Panchayatana
Every question on the site tagged Panchayatana, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
The five-shrine system of household worship honoring five principal deities together — a tradition within which no deity should be disrespected relative to another.
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Where Batuk Bhairav is placed in the home shrine
The speaker says that if you do seva-puja of Bhagwati, Bhairav ji's place must be on the left of Jagadamba — that is, on your right when you sit down to do puja. If you worship other deities, Batuk Bhairava ji's place should be given according to their Panchayatana, or next to Shiva ji.
What qualities mark a genuine spiritual practitioner, and how should devotees treat astrologers and priests?
Genuine saints remain unperturbed by both praise and criticism — intolerance of criticism signals unrefined understanding; devotees seeking guidance must approach astrologers, priests, and practitioners with respect, not entitlement or contempt, and must not disrespect any deity within the Panchayatana or broader tradition.
How should a Dakshina Kali mandal be installed in a home temple?
A Dakshina Kali mandal should be installed exactly as Bhagavati Durga's is, because the panchayatan mandal of most of the Mahavidyas is the same as Bhagavati Durga's.
Does worshipping only the panchayatan deities mean discarding everything else?
Worshipping only the panchayatan deities at home does not offend previously worshipped ones — Shiv puja already includes Bhairav ji through him. From a practical standpoint, Bhairav ji's own manifest form exists specifically for sustenance and protection, so separate worship of him still has value. Panchayatan puja does not mean discarding other murtis, yantras or photos from the home.
The Gitas affirm divinity in both form and formless, so a beginner should not abandon image worship on Vedanta arguments
A beginner should not be swayed by arguments that God is formless and image worship invalid just because the Vedas are silent on Prana Pratishtha — across scriptures the Supreme Power affirms divinity in both form and formless aspects, and concepts like Dvaita and Advaita are grasped gradually as sadhana matures, not adopted prematurely to dismiss ritual practice.
Where in the puja sthan should Batuk Bhairav be placed?
In your pujan sthan. Whichever shakti's panchayatana you have installed will certainly have a place for Bhagavan Shiva and Bhagavati Shakti in it. Give Batuk Bhairav a place on the left-hand side of Bhagavati — of the vigraha of Durga ji or Kali ji — or else at the place of Shiva ji's panchayatana, wherever you have kept the shivling and the rest.
How many lamps does a householder need for all his deities?
With these two lamps the pujan of all the devis and devatas of a grihastha will be done. If you have both time and money, light a separate lamp for each deity — there is no difficulty in that — but ordinarily two lamps should certainly be lit. For naivedya, the naivedya of the principal shakti comes first.
What is meant by sangopang bhakti?
Shiva says: O dear one, in this manner my sangopang bhakti is the highest of all. Sangopang means contemplating one's aradhya in each of these nine ways. If it is Shiva, then all of it is done about him — one thinks of him, does his kirtan, does japa of his mantra, does his pujan with the sixteen upacharas, holds everything as given by him, dedicates everything to him, makes sashtang pranam to him. But this in no way means, the speaker says, that if we do this for him we will not do it for Ganpati or for Bhagavati.
How should one proceed in the tantra kshetra with material desires?
Those who go into the tantra kshetra, who have to do mantra japa and have material desires, must proceed in an ordered manner, the speaker says — and it should be so: there is the devi panchayatan or the panchayatan of other devatas, and pujan happens in a panchayat. He has clarified before that our aradhya is like our husband — whether you are a woman or a man — and just as a pativrata woman gives her husband comfort in every way.
Which bhava goes to the ishta and which to the other devatas?
In the same way, when you serve your aradhya, where you are to keep dasya bhava and where sakhya bhava — all these bhavas should be kept toward your chief aradhya, the one in whom your mind is set. With all the rest we keep a feeling of ordinary samarpan and do their ordinary pujan, just as with the husband as chief one keeps such conduct with everyone else — with the parents-in-law, the brother-in-law, the sister-in-law and so on. Therefore one should never think that we will worship one deva only.
How is a panchayatan formed with Dakshineshwari Kali?
