Janmashtami puja vidhi (midnight puja)

Step-by-step vidhi

Each step says what to do, then the mantra. A short puja may use the five offerings (panchopachara) instead of sixteen.

1. 1 Preparation

   Bathe and wear clean clothes. Clean the puja place, spread a cloth on the chowki and keep every item of the checklist within reach before the muhurat begins. Sit on an asana facing east or north. Decorate the jhula and the altar with flowers during the day; keep the panchamrit, a conch (if you have one) and new clothes for Bal Gopal ready before midnight.

2. 2 Pavitrikarana (purification)

   Take a little water in the left palm, cover it with the right and sprinkle it over yourself and the materials with a flower or kusha while saying the verse.

   अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा ।यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः ॥

3. 3 Achamana

   Sip a spoonful of water three times from the right palm, one with each name, then wash the hands with the fourth.

   ॐ केशवाय नमः ।ॐ नारायणाय नमः ।ॐ माधवाय नमः ।ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः (हस्तप्रक्षालनम्) ॥

4. 4 Lighting the lamp

   Light the main ghee lamp on the right side of the deity (as you face it) and keep it burning through the puja.

   शुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यं धनसम्पदा ।शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

5. 5 Sankalpa (resolve)

   Take water, akshat, a flower and a coin in the right hand and state the time and place (the Panchang details below), your name and gotra (if known) and the purpose: the Janmashtami vrata and the worship of Krishna at his birth. Then let the water flow onto the ground or a plate.

   ॐ विष्णुर्विष्णुर्विष्णुः ।अद्य … मासे … पक्षे … तिथौ … वासरे …… गोत्रः … नामाहं … पूजनं करिष्ये ॥

   A priest or an elder can recite the full sankalpa; saying it in your own language is equally accepted in household worship.

6. 6 Ganesha puja

   Worship Ganesha first, who removes obstacles: offer water, roli, akshat, durva, a flower and a sweet (a betel nut wrapped in mauli can stand for Ganesha).

   वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ ।निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥

   ॐ गं गणपतये नमः ॥

7. 7 Dhyana and avahana of the deity

   Meditate on the deity’s form, then invite the deity into the idol or picture with flowers and akshat in folded hands.

   कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने ।प्रणतक्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥

   ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । आवाहयामि स्थापयामि ॥

8. 8 Midnight abhisheka

   At Nishita, bathe Bal Gopal with panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) — from a conch if you have one — then with gangajal, while chanting the mantra; sing or ring bells to celebrate the birth.

   ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥

9. 9 Shringar and jhula

   Dry the idol, dress it in new clothes, a crown and a flute, apply chandan and place Bal Gopal in the jhula; swing it gently.

10. 10 Shodashopachara (the sixteen offerings)

    Offer each upachara with its formula. In a short puja the five offerings (panchopachara) are enough: gandha, pushpa, dhupa, dipa and naivedya.

    The sixteen upacharas with their formulas

    1. Avahana (invitation) — Invite the deity with folded hands and a flower. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । आवाहयामि ॥
    2. Asana (seat) — Offer a seat: a flower or akshat at the place of the idol. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । आसनं समर्पयामि ॥
    3. Padya (water for the feet) — Offer water for washing the feet. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । पाद्यं समर्पयामि ॥
    4. Arghya — Offer water with akshat, flowers and sandal for the hands. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । अर्घ्यं समर्पयामि ॥
    5. Achamaniya — Offer water for sipping. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । आचमनीयं समर्पयामि ॥
    6. Snana (bath) — Bathe the idol with panchamrit, then with clean water (a picture is sprinkled). ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । स्नानं समर्पयामि ॥
    7. Vastra (clothes) — Offer clothes or mauli. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । वस्त्रं समर्पयामि ॥
    8. Yajnopavita (sacred thread) — Offer the sacred thread (for a goddess: ornaments, bangles and sindoor). ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । यज्ञोपवीतं समर्पयामि ॥
    9. Gandha (sandal) — Apply chandan, roli and akshat. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । गन्धं समर्पयामि ॥
    10. Pushpa (flowers) — Offer flowers and the garland (and the deity’s own leaves: durva, bilva, tulsi). ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । पुष्पाणि समर्पयामि ॥
    11. Dhupa (incense) — Wave incense. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । धूपम् आघ्रापयामि ॥
    12. Dipa (lamp) — Show the ghee lamp. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । दीपं दर्शयामि ॥
    13. Naivedya (food) — Offer the sweets and fruits, then water to sip. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । नैवेद्यं निवेदयामि ॥
    14. Tambula and dakshina — Offer a betel leaf with supari, cloves and cardamom, and the dakshina. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । ताम्बूलं समर्पयामि ॥
    15. Pradakshina and namaskara — Go round clockwise (or turn round in place) and bow. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । प्रदक्षिणां समर्पयामि ॥
    16. Mantra-pushpanjali — Offer a handful of flowers with folded hands. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । मन्त्रपुष्पाञ्जलिं समर्पयामि ॥

    Lists of the sixteen differ slightly between paddhatis (some count achamana twice or end with visarjana).

11. 11 Naivedya with tulsi

    Offer makhan-mishri, panjiri, panchamrit and fruit, each with a tulsi leaf (picked the day before).

    महाप्रसादजननी सर्वसौभाग्यवर्धिनी ।आधिव्याधिहरा नित्यं तुलसि त्वं नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

12. 12 Mantra japa

    Chant the deity’s mantra 108 times (one mala) with a calm mind.

    ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥

13. 13 Aarti

    Light camphor or the ghee lamp in the aarti plate, ring the bell and wave the plate clockwise before the deity while the family sings the aarti. Then offer the flame to everyone present.

    From our Bhakti library: ॐ जय जगदीश हरे

    कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् ।सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥

14. 14 Pushpanjali

    Stand with flowers in folded hands, offer them at the deity’s feet and bow.

    ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः । मन्त्रपुष्पाञ्जलिं समर्पयामि ॥

15. 15 Pradakshina

    Go round the altar clockwise (or turn round where you stand) and bow.

    यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मान्तरकृतानि च ।तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणपदे पदे ॥

16. 16 Kshama prarthana

    With folded hands ask forgiveness for any omission in the worship, then distribute the prasad.

    आवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम् ।पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वर ॥मन्त्रहीनं क्रियाहीनं भक्तिहीनं सुरेश्वर ।यत्पूजितं मया देव परिपूर्णं तदस्तु मे ॥

17. 17 Visarjana and prasad

    Distribute the panchamrit and prasad. Break the fast after the puja or the next morning in the parana window, as your family keeps it.