NEW AGE PUROHIT DARPAN BBBBdddd¢¤¢¢¤¤¢¤ eeeeLLLL ffff¤¤¤−−−¤−llll¡¡¡¡¢¢¢¢qqqqaaaa ccccffffÑZÑÑZZÑZ BBBBooooooookkkk 4444 DDDDuuuurrrrggggaaaa PPPPuuuujjjjaaaa dddduuggugugÑÑAAÑAÑA ppppUUjjUjUjAAAA Kanai Lal Mukherjee Bibhas Bandyopadhyay Arunkanti Banerjee Aloka Chakravarty First Edition, Mahalaya, 2012 i New Age Purohit Darpan: Durga Puja BBBBooooooookkkk 4444 DDDDuuuurrrrggggaaaa PPPPuuuujjjjaaaa ddddgguugguu ÑAÑAÑAÑA ppppUjUjUjUjAAAA Kanai Lal Mukherjee Bibhas Bandyopadhyay Arunkanti Banerjee Aloka Chakravarty iii New Age Purohit Darpan: Durga Puja dedication This book is dedicated to The Children of Bengali Immigrants The proud bearers of Indian heritage New Age Purohit Darpan: Durga Puja Reviewers Henry Pellerin Arabinda Misra Manas Roy Sujit Das Rohini Chakravarthy Shubhankar Banerjee Sati Banerjee Tara Chattoraj Maya Chattoraj Sukumar Ghosh Ratna De Arundhati Khanwalkar Monisha Chakravarthy Arnav Ghosh Aurin Chakravarty Technical Assistants Amitabha Chakrabarti Shubhajeet Banerjee Global Communication Dilip Som Amitabha Chakrabarti v New Age Purohit Darpan: Durga Puja PREFACE This book is compiled with the goal of explaining the hidden history, significance, and meaning of the mantras used in common Hindu puja rituals performed by the Bengalis to the Bengali immigrants. A book like this is desperately needed as both the language used in the rituals, Sanskrit, and the script in which the rituals are transcribed, Bengali, are foreign to their children and the parents. Unlike the children growing up in India, children in the West are constantly challenged by their neighbors, peers, friends, and teachers to explain the basis of Hindu faith and belief. Growing up in India in the 1920s, I never faced this problem. Hindu rituals had always been a part of life, no questions asked. Thus, I strongly feel I should share my thoughts with my beloved grandchildren, growing up outside India. Priesthood was our family trade. I learned all the rituals from my father, and started to perform puja rituals soon after receiving my sacred thread (Upanayan) at the age of twelve. Now I am 86 years old. But, like all other professional priests, I had no knowledge of Sanskrit, the language of Hindu puja rituals. We were trained to hear and remember (sruti and smriti) and stay away from explaining. In addition, my childhood days were spent under British rule when Sanskrit scholars remained obscure and learning Sanskrit was unfavorable. So I studied science and technology for a better future. Yet, the spirit of my ancestors never left me, and I had to perform pujas upon request from time to time. The community was satisfied with the ignorant professional priest as they devotedly watched Hindu rituals while praying in their own ways. God listened. However, the Hindus of the twenty-first century were not satisfied with this. They demanded explanations of the rituals they inherited. My grandchildren were among them, and they regularly asked my late wife, Bibha Mukherjee, and me about the details of Vedic traditions. Instead of mimicking ritualistic actions, they wanted to understand the underlying meaning. I was overwhelmed by their enthusiasm. This book is the outcome of that call. Spirituality has many facets that accept the natural diversity of the human mind. I am not worried whether my grandchildren are believers, nonbelievers, agnostics, or atheists. But I feel immensely satisfied to tell them my own story of how I came to depend on my Invisible Caretaker who was always beside me when I needed Him. A series of eleven books will be published under the title of “New Age Purohit Darpan” that will cover eleven important puja rituals of the Bengalis. I am thankful to the world community of open-minded spiritual seekers, Hindus and non-Hindus, who promoted this humble endeavor of mutual understanding. I have no words to express my gratitude for my coauthors and reviewers whose constant support made it possible to turn my dream into reality. Mahalaya, October 15, 2012 (B¢nÅe 28, 1419) KKKKaaaannnnaaaaiiii LLLL.... MMMMuuuukkkkhhhheeeerrrrjjjjeeeeeeee New Age Purohit (Cyber Grandpa) New Age Purohit Darpan: Durga Puja CONTENTS DURGA PUJA Introduction, 1 Who’s who in Durga Puja, 3 Puja layout, 5 Basic Puja rituals (Sadharan Puja), 8 Invocation, 8 Sanctification, 11 Obeisance to Sun God, 13 Gayatri prayer, 14 Gurupuja, 15 Seeking blessing from assembly, 17 Invocation of Durga, 18 Resolution, 20 Gods of entrance, 22 Prayers to the Spirits, 23 Breath control exercise, 25 Dedication of self, 26 Meditation of Durga, 27 Special offerings, 31 Establishing the Holy Pitcher, 33 Wel- come to Goddess Durga, 38 Offerings to Planets, 38 Offering to the Guardians of Directions, 39 Offerings to Durga, 39 Bodhan, 42 Invocation prayers, 42 Worship of wood-apple tree, 44 Wor- ship of Goddess Durga, 46 Saptami Puja, 49 Invocation prayer (dhyan), 49 Resolution, 51 Reception, 54 Weapons of Durga, 55 Nabapatrika: Welcome and bath, 56 Holy bath of Goddess Durga, 58 Es- tablishing Durga, 67 New Age Purohit Darpan: Durga Puja Inclusion of life, 70 Offerings, 71 Worship of accompanying Gods/Goddesses, 81 Honoring accompanying creatures, 85 Worship of Nabapatrika, 88 Puhpanjali, (mass offering of flower), 93 Mahasthami