On the form of Dakshineshwari Kali ji, the speaker says that as regards a panchayatan the very first question is whether Bhagavati Dakshineshwari is your kuldevi or not. If she is the kuldevi, then according to that, who else is worshipped — and then a pinda-sahit panchayatan of theirs will be formed. And if it is not so, then Ganapati ji, Batuk Bhairav ji, a shivling, and along with them Narayan: the place of all of these will remain, especially.
Two supari stand for Ganesh and Parvati; each is invoked with a flower and given water four times — feet, hands, achman, snan.
One supari is Ganesh ji, the second supari is Maa Bhagavati Parvati. Taking a flower, their avahan is made — wherever you may be, come here and be established — and the flower is then offered. Water is then poured four times over each: first for washing their feet, then for washing their hands, then for achman, and then for snan.
Where should the puja sthan in a house not be built?
He says never, even by mistake, build the puja sthan of a house beside the toilet; and never by mistake build it in the direction of the south and so on such that your face is toward the south. A puja sthan should also not be built under the stairs.
How is the one-by-one avahan and snaan done?
Just as with four or five children in the house you catch one, bathe him, set him down and take up the next, so here too with the chief shaktis or chief vigrahas: if you wish, one by one, with full bhakti bhav, do the avahan of each — Gajananam Bhutaganadi Sevitam for one devata first — if you know the mantra; otherwise simply place akshat and flowers before them, then bathe them with milk and the rest, with panchamrit, bathe them with pure water, wipe them well, and seat them in their garments.
Where do Ganesh and Shiva go when Durga is the principal deity?
When Bhagavati Durga is installed, Hanuman ji stays on the right and Bal Bhairav ji on the left. Ganpati ji then goes to Hanuman ji's right — so he is to Durga ji's right and to Hanuman ji's right both. And Shiva ji goes to Bhairav ji's left, beside him. A Shivling too is placed the same way.
Where does Ganesh stand relative to Durga — right or left?
Bhagavati Durga exists in four-armed, two-armed, eight-armed, ten-armed, sixteen-armed, eighteen-armed and thousand-armed forms, and the placement changes with the form. In a Gauri-Ganpati installation Bhagavati stands to Ganpati's right; with the eight-armed Durga, Ganpati goes to her right; with the ten-armed, he moves to the left.
What happens when a Hindu keeps a pir-fakir picture beside the panchayatan in the home shrine?
The speaker says that if a Sanatani has Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and Bhagavati established as a Panchayatana at home and sets a picture of a mulla, maulvi, pir, fakir or mazar beside them, both sides are now in trouble. Sprinkle Gomutra there and you insult the ones you yourself brought in — they would have been honoured in their own place — so the Dosha falls on you; and if you cannot sprinkle it because of them, you are sidelining your own devi-devatas. The two cannot stay in one place, and its effect on your life is certain. If you serve Varah or Varahi, wear a shukar-dant or have used these in griha bandhan, and still worship such images in that spot, he warns you are in for a great deal of trouble.
Should a murti or a yantra be kept at the puja place at home?
The speaker says a murti should always be kept in panchayatan — one chief devi-devata and with them the remaining shaktis. If, for instance, you chiefly worship Narayan at home, then Narayan will be in the middle and in the four corners Bhagavati on one side, Shiva ji, Ganapati ji and Surya Narayan: that is the panchayatan.
How should the deities of the panchayatan be worshipped day to day?
The speaker says everyone should keep the whole panchayatan, worshipping one deity chiefly and the others symbolically, and performing their special pujan on their own chief day when it comes. A vigreh of Hanuman ji, one-faced or five-faced, may also be kept at home.
Which deities must compulsorily be worshipped in a home?
Asked whether Hanuman ji's pujan too is compulsory alongside the panch devas and the kuldevi, the speaker says absolutely — without Hanuman ji's dhwaja in the house, what is going to happen. Ganapati ji's puja is entirely compulsory; you will do Lakshmi-Ganesh's puja; you will certainly do the puja of some one swarup of Narayan; you will certainly do Shiva ji's puja, Bhagavati's puja, Hanuman ji's puja; there must certainly be a tulsi plant and Hanuman ji's dhwaja.
How should a panchayatan be arranged with Maa Kali in the centre?
The speaker says Maa Kali will remain in the middle; and around her, on both sides in front of her, Ganapati on one side and Surya on the other; behind, on both sides — Vishnu ji towards her right portion and Shiva ji towards her left portion. He offers to make a photo of the panchayatan for the questioner.
