Puja (Hinduism): Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Prayer ritual performedin by Hindus, Buddhists, and JainsHinduism}}

| footer =''Puja'' (worship), in different forms. Clockwise from top left: Individual ''puja'', Sunrise ''puja'', Prayersprayers to Sri Malai Perumal, Durga ''puja'' ritual in progress.

'''''Puja''''' ({{lang-sa|पूजा|pūjā|translit-std=IAST}}), also spelt '''''pooja''''', is a worship ritual performed by [[Hindu]]s, [[Buddhists]] and [[Jain rituals and festivals#Dravya Puja|Jains]] to offer devotional homage and prayer to one or more deities, to host and honorhonour a guest, or to spiritually celebrate an event.<ref>James Lochtefeld, ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism'', Vol. 2, {{ISBN|0-8239-2287-1}}, pp. 529–530.</ref><ref>Paul Courtright, in ''Gods of Flesh/Gods of Stone'' (Joanne Punzo Waghorne, Norman Cutler, and Vasudha Narayanan, eds), {{ISBN|978-0231107778}}, Columbia University Press, see Chapter 2.</ref> It may honorhonour or celebrate the presence of special guests, or their memories after they die. The word ''pūjāpuja'' is [[Sanskrit]],roughly andtranslated into English meansas 'reverence, honorhonour, homage, adoration, andor worship'.<ref name="ssde">[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+puja&trans=Translate&direction=AU पूजा], ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', Germany (2009)</ref> ''Puja'', the loving offering of light, flowers, and water or food to the divine, is the essential ritual of Hinduism. For the worshipper, the divine is visible in the image, and the divinity sees the worshipper. The interaction between human and deity, between [[human]] and [[guru]], is called a ''[[DarśanaDarshan (Indian religions)|darshanDarshanam]]'', seeing.<ref>''Religions in the Modern World'', 3rd Edition, David Smith, p. 45</ref>

In Hindu practice, ''puja'' is done on a variety of occasions, frequencies, and settings. It may include a daily ''puja'' done in the home, or occasional temple ceremonies and annual festivals. In other cases, ''puja'' is held to mark a few lifetime events such as the birth of a baby, house entering ceremony or ''grihapravesh'', first rice-eating ceremony or ''annaprasana'', [[Hindu wedding|wedding]], sacred thread ceremony or upanayana ceremony for the Brahmins or to begin a new venture.<ref name="Gale">{{cite book|title=Gale encyclopedia of religion|pages=7493–7495|editor=Lindsay Jones|publisher=Thomson Gale|year=2005|volume=11|isbn=978-0-02-865980-0}}</ref> The two main areas where ''puja'' is performed are in the home and at temples to mark certain stages of life, events or some festivals such as [[Durga Puja]], [[Kali Puja]], [[Janmashtami]], and [[Lakshmi Puja]].<ref name="Flood">{{cite book|last=Flood|first=Gavin D.|title=The Blackwell companion to Hinduism|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell|year=2002|isbn=978-0-631-21535-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?Cid=qSfneQ0YYY8C&pg=PR6}}</ref> ''Puja'' is not mandatory in Hinduism. It may be a routine daily affair for some Hindus, a periodic ritual for some, and rare for other Hindus. In some temples, various ''pujas'' may be performed daily at various times of the day; in other temples, they may be occasional.<ref name=ebp/><ref name=hgb/>

All significant Indian holidays, including [[Raksha Bandhan|Rakhi]], [[Diwali]], [[Holi]], [[Karva Chauth]], [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], [[Janmashtami]], and Navratri[[Navaratri]], have rituals known as ''puja''.

For example, a [[Diya (lamp)|chirathu]] also known as a [[Diya (lamp)|diya]], gheeclarified butter wicks, bells, flowers, incense sticks, cones, roli or kumkum (a red powder with turmeric mixed in applied to the forehead), chawalrice, tilaktilakam, chandanchandanam (sandal sticks), idols, and samagri havanhavanam are some common items utilized in puja. In Hinduism, ''puja'' is a [[sattvik]] work.

