Annex III

GUIDANCE

Sri Sathya Sai Vratha kalpam was composed by the authoress (Smt Sarada Devi alias Pedda Bottu), in Telugu, the Mother Tongue of the Andhras. The procedure of worship described by her is commonly observed by the Hindus. Those unfamiliar with it may benefit from the following information.

1. GENERAL

Aachamanam Aachamaneeyam

Aaaghraapayaami
I am making you, the deity, smell the sweet scent of lighted joss-stick or incense.

Akshathas
Rice grains coloured yellow with moistened turmeric powder or moistened kumkum (vermilion).

Arghyam
Water offered to the deity for the purpose of washing his hands.

Darsayaami
I am showing you, the deity, the lighted jyothi (sacred flame).

Deepam
Also called jyothi. It is a lighted wick positioned in the lampstand and fed with ghee (clarified butter) or gingilee oil. The jyothi is ceremoniously shown to the deity during worship. middle three fingers and applied on his/her forehead, shoulders, arms, chest and

Dhoopam
It means smoke. In worship, a joss-stick or incense is lighted and sweet smelling smoke emanating is taken close to the deity.

Namah & Namaskar
Salutation offered by the devotee addressed to the deity. It is offered with the two palms joined together.

Poojayaami
I am worshipping the deity.

Samarpayaami
I am offering to the deity (flowers, water, etc.).

Simhaasanam
Throne for the deity to be seated.

Snaanam
Bath to the deity.

Srigandham and Gandham
Sandalwood paste.

Vasthram and Vasthra Yugmam
Literally, clothes for the deity. Yugmam means a pair. In the place of clothes, thin, flat and small pieces of cotton pressed into shape by fingers moistened with turmeric paste may be offered.

Veejayaami
The ritualistic gentle waving of a fan (called Chaamaram) in the service of the deity.

Vibhoothi
Sacred ash white or off-white in colour. Mixed with a little water and made as a paste, it spreads easily. The paste is then taken by the devotee with the middle three fingers and applied on his/her forehead, shoulders, arms, chest and abdomen. This procedure is particularly observed before the commencement of the Pooja. Viboothi, wet or dry, may also be offered to the deity during worship in the same way as flowers are offered.

Yajnopaveetham
Sacred Thread offered to the deity. For the purpose of Pooja, it is made by hand spinning out of cotton ten or twelve inches long and pressing it with fingers to resemble a length of thread by using moistened viboothi. Ordinarly it is made of cotton thread and is worne by men, hanging from the left shoulder to the right side of the waist, across the torso.

2. SPECIAL

Pancha Pallavas
Reference to the five varieties of leaves (mango, banyan, peepul, cotton or bhel) to serve as Pancha Pallavas is suggestive in nature. Devotees are free to draw on their locally available flora (eg., pine, ivy, olive or chrysanthemum) so long as thorny species are avoided.

Guru Praarthanah
This is a prayer to Lord Dakshinaa Moorthy, that aspect of Lord Siva which relates to learning and teaching. Lord Siva is the supreme master of dance; and all the 108 forms of dance known have been derived from him. Indeed, he is as much a master of Yoga and spiritual sciences as of music, dance and other arts. As a universal preceptor he is worshipped in the form of Dakshinaa Moorthy.

Praanaayaam
It is a yogic technique by which breath is regulated. Simply stated, the practitioner holds his nose with thumb and middle finger. He then closes one nostril and deeply inhales through the second nostril. The breath is held for several moments and is then released slowly through the first nostril while the second one is closed. This is done several times. Then the process is repeated with the roles of the nostrils reversed. Pranaayaam is a matter entailing a specific technique to be learnt from a qualified guru.

Sankalpam
The word connotes "the will to perform". Details regarding the place, year and date (according to Hindu Calendar), the names and relationship of the devotees as well as the purpose of worship are given in the text under this head. Suitable changes may be made by the devotees while reading the Sankalpam, depending upon the locale and circumstances concerned.

Kalasaaradhanam
The word means worship of the Kalasam, the copper tumbler used by the devotee while doing Pooja. The words given under this heading mean that the vessel and the water contained in it are sanctified by the presence of the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara), the four Vedas, all the world's oceans and the sacred rivers of India.

Ganapathi Pooja
Ganapathi, also extensively known as Vinaayaka, is the elephant-headed God and son of Lord Siva and his consort, Parvathi. He is the all powerful deity capable of removing every obstacle from the path of every action and its final fulfilment. He can overcome all that obstructs or restricts, hinders or prevents. No holy ritual, Pooja or activity is performed without worshipping Ganapathi in the first instance.

Anga Pooja
Anga means part, here, of the deity's body. Here Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan is worshipped in his physical, bodily form, every portion of his body being individually offered Pooja. Each line in the Anga Pooja mentions the particular organ or part being worshipped. The devotee should do this Pooja with the most devout conviction that Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan is physically in front of him in the Pooja mandapam.

Ashtothara Pooja
This portion is the real, substantive Pooja. Ashtothara means: a hundred and eight. Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan is worshipped by invoking his name and attributes a hundred and eight times. At the end of each line ending with the word Namah, the devotee should place a flower at the feet of the representation of Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan in the Pooja mandapam.

Mahaa Naivedyam
After the Pooja and the reading of the Katha section are completed, full meal is offered to the Lord. That is called the Mahaa Naivedyam. It is an elaborate meal comprising cooked cereals, lentils and also delicacies, sweetmeats and fruits. It is more replete compared to the Kalpoktha Naivedyam offered earlier during the course of the Pooja, consisting of just a single item - sooji (cream of wheat) or daliya (broken whole wheat) cooked in water with sugar, ghee (clarified butter) cashew nuts, almonds and raisins.

Aarathi
This marks the conclusion of the Pooja. A large quantity of camphor is placed in a plate or lampstand, lit. and moved before Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan in a clockwise direction at least three times.