KRISHNASHTAMI

ITEMS REQUIRED FOR JANMASHTAMI PUJAN

New clothes for Lord Krishna, bansuri (flute) and zewarat (ornaments) for Lord Krishna (not essential), Shankha (conch shell) (not essential), Pooja thali (a metal plate containing the ingredients necessary for poojan), Ghanta (bell), Diya (earthen lamp), Chawal(rice), Elaichi(cardamom), Supari (betel nut), paan patta (betel leaves), Mauli thread, Gangajal (Sacred water), Sindoor (vermillion paste) for ‘tika’, Agarbatti (incense sticks), flowers, Ghee (clarified butter), ‘Panchamrit’ – milk, curd, gangajal, honey and ghee., Janmashtami Mithai (sweets for Janmashtami)

DETAILED PUJA EXPLAINED

Take a white or yellow cloth and place the image or the idol of Lord Krishna on it at puja place. Keep the puja items at your puja place & light a diya (deepam).


The Shodashopachar Puja (16 steps of Puja) is given here with all the needed mantrams

PAVITRIKARANA

Before starting puja, spill some water on puja items, puja place, and the idols or images of Lord Krishna & all other idols at puja mandap by chanting the Pavitrikarana mantra.

Om Apavitrah Pavitro Vaa Sarvavasthaam gathopi vaa
Yah smareth Pundarikaksham sah bahyabhyantara shuchi

ACHAMANAM

Take water for three times and sip it by chanting the Achamanam mantra

Om Keshavaya namah, Om Madhavaya namah, Om Govindaya namah.

Wash hands and visualize Lord Ganesha & pray to Lord.

GANAPATHI PUJA

Om Lakshmi Narayanabhyam namah
Om umamaheshwaraya namah
Om vani hiranyagarbhabhyam namah
Om shachi purandarabhyam namah
Om matru pitrucharana kamalebhyo namah
Om grama devatabhyam namah
Om sthaana devatabhyo namah
Om kuladevatabhyo namah
Om vastu devatabhyo namah
Om sarvebhyo brahmanebhyo namah
Sumukaschaika eka dantashcha kapilo gajakarnakah
Lambodaro vikato vighnanasho vinayakah
Dhumrakethu ganadhyaksho balachandro gajanana
Dwadashaitani namani yah pateth shrunuyaadapi
Vidhyarambhe vivahe cha praveshe nirgame thatha
Sangrame sarvakaryeshu vighnasthasya na jaayathe

SANKALPAM

Take water, kumkum & akshata and leave them on the floor by chanting this Sankalpam mantram

Om vishnur vishnur vishnuh sri madhbhagavatho mahapurushasya vishno ragnayi pravarthamanasya aadhya brahmano dwitiya pararthe swetha varaha kalpe jambu dweepe bharata khande cha aarya varthaika deshantaragathe punyakshetre kaliyuge kali prathama charane masana matthame shravana maase (Bhadrapada maase for North India) Krishna pakshe ashtamyasam thithou, Rohini nakshatra, shubha vasare, amuka (chant your gothra) gothrah, amuka (chant your name) ham Janmashtami punyavasare bhagavatho mahapurushasya krishnasya visista pujanaam aham karishye

DEEPA PUJA

Put kumkum and Akshata at Deepa (diya) by chanting Deepa mantram

Dho deepoo! Deva rupasthwam karmasakshi hya vighnakruth, yavath karma samapthih syath thavadatra sthiro bhava ! Om deepa devatayai namah!

KALASHA PUJA

Install the Kalasha (Ghata) just before the Krishna idol at the right side. Put tilak to Kalash with Kumkum at four sides of the Kalasham by chanting the Kalasha puja mantram

Purve Rugvedaya namah! Uttare Yajurvedaya namah! Pashchime Samavedaya namah! Dakshine Atharva Vedaya namah!

Fill water in Kalasha by chanting this mantra

Gange cha yamune chaiva Godavari saraswati narmade sindhu kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru !

GANDHAM

Put chandan or kumkum in Kalasha water

Gandha dwaraan duradarsham nitya pushtankari shinim
Eshwarim sarvabhutanam tamipopahwe shriyam

Put akshata & a betel nut in kalasha by chanting ‘Akshatan Samarpayami’ & this slokam

Om yaa phalini yaa aphala apushpaa yashcha pushpin
Bruhaspatih prasutasthanno mushyanti (goom) hasah

Place Pancha Pallava (five auspicious leaves for Puja or you can put a betel leaf) inside the Kalasha & keep coconut on the Kalasha. Offer Chandan, Dhupa, Deepa, Pushpa & naivedya to Kalasha by chanting this mantra..

Kalashasya mukhe Vishnu kante rudra samashritha
Moole tatra sthitho brahma madhye matrugana sthithi
Kukshou thu sagara sarve saptadwipa vasundhara
Rugvedo yajurveda samavedo atharvana
Angaishcha sahita sarve kalasham thu samasrita
Athra gayatri savitri shantih pushtikarasthatha
Ayanthu yajamanasya duritakshaya karaka
Om kalashastha devata upam pathaye namah

GURU PUJA

There is a great importance for Guru Puja in Sri Krishna Puja. Visualise Lord Krishna as your Supreme Guru and pray to Him by chanting Guru Brahma Mantram.

