarti saṁyuktaṁ vahninā yójitaṁ mayā

ajñāna nāśanaṁ daeva gṛhāṇa śrīmanóhara

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: dīpaṁ darśayāmi

xiii. Naivèdyaṁ

Offer food to the Guru while reciting the sloka as the thirteenth gesture of warm hospitality.

naivèdyaṁ gṛhyatāṁ dèva bhaktiṁ mè hyachalāṁ kuru

phalāni ca supakvāni svīkuru jñānadāyaka

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: naivèdyaṁ samarpayāmi

satyaṁ tvartèna parishiṁcāmi (Mor) / ṛtaṁ tvā satyèna parishiṁcāmi (Eve)

amṛtamastu amṛtópastaraṇamasi

Sprinkle water at the photo &/or padukas and while offering the food chant the below lines of mantra.

om prāṇaṁ nama: - apānaṁ nama: - vyānaṁ nama:

udānaṁ nama:- samānaṁ nama:

madhyè madhyè pānīyaṁ samarpayāmi - amṛtamastu amṛtāpidhānamasi

While reciting the below lines offer water to wash their hands and feet by showing a spoon of water to the photo and pour it into a bowl. Offer water again for drinking.

uttarā póśanaṁ samarpayāmi , hastau prakṣāḷanaṁ samarpayāmi

pāda prakṣāḷanaṁ samarpayāmi , śuddhācamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi

xiv. Tāṁbūlaṁ

As the fourteenth gesture, offer tāṁbūlaṁ or akshatas representing the tambulam to the Guru while reciting the below sloka

pūgīphalai ssakarpūrair nāgavallī daḷairyutaṁ

muktāchūrṇa samāyuktaṁ tāṁbūlaṁ pratigṛhyatāṁ

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: tāṁbulaṁ samarpayāmi

xv. Nīrājanaṁ

Lit and wave a camphor before the Guru while reciting the sloka and ringing the bell as the fifteenth gesture of admiration.

nīrājanaṁ gṛhāṇèdaṁ paṁchavarti samanvitaṁ

tèjórāśi mayā dattaṁ gṛhāṇa tvaṁ surèśvara

maṁgaḷā śāsanaparair madāchārya purógamai:

sarvaiścha pūrvairāchāryai: satkṛtāyāstu maṁgaḷam

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: karpūra nīrājanaṁ darśayāmi

nīrājanānaṁtaraṁ śuddhāchamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi

Maṁtrapushpaṁ – Namaskāraṁ

As part of the fifteenth gesture, chant the maṁtrapushpaṁ- namaskāraṁ sloka while offering akshatas and flowers and perform circumambulation to offer our humble pranams.

yadaṁghrikamaladvaṁdvaṁ dvaṁdvatāpanivārakaṁ

tārakaṁ bhavasiṁdhóśca taṁ guruṁ praṇamāmyahaṁ

tvamèva mātā ca pitā tvamèva, tvamèva baṁdhuśca sakhā tvamèva

tvamèva vidyā draviṇaṁ tvamèva, tvamèva sarvaṁ mama dèva dèva

gurupādukābhyāṁ nama: suvarṇa divya maṁtrapushpaṁ samarpayāmi

ātma pradakshiṇa namaskārān samarpayāmi

xvi. Kshamā prārdhana – svasti

As the last and sixteenth gesture, while reciting the sloka fan the Lord with the chamaram and offer apologies for any misconduct in behaviour and intentions.

chatra cāmara gīta nṛtya āṁdóḷikā aśvāróhaṇa gajāróhaṇa

samasta rājópacarān manasā samarpayāmi

yadakṣara padabhrashṭaṁ mātrāhīnaṁ tu yadbhavèt

tathsarvaṁ kṣamyatāṁ svāmī gurudèva namóstu tè

asmat guru: prīyatāṁ ssuprītó varadó bhavatu

Now take the abhishekam water that was collected in the bowl obtained from performing the upacharas and take it as theertham after reciting the below sloka.

ajñānamūla haraṇaṁ janma karma nivāraṇaṁ

guró: pādódakaṁ pītvā śèshaṁ śirasi dhārayan

We conclude the pooja by reciting the below svasti sloka

svasti prajābhya: paripālayaṁtāṁ nyāyèna mārgèna mahīṁ mahīśā

gó brāhmaṇèbhya: śubhamastu nityaṁ, lókā: samastā sukhinó bhavaṁtu.

kālè varṣatu parjanya: pṛthivī sasya śālinī

dèśóyaṁ kṣóbha rahitó brahmaṇā saṁtu nirbhaya:

aputrā: putriṇa: ssaṁtu putriṇa ssaṁtupautriṇa:

adhanā: ssadhanā: saṁtu jīvaṁtu śaradāṁ śataṁ

sarvèjanā sukhinó bhavaṁtu. lókā: samastā sukhinó bhavaṁtu

Reference

Nanduri Srinivas YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmVY4CVdL1c&t=13s