Daily Hindu Prayers in Sanskrit

After getting up in the morning

Before Breakfast

Before Lunch

In the Evening

Before Dinner

Before Going to Bed

Daily Hindu Prayers in Tamil

After getting up in the morning

Before Breakfast

Before Lunch

In the Evening

Before Dinner

Before Going to Bed

Temple Worship Procedures

Video on Temple Worship Procedure (28MB)
Temples are the connecting points of high importance in our religion and culture. The absolute necessity of the temple
worship is stressed throughout by the great saints of the religion. It is not very difficult to realize the important role they
play in cultivating the spiritualism in people. It is the place for collective worship. Given these significant roles of the
temples it is required to have some discipline to be followed in the temples for having the real expected out of the
worship. Here are a few one can follow to set that harmony. Most of these are in general applicable to all Hindu
temples though a few are specific to shaivite temples.
1. Going to the temple with a clean body. Legs and hands shall be cleaned at entering the temple.
2. Going to the temple adorned with holy symbols like the Holy Ash, rudrAxam.
3. Taking something to offer to the Lord. It is an offering out of devotion. It would be nice if the offering is the one
required in the worship.
4. Not to enter the temple with foot wear.
5. Prostrating in front of the flag column (dwajastaMbham) (towards the North) on entering the temple.
6. Not to prostrate anywhere else in the temple.
7. not to prostrate to anybody else in the temple premises.
8. Taking the permission of nandi dEvar mentally before entering His abode.
9. Saluting the elephant headed Lord enter the Lord's abode.
10. In Lord shiva's abode, engage the mind in the thinking of the God. Avoid any gossip. Temple is not the place
for gossiping. Can sing or chant His names loudly and sweetly if it would not disturb others. Otherwise it could
be done internally without making noise.
11. The Holy ash given as the blessings should be worn saying "shivAya namaH". It should not be spilled on the
ground or wasted.
12. It is normally a procedure to offer something to the priest whose whole life should be in the service of the Lord.
13. Circumambulating the Lord saluting the Goddess and the deities in the temple. The circumambulation would
be done at least for three times. On special occasions like pradoshham the are special circumambulation
methods like soma sUkta pradhaxiNam are followed.
14. While in the temple either the Holy five letters or any praise could be chanted.
15. Before coming out of the temple go to the place of chaNdEshwarar and take permission for the materials
which after worship are taken out of the temple as blessings. One must not take anything out in excess and
things taken from the temple should be only as the mark of blessings. If nothing is taken it is the normal
practice to wipe (rub) the hands together in his place.
16. Should do something in the promotion of the temple physically or materially or whichever is convenient and
required.
17. On coming out of the temple, again prostrate in front of the flag column towards the north. Sit facing the north
and meditate on the God chanting the Holy five letters.
18. While inside the temple should not make the place dirty in any way or make any noise.
19. Going to the temple at least once in a week with the family.
The mind should be focussed on the Lord like the dust of iron that stick to the magnet. A worship with such an
orientation would have very good effect in us by the grace of the Almighty.

The offering substances and procedure

The Lord, Who holds the holy ga~Nga in His matted hair, is delighted by the holy anointment that is done by the
devotees. When this was done with sincerity He gave the small child vichAracharuma the great chaNdIsha post (1, 2).
The Lord, Who is adorned with bilva leaves on His glittering long hair, also enjoys the fresh leaves and flowers the
devotees offer in their fragrance of care. The Lord is so Gracious that when a monkey shed the leaves of bilva tree on
a shiva li~Nga below just out of habit, He made the monkey the famous muchukun^dha emperor (3). So are the
greatness of flowers and anointment materials. For the good people would be available the flowers and water
(puNNIyam cheyvArkkup pUvuNdu n^IruNdu) asserts the sage thirumUlar. We should try to do as much as possible
the worship complete with these holy substances and pure love. This page talks about the procedure prescribed in the
scriptures as the worship procedure. This could be followed howmuchever possible.
When doing the worship whether at home or at the temple, it is of utmost importance to maintain cleanliness of body
and mind. the surroundings should be clean, the worship substances should be clean ad also the body should be
clean. Before the worship one should bath and wear clean dry clothes. It is also required to wear the Holy Ash. When
going for the worship of the Lord should take something like amointment substances or flowers or food offering or any
other offering as a token of the love for the Supreme. These offering should not be taken in the lower part of the body.
These offerings could be kept only at clean places. When doing the worship it is advised to be in a proper convenient
posture (Asana) so that the concentration would be on the Sweet Lord without physical disturbances.
Anointment
Pure river water, well water are qualified for the holy anointment of the Lord. The water for holy anointment would be
brought by clean people escorted by musicians. The fragrant flowers like pAdhiri, uthpalam, alari, lotus would be put in
this water for anointment. Old water should not be used.
The following anointments are done in that order
Gingily oil
Flour (rice flour)
n^ellimuLLi
pa~nchagavyam (Cow's milk, curd, ghee, dung and urine mixture)
pa~nchAmR^itam (explained below)
Milk
Curd
Ghee
Honey
Sugarcane juice
Fruits
Tender coconut
Smellful sandal
shR^i~Nga n^Ir
dhArA n^Ir
snapana n^Ir
sha~NkAbhiShekam
Holy ash
Cooked rice
kumba n^Ir
A text called sakalAgama saN^graham suggest the following order
1. Oil
2. pa~nchagavyam
3. Flour
4. n^ellimuLLi
5. Turmeric

