Muhurat for Satyanarayan Puja

What this event is

The Satyanarayan Puja is a worship of Vishnu in the form of Satyanarayan, "the Lord who is truth". It is held in many homes on happy occasions and as a thanksgiving, and it is one of the simplest and most popular home pujas. It is followed by the Satyanarayan Katha, a set of stories on the power of truthfulness and keeping a vow. The tradition attributes the katha to the Skanda Purana.

Auspicious timing in the classical guidance

This puja is not bound by strict muhurat rules, which is a reason for its popularity. Priests and families follow differing customs, so use what your family follows.

Most favoured

• Purnima (full-moon day) is the traditional and most widely loved day, and many families hold the puja every month. See the Purnima Vrat page.
• Thursday, the day of Jupiter and Vishnu, is the most favoured weekday.
• Ekadashi, Sankranti, and the day of a festival to Vishnu are also well suited.
• Happy occasions such as a housewarming, a wedding, a birth, a new job, a safe return from travel, or recovery from illness are traditional times to hold it as a thanksgiving.

Avoid

• Rahu Kalam, Bhadra and the hours of an eclipse are avoided for starting the puja.
• Otherwise any month, paksha, nakshatra and weekday may be used. Practical reasons such as guests' availability are acceptable.

Time of day. The puja is usually done in the morning or evening. Many families do it in the evening on Purnima, after sunset, once the guests have come. Some do it in the morning, with a fast until the puja is complete. Follow the family custom.

Preparation and ritual outline

1. Clean the home and the puja area, and prepare a low platform. Place a picture or idol of Satyanarayan (Vishnu), and a kalash (water pot) with mango leaves and a coconut.
2. Bathe, wear clean clothes, and sit facing east if you can.
3. Take the sankalp (statement of intention) and perform Ganesh puja. Invoke the Navagraha (nine planets) briefly if the priest advises.
4. Perform the main puja of Satyanarayan with water, flowers, tulsi (holy basil) leaves, incense, a lamp and panchamrit (milk, curd, honey, ghee and sugar).
5. Read or hear the katha, which has five chapters. Everyone listens in silence.
6. Perform the aarti (lamp offering).
7. Offer the prasad, which is traditionally sheera (a semolina or wheat pudding with ghee, sugar and banana) mixed with panchamrit. Distribute it to everyone.

A simple mantra is ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya). Ask a priest or elder to guide pronunciation.

Fasting

Many households fast until the puja is complete. People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast, such as fruit and milk.

Practical notes for the USA

This is one of the easiest pujas to hold in the USA. Many families do it on a Saturday or Sunday evening, or on the closest Purnima that falls on a weekend, instead of a working weekday.

• Priest. Priests and temples will conduct it at home, and many are happy to do it online. If no priest is available, a family elder may read the katha from a book.
• Samagri. Indian grocery stores sell kits. Fresh tulsi may be replaced with dried leaves if needed.
• Apartments. Use a ghee lamp or an electric lamp. Keep the ventilation on if you light incense or camphor.
• Time zone. For a Purnima puja, use the local times shown for your city.

This is general guidance. A personal muhurat is made from the family's own horoscopes by a qualified jyotishi.