The Morning Pooja

Performing pooja daily is essential to please Maharaj and Motapurush. Follow these steps to integrate pooja into your morning routine.

Preparation

Timing: Perform the pooja early in the morning after a bath
Clothing:

Men: Wear a white dhoti and uparni
Women: Wear a white Indian dress

(Keep these clothes separate from regular clothing for cleanliness)

Setup:

Place a cloth (asan) facing Maharaj in the North or Eastern direction
Use two asans for Shreeji Maharaj and place the Murtis stacked together in the center
Prasad: Prepare a small dish/bowl of dry fruits

Tilak Chandlo:

Create a paste of sandalwood by grinding it on a small bowl-like container (orasiyu)
Then put it on the U-shaped utensil and apply on your forehead to create the tilak
Use the cylinder container of kumkum powder to apply a round chandlo in the center of the tilak
Now proceed to make a tilak chandlo using the paste of the sandalwood on both your upper arms and chest
Women should apply only a small chandlo on the forehead

Performing Pooja

Mansipooja: Perform the first mansipooja with care and joy
Placing Murtis:

Arrange Maharaj, Bapashree, and Sadgurus (Gopalanand swami, Nirgundasji Swami, Ishwarcharndasji Swami, Vrundavandasji Swami and Keshavpriyadasji Swami, Gurudev Bapji) respectively
Clean the murtis with a cloth and do charan sparsh of them upon placing them

Ahavan Mantra: A prayer to request Maharaj's presence in our pooja

"Uttishthotishtha he Nath! Swaminarayan prabhu,

Dharmasuno dayasindhu, svesham shreya param kurum |

Agachha Bhagawan dev, swasthanam Parameshvar,
Aham puja karishyami, sada tvam sanmukhobhav ||"

Malas:

5 Malas of the Swaminaryan Mahamantra

1 Mala of Gurumantra (Aham Anadimukta Swaminarayan Dasoshmi)

1 Tap Ni Mala (standing on one leg with the other leg bent towards the knee of the standing leg)

1 Mala while doing pradakshina of the murtis

Dandvats:

Men: Perform at least 6 dandvat pranams
Women: Perform at least 6 panchang pranams
During the first 5, sing the Sankalp Prathana: "Ho Pran Pyara Shreeji ..."
During the 6th, pray to Maharaj and ask for forgiveness for any mistakes you might have made or for any mistakes you might make

Thal:
- Now take the small bowl of prasad we prepared earlier and hold it in front of the Murtis
- Slowly offer the prasadi to each Murti
- Sing the Thal as well: "Jamo Thaal Jivan Jau Vari ..."
- Note: Do not eat Prasad until the puja is over, leave it in the bowl.

Concluding Pooja

Visarjan Mantra

Recitre the visarjan mantra

"Swasthanam gachha Devesh, puja maday mamakim |
Isht kama prasiddhi artham, punaragamanaya cha ||"

Reading

Read at least 5 shlokas of the English Shikshapatri
A small portion of Hari Ne Game Eva Thavu J Che

Wrap Up:

Collect Murtis after doing charan sparsh
All Murtis should be stacked in reverse order of how they are placed (Maharaj's first Murti on top and Gurudev Bapji's Murti on the bottom)
Maharaj's first Murti on top should be placed face down on top of the stack
Wrap the Murtis with the asan, and store in the pooja box

Conclusion

By starting the day with pooja, you forge a connection with Maharaj and Motapurush, ensuring a pleasant and blessed day. Feel free to incorporate kirtans or prathanas to strengthen your devotion.