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Worship by Mantra-mudra

There's been a request that I explain the mantra-mudra puja that I do for my salagrama
silas. This constitutes the usual form of my daily worship. I offer upacaras like snana
(bathing) and dhupa-dipa-puspa (incense, lamp and flower) in the form of mantra and
mudra. But on days when I resume worship after an interruption (for example, after a
long journey), and on special holy days like Ekadasi and Janmastami, I offer dravya
(physical items). That takes more time to prepare and execute. Srila Prabhupada said that
daily cooking and Deity worship should be completed within an hour's time. So generally
I try to keep to that instruction by offering mantra-mudra puja.

The mantras

There are 16 upacaras (items of offering), thus there are 16 offering mantras. Below is a
list of 20 mantras. This list contains more than 16 only because there are some
repetitions. What this list shows is the order in which the upacaras are offered during the
puja; accordingly, acamana (purification of the mouth) is offered at 3 different times
(after the first time the acamana mantra changes to idam punaracamaniyam, "I again
offer acamana.") Also, at the end an offering of sarvam (all upacaras) is made to conclude
the puja to each worshipable personality. In this way, though there are only 16 upacaras,
in the course of my puja I am chanting 20 offering mantras.

1. idam asanam--offering a seat (all these upacara mantras are to be spoken

together with the mantra that addresses the Deity, such as klim
gopijanaballabhaya namah).
2. etat padyam--offering water to the lotus feet
3. idam arghyam--offering water to the hands for washing
4. idam acamaniyam--offering acamana
5. esa madhuparka--offering a sweet drink
6. idam punaracamaniyam--offering acamana a second time
7. idam snaniyam--bathing
8. idam sottariya vastram--offering cloth
9. imani abharanani--offering ornaments
10. esa gandhah--offering sandalwood and scented oils and purfume
11. esa dhupa--offering incense
12. esa dipa--offering a lamp
13. etani sacandana puspani--offering flowers
14. etani sacandana tulasi--offering tulsi leaves
15. idam naivedyah--offering foodstuffs
16. idam paniyajalam--offering water to drink
17. idam punaracamaniyam--offering acamana a third time
18. etat tambulam--offering mouth freshener
19. idam malyam--offering garlands
20. idam sarvam--offering everything

Outline of the steps of worship

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At the start, I do a preliminary acamana, chanting the om apavitra verse and doing
pranayama mudra

I offer obeisances and wake Their Lordships

Offering prayers to the spiritual master (Sri Guruvastakam etc.) and Panca-tattva and
Hare Krsna mahamantras I clean the altar, change the Deities' water, set up the puja items

Full acamana (om kesavaya manah etc.), visnu smaranam, mangala santi, bhuta-suddhi,
obeisances, om apavitra acamana with pranayama mudra.

With mantras and sprinkling of water I draw a protective circle around the place of puja,
show khadga-mudra for dig-bandha (closing the directions), and purify everything within
the circle with Nrsimha-mantra.

Worship of Ananta-Nrsimha Deity and Nrsimha-sila (bathing, cloth, ornaments, gandha,

throne, offering everything, chant Nrsimha-gayatri, arati of dhupa-dipa-puspa while
chanting Nrsimha prayers. This is done with mantra-mudra.

Worship of Srila Prabhupada with all upacaras except tulasi and mala which will be
presented later to HDG as prasadam. The whole worship is done with mantra-mudra.

Worship of Gauranga, 16 upacaras with mantra-mudra.

Worship of Sri-Sri Jagannatha-Sudarsana silas. This is the main worship. 16 upacaras are
offered. Most are mantra-mudra offerings except for naivedya. Tulsi and puspa offered to
feet of SSJS silas during the offering of these upacaras; more tulsis and flowers are
offered to all silas at the conclusion of the worship.

The mudras, as they are offered to Sri-Sri Jagannatha-Sudarsana

when the upacara mantras are chanted

Avahana or asana mudra, for offering Padya mudra.

a seat to the Lord.

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Arghya mudra. Acamaniya mudra.

Madhuparka mudra. Punaracamaniya mudra.

I prepare the snana-vedi with a tulasi leaf and flower petals and then show cakra and
dhenu mudras. Over the vedi I chant klim gopijanaballabhaya namah eight time,
counting the mantra on my fingers. Then I show matsya mudra.

With avahana mudra I invite the silas to sit on the snana-vedi. I do not physically place
Them on the vedi; I meditate on Their going there.

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Showing snana mudras. The SSJS silas are bathed eight times by mudra-mantra. I chant
a verse from the Sri Jagannatha-astakam for each bath.

I prepare the throne of SSJS for Their return Having returned to Their throne, Their
after bathing as I prepared the snana-vedi. are dressed. Vastra mudra is shown.

Abharana mudra. Gandha mudra.

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Dhupa mudra. Dipa mudra.

Puspa mudra. Tulasi patra mudra (identical to puspa

mudra).

Naivedya mudra. After setting the offering plate (of banana,

yoghurt and gur) before the silas, I place
3 drops of water into my right palm...

...show Ram-bija mudra and chant ...and then show Tham-bija mudra and
"Raam-Raam-Raam"... chant "Tham-Tham-Tham." This
procedure burns off impurities and
nectarizes the offering.

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Cakra and dhenu mudras, 8 times chanting This is a general mudra. One could use it
Deity's mula-mantra, then matsya-mudra. for any item. I show it when it is time to
Then I ring the bell, chant the offering offer water after naivedya.
prayers, first line of gayatri, and chant
Purusa-sukta.

Punaracamaniya mudra. The general mudra again, now shown for

tambula.

Malya mudra. Showing the sarva mudra, which is a

gesture made with the right hand on both
sides of the Deity, starting on the left.

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