Preliminary Prayers

Before starting the puja proper, it is essential to contemplate Mahaganapati to assure ourselves that no obstacles interfere with a smooth performance of the puja rituals. Thus, with folded hands chant the following:

Karishyamoanasya karmanaha nirvighnena
Parisamoaptyartham
Aadhou mahauganapati smaranam karishye

So that the ceremonies we are about to undertake
proceed to completion
without any obstacles we contemplate on
Mahagnapati

Similarly the gruhadevata, i.e. the family godhead needs to be invoked as He/She is ever present bestowing protection to the family at all times. A picture or deity of the gruhadevata, if available, should be arranged on the altar. Chant as follows Gruha devataam dhyayaami Dhynanam samarpaynami

I respect contemplate our family Godhead

Finally, it is necessary to pay respect to the family guru {Guru here refers to aachaaryaas such as Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujaacharya, Madhvacharya) and offer prayer before beginning the ceremony by chanting

Guru brahmaa gururvishnuhu gururdevo
maheswararaha

Guru saakshaut parabrahma tasmai sreegurave
namaha

Salutations to the preceptor who is verily Brahma,
Vishnu and Maheshwara
And who personifies the Supreme Being

The above are excerpts from the booklet How to Conduct Puja to SriRamachandra, by Dr. A. V. Srinivasan, published by http://www.periplusbooks.com/.

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