Pooja is an integral part of starting the day in many traditions. It is typically performed after a morning bath, at the break of dawn. Scientifically, sunlight splits into seven main colors plus two additional spectrums, forming the visible and invisible light range. The Paramasayika Mandala, a traditional Vastu plan for human dwellings, divides a home into nine parts on each side.
The North-East aligns with the first part of the Eastern direction, where the beneficial ultraviolet rays of the Sun are most prominent. These rays, along with other cool-spectrum colors like violet, indigo, and blue, have a soothing effect on the body and mind. Therefore, the North-East is ideal for meditation, pooja, and even spaces for elderly people, pregnant women, or patients to rest.
Morning walks are also encouraged during dawn as the ultraviolet rays of the Sun are most beneficial at this time, enhancing vitality and well-being.
Lighting a diya before the altar is a common and sacred practice. Some light it during morning prayers, others in the evening, and some maintain it continuously for specific rituals or purposes, such as an Akhand Deepak (a diya that burns uninterrupted for a set duration).
Every auspicious ceremony begins with lighting a diya, symbolizing the victory of knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness. Light represents knowledge, which is regarded as the greatest wealth, enabling all other achievements in life.
While an electric bulb can also remove darkness, an oil or ghee diya holds deeper spiritual significance.
The diya flame always burns upwards, reminding us to strive for higher ideals. While lighting a diya, a traditional prayer is often recited:
Deepajyoti Parabrahma
Deepa Sarva Tamopaha
Deepena Sadhyate Sarvam
Sandhya Deepo Namostute.
(I prostrate to the diya, whose light is the Knowledge Principle that removes the darkness of ignorance and leads to the attainment of all goals.)
Most Indian homes have a dedicated prayer room or altar, where a diya is lit, and the Lord is worshipped daily. This space is also used for spiritual practices like japa (repetition of the Lord’s name), meditation, parayana (scripture reading), and devotional singing.
Every room in a house serves a specific purpose, like sleeping, cooking, or hosting guests. Similarly, a prayer room creates an environment conducive to meditation, worship, and communion with the Divine. Spending time in this sacred space can rejuvenate the mind, calm the senses, and elevate spiritual awareness, even during moments of fatigue or pessimism.
By aligning pooja practices with Vastu principles, incorporating the symbolic significance of the diya, and creating a dedicated prayer room, we invite harmony, positivity, and divine blessings into our lives.
Why Pooja in North East?
Pooja is the first thing to start our day. One performs it after having bath at onset of day. Everyone knows that Sun s rays are split in 7 plus 2 colors. We speak of the Paramasayika mandala for human habitation (manushyalaya). This plan divides each side into 9 parts. Beginning right from ultra-violet rays in the first part on the Eastern side corresponding to North-east, the Sun s beneficial rays further split into violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and infra-red in the last part corresponding to the South-east. Ultra-violet and the cold colors of the spectrum are said to have a soothing effect on the body and hence, the North-east room is recommended for meditation, pooja, keeping patients and elderly people, pregnant ladies.
Due to beneficial ultra violet rays of sun at dawn daily walk is recommended at early morning of the day only.
Why do we light Diya ? This is a common practice to light a Diya before the altar of the Lord. Some people light it in morning prayer, some in evening prayer, Some light it both time, some maintain it continuously for specific period and purpose and for specific number of days which remains lighted 24 hours which is called Akhand Deepak . All auspicious ceremonies commence with the lighting of the Diya and maintain it through out the completion of ceremony. Light symbolizes knowledge removes darkness and ignorance. God is principal source of knowledge (Chaitanya) who is also the illuminator of all knowledge hence light is worshipped as the Lord himself. Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Knowledge is also inner wealth by which all outer achievements can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth. Then question arise why not to light electric bulb instead of Diya ? Correct this too will remove darkness but the traditional oil/ghee diya/lamp has its own spiritual significance. The oil/ghee in the diya symbolizes our vaasanas ( (manifestation of desires)) or negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the vaasnas (lust) get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of a diya always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals. While lighting the diya we thus pray: Deepajyoti parabrahma Deepa sarva tamppahaha Depena saadhyate saram Sandhyaa deepo namostute I prostrate to the dawn/dusk diya; whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life.
Why should we have a prayer room Most of Indian homes have a prayer room or altar. A lamp or diya is lit and the Lord worshipped every day. Other spiritual practices like Japa- the repetition of the Lord s name, meditation, paaraayana- reading of the scriptures, prqyers, and devotional singing etc. are also done here. Special worship is done on auspicious occasions like birthday, anniversaries, festivals and the like. Each member of the family young or old communes with and worships the Divine here. The Lord is the entire creation. He is therefore the true owner of the house we live in too.The prayer room is the actually master (of universe) room of the house. We are the earthly occupants of His property. This notion rides us of false pride and possessiveness. The ideal attitude to take is to regard the Lord as the true owner of our homes and us as caretakers of His home. But if that is rather difficult, we could at least think of Him as a very welcome guest. Just as we would house an important guest in the best comfort, so too we felicitate the Lord s presence in our home by having a prayer room or a altar, which is at all times, kept clean and well decorated. Also the Lord is pervading. To remind us that He resides in our home with us, we have prayer room. Without the grace of the Lord, no task can be successfully or easily accomplished, We invoke his grace by communing with him in the prayer room each day and on special occasions. Each room in a house is dedicated to a specific function like the berfroom for resting, the drawing room to receive guests, the kitchen for cooking etc. The furniture, decore and the atmosphere of each room are made conducive to the purpose it serves. So too for the purpose of meditation, worship and prayer, we should have a conducive atmosphere, hence the need for a prayer room. Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the place and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Spiritual thoughts and vibrations accumulated through regular meditation, worship and chanting done there pervade the prayer room. Even when we are tired or pessimistic, by just sitting in the prayer room for a while, we feel calm, rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted.
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