How to Do Shanti Puja at Home

Prepare the Puja Space

A clean, sanctified space is essential for effective puja:

1. Clean the area: Sweep and mop the puja room or corner
2. Sprinkle Gangajal: If available, sprinkle holy water to purify
3. Lay a cloth: Use the planet's color (see below)
4. Set up kalash: Fill with water, add rice grains, place mango leaves, top with coconut
5. Place yantra/image: If you have a Navagraha yantra or specific planet image
6. Arrange items: Keep all puja materials within reach

Planet Colors:

• Sun - Red/Orange
• Moon - White
• Mars - Red
• Mercury - Green
• Jupiter - Yellow
• Venus - White/Pink
• Saturn - Black/Blue
• Rahu - Blue/Black
• Ketu - Grey/Brown

Gather Planet-Specific Materials

Each planet requires specific offerings. Here's a comprehensive list:

Sun (Surya):

• Wheat grains, jaggery, red flowers (hibiscus)
• Copper vessel, red sandalwood
• Offering: Kheer made with wheat

Moon (Chandra):

• White rice, white flowers (jasmine, lotus)
• Silver vessel, milk, curd
• Offering: Rice kheer

Mars (Mangal):

• Red lentils (masoor dal), red flowers
• Copper vessel, red cloth
• Offering: Sweet made from lentils

Mercury (Budh):

• Green moong dal, green durva grass
• Bronze vessel, green cloth
• Offering: Moong dal halwa

Jupiter (Guru/Brihaspati):

• Chana dal, yellow flowers (marigold)
• Gold/brass vessel, turmeric
• Offering: Besan laddoo

Venus (Shukra):

• White rice, white flowers, white sesame
• Silver vessel, white sandalwood
• Offering: Rice kheer with camphor

Saturn (Shani):

• Black sesame (til), black urad dal
• Iron vessel, black cloth, mustard oil
• Offering: Urad dal preparations

Rahu:

• Coconut, blue flowers, durva grass
• Lead vessel (if available), sandalwood
• Offering: Coconut-based sweets

Ketu:

• Kusha grass, mixed colored flowers
• Clay vessel, sesame seeds
• Offering: Sesame sweets

Perform Sankalp

Sankalp is the formal declaration of your intention. This is crucial as it directs the energy of your puja:

1. Sit in padmasana or sukhasana facing the altar
2. Take water in right palm with a few rice grains and flowers
3. Speak the sankalp:

"Om Vishnur Vishnur Vishnur, Shrimad Bhagwato Maha Purushasya Vishnor Aagyaya Pravartamanasya, Adya [today's tithi] [month] [year], [your name] [your gotra] aham [planet name] Graha Shanti Pujanam Karishye."

Translation: "By the command of Lord Vishnu, I [your name] of [gotra] am performing [planet] Shanti Puja on this day for peace and removal of planetary afflictions."

4. Release the water onto the puja thali or ground

Invoke Ganesha First

Lord Ganesha is always worshipped first to remove obstacles from any ritual:

1. Place Ganesha idol or image or create a small turmeric mound
2. Offer red flowers (hibiscus preferred)
3. Offer modak or laddoo (or any sweet available)
4. Light incense and wave it around the image
5. Chant the mantra 11 times:

"Om Gan Ganapataye Namah"

Or the longer version:

"Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha, Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva Karyeshu Sarvada"

After Ganesha puja, you can proceed to the main planetary worship.

Recite Planet Mantras

The core of Graha Shanti is mantra recitation. Use a 108-bead mala and chant with focus:

Beej (Seed) Mantras - Most Powerful:

• Sun: "Om Hram Hreem Hroum Sah Suryaya Namah"
• Moon: "Om Shram Shreem Shroum Sah Chandraya Namah"
• Mars: "Om Kram Kreem Kroum Sah Bhaumaya Namah"
• Mercury: "Om Bram Breem Broum Sah Budhaya Namah"
• Jupiter: "Om Gram Greem Groum Sah Gurave Namah"
• Venus: "Om Dram Dreem Droum Sah Shukraya Namah"
• Saturn: "Om Pram Preem Proum Sah Shanaye Namah"
• Rahu: "Om Bhram Bhreem Bhroum Sah Rahuve Namah"
• Ketu: "Om Stram Streem Stroum Sah Ketave Namah"

Simple Mantras (Easier to pronounce):

• Sun: "Om Suryaya Namah"
• Moon: "Om Chandraya Namah"
• Mars: "Om Mangalaya Namah"
• Mercury: "Om Budhaya Namah"
• Jupiter: "Om Gurave Namah"
• Venus: "Om Shukraya Namah"
• Saturn: "Om Shanicharaya Namah"
• Rahu: "Om Rahuve Namah"
• Ketu: "Om Ketave Namah"

Recommended counts:

• Minimum: 108 times (1 mala)
• Better: 1,008 times (if time permits)
• For severe issues: 7,000, 19,000, or 125,000 over multiple days

Perform Aarti and Prasad

Conclude the puja with aarti and offerings:

1. Light camphor on a small plate or aarti thali
2. Circle the flame clockwise around the deity/yantra 3 times
3. Ring a bell if available (purifies the space)
4. Offer naivedya: Place the food offering before the deity
5. Offer water: Sprinkle drops around the offering
6. Recite closing prayers: "Karpoora Gauram Karunaavataram..."
7. Distribute prasad: Share the blessed food with family

Post-Puja Practices:

• Donate planet-specific items to the needy
• Feed animals (crows for Saturn, cows for all planets)
• Maintain a sattvic (pure) diet on puja day
• Avoid anger, arguments, and negative thoughts