Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi, Importance, Vrat Katha

Satyanarayan is the combination of two words – ‘Satya’ meaning truth and ‘Narayana’ meaning the highest being. So Satyanarayan signifies ‘the highest being that is the embodiment of truth’. Satyanarayan puja is the worship of the Narayana form of Lord Vishnu in order to attain self-purification and blessings. It is the easiest and most inexpensive way to worship the lord and attain his blessings. This puja is usually performed before an auspicious occasion like marriage, inauguration of house etc. in order to bring happiness, prosperity and well-being for the family. The ceremony originated in Bengal as Satya Pir and was later adapted into Satyanarayan puja. It’s a popular ceremony in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Bengal, Orissa, Maharashtra, Assam and Goa.

Satyanarayan Puja Samagri

• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 lb
• Kumkum- 1 Packet
• Sandal Wood Paste/Powder- 1 Packet
• Agar Bathi(Incense Sticks) – 1 Packet
• Camphor- 1 Packet
• Beetle Leaves and nuts- Approx. 30
• Flowers- 4 Bunches
• Fruits- 12 Bananas and 5 other Varieties
• Coconuts- 9
• Rice- 2 lb
• Kalasa Vasthram – 1 Towel or 1 Yard Fabric
• Coins (Quarters)- 20
• Prasadam
• Rava Kesari
• Asirvatham Dress
• Dry Fruits
• Kalkandu (Sugar Candy)- 1 Packet
• Milk- 1/2 gallon
• Yoghurt- 1 can
• Ghee- 1 small bottle
• Honey- 1 bottle
• Sugar- 1 packet
• Dates- 1 packet
• Navadhanyam- 1 packet
• Deepam (Lamp)/Oil for Deepam/Match Box/Cotton Wick for Deepam Kalasam
• Panchapathra Udharini- Small Trays 2, Big Trays 2, Small Cups 5

Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi

The puja starts by a prayer to Lord Ganesha. This puja is done in order to remove all obstacles that may occur as a result of incorrectly performing the puja. This is done by chanting all the names of Lord Ganesha and offering prasad (a food offering, that usually consisting of one of Lord Ganesha’s favorite foods – modak, a sugar and coconut mixture, or laddu) and the showering of flower petals. After the offering is done a prayer is conducted to worship the Navagraha’s – the nine important celestial beings in the universe. They consist of Surya or the Sun, Chandra or the moon, Angaaraka/Chevaai or Mars, Budha or Mercury, Guru aka Bruhaspati or Jupiter, Shukra or Venus, Sani or Saturn, Rahu and Ketu, the head and tail of the Demon snake.

After the Navagraha puja is performed worshipping of Satyanarayan begans. First “panchamritam” is used to clean the place where the idol of lord Vishnu is placed. After placing the deity in the correct position, Satyanarayan swami is worshipped. The names of Satyanarayan are chanted. During the chanting offering of a variety of Prasad which includes a mixture of milk, honey, ghee/butter, yogurt, sugar and flower petals is made. The story or the Satyanarayan katha is performed which is required to be heard among all those observing and partaking in the puja. The story involves the origin of the puja, the benefits of it, and the potential mishaps that may occur with the forgetting performance of the puja. The prayer gets over with an Aarti, which consists of revolving a small fire-lit-lamp in the vicinity of an image of the Lord. After the puja is over, participants and observers of the puja are offered prasadam which has been offered to and blessed by Lord Vishnu. ( Listen to Satyanarayan Aarti )

Importance of Satyanarayan Puja

• It relieves people of their worries and anxiety.
• Brings peace.
• Brings prosperity and wealth.
• Removes obstacles.
• Brings happiness to life.
• Removes negativity.
• And provides liberation (moksha)

Symbolism of Satyanarayan Puja

Lord Satyanarayan is depicted as the being of truth. The true worship of Satyanarayan involves practice of truth and commitment to truth in all aspects of life. It is a promise to god to live life truthfully and honestly because that leads to liberation. Truth should be practiced spiritually and physically through rituals. The Satyanarayan puja is an embodiment of this- to be true to yourself and live truthfully. Being false leads to darkness, ignorance and suffering. Being truthful leads to light, wisdom and eventually liberation. Hence, Satyanarayan puja is not about a ritual to remove problems. It is about practicing the truth as it is a purifier and leads to happiness and peace.

