Mahaa Puja
mahaapuujaa
After the saints Kanaka and others complete their services to the Lord, it is believed that Sri Madhvacharya himself performs the main puujaa through the Paryaya Swamiji. The mahaapuujaa is the last service in the forenoon.
The Paryaya Swamiji again performs his ablution in the tank. The drum known as nagaari is beaten to announce the commencement of the ritual. The drum beating conveys the message to the entire town. As soon as the message of the Swamiji's going for his ablution reaches the devotees, those who desire to witness the puujaa start coming towards the temple.
When the Swamiji starts his rituals the priests begin to chant sahasra naama and other vedic hymns. At the end of the arcane different dishes are offered as naiveedya. The offering consists of fourteen seers of rice. Sweets pudding paramaanna, huggi appa, vade, chakkuli, gullooridge, hoolige, atirasa, laddu, laddige, pancakajjaya, milk curds, fruits, coconut, betal leaf and nut etc are offered. And along with it rice cake and rice gruel in a silver bowl are also offered.
During this ritual of samarpana the musicians chant dvaadasa stootras. The Swamiji puts tulasii sprouts into the dishes and then comes out of the shrine for some time. It is believed that Sri Madhvacharya himself comes to the shrine at that time to offer the dishes to Krishna.
After this the aaratis are waved. Different kinds of musical instruments and bells like sankha, bheerii, taala, ganthaa are played. This is a feast to the eyes of the devotees assembled in the temple.
After this the swamiji comes to the shrine of Mukhya Prana and offers worship. The naiveedya offered to Krishna is now offered to Mukhya Prana. The swamiji waves aarati both to Mukhya Prana and Garuda.
Then the swamiji offers puujaa to the idol of Madhvachrya at the entrance. He stands at the steps and performs pancoopacaara and waves aarati.
He then performs puujaa to the deities of his mutt in the room known as simhaasana. HE then goes round the shrine and prostrates before the idol. From there the swamiji goes to the tank and offers oblation to preceptor and saints and worships the idol of Bhagirathi The naiveedya is thrown into the tank for the benefit of the fishes.
The swamiji then proceeds towards the Subramanya Shrine located by the side of the Vasantha Mahal. After worshipping Subramanya he visits vrndavana and pays homage and offers holy water to departed preceptors. He also goes round the pipal tree there and finally returns to the temple.
Then sitting in the simhaasana he accepts the holy water and also distributes holy water to the devotees. He takes his food along with scholars and pilgrims in cauki. These are the activeties after the mahaa puujaa.
