Durga Puja Vidhi - Detailed Steps, Mantra

The given Puja Vidhi includes all sixteen steps which are part of Shodashopachara Durga Puja Vidhi.

Dhyana and Avahana

Puja begins with the meditation and invocation of Goddess Durga. One should chant the following Mantra in front of Devi Durga Murti, by showing Avahan Mudra (Avahana Mudra is formed by joining both palms and folding both thumbs inwards).

“Sarvamangala Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike।
Sharanye Tryambake Gauri Narayani Namoastu Te॥
Brahmarupe Sadanande Paramananda Svarupini।
Druta Siddhiprade Devi Narayani Namoastu Te॥
Sharanagatadinartaparitranaparayane।
Sarvasyarttihare Devi Narayani Namoastu Te॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Avahanam Samarpayami॥”

Asana

After Goddess Durga has been invoked, five flowers for Anjali (by joining palm of both hands) are taken and left in front of the Murti to offer seat to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Aneka Ratnasamyuktam Nanamanigananvitam।
Kartasvaramayam Divyamasanam Pratigrihyatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Asanam Samarpayami॥”

Padya Prakshalana

After offering Asana to Goddess Durga, water is offered to Her to wash the feet while chanting the following Mantra.

“Gangadi Sarvatirthebhyo Maya Prarthanayahritam।
Toyametatsukhasparsha Padyartham Pratigrihyatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Padyam Samarpayami॥”

Arghya Samarpan

After Padya offering, scented water is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Gandhapushpakshatairyuktamarghyam Sampaditam Maya।
Grihana Tvam Mahadevi Prasanna Bhava Sarvada॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Arghyam Samarpayami॥”

Achamana Samarpan

After Arghya offering, water is offered to Goddess Durga for Achamana while chanting the following Mantra.

“Achamyatam Tvaya Devi Bhakti Me Hyachalam Kuru।
Ipsitam Me Varam Dehi Paratra Cha Param Gatim॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Achamaniyam Jalam Samarpayami॥”

Snana

After Achamana, water is offered to Goddess Durga for Her bath while chanting the following Mantra.

“Payodadhi Ghritam Kshiram Sitaya Cha Samanvitam।
Panchamritamanenadya Kuru Snanam Dayanidhe॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Snaniyam Jalam Samarpayami॥”

Vastra

After Snanam, Goddess Durga is offered Moli as new clothes while chanting the following Mantra.

“Vastram Cha Soma Daivatyam Lajjayastu Nivaranam।
Maya Niveditam Bhaktya Grihana Parameshwari॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Vastram Samarpayami॥”

Abhushana Samarpan

After Vastra offering, Goddess Durga is offered jewelery while chanting following Mantra.

“Hara Kankana Keyura Mekhala Kundaladibhih।
Ratnadhyam Kundalopetam Bhushanam Pratigrihyatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Abhushanam Samarpayami॥”

Chandan Samarpan

After Abhushana offering, Chandan is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Paramananda Saubhagyam Paripurnam Digantare।
Grihana Paramam Gandham Kripaya Parameshwari॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Chandanam Samarpayami॥”

Roli Samarpan

Now Roli (Kumkuma) is offered, as symbol of Akhand Saubhagya, to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Kumkumam Kantidam Divyam Kamini Kama Sambhavam।
Kumkumenarchite Devi Prasida Parameshwari॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Kumkumam Samarpayami॥”

Kajjalarpan

After Kumkuma offering, Kajal is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Kajjalam Kajjalam Ramyam Subhage Shantikarike।
Karpura Jyotirutpannam Grihana Parameshwari॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Kajjalam Samarpayami॥”

Mangal Dravyarpana

Saubhagya Sutra

After Kajal offering, Saubhagya Sutra is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Saubhagyasutram Varade Suvarna Mani Samyute।
Kanthe Badhnami Deveshi Saubhagyam Dehi Me Sada॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Saubhagyasutram Samarpayami॥”

Sugandhita Dravya –

Now scent is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Chandanagaru Karpuraih Samyutam Kunkumam Tatha।
Kasturyadi Sugandhashcha Sarvangeshu Vilepanam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Sugandhitadravyam Samarpayami॥”

Haridra Samarpan –

After Sugandhi, turmeric is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Haridraranjite Devi Sukha Saubhagyadayini।
Tasmattvam Pujayamyatra Sukhashantim Prayaccha Me॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Haridrachurnam Samarpayami॥”

Akshata Samarpan –

After Haridra offering, Akshata (unbroken rice) to Goddess Durga is offered while chanting the following Mantra.

