Shaligram Worship | Shaligram Puja | Shaligram Puja Benefits

The mantras

There are 16 upacaras (items of offering), thus there are 16 offering mantras. Below is a list of 20 mantras. This list contains more than 16 only because there are some repetitions. What this list shows is the order in which the upacaras are offered during the puja; accordingly, acamana (purification of the mouth) is offered at 3 different times (after the first time the acamana mantra changes to idam punaracamaniyam, "We should again offer acamana.") Also, at the end an offering of sarvam (all upacaras) is made to conclude the puja to each worshipable personality. In this way, though there are only 16 upacaras, in the course of my puja we must chant 20 offering mantras.

1. idam asanam--offering a seat (all these upacara mantras are to be spoken together with the mantra that addresses the Deity, such as klim gopijanaballabhaya namah).
2. etat padyam--offering water to the lotus feet
3. idam arghyam--offering water to the hands for washing
4. idam acamaniyam--offering acamana
5. esa madhuparka--offering a sweet drink
6. idam punaracamaniyam--offering acamana a second time
7. idam snaniyam--bathing
8. idam sottariya vastram--offering cloth
9. imani abharanani--offering ornaments
10. esa gandhah--offering sandalwood and scented oils and purfume
11. esa dhupa--offering incense
12. esa dipa--offering a lamp
13. etani sacandana puspani--offering flowers
14. etani sacandana tulasi--offering tulsi leaves
15. idam naivedyah--offering foodstuffs
16. idam paniyajalam--offering water to drink
17. idam punaracamaniyam--offering acamana a third time
18. etat tambulam--offering mouth freshener
19. idam malyam--offering garlands
20. idam sarvam--offering everything

Outline of the steps of worship

At the start, We should do a preliminary acamana, chanting the om apavitra verse and doing pranayama mudra
We must offer obeisances and wake Their Lordships
Offering prayers to the spiritual master (Sri Guruvastakam etc.) and Panca-tattva and Hare Krsna mahamantras we should clean the altar, change the Deities' water, set up the puja items
Full acamana (om kesavaya manah etc.), visnu smaranam, mangala santi, bhuta-suddhi, obeisances, om apavitra acamana with pranayama mudra.
   With mantras and sprinkling of water we must draw a protective circle around the place of puja, show khadga-mudra for dig-bandha (closing the directions), and purify everything within the circle with Nrsimha-mantra.
Worship of Ananta-Nrsimha Deity and Nrsimha-sila (bathing, cloth, ornaments, gandha, throne, offering everything, chant Nrsimha-gayatri, arati of dhupa-dipa-puspa while chanting Nrsimha prayers. This is done with mantra-mudra.
Worship of Srila Prabhupada with all upacaras except tulasi and mala which will be presented later to HDG as prasadam. The whole worship is done with mantra-mudra.
   Worship of Gauranga, 16 upacaras with mantra-mudra.
Worship of Sri-Sri Jagannatha-Sudarsana silas. This is the main worship. 16 upacaras are offered. Most are mantra-mudra offerings except for naivedya. Tulsi and puspa offered to feet of SSJS silas during the offering of these upacaras; more tulsis and flowers are offered to all silas at the conclusion of the worship.
The mudras, as they are offered to Sri-Sri Jagannatha-Sudarsana
when the upacara mantras are chanted