Gurubrahma gururvishnu gurudevo maheshwara
Guru sakshath parabrahma thasmai sri gurave namah
Mookam karothi vachalam pangum langhayathe girim
Yath krupaa thamaham vande paramananda madhavam

Now Sri Krishna Puja begins with Dhyanam

Barha peedam natavaram dwayu karnayo karnikaaram
Bibhradwaasa kanaka kapisham vaijayantim cha maalam
Randraan venuratha rasudhaya poorayan gopabrundai
Brindaranyam swapada ramanam pravishad gitakeerthi
Dhyanam samarpayami, Sri Krishnaya namah

AASANAM

Place a flower at Sri Krishna idol by chanting Aasanam mantra

Om purusha ye vedam yadbhutham yaccha bhavyam
Uthaamrutatwa syeshano yadannenathi rohati
Pushpasanam samarpayami

PADHYAM

Spill two drops of water on Sri Krishna
Om ethavanasya mahimatho jyayashcha purushah,
Paadodasya vishwabhutani tripadasyamritam dithi
Padhyam samarpayami namah

ARGHYAM

Offer water, kumkum, chandana, akshata & flowers to Lord.

Thamrapathre sthitham thoyam gandha pushpa phalanvitham,
Nahiranyam dadhamyarghyam gruhana parameshwara

ACHAMANAM

Spill few drops of water in front of the idol

Sarva theertha samaneetham sugandhi nirmalam jalam,
Achamanartha mayaa dattam gruhaana parameshwara

SNANAM

Spill few drops of water on Krishna with a flower

Gange cha yamune chaiva Godavari saraswati,
Narmade sindhu kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru
Snanam samarpayami namah

DUGDHAM

Offer milk to Lord in a bowl

Kamadhenu samudbhutam sarvesha jeevanam param,
Pavanam yagna hethushcha payah snanartham arpitham
Dugdha snanam samarpayami namah

DHADHI

Put curd in the same bowl by chanting this mantra

Payasasthu samudbhutam madhuramlam shashi prabham,
Dayasanitham mayaadeva snanartham pratigruhyatham
Dhadhi snanam samarpayami namah

GHRUTHAM

Put ghee in same bowl by chanting this mantra

Navanitha samutpannam sarva santosha kaarakam,
Ghrutham tubhyam pradasyami snanartham prathigruhyatham
Ghrutha snanam samarpayami namah

MADHUVU

Put honey in same bowl while chanting this mantram

Tharu pushpa samudbhutam susvadu madhuram madhu,
Tejah pushtikaram divyam snanartham prathigruhyatham
Madhu snanam samarpayami namah
Sharkara Snanam

Offer sugar in a bowl to Lord Krishna

Ikshusara samudbhuta sharkara pushtikaraka,
Malaapa harikaa divya snanartham prathi gruhyatham
Sharkara snanam samarpayami namah

Then, offer bath with pure water..

ACHAMANAM

Spill few drops of water on the idol

Kaveri narmade veni Tungabhadra saraswati
Gange cha Yamuna thoyam mayaa snanartham arpitham
Shuddha jala snanam samarpayami namah

VASTROPA VASTRA

After cleaning the idol neatly, offer vastra to the Lord

Bhushadi sowmye loka lagna nivarine,
Bhayopapadithe thubhyam vapasee prathi gruhyatham
TILAKA

Put Tilak to Lord with Chandan & Kumkum

Shrikhanda chandanam divyam gandhadyam sumanoharam,
Vilepanam surasreshta chandanam prati gruhyatham

AKSHATA

Offer akshata to the Lord

Akshatashcha surasreshta kumkumaktah sushobhitah
Mayaa niveditha bhakthya gruhaana parameshwara
Akshatan samarpayami namah

PUSHPA

Offer various types of flowers to Lord Krishna

Pushpaani samarpayami namah

Put some chandan on Tulsi leaves and offer them to Lord by chanting this mantra

Idam sachandanam tulasi dalam samarpayami

DHUPAM & DEEPAM

Offer dhupa & deepa

Vanaspati rasodbhutah gandhadyah sumanoharah
Aaghreyah sarva devanam dhupoyam prathigruhyatam
Dhupam, Deepam darshayami namah

Offer Naivedyam

Offer various types of food offerings (bhog) to Lord

Om krishnaya vasudevaya naivedyam nivedayami namah

ACHAMANAM

Spill water on Naivedyam for 5 times by chanting this mantra

Om pranaya swaha, om apanaya swaha, om samanaya swaha, om vyanaya swaha, om udanaya swaha

PHALAM

Offer various types of fruits to Lord

Idam phalam mayaa deva sthapitham purathaswa,
Thena mem saphalavapthih bhavejjanmani janmani
Phalam samarpayami namah
Thambulam

Offer thambualm (betel leaves, cloves, betel nut & cardamom)

Pushpanjali

Take flowers in both hands and offer them to Lord

Naana sugandha pushpani yatha kalodhbhavani cha,
Pushpanjalir mayaa datta gruhana parameshwara
Namaskara

Pray to the Lord

Krishnaya vasudevaya haraye paramatmane,
Pranatha klesha naashaya govindaya namo namah
Mantra Japam

Chant below mantra for 15 minutes

Om krim krishnaya brahmanya devaya namah

Prathana

Pray to the Lord for prosperity, health & wealth
Namo brahmanya devaya go brahmanya hithaya cha,
Jagaddhitaya krishnaya govindaya namo namah

Then, offer Aarti to the Lord and distribute tirtha & prashad among devotees.

OM SRI KRISHNAYA NAMAH