Effective Praying Part I:Offering flowers to Gods

While performing daily rituals of pooja, we unintentionally and unknowingly commit so many mistakes. The other day I was performing abhishekam to Shiva linga and I touched Shiva linga. The priest warned me saying that women should never touch shiva linga and as they are allowed only to pour water during abhishekam. I was worried as I touched shivalinga great many times during my volunteering at temples. This was when I have decided that I should post some DOs and DON'Ts one should follow while performing pooja. Hope this article is helpful to everyone as it would be to me.

 

Offering flowers to Gods:

Shiva:  

• Lord Shiva likes BILVAPATRA and BILVA fruit. Bilva leaves have to be a in a stalk with three leaves.

 Vishnu:  

• Lord Vishnu likes white and fragrant colours like mogra, jasmine etc.
• Apart from aromatic flowers, Lord Vishnu loves Tulasi(basil) leaves.
• For Vishnu Pooja, usually 14 types of flowers and leaves are used.

Ganesha:

• Red colored flowers are the favorite of Lord Ganesha.
• Durva (Garika in telugu) Grass is an important offering to Ganesh. 
• Other important flowers offered is the Milkweed flower. (It is known as Arka ) and Shanka pushpam/conch flower.
• For proper Ganesha Puja one should procure the leaves and flowers of twenty-one different plants, trees and shrubs. This is called Ekavimshati Patra Puja.

Lord Krishna

• It is is auspicious to offer Tulasi leaves to Lord Krishna

Goddess Lakshmi:

• Bilva leaves & red & white color flowers are auspicious to be offered to Maa LakshmiLotus is the most favorite and sacred flower for the goddess.
• During Lakshmi pooja, 9 types of flowers & leaves should be offered

Tulasi:

• Marigold flower is the favorite flower for Goddess Tulasi
• Red cloth is the favorite cloth
• Offering Goose berries & its stem bring auspicious results

Lord Hanuman:

• Red color flowers and Parijaata flower is dear to him
• Red cloth to be offered to him
• All kind of fruits are suitable for his naivedya
• Offering sindoor (kesari and oil) brings special blessings from him

Goddess Saraswati

• White & Yellow colored flowers (lotus, lilies or jasmines) should be offered to Goddess Saraswati
• Yellow/White color cloth should be offered to her.
• Books when placed in pooja are wrapped in Red or pink silk cloth and placed

 

Dieties presiding in flowers:

Paarijaatha flower - Presiding diety is Aanjeneya

Sowgandhika flower - Presiding diety is Bheemasena

White flowers - Presiding diety is Lord Shiva

Punnaga flower - Presiding diety is GaruDa

Dhruva grass - Presiding diety is Varuna

Thulasi - Presiding diety is Sri Maha Lakshmi