''Puja'' varies according to the sect, region, occasion, deity honored, and steps followed.<ref name="Flood"/><ref name=ebp/> In formal ''Nigama'' ceremonies, a fire may be lit in honor of the god [[Agni]], without an idol or image present. In contrast, in [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Agama]] ceremonies, an idol or icon or image of a deity is present. In both ceremonies, a lamp (Diya) or incense stick may be lit while a prayer is chanted or a hymn is sung. ''Puja'' is typically performed by a Hindu worshiper alone, though sometimes in the presence of a priest who is well-versed in complex rituals and hymns. In temples and priest-assisted events ''puja'', food, fruits, and sweets may be included as sacrificial offerings to the ceremony or deity, which, after the prayers, becomes ''[[prasadprasada|prasadam]]'' – food shared by all gathered.<ref name=ebp>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/483030/puja Puja], ''Encyclopædia Britannica''.</ref><ref name=hgb>Hiro G. Badlani (2008), ''Hinduism: a path of ancient wisdom'', {{ISBN|978-0595436361}}, pp. 315–318.</ref>

Both Nigama and Agama ''puja'' are practicedpractised in Hinduism in India. In the Hinduism of [[Bali]], Indonesia, Agama puja is most prevalent both inside homes and in temples. ''Puja'' is sometimes called [[Hyang|'' Sembahyang'']] in Indonesia.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/2008/01/04/how-balinese-worship-their-god/ How Balinese worship their god] ''The Bali Times'' (January 4, 2008), [http://www.youtube.com/canangsari/sembahyang-pedoman.htm Pedoman Sembahyang] Bali Indonesia (2009).</ref><ref name=yb>Yves Bonnefoy (ed.), ''Asian mythologies'', {{ISBN|978-0226064567}}, University of Chicago Press, pages 161–162</ref>

| footer = Clockwise from top left: Group puja in North India, a puja in a South Indian temple, a family puja inside a home, AartiAarati at puja

According to Natalia Lidova, ''puja'' is unlikely to be of Indo-Aryan and Vedic origin because it lacks a Sanskrit root and it also lacks cognate parallels in other Indo-European languages. Its root are probably Dravidian in origin, but the evidence for this alternative hypothesis is also largely missing possibly because devotional worship is not as ancient as Hinduism.<ref name="Lidova1994p96">{{cite book|author=Natalia Lidova |title=Drama and Ritual of Early Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3TKarwqJJP0C&pg=PA96 |year=1994|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1234-5|pages=96–98}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Axel Michaels|title=Hinduism: Past and Present|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PD-flQMc1ocC&pg=PA241|year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-08953-9|page=241}}</ref> Collins states that the roots may be "pu" (flower) and "ge" (make), or a form of "making flower sacrifice". However, this proposal is problematic because "pu" comes from an Indo-European root, while "ge" from Dravidian.<ref name="Lidova1994p96"/> Charpentier suggests<ref>Charpentier, J. (1926), “Über den Begriff und die Etymologie von Pujå.” Beiträge zur Literaturwissenschaft und Geistesgeschichte Indiens, Festgabe Hermann Jacobi zum 75, Geburstag. Ed. W. Kirfel, Bonn, pp. 279–297.</ref> the origin of the word Puja''puja'' may lie in the [[Dravidian languages]]. Two possible Malayalam roots may be {{transliteration|ml|pūSa}} 'to smear with something' or {{transliteration|ml|ISO|pūcey}} "to do with flowers" (from {{transliteration|ml|ISO|pū}} 'flower' and {{transliteration|ml|ISO|cey}} 'to do'). Tamil roots have also been suggested: {{transltransliteration|ta|pūsai}} 'to smear with something' or {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|pūcey}} "to do with flowers" (from {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|pū}} 'flower' and {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|cey}} 'to do').<ref>Varadara Raman, ''Glimpses of Indian Heritage'' (1998)'</ref> or similar Telugu roots {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|pūjēi}} (from {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|pū}} 'flower' and {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|cēyi}} 'to do').

According to the [[Shiva Purana]], Puja''puja'' is derived from cognate of two Sanskrit words ''Puhpuh'' and ''Jayate.jayate'', Puh''puh'' meaning 'achievement of fruits of enjoyment' while ''Jayatejayate'' refers to 'something to be born'. Hence Puja''puja'' refers to the rite by which one attains fruits of enjoyment of things like good ideas and knowledge.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shastri |first=Jagdish Lal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uKESzwEACAAJ |title=The Śiva-Purāṇa: Volumes 1-4 |date=1977 |publisher=M. Banarsidass |language=en |quote=The word Pūjā is thus derived: Pūḥ means ‘the'the achievement of the fruits of enjoyment.’' By the rite one achieves the fruits. Jāyate means “is"is born.”" Good ideas, knowledge etc. also are included in this. The word Pūjā is used in this sense amongst the people as well as in the sacred texts.}}</ref>

