Deepavali/Naraka Chathurdashi

• Deepavali arathi haadu
• Hakkiya hegaleri(Deepavali song by Sri Prasanna venkata dasaru)
• Sloka to chant while doing ganga snana on deepavali
• sloka to chant while doing enne sashthra for oil bath
• Mahalakshmi kubera pooja on Deepavali evening

Deepavali is one of the most celebrated and the most grand festival by Hindus across the globe. Festival mood starts with buying new dress, preparation of snacks and sweets, ganga snana, crackers, early morning oil bath everything

People asking each other “Ganga snana ayuitta?” on Diwali morning is a common greeting on this special day

Jala-poorna-trayo-dashi (neeru-thumbu-vahabba):

• The vessel/Pathra used for heating the water is decorated with sunna and kunkuma.
• Mango leaves along with a piece of turmeric tied around the neck of the vessel.
• Fill the vessel with water
• Do Ganga pooja

Gange cha yamune chaiva godaavari saraswati |
Narmade sindu kaaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru | 

• The house is decorated with Deepa everywhere; inside, outside of the house
• Deepavali (Deepa + Aavali). Aavali means row of Deepas, pleasantly one after the other.
• Deepa kept outside the house is called ‘Aakaasa-Deepa’. This invites Mangala Devatas inside our house.
• Prepare the festival food and Enjoy the dinner with family after doing neivedhya to Lord sri hari.
• Before going to bed, clean the Puja room with wet cloth and decorate with rangoli. Place the items needed for the pooja next day. Keep new clothes on one side, On the other side, oil, etc. tamboola, arisina, kumkuma, fruits, flowers, etc. can be kept.

ARATI TO THE LORD:

• Wake up early in the morning
• after completing morning duties, lit Devara Deepa.
• The Yajamana in the house, changing his vastra, brings a little of hot water from the bathroom and keeps it for Puja.
• This simple Puja begins with Aachamana, and then Archana on Puja Box.
• Then Offer the neivedhya
• Do Mangalarathi.(We used to lit crackers outside at the same time to Mark the death of  Narakasura)
• Ladies perform Kumkuma Arati.
•  The hot water kept in Puja is then added to the water in the bathroom.

ARATI TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS

• All the members in the house sit on a mat.
• Grandmother/mother or elder person in the family applies kumkuma to each of the family members and gives tamboola.
• Singing (Arati) song, two of them perform Arati (used earlier for the Lord). It is a symbol of ‘mangalakara’

ENNE SHASTRA

sloka to chant while doing enne sashthra for oil bath

• The ladies, singing aashirvada songs, gently apply oil on the heads of each member thrice using a flower.
• Dharma Shastra specifically proclaims this as ‘Naaree-krita-neerajana’.
• After this, everyone returns back the tamboola and go for oil bath.
• This oil bath (or Abh-yanga in hot water) is “Ganga-Snana”. It is completed before sun-rise.

On Deepavali day, Ganga Devi is present in water everywhere for 2 hours before sun-rise. The Snana within that period is “GangaSnana”, even if it is bucket-water in the bathroom

Sloka to chant while doing ganga snana on deepavali

RECEIVING THE NEW VASTRA

• The elderly Yajamana in the house, takes bath first.
• After Gopi-chandana Naama, he does Namaskara to the Lord and takes his new Vastra kept already in the Puja room. He wears the new vastra and offers Namaskara again and sits there.
• Then the other members in the family, after their oil bath, come one by one and sits in front of the Lord
• The Yajamana applies kumkuma to the new vastra. Placing it in a plate, along with Tamboola, he chants Ashirvada Mantra and offers it individually to each one in the family, with his blessings

GANGA WATER PROKSHANA

• If  Ganga water is available in a can, etc., take a small quantity in a sliver cup/vessel.
• Using a Pushpa, sprinkle the water to all the members in the family either before or after wearing new vastra.

YAMA TARPANA

Dharma Shastra says:- Give Yama Tarpana immediately after Deepavali Abhyanga Snana (oil bath). But in our Sampradaya, some adheres to this. Others give this Tarpana after Puja.

Even though it is called “Tarpana”, actually it is Arghya to Yama Devata.

Significance:

•  Yama Tarpana is not like Pitru Tarpana; but Arghya, because Yama is a Devata (not our Pitru). Therefore we offer this as Arghya. No palahara niyama at night on this day
•  Yama resides in the South. For this reason we offer this Arghya facing South.

Sloka:

Yamaaya dharmaraajaaya
Mruthuyve Chaantha Kaaya cha|
Vaivaswathaaya Kaalaaya Chitraaya
Chitra guptaaya Vai namah||

Yamam tharpayami
Mruthyum tharpayami
Vaivaswatham tharpayami
Sarvabhoothakshyam tharpayami
Dhadhnam tharpayami
Parameshtinam tharpayami
Chitram tharpayami
Dharmaraajam tharpayami
Amthakam tharpayami
Kaalam tharpayami
Oudhumbaram tharpayami
Neelam tharpayami
Vrikodharam tharpayami
Chitraguptam tharpayami