Hare Krishna
I wanted to ask if there was a specific sequence of Arti, prayers we need to do in morning and evening? Is the prayers before or after chanting? Also I try to read one verse of Gita every morning. I also have a Tulasi plant indoors. What sequence should this be done in?
Thanks
Neelam
Replies
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
Sorry for delay in replying. Yes, there is a sequence in which we offer the various items in arati, time of arati, what song we sing depends on the time of arati. To the extent possible, we should stick to the time of arati and standard of deity worship in our house and gradually increase the standard as and when we are comfortable.
4:30-5:30 am - Mangalarati
7:30-9:00 am - Darshan arati
12 noon to 1:00 pm - Bhog Arati
5:30 to 8:00 pm - Sandhya Arati
9:00 - 10:00 pm - Shayan arati
I have given wide window to adjust for householders time schedule. Doing all is temple standard, may not be practical for grihastas. Typically 3 aratis are ideal for grihastas - Mangalarati, Darshan arati & Guru Puja and Sandhya Arati. YOu see what works for you. Atleast 1 arati a day (ideally mangalarati) and 1 bhoga offering a day is minimum recommendation.
Songs are different for each time of arati. For that, you may refer to Beginners Guide to Krsna Consciousness or watch on mayapur.tv or vrindavan.tv.
The items to offer are:
1) Dhoop - 4 2 7
2) Pancha pradeep - wicks dipped in ghee - 4 2 3 7
3) Arghya - water in sankha - 7
4) Cloth - 4 2 3 7
5) Flowers - 4
6) Whisk/ Chamar - no specific count
7) PEacock feather fan - no specific count
You must be wondering what is the numbering I have given. It is 4 times to the feet of the lord, 2 times to the waist, 3 times to the lotus face, 7 times all over the deity.
If there are more questions, please ask. I had done a session on arati on zoom for new comers few months ago for Hare Krsna TV. You could see that.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna,
http://iskconbirmingham.org/how-to-practise-krishna-consciousness-a...
This is a very nice article read it and you will know how to proceed to do KC activities on daily basis at home.
as per my opinion as you are non initiated devotee ( which i am supposing).
1.You finish off ur daily nitya karma or duties and clean the house, make sure your broom and mop the rooms and clean the dishes ( hoping that you are having a maid servant for those things) after cleaning the home and clearing up the laundry dirty soiled clothes and dusting the home ( as per me cleanliness is next to Godliness). If you have a clean clutter free home you mind is all set to focus on Krishna. You cannot sit in a dirty home and meditate or do japa.
2.Once you are done with all these things, take a bath and wear fresh clean clothes and first thing to do is pour water to the Tulasi and say Tulasi prayer slokas if you know atleast one of the slokas it is fine. Or else. Just pour water and seek blessing make 3 circumbulations of tulasi plant and take some dust from the tulasi root apply to ur forehead and go to deity room Say Mahamantra 5-10 times as manytimes as possible at the tulasi and come into the house ( as Tulasi plant needs direct sunshine it doesn't grow well indoors we generally keep Her outside the house either near the entrance or behind the house in the backyard.its out to you if you want to keep indoors keep it but make sure you take her out in sunlight after your pooja is done).., clean the deity room if you have deities ( if not just photos) clean them nicely. You can proceed first with Managalacharan slokas. proceed with dhoopa, deepa, naivedya whatever you want to offer to Lord.
Dhoop- agarbatti, Deep- u know diya batti, Naivedya - as per your desire. ( milk, fruits or some cooked food for Krishna If nothing is ready even small quantity of water is also okay ( Krishna doesn't see what you placed as offering. He sees how much love and bhakti you.
Aarti cud be done if you are knowing the procedure otherwise you can just start chanting mahamantra .. chanting mahamantra simply suffices if you don't know any procedures or rituals. Krishna bhakti is very simple. All you need is love and follow 4 regulative principles properly.
Simply show agarbatti, offer diya and naivedya ( bhoga) to Lord with Tulasi patti ( which is essential in Krishna bhog offering). and recite managalacharan slokas take blessings of guru, guru parampara and Nitaai Gauranga and proceed with chanting daily rounds. This procedure seems long but.. If you get used to it. it became routine and you follow it habitually.
If you are willing to learn slokas and follow procedures of doing ritualistic pooja from A to Z then you must need to go to a nearby temple and ask a devotee the list of all the slokas to be learnt.
There is Iskcon morning aarti song and evening aarti song you have to learn and sing usually it is done in temples it is big procedure.
for daily routine you need to learn Mangalacharan slokas and in ur case Bhagwad gita daily one verse as you said read them and start chanting. If you want to learn perfectly then read the article above and try to implement atleast few things from that.
chanting 16 rounds ( if possible doing it sitting infront of tulasi plant) and following regulative principles and managalacharan slokas + offering diya and offering bhog ( be it as simple as water or fruit or flower or milk with tulasi leaf) makes is just sufficient for a starter.
Hare Krishna.