According to scholars,<ref name=hpr>Hillary Peter Rodrigues (2003), ''Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess'', McGill Studies in the History of Religions, State University of New York Press, {{ISBN|0-7914-5399-5}}, see Chapter 3.</ref> one of the earliest mentions of ''pūjā'' is in the [[Kalpa (Vedanga)#Grhyasutras|Grihya Sutras]], which provide rules for domestic rites. These Sutrassutras, dated to be about 500 BC, use the term puja to describe the hospitality to honorhonour priests who were invited to one's home to lead rituals for departed ancestors. As with vedic times, the general concept of puja remained the same, but expanded to welcoming the deity along with the deity's spiritual essence as one's honored guest.<ref name=hpr/> The [[Puranas|Puranic]] corpus of literature, dating from about 6th century CE, contain extensive outline on how to perform deity puja (''deva pūjā''). Deity puja thus melds Vedic rites with devotion to deity in its ritual form. As with many others aspects of Hinduism, both Vedic puja and devotional deity puja continued, the choice left to the Hindu.

As a historical practice, ''pūjā'' in Hinduism, has been modeledmodelled aroundon the idea of hosting a deity, or important person, as an honoredhonoured and dearest guest in the best way one can, given one's resources, and receiving their happiness and blessing in return. [[Paul Thieme]] suggests from passages in the ''[[Rāmāyaṇa]]'' that the word ''pūjā'' referred to the hospitable reception of guests and that the things offered to guests could be offered to the gods and their dwellings.<ref>Paul Thieme, "Indische Wörter und Sitten,", in ''Kleine Schriften'' (Wiesbaden, 1984) 2: 343–70.</ref> The rituals in question were the "five great sacrifices" or ''pañcamahāyajña'' recorded in the ''Gṛhyasūtra'' texts (for this literature, see [[Kalpa (Vedanga)|Kalpa]]).<ref>G. Bühnemann, ''Pūjā: A Study of Smarta Ritual'' (Vienna, 1988): p. 33; Shingo Einoo, "The Formation of the Pūjā Ceremony," ''Studien zur Indologie und Iranistik (Festschrift für Paul Thieme)'' 20 (1996): 74. A different view is found in Smith, ''Vedic Sacrifice in Transition'', pp. 2–5, who attributes the decline of old śrauta practices to a number of factors one of which was the emergence of ‘iconic ritual’.</ref> The development of ''pūjā'' thus emerged from [[Vedic period|Vedic]] domestic traditions and was carried into the temple environment by analogy: just as important guests had long been welcomed in well-to-do homes and offered things that pleased them, so too were the gods welcomed in temple-homes and offered things that pleased them. Copper-plate charters recording grants of lands to temples show that this religious practice was actively encouraged from the mid-4th century.<ref>{{cite bookjournal|first=Michael D. |last=Willis |author-link=Michael D. Willis |title=The Formation of Temple Ritual in the Gupta Period: pūjā and pañcamahāyajña |workjournal=Prajñādhara: Gouriswar Bhattacharya Felicitation Volume, Edited by Gerd Mevissen |series=Prajñādhara: Gouriswar Bhattacharya Felicitation Volume |publisher= Gerd Mevissen |location=Delhi |year=2008 |url= https://www.academia.edu/2069840}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Michael D. |last=Willis |title=The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual |publisher=Cambridge University Press|year= 2009 |chapter= 2: 6 |chapter-url=http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item2427416/?site_locale=en_GB }}</ref>

''Give ([us)] vigorvigour, wealth in cattle, and possession of good horses.''

The purpose of the requests are to burn the past karmas to be able to experience oneness with the Brahman through the help of the deity. It is a form of bhakti [[Bhakti yoga|bhakti Yoga]] whose final result aims to be the consciousness of god through homage to god. Nevertheless, even with this evolved theoretical spiritual significance, many people use puja as vehicle to petition desires and appeals, such as for good health of one's child, speedy recovery from illness, success in venture envisioned or such. In the structure and practice of puja, the mantras and rituals focus on spirituality, and any petitions and appeals are tacked only to the end of the puja.<ref name=wtw/>

