How to do the Maha Navami puja at home

The bath, the diya, the sankalp, and the day's offerings to Siddhidatri Maa.

1. The morning puja

   The bath, and Maa's place

   1. Bathe early and wear clean clothes; in Kerala the kasavu mundu, in a Telugu house unstitched cloth.
   2. Clean Maa's place, and replace yesterday's flowers with fresh ones.
   3. The akhand jyot has burned since the first night; today is the last full day it burns.
   

2. The morning puja

   Achaman

   1. With the spoon, pour a little water from the lota into your right palm.
   2. Sip it once as you say each of the first three names — three sips in all.
   3. With the fourth name, pour a little water over your right hand to wash it.
   4. At the verse, dip a flower in the water and sprinkle a few drops over yourself and the puja things.

   Achaman and pavitrikaran · 6 lines

   ॐ केशवाय नमः।oṁ keśavāya namaḥ.Om, salutations to Keshava. (First sip.)

   ॐ नारायणाय नमः।oṁ nārāyaṇāya namaḥ.Om, salutations to Narayana. (Second sip.)

   ॐ माधवाय नमः।oṁ mādhavāya namaḥ.Om, salutations to Madhava. (Third sip.)

   ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः।oṁ hr̥ṣīkeśāya namaḥ.Om, salutations to Hrishikesha. (Wash the right hand.)

   ॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा।oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato'pi vā.Whether pure or impure, in whatever state one may be,

   यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ.whoever remembers the lotus-eyed Vishnu is made pure, without and within.
   

3. The morning puja

   Ganesh ji first

   1. Offer a little chandan and akshat to Ganesh ji, and one flower. In a Telugu or Tamil house Ganesh ji is a cone of wet turmeric on a betel leaf, shaped this morning.
   2. Say the verse.
   3. Fold your hands.

   Ganesh ji first · 3 lines

   वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।vakratuṇḍa mahākāya sūryakoṭi samaprabha.O Deva of the curved trunk and mighty form, radiant as ten million suns,

   निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥nirvighnaṁ kuru me deva sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā.keep every work of mine free of obstacles, always.

   ॐ गं गणपतये नमः॥oṁ gaṁ gaṇapataye namaḥ.Om gam, salutations to Ganapati.
   
5. 4. The sankalp
   5. Avahan: invite Siddhidatri Maa
   6. The Devi Kavach
   7. Asana, padya, arghya, achamaniya
   8. Chandan, kumkum and sindoor
   9. Flowers
   10. Dhoop and deep
   11. The bhog
   12. The katha

   These 9 steps, with their drawings and mantras, are in the app

The havan of a hundred and eight ahutis and its purnahuti, and the kanya pujan in houses that keep it today rather than on Ashtami.

1. 1. Lay the fire
   2. A hundred and eight
   3. The purnahuti
   4. The kanyas, where they come today

   These 4 steps, with their drawings and mantras, are in the app

The aarti, and the drishti taken away outside before the day closes.

1. 1. The aarti
   2. The camphor verse
   3. Kshama prarthana
   4. Opening the vrat

   These 4 steps, with their drawings and mantras, are in the app