What does the Shiv Mahapuran say about Panchayatan pujan?
For Panchdev pujan, for Panchayatan pujan, it has been said in the Shiv Mahapuran too, he says — they had discussed it — so there is no difficulty. Do we, who do the seva of Bhagavati Vindhyavasini, not do the seva of Mahadev the next day, he asks. Everyone does. Those who are great Param Vaishnavas — all of them performed rudrabhishek and the rest.
At Ashadha Purnima a havan with 108 recitations of the Datta Mala Mantra makes the first sadhana conscious again.
The first sadhana — Dattatreya's. At Ashadha Purnima, Guru Purnima, everything is made conscious again through a Havan, with 108 recitations of the Datta Mala Mantra. Panchanga worship means completing each of the principal deity's recitations in turn, after which only one recitation of each remains daily.
Where should a Guru's photograph be kept?
You may absolutely keep the Guru's place in your own worship room. If you are initiated by a Guru, keep his Vigraha or photograph for worship. But if you are removing all your deities and keeping only the Guru ji — then you are making a very great mistake, and you have been thoroughly deluded.
Which Rudraksha goes with a Chandika Yantra?
With Bhagavati Chandika, the nine-mukhi Chandika Rudraksha alone, if there is one, is plenty. Beyond that, if you wish to keep a Mandal or a Panchayatana, that is a separate matter.
Who belongs in the complete Shiva parivar for worship?
Asked whether, apart from Bhagavan Shiva, Mata Parvati, Shri Ganesh and Bhagavan Kartikeya, Nandi and anyone else come in the complete Shiva parivar who should be worshipped alongside, he answers: no, this much is enough. This much should ordinarily all be there — Bhagavan Ganpati, Bhagavan Kartikeya, Ma Parvati and Bhagavan Bholenath, along with Nandi ji. Apart from this, if you go further, then there is Kartikeya ji's mayur, Shri Ganesh ji's mushak and Bhagavati's simha.
In what order is pujan done before worshipping a Shivling?
The speaker says that generally, before the pujan of Bhagavan Shiva, offer arghya in the name of Kirtimukh and offer akshat and the rest; after that the pujan of Nandishwar, then the pujan of the Bhagavan's astra the trishul, then on the Bhagavan's arghi the pujan of Ganpati, Kartikeya, Bhagavati Ashok Sundari and Bhagavati Parvati; then the pujan of all the devatas at the outflow path of the arghi; then the pujan of Vasuki Nag; and thereafter the pujan of the Shivling.
How should all the deities of the household be worshipped?
Asked whether the household deities should be worshipped one by one, or first one and then the next, he takes the example of Lakshmi-Ganesh ji, Hanuman ji, Shiva ji and Bhagavati all being installed. Ordinarily in a house, if you have the snan and the rest performed for all of them daily and that whole procedure is there, then do it in sequence at your own convenience. But if you do an entirely ordinary pujan — and not everyone has that much time — then this much should be done.
What is the minimum daily procedure for the household deities?
He says one should mix Gangajal and fragrant water — rose water, Gangajal, agaru, and fragrant itra. Keep all these mixed in a good spray bottle, or in the vessel used for sprinkling water, so that it stays fragrant. Every day sprinkle it over all of them, and first wipe them lightly with a clean dry cotton cloth. Apply a tilak to each of them.
Can Shiva and Vishnu be worshipped together?
You can absolutely perform the aradhana of Shiva and Vishnu ji together, he answers; theirs is in the panchayatana of the Devi and of Bhagwan.
Can other deities be worshipped in the same kalash as the ishta?
Asked whether, in a symbolic sadhana, the pujan of gods and goddesses other than the ishta may ordinarily be done in the Kalash itself, the speaker says it certainly can. This time's Diksha vidhan, he says, has been shown done entirely on the kalash precisely for this reason — so that those videos may be cut and made separately to show that this is the manner of kalash pujan. In it you may do the puja of all the gods and goddesses in this way; do it exactly in the manner told there.
How does the panchayatana arrangement change the placement?