6. pa~nchAmR^itam
7. Milk
8. Curd
9. Ghee
10. Honey
11. Sugarcane Juice
12. Fruit juice
13. Tender coconut
14. Cooked rice
15. Sandal
16. snapan n^Ir
pa~nchAmR^itam
rasapa~nchAmR^itam
A sweet mixture of cow's milk, curd, ghee (boiled butter), sugar and honey. (cardamom like nice smelling spices
could also be added.)
pazapa~nchAmR^itam
In the above if the fruits like mango, jack, banana are added this fruit pa~nchamR^itam could be got
pa~nchagavyam
The mixture of the cow's milk, curd, ghee, water and dung.
It is said that

Pure Water
Perfumed oil
Milk
Ghee
Curd
Honey
Rice powder
Sugar cane juice
pa~nchAmR^itam
pa~nchagavyam
Lemon
Jaggery / Sugar
Tender coconut
Cooked Rice(Annam)
Sandal
nellimuLLi
sha~NkhAbhiShekam

fulfils desires
gives comfort
gives long life
gives liberated state
gives good children
gives melodious voice
frees from debts
gives good health
gives wealth, body strength
drives off sins
removes fear of death
removes enmity
gives enjoyment
gives majestic life
gives Lakshmi's grace
cures diseases
gives good-deedful life

Offering
thAmbUlam

gives land lordship

gives comfort

ShoDasha upachAram (Sixteen honours)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

dhUpam (scented smoke)

dIpam (lamp/light)
mahA dIpam
nAga dIpam
vR^iShabha dIpam
puruSha dIpam
pUrNa kumbam
pa~ncha dIpam 1
pa~ncha dIpam 2
pa~ncha dIpam 3
pa~ncha dIpam 4
pa~ncha dIpam 5 (five lights)

13. naxatra dIpam

14. meru dIpam
15. karppUram (Camphor)
16. mahAnIrA~njanam
mhAdIpam could have 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 light plates in the layered form. dhUpam needs to be shown near the nose
and the dIpam in front of the eyes.
Soft and clean clothes should be used to clad the Lord's form. It is said that the offering of clothes would lead to life in
shiva lokam. Sandal mixed with agar, goshtam, saffron, camphor and rose water could be applied to the Lord.
Ornaments
Any ornament could be used to ornate the Lord any day, but the following are suggested as speciality.
Days and Ornament Gem
Day
Ornament
Sunday
Ruby
Monday
Pearl
Tuesday
pavaLam
Wednesday
Emerald
Thursday
Topaz
Friday
Diamond
Saturday
indra nIlam
Flowers
God's head should be ever decorated with flower. In the morning lotus, purachampU, tulasi, navamallikai (jasmine),
n^an^dhiyAvattai, man^thArai, mullai, shaNbakam, punnAgamare the preferred flowers. In the noon white
lotus, araLi, purachu, tulasi, n^eydhal, bilvam, shanku pushpam, marudhANi, kovithAram, Oridhaz are best suited. In
the evening red lotus, lily, jasmine, jAti mullai, marukkozun^dhu, vettivEr, gajakarNikai, tulasi, bilvam are suggested.
There are eight flowers renowned as aShTa puShpam much preferred for the worship of the Lord. (ettuk kolAmavar
chUdum inamalar). They are
1. aRugu
2. chaNbakam
3. punnAkam
4. n^an^dhiyAvattai
5. pAdhiri
6. brugati
7. araLi
8. thumbai
Expiry period for the flowers
After plucking the flower the flowers would have to be used for worship before the following specified number of days.
Lotus
5 days
araLi
3 days
bilvam
6 months
tulasi
3 months
n^eydhal
3 days
shaNbakam
1 day
viLAmichchai ver
(no expiry)
The flowers that were brought in hands, those fell by itself from the plant, dried up ones, those were smelt, those kept
in dirty places, materials are not to be offered to the Lord. The petals of the flowers should not be pulled apart while
offering. The leaves could be pulled separately and offered.
Leaves preferred for worship
tulasi
mukiz

