Lord Shiva is the Consciousness of Infinite Goodness and his five letter mantra makes His puja an excellent starting point for first time Sanskrit chanters.
By worshiping Lord Shiva, we cultivate his qualities of freedom from attachment and freedom from bondage to this world of objects and relationships.
In this class, Swamiji guides us to identify with that which does not change, to become the witness of the changes of nature, to free ourselves from pain and fear, and, above all, to accept the will of God.
This class contains all the elements for a proper puja, including Shiva’s meditation, mantras for the articles of worship, His one hundred and eight names, arati, and the Shiva Chalisa.
In addition, to give us an even greater learning opportunity, Swamiji will have an extensive question and answer session at the end of every discourse. Join Us!
Related: Learn More About Lord Shiva
Shiva Puja for Beginner: Class 1
Introduction
What is puja? Who is Shiva, the Consciousness of Infinite Goodness? Shiva’s Beginner Puja is an ideal place to begin learning the answers to these questions. Swamiji begins by telling a story about Brahma – the Creative Capacity and Vishnu – the Lord of Preservation, and a never-ending Shiva lingam that sprouted up between them. See what happens when Brahma lies and find out what it takes to get to the summit of Infinity.
Shiva Puja for Beginners: Class 2
Beginning of Puja
In this second class of the Shiva Puja for Beginners, Swamiji leads us through the offerings of the puja, describing the highest esoteric meaning of each article of offering. He also shares a story that explains why the ants get the left over rice offerings from the puja.
Shiva Puja for Beginners: Class 3
Shiva’s 108 Names
In tonight’s Shiva puja class, Swamiji reads the 108 names of Lord Shiva and discusses the meanings. He also tells the story of Daksha’s curse, the repercussions that have ensued from the curse, and explains the blessing that is bestowed through the lesson that the curse teaches.
Shiva Puja for Beginners: Class 4
Shiva Arati and Shiva Chalisa
In this class Swamiji translates the Shiva Arati and the Shiva Chalisa. These songs are full of references to Shiva’s divine nature. Swamiji takes time during the translation to share fun stories that help illustrate the characteristics and events described in the songs, like the story of King Sagar and how Ganga descended from heaven to liberate his 100 sons.
Shiva Puja for Beginners: Class 5
Recitation of the Shiva Puja
The Shiva Puja for Beginners class concludes with Shree Maa performing the entire puja from beginning to end. It only takes about a half-hour to do and contains all the ingredients of a proper puja: preparation, purification, invitation, union and offering. Anyone interested in learning puja needs to seek no further. Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s devotion and Shree Maa’s love pours out of this class like a flood of inspiration. Their intention is to empower everyone to cultivate love for God.