Now if you have kept Durga ji's Panchayatana, the speaker says, then Shiv ji moves — Shiv ji comes to Durga ji's left side. So according to that it will then have to be seen where Manasa ji's place will be. And if a mandala of Shiv-Parvati ji is being made, of the Shiva family, and you are giving Manasa ji a place in it, then she gets a place on the left side alone — and her puja too is done with the left hand.
The panchayatana arrangement and its samput are to be drawn out and sent as a diagram.
Asked to tell the panchayatana of Maa Bhagavati Durga again, and how the samput is done, the speaker says all right — we shall make a diagram and send it, and you will get it; and he says he will write it out and give it.
What must be kept with a Narmadeshwar at home?
If you keep Narmadeshwar ji at home, Nandi ji has to be kept with him, and his Trishul. If the full Shiva-parivar Vigraha comes — with Ganpati ji, Kartikeya ji and Bhagavati — that is better still. And Nandi should be such that his sight reaches the Shivling: Shiva ji should be visible to him.
How should Baba and Maiya Parvati be worshipped at home, and their panchayatan made?
Make the Shiv Panchayatan, he answers, and establish according to the Shiv Panchayatan.
If both Shiva and Durga are one's ishta, how is the panchayatan made?
Look, he says, if you will establish the panchayat of Shiva ji too, then there Durga ji's sthapana will happen. Keep Shiv-Shakti in the middle; there is no difficulty. Comfortably keep Shiv-Shakti in the middle and make the panchayat sthapana according to Shiva ji. Or, if you wish — because you will be keeping them in the yugal swaroop, that is, you will not have kept a Shivling but will have kept their Shri Vigraha — there is no difficulty; you may do it according to that as well.
Can the Devi be worshipped directly without a Ganapati puja?
No, it cannot be done, the speaker tells Saksham. The pujan will be in sequence: guru, Ganapati, Bhairav ji, Hanuman ji, and only then Bhagavati. Otherwise, at the very least, Ganapati ji and Bhairav ji, and then Bhagavati.
Where should the kul devta stand relative to the Shiva Panchayatan?
Asked whether the kul devta may be established at the side after establishing the Shiva Panchayatan, the speaker says the kul devta should have the most beautiful place of all. Establish the Shiva Panchayatan — but the kul devta is your all in all; they are the owner of your house. Your mother and father are not the owners; they are. They wished that you take birth in their kula, and so your birth occurred. This is why their respect is above all, and the puja of the kul devata and kul devi is above all.
Can the shankh be blown in Shiva puja?
Why can it not be blown, he says — the shankh can absolutely be blown. What has been forbidden for him is the puja of the dakshinavarti shankh; the blowing of the shankh is not forbidden. At home Bhagwan Shiva is worshipped in the grihastha svarup, and at home you do not do Shiva puja alone but panchayatana puja. You are a householder — you have not gone off into the Aghor parampara; there you would have to blow the shankhini instead, and by the blowing of the shankhini all the negative shaktis that there are come.
Should Bhairav pujan come before or after the kuldevi pujan?
Do the Bhairav pujan first, he says. Do the kuldevi's pujan after that. Bhairav ji's pujan will happen first. Asked separately whether there is any grantha by the name of Mantra Tantra, he says there are a great many granthas.
Should the Panchadev Vigrahas be kept at home, and how is Kartikeya worshipped?
The Panchadev Vigrahas should certainly be kept at home. For Kartikeya, install either his Shri Vigraha alone or one joined with his Shakti, and then perform the whole Panchanga Seva by his prescription. But his worship, like Hanuman ji's, carries the strict obligation of full Brahmacharya.
Completely new practitioners begin with Ganpati in the month of Bhadrapada
Bhadon is coming — and in the month of Bhadrapada, those who are new practitioners and want to begin from the very start will begin at that time with Ganpati ji.
What puja and sadhana should a woman do for her own and her family's welfare?
First of all the Shiv Parivar, the speaker answers, in which everyone is included — Ganpati, Skanda, Ma Bhagavati, Shiv ji, Vasuki around Shiv ji's neck, Bhagavati Ganga on his head, Chandra Dev, Som, Nandi. Nobody at all is left out there; when you begin their puja, everyone's puja happens of itself. Beyond that, your kuldevi and kuldevata, and the Panchayatan puja, which an ordinary householder should certainly do.
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