“Ranjitah Kankumaudyena Na Akshatashchatishobhanah।
Mamaisha Devi Danena Prasanna Bhava Shobhane॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Akshatan Samarpayami॥”

Pushpanjali

Now Pushpanjali is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Mandara Parijatadi Patali Ketakani Cha।
Jati Champaka Pushpani Grihanemani Shobhane॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Pushpanjalim Samarpayami॥”

Bilvapatra

Bilvapatra is then offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Amritodbhava Shrivriksho Mahadevi! Priyah Sada।
Bilvapatram Prayacchami Pavitram Te Sureshwari॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Bilvapatrani Samarpayami॥”

Dhoop Samarpan

Dhoop to Goddess Durga is offered then while chanting the following Mantra.

“Dashanga Guggula Dhupam Chandanagaru Samyutam।
Samarpitam Maya Bhaktya Mahadevi! Pratigrihyatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Dhupamaghrapayami॥”

Deep Samarpan

Now Goddess Durga is offered while chanting the following Mantra.

“Ghritavarttisamayuktam Mahatejo Mahojjvalam।
Dipam Dasyami Deveshi! Suprita Bhava Sarvada॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Deepam Darshayami॥”

Naivedya

Naivedya is then offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Annam Chaturvidham Svadu Rasaih Shadbhih Samanvitam।
Naivedya Grihyatam Devi! Bhakti Me Hyachala Kuru॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Naivedyam Nivedayami॥”

Rituphala

Rituphala to Goddess Durga is offered while chanting the following Mantra.

“Drakshakharjura Kadaliphala Samrakapitthakam।
Narikelekshujambadi Phalani Pratigrihyatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Rituphalani Samarpayami॥”

Achamana

Now water is offered to Goddess Durga for Achamana while chanting the following Mantra.

“Kamarivallabhe Devi Karvachamanamambike।
Nirantaramaham Vande Charanau Tava Chandike॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Achamaniyam Jalam Samarpayami॥”

Narikela Samarpan

Narikela (coconut) is then offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Narikelam Cha Narangim Kalingamanjiram Tva।
Urvaruka Cha Deveshi Phalanyetani Gahyatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Narikelam Samarpayami॥”

Tambula

After Narikela, Tambula (Paan with betel nuts) is offered to Goddess Durga while chanting the following Mantra.

“Elalavangam Kasturi Karpuraih Pushpavasitam।
Vitikam Mukhavasartha Samarpayami Sureshwari॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Tambulam Samarpayami॥”

Dakshina

Now Dakshina (gift) to Goddess Durga is offered while chanting the following Mantra.

“Puja Phala Samriddhayartha Tavagre Svarnamishwari।
Sthapitam Tena Me Prita Purnan Kuru Manoratham॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Dakshinam Samarpayami॥”

Pustak Puja and Kanya Pujan

Pustak Puja –

After Dakshina offering, books are now worshipped which are used during Durga Puja while chanting the following Mantra.

“Namo Devyai Mahadevyai Shivayai Satatam Namah।
Namah Prakrityai Bhadrayai Niyatah Pranatah Smatam॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Pustaka Pujayami॥”

Deep Puja –

After worshipping books, lightening and worshipping of Deep Deva is performed during Durga Puja while chanting the following Mantra.

“Shubham Bhavatu Kalyanamarogyam Pushtivardhanam।
Atmatattva Prabodhaya Dipajyotirnamoastu Te॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Deepam Pujayami॥”

Kanya Pujan –

Kanya Puja is also significant during Durga Puja. Hence after Durga Puja, girls are invited for the sumptuous meal and offered Dakshina i.e. gifts. While offering Dakshina to girls, the following Mantra should be chanted.

“Sarvasvarupe! Sarveshe Sarvashakti Svarupini।
Pujam Grihana Kaumari! Jaganmatarnamoastu Te॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Kanya Pujayami॥”

Nirajan

Now Goddess Durga Aarti is performed after chanting the following Mantra.

“Nirajanam Sumangalyam Karpurena Samanvitam।
Chandrarkavahni Sadrisham Mahadevi! Namoastu Te॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Karpura Nirajanam Samarpayami॥”

Pradakshina

Symbolic Pradakshina (circumambulate from left to right of Goddess Durga) is then offered with flowers while chanting the following Mantra.

“Pradakshinam Trayam Devi Prayatnena Prakalpitam।
Pashyadya Pavane Devi Ambikayai Namoastu Te॥
Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Durgadevyai Namah
Pradakshinam Samarpayami॥”