Brahmachari Shantamrita Chaitanya - Pujas & Homas in Australia
 What is a Puja / Homa?
Puja is ritualistic worship of the Divine performed to keep us in harmony with cosmic forces, thereby removing and overcoming the sorrows of life and bringing spiritual upliftment.
Puja or ritual worship of images of God, the Divine Mother or the Guru has a special place in spiritual sadhana. The puja is a simple expression of our love and devotion, a means of drawing near to the Divine.
In pujas, through worship and offerings the grace of the deity (such as Ganesha) is invoked, bestowing spiritual and material blessings. There are many different types of pujas, from a private daily worship at home to large-scale temple rituals conducted simultaneously by many priests.
 In a homa, a sacred fire is lit in a square hearth made of bricks (homa kunda), in which many offering are made.
This homa kunda symbolizes the mouth of God, and by offering the purified items into it, the worshipper can make direct contact with the Divine. Furthermore, when the offerings are burned in the fire, their solid matter is transformed into a more subtle, powerful, and effective form.
Read more about the science of pujas and homas, and what Amma says about them...
Pujas & Homas In Australia
The following Pujas/ Homas will be conducted during Brahmachari Shantamrita Chaitanya’s Tour of Australia in August 2008.
Attending the Puja and Homa rituals is free of charge but it is also possible to have a specific puja/homa performed for you or your loved ones and have your name added to the sankalpa (resolve) of that ritual whether you are attending the ritual or not. For this service there is a charge and proceeds from the pujas and homas will go towards Amma’s numerous humanitarian projects and also to cover the expenses associated with performing the pujas.
Once you have decided which ritual you would like performed for you please download the appropriate registration/payment form for that specific puja/homa. If you have any queries, please contact the relevant state coordinator where the homa/puja is to be performed.
HOMAS
The Following homas are being performed :
- In Northern New South Wales at the Tyalgum retreat on August 3rd
- At the Melbourne Ashram in Carrum Downs, Victoria on August 17th
| Ganapathy Homa |
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| For positive vibrations in the house, when starting new ventures such as a new job, or generally to remove obstacles in your life. |
$65 |
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| Maha Ganapathy Homa |
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| If suffering from losses, when starting a new business or investments, when getting married, or to remove obstacles. Also for birthdays |
$130 |
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| Karuka Homa |
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| For the health and welfare of children and to develop academic ability. Also relieves stomach problems for elders. |
$100 |
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| Tila Homa |
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| For departed souls, to be performed 45 days after death or later; for peace of one's ancestors and to receive the blessings of ancestors. |
$190 |
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| Navagraha Homa |
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| Puja for all individual planets. |
$250 |
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| Swayamvara Homa |
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| For getting married. This is commonly selected along with Ganapathy or Mahaganapathy. |
$35 |
The Following homa is being performed :
- In Sydney on August 9th
- In Adelaide on August 12th
- In South Lake, Western Australia on August 26th
| Mahasudharshana Homa |
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| For peace and happiness and to get rid of evil forces. |
$130 |
PUJAS
The following Pujas are being performed:
- In Canberra on August 6th
- In Devonport, Tasmania on August 19th
| Durga |
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| For the elimination of all suffering through the grace of the Divine Mother and to get rid of evil tendencies in us. |
$65 |
The following Puja is being performed:
- At the Melbourne ashram in Carrum Downs,Victoria on August 22nd
| Bhagavati Seva |
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| For protection from miseries, fulfillment of wishes and for spiritual benefits. Performed per Kerala tradition, just after sunset to receive the blessings of the Divine Mother. |
$100 |
Contact Details for Enquiries
Queensland/ Northern New South Wales:
byronbay@ammaaustralia.org.au or 02 6685 9939
Canberra:
canberra@ammaaustralia.org.au or 02 6247 8519
Sydney:
sydney@ammaaustralia.org.au or 02 9590 7935
Adelaide:
adelaide@ammaaustralia.org.au or 08 8271 8006
Melbourne:
melbourne@ammaaustralia.org.au or 03 9782 9927
Devonport:
devonport@ammaaustralia.org.au or 03 6424 2817
Perth:
perth@ammaaustralia.org.au or 08 9417 7493
The science of Pujas and Homas, and what Amma says about them...
By doing pujas and homas, thoughts and vibrations of spiritual forces are created around us. These spiritual forces work to eliminate the negative influences in our life and help surround us with positive energy which can bring us peace of mind, material prosperity and enable us to more clearly touch the Divine, our true nature.
 Pujas and Homas are traditionally performed by priests trained in the exact science of puja including the precise details of auspicious times to do certain pujas, which mantras to chant, etc. Brahmachari Shantamrita Chaitanya is one such trained priest.
Amma’s pujas and homas, handed down by ancient tradition are usually performed at Amma's brahmasthanam temples, but now, for the first time in Australia, such pujas and homas will be performed without the temple. It will certainly be a rare chance to experience these pujas and homas that have Amma's powerful divine resolve.
By coming into contact with these pujas and homas, we can feel and experience their sacredness and their power to purify the environment. These ceremonies are also considered very effective in helping us to realize our desires and goals in material life. Come feel the difference. It will certainly be a rare chance to experience these pujas and homas that have Amma's powerful divine resolve.
Both Pujas and Homas are “upayas” (methods to alter one's destiny). As in other upayas, by "offering oneself" to the Divine, the individual can alter his destiny through Divine Grace.
 Pujas and homas represent a sophisticated yet ancient technology by which we can directly work on the various phenomena that affect our lives and destiny, using ordinary everyday materials. This spiritual science was revealed by the Realized Sages of ancient India, called "Rishis", and has been handed down through the generations for the sake of mankind.
By performing pujas/homas the environment becomes purified. Nature becomes pleased with us and bestows It’s Grace on us. Not only that, the subtle essence of the mantras, items used and various offerings made literally becomes food for our ancestors (who dwell on a subtle plane.) from which they receive nourishment and they in return bestow blessings on us as well.
This form of worship, performed with concentration, sincerity and love has proven to be a tremendous tool for stress release and self-healing on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels due to the intensity of purifying vibrations generated by and within the practitioner.
Finally, the object of all rituals is to create thoughts and vibrations of spiritual forces in and around us. This is best achieved by singing or chanting of mantras, performing certain actions and making offerings. The Sanskrit verses repeated in the puja are extremely powerful repositories of spiritual forces. These spiritual forces are released into the atmosphere and promote Love and Peace throughout the entire world.
What Amma Says
 Amma says that her path is "love" and her religion is "love and selfless service".
However, vedic practices such as pujas and homas are certainly beneficial to those who have faith in them. It would be ideal if we pray that all our pujas lead us to the path of love that Amma shows us all the time.
Amma says "Children, whatever you are engaged in, you must always be thinking of God. This is the purpose of rituals. Rituals will foster good habits and they will bring order in life. Every ritual was created as an aid to maintain an unbroken remembrance of God."
"The malefic planetary conjunctions are the phases in one's life when one's aura gets darkened. Such a person is like one groping in the darkness. His thoughts and activities are misguided. The vibrations radiating from him displease others. It is possible to reduce the suffering due to the unfavorable position of planets through sincere reliance on God, the One who controls the planets. The Indwelling Lord cannot turn a deaf ear to a soulful prayer said with an open heart."
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