puja
Puja, or “worship,” is perhaps the central cer-
emonial practice of Hinduism. A puja minimally
entails an offering and some MANTRAS. It can take
place at any site where worship can occur, either
of a divinity, a GURU, or SWAMI, a being, a person
(such as a wife, husband, brother, or sister), or
spirit. It can take place in a home or a temple, or
at a tree, river, or any other place understood to
be sacred.
Incense, fruit, flowers, leaves, water, and
sweets are the most common offerings in the puja.
Also, common is the arati or waving of a lighted
lamp. The most elaborate puja, the temple puja
before the icon, includes the following elements
accompanied by the appropriate mantras (usually
in SANSKRIT): invitation to the deity, offering of a
seat to the divinity; greeting of the divinity; wash-
ing of the feet of the divinity; rinsing of its mouth
and hands; offering of water or a honey mixture;
pouring of water upon it; putting of clothing upon
it (if it has not been already clothed for the day);
giving of perfume, flowers, incense, lamps, or
food; prostration; and taking of leave.
In temples the iconic image of the divinity
is always treated as a person of royalty would be
treated. Therefore, a puja will be done in early
morning accompanied by songs to awaken the deity.
The deity is then bathed, dressed, and fed, and then
more fully worshipped. Pujas go on throughout the
day to the deity, as local traditions require.
In the Jain tradition temple puja is actively
done only among the SHVETAMBARAS, but it can
take on a different aspect. When the puja is done
to the main image of the temple, a TIRTHANKARA
or ARHAT (saint), no grace can be expected in
exchange, as the Tirthankara is a released being
only and not a god. Shvetambara Jains do other
pujas to subsidiary gods and goddesses and spiri-
tual personages other than the arhats, which can
confer desired results.Further reading: John Cort, Jains in the World: Religious
Values and Ideology in India (New York: Oxford Uni-
versity Press, 2001); Klaus Klostermaier, A Survey of
Hinduism (Albany: State University of New York Press,
1994); Donald S. Lopez, ed., Religions of India in Prac-
tice (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1995);
Hillary Peter Rodrigues, Ritual Worship of the Great God-
dess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja with Interpretations
(Albany: State University of New York Press, 2003).punya
Punya is karmic merit. Its opposite is PA PA, sin or
karmic demerit. This is a pervasive and important
concept in Indian culture. Punya originally was
accrued by sponsoring or performing sacrifices,
by giving to BRAHMINS, or by giving of appropriate
charity to others. As Hinduism developed, fast-
ing and pilgrimages became additional means ofBrahmin priest performing puja to Lord Vishnu, in
Belur, Bengal (Constance A. Jones)K 336 puja