 shaNbakam
lotus
bilvam
kalhAram
marukkozun^dhu
marudhANi
dharppam
aRugu
achivalli
n^Ayuruvi
vishNugran^thi
n^elli
The flowers not suited for divines
The following flowers should not be offered for the respective devas.
Lord shiva
thAzai
viShNu
axata (rice), veLLerukku, Umaththai
Goddess
aRugu, veLLerukku, man^dhAram
sun (sUrya)
bilvam
vignesha tulasi
Five bilvas
1. mullai
2. kiLuvai
3. n^ochchi
4. bilvam
5. viLA
The main thing in the worship of Lord shiva are the love, focus and dedication. These are the core required things for
the worship. But these external things stated in this page could enhance the worship of the Lord. So these could be
followed as much as possible.
References to Ashta Pushpam from thirumurai



.

4.18.8

5.9.4

5.54.1

5.54.2

5.54.3

5.54.4

5.54.5

5.54.6

5.54.7

5.54.8

5.54.9

5.54.10

The places to apply the holy ash on the body

vibhUti can be worn either in 32 places or 16 places or 8 places or five places.

32 Places
Head
Forehead
Two ears
Two eyes
Nose
Mouth
Neck
Two shoulders
Two elbows
Two wrists
Chest
Two ribs
Navel
Two sides of groin
Buttocks
Two UrUs
Two thighs
Two knees
Two ankles
Two feet
Total 32 Places
16 Places
Head
Forehead
2 ears
Neck
2 Shoulders
2 Elbows
2 Wrists
Chest
Navel
2 Ribs
Back
Total 16 places
8 Places
Head
Forehead
2 ears
2 Shoulders
Chest
Navel
Total 8 places
5 Places
Forehead
2 Shoulders
Chest
Navel

Total 5 places

One of the ways of taking bath as prescribed by vedas is known as Agneyam. It is defined as Agneyam
bhasmasnAnam. That is Agneyam bath is nothing but bathing in the holy ash.
The holy ash has very good medicinal value. This could prevent/cure 81 diseases that are out of air (vAta), and 64 of
diseases caused by bile(pittam), and 215 of phlegm (kapham).

The Holy Ash is the most ancient symbol. It is hailed in the vedas along with rudrAxam(2). Even the devotees of Lord
viShNu used to wear this originally (kariyamEni michai veLiya nIRu chiRidhEyidum periya kOlath thadaNkaNNan,
nIRu chevvE idakkANil nedumAladiyAr enROdum - divya prabhandham). The following scriptures talk about the glory
of the Holy Ash.