Puja, 98 Invocation prayers, 99 Resolution and abridged offerings, 99 Reverence to various attributes of Durga , 102 Worship of Accompanying Gods and Goddesses, 111 Recognizing the Helpers of Durga (Bhairaba), 114 Worship of Tutelary Gods, 114 Worship of weapons, 115 Frightful aspects of Durga, 116 Sandhi puja, 118 Worship of Durga in Various forms, 118 Offering 108 lamps, 119 Chandipath, 120 Adornment with one hundred and eight lamps, 124 Mahanabami Puja, 126 Invocation prayer, 126 Havan, 132 Kumari Puja, 145 Benedictory prayers, 148 Dashami Kritya, 150 Farewell treat (Dadhikarma), 150 Singing the glory of Durga, 151 Immersion ceremony, 155 Moving the Holy pitcher, 158 Peace chant, 159 Benedictory prayers, 160 Seeking forgiveness, 161 Lokpuja, 164 Additional Prayers and Songs, 167 New age Grandparents, 174 ix INTRODUCTION Durga Puja is the most important festival of Bengalis. It comes during the month of Ashwin (September-October). Before Durga Puja, comes the Mahalaya, which is a fortnight after the new moon (Amavasya). During that fortnight, called Pitripaksha (Pitri – ancestor, paksha – fortnight), we remember our family ancestors and offer til (sesame seed) and water in their name. This is called the til tarpan. If one is unable to perform til tarpan for fourteen days, he does it on the day of Mahalaya, the last day of the ancestorfortnight. The procedure of tarpan in described in the booklet on ‘Rituals after death in Hindus”. After Mahalaya starts the Devi paksha (shukla paksha or waxing side of the moon). It is the fortnight of the celebration of worshipping Goddess Durga that culminates on the tenth day (dashami). Five days after is the Purnima, the day Lakshmi puja. Durga puja is done for five days: Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami. Sandhipuja is done between Ashtami and Navami. The mythological story behind the Durga Puja is that Durga, the goddess with ten hands, killed the demon Mahishashur. Mahishashur did years of penance to Brahma to become immortal. Brahma granted him the boon making the exception that he can only be killed by a woman. Mahishashur felt that to be as good as immortal, as he could not think of a woman who could be more powerful than him. So Durga took birth with the power of all Gods and Goddesses and slew Mahihshashur. Five days of Durga Puja celebration marks the victory of righteousness over evil. Traditionally Durga Puja used to be held during spring, which is still continued. But Rama prayed to Durga during this time in order to get her blessing and the weapon to kill Ravana (Read Indian epic Ramayana, originally written by Valmiki). Thus a new tradition was started since Rama’s time and Durga Puja was shifted to this time of the year. Hence it is often referred as akal bodhan that means untimely prayer. In the following pages we will describe how the Bengalis celebrate Durgapuja spiritually. IDOL WORSHIP Bibhas Bandyopadhyay Worship of an idol is the bridge between human being and his or her salvation. To reach the final “From-less”, the present idol worship is the guidance in front of the eyes of Hindu Faith believers. Durga Puja comes from Hindu Holy Script called Markendaya Puran. According to the Indian mythology Devi Durga, the epitome of “Shakti”, the divine power, as presented in her ten arms, kills Mahishasura, the king of all Asuras, who are the evils. BOOK 4: DURGA PUJA Goddess Durga emerges out of the accumulated powers of The Holy trinities: Lord Brahma, the creator; Lord Vishnu, the preserver; and Lord Shiva, the destroyer of the universe. She personifies unity. She symbolizes unity needed for upliftment of mind and soul. So Durga Puja is the worship of Goddess Durga, the Shakti, and the Power, which protects us from evil and brings peace, happiness, and prosperity in our lives. It is a great occasion for Hindu families to come together and share love in early fall every year. 2 NEW AGE PUROHIT DARPAN WHO’S WHO IN DURGA PUJA Goddess Durga: (on lion) Mahisashur Lakshmi Demon Mahishasur Devotees Saraswati Priest Owl: P et of Lakshmi Kartik Shri Ganesh (Pet: Mouse) Peacock Kartik’s pet Devotees Priest Tantradharak: Swan: Pet of Saraswati Owl: Priest’s assistant Lakshmi’s pet Navapatrika (missing) Kalabau Kalabau (Nabapatrika) Kalabau, popularly known in Bengalis as Ganesh’s wife, in reality has no relationship with Ganesh. Our scriptures call her Nabapatrika or new leaves. Interestingly enough, Nabapatrika was actually a popular ritual performed by the peasant folks for prosperous harvest. As idol worship was not common then, people worshipped Mother Nature. It was during the autumn (Sharat), the time for reaping crops (Amondhan); peasants worshipped Goddess Nabapatrika for good harvest. Later when Durga Puja became a popular festival of Sharat, all the nine holy rituals of the Nabapatrika, were added to the ceremonies of Durga Puja. In fact Nabapatrika represented the primitive form of Durga Puja. This primitive form of worship is still prevalent in some places. The original nine plants of Nabapatrika are: banana plant (kalagaach), colocassia (kochu), turmeric (halud), jayanti, wood apple (bel gach), pomegranate (daalim gaach), arum (mankochu), rice plant (dhan), and the ashok tree. 3 8/28/12