Aarti Process

Aarti Process

1. First of all, do achman. Take a cup of copper or brass filled with water, and one spoon of the same material. Take water from your right hand via spoon and pour on your left hand. Now take the spoon on your left hand and pour water on your right hand. Pour water in the right hand 3 times and each time drink the water by chanting these three names of the Lord.
   • a. Om Keshvay Namah
   • b. Om Narayanaya Namah
   • c. Om Madhavay Namah
2. Now prepare the Arati thali. The aarti thali of mangalaaarti constitute of the following things.
   • a. Incense (Agarbatti)
   • b. Deepak (Lamp) with Bati (Lamp wick) in it.
   • c. Natural Flowers (Parijat, rose, mogra, orchids or flowers which have good smell).
   • d. Conch shell for Bathing Lord
   • e. Handkerchief
   • f. Chamar (Yak- Tail Whisk)
   • g. Peacock Feather

Other things needed for the aarti –

1. Hand Bell
2. Conchshell for blowing
3. Achman Cups & spoons
4. Matchsticks
5. An extra Deepak (Lamp) with Bati (Lamp wick) in it
6. A small plate for flowers

Begin aarti after performing acamana (purification). Offer obeisance’s to Srila Prabhupada, requesting to offer the aarti to the Lord. Begin aarti with the pancha-patra, taking three spoons of water from the pot and pouring them first into one hand, then the other, to purify the hands.

Before picking up and offering each item, first purify your right hand and then the item by sprinkling them with water from the pancha-patra. Purify the item by taking the spoon in your right hand and sprinkle water on the item directly from the spoon.

Open the curtains or altar doors while ringing the bell.

As aarti is performed, stand on the left side of the altar (as viewed from temple room), being careful not to block the front view of the altar. Each item to be offered is held in the right hand. With the bell always held in the left hand above the waist, continuously ring the bell while offering each of the items, in order.

Begin by offering first to SrilaPrabhupada, asking to assist as he offers each item first to the most prominent Deity, then offering to other deities, in descending order (e.g., Radha-Krsna first, then Jagannath Deities, then Gaura-Nitai, PanchaTattva, the Goswamis, the other Acaryas.

In a mood of humility, mentally asking that each item be accepted, wave the offered items (except chamar and fan) with a graceful circular motion. After the item has been offered to all the worship able deities, face out from the altar and offer the item, in the general direction of the devotees.

Offered items should not be mixed with unoffered items. So place them outside the plate.

Pour three spoons of water on the conch. Standing at the side of the altar (pointing away from altar), or standing just outside the temple room, blow loudly on the shankh three times. The transcendental sound of the conch purifies all who hear it, and announces the start of aarti. The conch may then be placed on an asana (stand).

Light a small ghee lamp, and use that flame to light incense, lamp etc.

Offer the items in this order:

1. Light 1 or 3 or 5 sticks of incense from the smallghee lamp flame. Now offer the incense sticks by waving in a circular motion in the order below:
   • Lotus Feet – 4 times
   • Naval – 3 times
   • Full Body – 7 times
   After offering the incense, put the sticks in the incense holder.
2. Now light the ghee lamp and offer it. Offer the lamp in the order below:
   • Lotus Feet – 4 times
   • Naval – 2 times
   • Face – 3 times
   • Full Body – 7 times
   After offering then pass it off to one of the devotees, who will offer it to each devotee present in the room. When the lamp is offered to them, devotees pass their hand through the flame and touch it to their head.
3. Fill the small conch with water by pouring water into it from the water pot. Once full, offer the conch in the order below:
   • Full Body – 7 times
   After offering to each deity, transfer little water from the conch into a water pot. And at last pour the remaining full water into the water pot. After the full aarti pour the water from this water pot into your right hand, then turn and sprinkle it onto the devotees.
4. Offer the handkerchief in the order below:
   • Lotus Feet – 4 times
   • Naval – 2 times
   • Face – 3 times
   • Full Body – 7 times
5. Offer the flower, then pass it to a devotee, who will offer it to each of the devotees to smell.
6. Offer the chamar with a gentle sweeping motion, making long vertical strokes. Numbers - depending upon time.
7. In warm weather, offer the peacock fan with gentle back-and-forth motions. Numbers - depending upon time.
8. After this again blow loudly on the shankh three times to signal the end of the offering.

Mangala Arati: Full 7 things.

Tulsi Arati: In tulsi aarti you should use three things – 1. Incense, 2. Ghee lamp and 3. Flowers.

Darshan Arati: In Darshan aarti you should use three things – 1. Incense, 2. Ghee Lamp and 3. Chamar.

Guru Puja – All 7 things.

Gaura Aarti – All 7 things.

For short aarti you can offer these three items-1. Incense, 2. Ghee Lamp, and 3. Flowers

Full artis (including fanning) may last up to 15-20 minutes. Shorter artis last only five to six minutes.