Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Morning rituals
• Part 2 of 3: Drawing up the image of the kalash
• Part 3 of 3: Completing the puja
• Necessities
• Tips
• Warnings

Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of all arts and education. Saraswati is often revered by students, teachers, artists and musicians, who strive for artistic and technical skill, academic skills, wisdom and good health. The Saraswati puja is performed on the Hindu holidays of Vasant Panchami and Navaratri, but you can also perform a Saraswati puja in your house whenever you want to invoke the goddess Saraswati. To perform the ritual, you have to get up early and take a special bath, clean your house properly, set up a statue of Saraswati and the kalash on your altar, chant the mantra, meditate and make a puja offering.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Morning rituals

1. Get up between 5:00 am and 8:00 am. When performing the Saraswati puja at home, getting up early is the traditional custom. You can set an alarm for a time between 5:00 am - 8:00 am, or you can get up as soon as the sun comes up.
   • Give yourself at least 1 hour to complete the ritual, although it may take some people longer.
2. Spread a paste of neem and turmeric all over your body. To make the paste, soak about 20 neem leaves in hot water until soft and then crush them in a mortar. Then add about 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 grams) of ground turmeric to the neem paste. Mash / stir it into a nice smooth paste and then spread a thin, even layer over your face, chest, arms, torso and legs.
   • This paste is said to have therapeutic and medicinal effects. For example, neem and turmeric paste works great to treat acne and maintain healthy skin.
   • If the amount of pasta was not sufficient, make some more.
3. Take a bath with neem and tulsi leaves. After applying the neem and turmeric paste to your body, fill your bathtub with warm water and throw a handful of neem and tulsi leaves into the water. Sit / lie in the bath for 15-30 minutes and then scrub the neem and turmeric paste off you in the shower.
   • The bath purifies the body and protects against infections.
4. Wear white or yellow clothes. After your bath, it is customary to dress in these colors to perform the puja. You can wear pants, skirt, blouse or dress in these colors.
   • Usually, those performing the puja dress in one of these colors, rather than a mix of both. For example, you can dress from head to toe in white linen or you can dress completely in yellow.
   • In Hinduism, yellow is the color of knowledge and learning.
   • White represents purity, peace and knowledge.

Part 2 of 3: Drawing up the image of the kalash

1. The day before performing the Saraswati puja, clean your entire house. Before performing the puja, thoroughly clean your home. Tidy up all the rooms and, very importantly, put all your books upright in your bookcase. Use a natural cleaning agent such as green soap, vinegar solution or an essential oil to clean your tools, computer and laptop.
   • If you are unable to clean the day before, do so after cleansing yourself.
   • If you are performing the puja as part of the Navaratri celebration, everything must be cleaned before the break of the 8th day of Navaratri.
   • If you cannot or do not want to use natural cleaning products, you can use a regular all-purpose cleaner. Natural cleaning products are safer for the environment and more pleasant for the goddess Saraswati than harsh chemicals.
   • Since Saraswati is the goddess of learning and knowledge, it is believed that she appreciates your library layout.
2. Place a white cloth on a platform and place the statue of Saraswati on it. This is the base of your altar. You can use any kind of white fabric, such as silk or linen. Smooth the cloth with your hands so that no folds or wrinkles are visible. Then place the statue of the goddess Saraswati in the center.
   • For example, you can use a side table as an elevation.
   • Usually a wooden or stone statue of Saraswati is used.
   • If you don't have a statue, you can also use a photo or other image of Saraswati.
3. Place an image of Ganesha next to Saraswati. In addition to the goddess Saraswati, the elephant god Ganesha is also often worshiped during a home puja. Among other things, Ganesha is the god of the beginning, and he is often worshiped at the beginning of a ceremony. After placing your image of Saraswati, place an image of Ganesha next to it.
   • Ganesha is also seen as the god who removes obstacles and as a patron of art and science.
4. Decorate your altar with turmeric (yellow), kumkum (red), rice, and flowers. Sprinkle these ingredients decoratively around the statues. You can spread the rice, the decorative garlands and the flowers with your fingers, and for the turmeric and kumkum it is best to use a spoon. Use flowers in the colors white, yellow, red, blue and green.
   • You can also put everything in small dishes and place it around the statues.
   • These ingredients are often used to invoke Saraswati.
   • Each color has a specific meaning in the Hindu faith. For example, red is the color of celebration and strength. Yellow represents knowledge and wisdom. Green stabilizes the mind and brings peace. White embodies purity, peace and wisdom. Blue represents nature, courage, profundity and strength.
5. Place books, musical instruments, and fine artifacts near the altar. Since the goddess Saraswati is associated with science and art, it is customary to decorate the space around her with learned and artful objects. You can place these items under the altar or anywhere near the statues.
   • For example, you can also put certain magazines, pens, ink, and paint brushes.
6. Fill the kalash, add mango leaves, and place a betel leaf on top. A kalash is a copper or brass pot with a wide bottom and a narrow top that is often used in Hindu rituals. Place the kalash on the altar and fill it with water. Place a sprig with at least 5 mango leaves in the pot. Next, drape a betel leaf over the top of the opening.
   • The kalash represents creation.
   • The mango leaves serve as a seat for the deity during the ritual and the water keeps the seat pure.

