Puja Tips: Whenever Making Offerings These Things Should be Kept in Mind to not Offend the Gods

People pray to the deities to ask for their blessings, to help them deal with some problems in their lives, or ask for forgiveness for the sins committed by them or to simply thank them for showering their blessings upon them.

It is a common practice that while praying to the deities people make different types of offerings to them in order to placate them and keep them in good humour and also to show their gratitude towards them.

However, it is not uncommon to see people making some very basic mistakes while making these offerings to the Gods. These mistakes are committed mostly out of ignorance about the rules regarding puja. For example people often don’t know what to say while offering bhog. In astrology, rules regarding worship have been explained in detail. Let us check out what are these rules and how they should be followed.

Different type of prasad or bhog is offered to the deities. However, one should be mindful of the fact that all the deities have their favorite bhog. But, due to lack of aware, people offer anything to them as bhog. This can result in the devotees not being able to get the blessings that they have been praying for. Lord Vishnu, Brahma ji and Shivji like different types of bhog. Therefore, before offering bhog to the deities, one should find out which deity like which particular bhog and do so accordingly to get the blessings in their entirity.

Offerings to the deities

It is said that kheer or semoline pudding is the favourite of Lord Vishnu. This is also considered his favorite indulgence. Secondly, one should offer bhog to Lord Vishnu only by keeping leaves of Tulsi in the worship thali. It is said that this bhog also happens to be the favourite of Maa Lakshmi so one can offer her the same while being mindful of what else one should offer her. Bhang, Dhatura, Panchamrit are considered to be the favorite food of Lord Shiva. Along with this, Bhole Bhandari also likes sweet food. Kheer is the favourite of Maa Parvati.

The food offered to the Gods should be clean and pure. Along with cleaning the kitchen first, it is very important to take care of one's own cleanliness and hygene while preparing the bhog which is to be offered to the deities. Always prepare prasad for the deities God after taking a bath and wearing clean clothes.

False food should never be offered to the deities even by mistake. One should never make the mistake of tasting the prasad even out of ignorance. The bhog offered to Gods should be taken out beforehand and kept separately. After offering it to the deities, it should be distributed among the other devotees.

Mostly people do not know what to say while offering food to the deities. A special mantra has been given for this specific purpose which people should know and chant while offering food to the Gods.

“Surrender to Govind Tubhyamev.

Gharhan Sammukho Bhutva Prasid Parmeshwar”.

The meaning of this mantra or verse is that, “O God, whatever I have is given by you. Therefore, whatever you have blessed me with I humbly offer it to thee. Please accept it and be pleased with me”.