rudrAksha Significance
rudrAksh is one of the most important things for the devotees of Lord shiva. The word rudrAksha means the eye of
Lord rudra (rudrAksha - rudra + aksha). The rudraksha beads are worn by the Lord and Its devotees. rudraxa beads
proven to have very good positive effect in one who wears it properly is spiritually quite significant.
Puranic Importance of rudrAksham
On the request of the divines Lord shiva burnt the three daemon forts called tripurAsura who were into disruptive
activities. God burnt them without even a weapon just by the smile itself ! Three daemons in those forts who were
good and devotees of the Lord came out without any harm by the Lord's Grace ! At this point of time fromt he Three
eyes of the Lord rudrAxas came out. Since it came from the aksha (eye) of Lord rudra (a role played by the Supreme
shiva), it is called rudrAxa.
Glory of rudrAksha
skanda purANam (3) details the glory of this great ornament.
"Hearing or reading the glory of rudrAxam can drive away the sins of anybody. Be devoted or not, scholar or illiterate,
whomsoever it be one who wears the rudrAxa will surely get rid of all the bad deeds. Philosophers call this
as mahAvrata. There is no deed more virtuous than wearing rudrAxa. One who gets adorned in a sincere and proper
way with thausand rudrAxas, all the divines will salute that person. If thausands are not available sixteen each in both
the hands, one at the head top, each hand twelve, in the neck thirty-two, six each in the ears shall be worn. One who
wears like that is worshipped by others as if they are Lord rudra. One who wears rudrAxas with pearl,
ruby, spaTikam crystals, silver, gold, vaiDUryam (lapis lazuli), that person is rudra Himself ! One who wears the
emblem of Lord rudra, the rudrAxam, them the sins do not approach as the darkness cannot approach the sun. The
chanting (japa) with rudrAxa mala will yield lots of good result. The japa done without that will give the fruit only to the
extent of its own glory. Thus very virtuous rudrAxa is not worn by anybody, their life gets wasted like that of the one
who does not wear Holy Ash (2). The wise who keeps the rudrAxa at the head and bathes, gets the benefits of bathing
in ganges, this is beyond doubt. Such rudrAxas even if only one beed is worn that person gets rid of the sin did in
many births. One who anoints rudrAxa gets the benefit of anointing shiva linga (1). One, five and fourteen faced
rudrAxas are adorable in all the worlds. Human who worships rudrAxa, even if he/she is very poor, will get all the
wealth."
skanda purANa also refers to many stories that tell the glory of adorning one with shrI rudrAxam.
How to wear rudrakshas
rudrAxas are very Holy. One should wear them with respect and maintain their sanctity. Various ways are suggested
by the scriptures on adorning oneself with them. Some of them are:
Adorning with thausand rudrAxas.
26 beeds on head, 50 over the chest, 14 on the shoulders, 12 on the wrist.
16 each in both the hands, 1 at the head top, 12 in each hands, 32 in the neck, 6 each in the ears.
Garlands of 108, 50, 27 are boonful.
A single beed.
Different Types of rudrAksas
rudrAxas are in three colors. Tawny reddish (kapila) color represent sun (sUrya), white represent moon (chandra) and
black represent fire (agni) eyes of the Lord from which they originated.
rudrAxas come with different number of faces. Though all rudrAxas are emblems of the Lord shiva, each type has its
additional significance. Some of them are given here.
one face - shiva svarUpam
two - devadevi (shiva shakti)
three - agni
four - brahma
five - kAlAgni

six - subrahmaNya
seven - manmata
eight - vinAyaka
nine - bhairava
ten - viShNu
eleven - ekAdasharudra
twelve - dvAdashAditya
thirteen - shaNmukha
fourteen - Lord shiva

More details on rudrAksham

Trees giving rudrAxa beads grow in the himalayan regions of India and Nepal. Experienced do tests to confirm the
originality of the rudrAxa beads.
upanishads that hail rudrAksh

bhasmajApAla
jApAla (bR^ihajjApAla)
rAmarahasya
akshamAlika
dakshiNAmUrti
rudrAkshajApAla

Ten Deeds of Devotees

(Dhasa Kariya)

In the old sayings and adages there are many references to the 10 deeds. thirun^Avukkarachar refers to the ten
characteristic deeds of the slaves of the Lord. (paththu kolAm adiyAr cheykai thAnE) . mANikka vAchakar also refers
to these 10 great deeds in thiruvempAvai. (paththudaiyIr ! Ichan pazavadiyIr !!).
One of the eighteen purANas ska.ndha purANam tells about the 10 explicit activities, 3 implicit activities of the
devotees and also tells the 10 marks of the devotees.

10 Explicit Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Being adorned with Holy Ash and rudrAxam

Adoring the guide (guru)
Praising and saluting the Lord Who holds the river gaN^ga
Chanting the names of Lord shiva
shiva-worship
Pilgrimage to abodes of Lord shiva
Listening to the glories of Lord shiva (shiva purANams)
Venerating the devotees of Lord shiva
Eating in the homes of the devotees of Lord shiva
Donating to the guru who is a devotee of Lod shiva

3 Implicit Activities
1. japam (chanting - internal)
2. Worshiping the God in the mind
3. Realising and rejoicing the experiance of God
10 Marks of devotees
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Variations in the fervent voice

Twitching of tongue
Twitching of lips
Body shivering
Hair raising excitement
Sweating
Staggered walk
Pour forth tears
Weep
Loosing self in the Supreme conscience