Symbolic Significance of Puja Items
Puja is both the act of worship and the altar or space for the images to be worshipped. A puja is always given a special place in a room and many different sacred items can be kept on the puja and used during worship
- Murtis( Statues) - Murtis are statues of deities and objects of veneration which embody qualities to which we aspire.
- Padukas( Sandals) - The Indian scriptures say that God’s grace flows through the feet of great beings and thus the sandals (padukas) of the Master are regarded with reverence.
- Incense - Incense is a traditional offering of worship.
- Meditation Oils - Applied before meditation, pure essential oils can assist the focus of the mind and enhance the meditation experience.
- Yajna Ash - Yajna ash contains the blessings of the yajnas, or sacred fire ceremonies, held at our ashrams.
- Chanting Book Covers and Jackets - Sacred texts are considered to be a form of the divine. These covers honor and protect your chanting book.
- Other Puja Items - Arati trays, kumkum, deity cards, frankincense, and other items to enhance your own puja
- Puja Cloths - The creation of a puja begins with a beautiful cloth, where we can place photographs of the Guru, images of deities, and other puja items.
- Sacred Items - These items have become especially sacred through their proximity to either the Guru's form or the sacred centers of our ashrams.
- Sacred Jewellery - An exquisite collection of fine jewelery designed to keep close to you at all times the sacred symbols of the Siddha Yoga tradition.
- Yantras - Yantras are used as energy tools during sadanas and meditation.
- Malas - Malas are used as concentration tools during japas and meditation. Different type of malas have different metaphysical effects.
Every object associated with the ritual of Puja or worship is symbolically significant. The statue or image of the deity, which is called 'Vigraha' (Sanskrit: 'vi'+ 'graha') means something that is devoid of the ill effects of the planets or 'grahas'. The flower that we offer to the deity stands for the good that has blossomed in us. The fruits offered symbolize our detachment, self-sacrifice and surrender, and the incense we burn collectively stands for the desires we have for various things in life. The lamp we light represents the light in us, that is the soul, which we offer to the Absolute. The vermilion or red powder stands for our emotions.