Satyanarayan Katha

The Satyanarayan katha has a total of five parts. Here is a short summary of all the chapters in the katha –

Chapter 1

One Naradi, while traveling all over the world came to Bhuloka. He found all the people suffering due to their past Karmas and didn’t know how to be free. So he immediately went to Lord Narayana to find the solution for freeing the people from their problems. He told him the problem and asked him a way to relieve the miseries of mankind. The Lord told him that a Vrat called Sri Satyanarayan Pooja will have to be performed. The Vrat could be performed by anyone and will provide them the pleasures of the world as well as liberation. It could be done any day in the evening and all the desires of the observer will be fulfilled.

Chapter 2

Shri Narayana tells Narada the further story-

An old and poor Brahman lived in Kashi. He was very poor and always begged to fill his stomach. Narayana loved Brahmans and hence he disguised himself and went to the Brahman and asked him- what ails you old Brahman? The Brahman said- I am old and poor and I want a way to remove my poverty. So the lord told him to observe Satyanarayan Vrat and explained him the procedure. The Brahman performed the Vrat the next day using the things he earned in his begging’s. Soon he became very rich and started performing the Vrat every month. He attained all the pleasure of life and eventually reached liberation.

The puja spread through this incident-

The Brahman was performing Shri Satyanarayan Pooja, when a woodcutter saw it. He asked the Brahman who told him that the puja fulfilled all the desires when it was performed. So the woodcutter performed the Puja the next day according to the procedure said by the Brahman. His worries disappeared and he became happier after that.

Chapter 3

Once there was a noble king called Ulkamukh. He was just and true. He always helped the needy. Once while performing the Satyanarayan puja on the banks of the river, a merchant came in his ship with valuable goods. Upon asking the king about the puja, the king told him everything. So the merchant went home and performed the puja and later he and his wife Lilavathi were blessed with a girl. But after the birth he did not perform the Vrat saying that he will do it the day his daughter gets married. When that day came he postponed it again. So the lord decided to teach them a lesson. One day the merchant and his son-in-law went to town. On the way they rested under a tree. At that time two thieves stole from the king’s palace and ran away. They saw the merchant under the tree and kept what they stole near him. The king’s soldiers thought that the merchant and his son-in-law were the thieves and threw them in the jail. The true thieves stole everything from the merchant’s house making his wife and daughter poor. The merchant and the wife realised their mistake and the wife performed the Satyanarayan puja. After this the king had a dream that the merchant was innocent and he was released and given a lot of wealth as compensation.

Chapter 4

After the release the merchant was returning home when the lord appeared before him the form of a Sanyasi. He asked the merchant what he had in the ship and the merchant lied and said dried leaves. The Sanyasi said Tathasthu. When the merchant went to his ship he found dried leaves and realized his mistake. He went back to the Sanyasi and asked forgiveness. The lord forgave him. When he was returning home on his ship his wife asked her daughter to complete the puja and went to the dock. The daughter in her haste to see her husband, did not take the Prasad and went like that. They waited for the ship to arrive but it did not. The Lord then revealed himself and told them about not keeping the Prasad. So the daughter ran home and completed the puja by keeping the Prasad. After that the family regularly performed the puja and lived happily. The reached Satyalok upon death.

Chapter 5

There lived a King called Angadwaj who was kind and righteous. Once he was returning from a hunt. He rested under a tree for a while. A group of cowherd boys had gathered near there to perform Shri Satyanarayan Pooja. They did not have anything except their daily bread. They offered the prasad to the king who, because of his ego left it untouched. Soon all his wealth was lost and his hundred children died. He realised that it was all due to his insulting the children’s puja. Immediately the king went to that very spot and performed the Satyanarayan Puja with full devotion and belief. The king was relieved of all his losses.

It is said that the one who reads or listens to this story will get rid of his anxieties and worries.

2016 Satyanarayan Puja and Vrat Dates