Part 3 of 3: Completing the puja

1. Chant the Saraswati puja mantra to invoke the goddess Saraswati. Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, chant / say the following mantra: "Yaa kundendu tushaaradhawala, yaa shubhra vastravrutha, yaa veena varadanda manditakara yaa shweta padmasanaa. Yaa brahmachyuta shankara prabhrutibhi pathwala devai savasa vandaha sarishahati, maadshraishaha sarishahati . Aum saraswathyae namah, dhyanartham, pushpam samarpayami. "
2. Burn a candle / oil lamp and incense sticks for the statues. Place the candle or oil lamp on the altar and place an incense burner next to it. Light both the candle / oil lamp and the incense with a lighter or match.
   • If you use an oil lamp, be very careful not to start a fire.
   • The light of the lamp protects you during the invocation, and the incense is an offering to Saraswati.
3. Offer the goddess Saraswati prasad in the form of sweets and fruits. Prasad is a typical religious food offering given during Hindu ceremonies. When completing the puja, you can offer Saraswati things like mango leaves, fruits, sweets or a tasty dessert. .
   • This is said to draw the Goddess to you so that she can give you blessings and prosperity.
   • Prasad is the act of giving a food offering - not so much a particular food.
4. Sit in silence for 5 to 15 minutes as you ask Saraswati for her blessings with a grateful heart. You can close your eyes and go into deep meditation during this time. In your mind, focus on the goddess Saraswati and ask her to bless you and your scientific or creative pursuits.
   • You can sit in silence for a while, for example, until your incense sticks have burned out.
5. Eat the prasad and offer it to family and friends. When you are done with the ritual, eat some of the fruits, sweets and / or desserts that you have offered as prasad and share it with your family members and friends. This is to share the happiness and blessings with those around you.

Necessities

• Neem and turmeric paste
• Neem and tulsi leaves
• Bathtub
• White or yellow clothing
• White cloth
• Image of Saraswati
• Image of Ganesha
• Turmeric
• Kumkum
• Rice
• Decorative garlands
• Flowers
• Kalash
• Mango leaves
• Betel leaf
• Oil lamp or candle
• Incense
• Prasad

Tips

• If this is your first time performing a Saraswati puja at home, it may be helpful to watch some tutorial videos before getting started.
• After the Saraswati puja is completed, you will eat only vegetarian meals for the rest of the day.

Warnings

• Avoid reading or studying on the day you took the puja. This would help strengthen the blessings and bring prosperity when you return to work the next day.