Zimmer<ref>Zimmer, Heinrich (1984), ''Artistic Form and Yoga in the Sacred Images of India''. Translated by Gerald Chapple and James B. Lawson, Princeton University Press.</ref> relates puja to [[yantra]]s, with the rituals helping the devotee focus on the spiritual concepts. Puja in Hinduism, claimswrites Zimmer, is a path and process of transformation of consciousness, where the devotee and the spiritual significance of the deity are brought together. This ritual puja process, in different parts of India, is considered to be liberating, releasing, purifying and a form of Yoga of spirit and emotions.<ref>Hillary Peter Rodrigues (2003), ''Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess'', McGill Studies in the History of Religions, State University of New York Press, {{ISBN|0-7914-5399-5}}</ref><ref>Tracy Pintchman (2008), "Raising Krishna with Love: Maternal devotion as a form of yoga in a women's ritual tradition", in ''Theory and Practice of Yoga'' (Knut Joacobsen), {{ISBN|978-8120832329}}.</ref>

==TempleTypes pūjāof Puja==

# ''[[NavratraArti Akhand Jyoti(Hinduism)|Jyot]]'' or ''[[AartiAarathi]]''. A burning lamp is waved in front of the image.

# Pancha upachara puja (puja with 5five steps).

The structure of elaborate puja also varies significantly between temples, regions, and occasions.<ref>Stella Kramrisch (1976), ''The Hindu Temple'', Vols. 1 and 2, Motilal Banarsidass; see also her publications on Shiva Temple pujas, Princeton University Press.</ref>

Sembahyang (Pujapuja) is an obligation for Balinese Hindus, the prayers and hymns are derived from the Vedas. A family typically offers prayers every day, with ''Kewangen'' and other offerings. Kewangen means aromatic, and it is made from leaves and flowers in form of auspicious Vedic symbols. Balinese use kewangen to worship the divine, both in form of Purusha (soul) and Pradana (body). As with India, Balinese make offerings, including symbolic inclusion of fire, incense and [[mantra]]s.<ref name=tbt/><ref>Rajiv Malik, [http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5267 "Bali – Land of Offerings"], ''Hinduism Today'' (2011).</ref>

As with church services in Christianity, Pūjā in Hinduism has served as a means for Hindu communities outside India to gather, socialize, discover new friends and sometimes discuss ways to address social discrimination of Hindus.<ref>I. Wayan Dibia, "Odalan of Hindu Bali: A Religious Festival, a Social Occasion and a Theatrical Event", ''Asian Theatre Journal'', Vol. 2, No. 1 (Spring 1985), pp. 61–65.</ref><ref>Chandra Jayawardena, "Religious Belief and Social Change: Aspects of the Development of Hinduism in British Guiana", ''Comparative Studies in Society and History'', Vol. 8, No. 2 (January 1966), pp. 211–240</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brettell | first1 = C | year = 2005 | title = Voluntary organizations, social capital, and the social incorporation of Asian Indian immigrants in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex | journal = Anthropological Quarterly | volume = 78 | issue = 4| pages = 853–882 | doi = 10.1353/anq.2005.0052 | s2cid = 144620114 }}</ref> For example, [[Marion O'Callaghan]] reports<ref name=mocall>{{cite journal | last1 = O'Callaghan | first1 = Marion | year = 1998 | title = Hinduism in the Indian Diaspora in Trinidad | journal = Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies | volume = 11| doi = 10.7825/2164-6279.1178 | doi-access = free }}</ref> that the Hindu diaspora brought as indentured laborers to Trinidad by the British colonial government, suffered discriminatory laws that did not recognize traditional Hindu marriages or inheritance rights of children from a traditional Hindu marriage, nor did the non-Hindu majority government allow pyre cremation or construction of crematorium. These Hindu rituals were considered pagan and uncivilized. Pujas offered a way for Hindus to meet, socially organize and petition their human rights. Over time, pujas became as much a social and community recreational event as a religious event.<ref name=mocall/>

Puja is called {{lang|ta|பூசை}} {{transltransliteration|ta|ISO|pūcai}} in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], ''bucha'' ({{lang|th|บูชา}}) in Thai, and sometimes also {{lang|bn|পুজো}} {{transltransliteration|bn|ISO|pujō}} in [[Bengali language|Bengali]].

* [[List of Hindu festivals]], many of which involve Pujapuja

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* Susan S. Bean, [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/mua.1997.21.3.29/abstract "Puja, Expressions of Hindu Devotion"], ''Museum Anthropology'', Volume 21, Issue 3, pp. &nbsp;29–32, December 1997.