Excerpt from an article in Shanthi Sandesh, Volume 7, no. 3, August 2012 by Vellore Gopalaratnam
Samuhika Satyanarayana Puja, a yearly devotional community prayer service, was held at the Shanthi Mandir on August 4th, 2012. The “Samuhika”(or community) format of the Satyanarayana Puja (ritual prayer service dedicated to Lord Satyanarayana, a popular form of Lord Vishnu – one of the trinity of Hindu Gods) involved multiple families praying collectively for the spiritual upliftment of the entire community. Fourteen families performed the Puja (prayer ritual) under the able guidance of Mr. N. Srikanta and Mrs. Hema Srikanta. Several other families attended the Puja and partook in the spiritual and social aspects of the devotional celebration.
The Satyanarayana Puja is typically performed in conjunction with significant auspicious events in one’s life (wedding, a new home, a new job etc.) to give thanks for goals reached. It is most auspicious when conducted on the day of the full moon (Purnima) and is typically performed by families to strengthen family and community harmony and to bestow the Grace of Lord Satyanarayana on all. This prayer service is very accessible and hence largely participatory. It has both devotional and social components, with the prayer service followed by sharing of the Satyanarayana Katha (stories on the significance and benefits of performing the Satyanarayana Puja) and a community meal.
The puja started with prayers to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. This was followed by prayers dedicated to the Navagrahas – the nine celestial influences on Mother Earth. This includes the planets: Surya (the Sun), Chandra (the moon), Angaaraka (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Sani (Saturn), Rahu (north or ascending lunar node), and Ketu (south or descending lunar node). The main component of the prayer service is dedicated to the worship of Lord Satyanarayana. A requirement of the Puja is that the stories of the Puja be heard among all those observing and partaking in the Puja. These stories drawn from the Skanda Purana (Hindu scriptures dated 11th-12th century BCE) talk about the origin of the puja, and the benefits from performing the puja.
The prayer concluded with an Aarti. The devotional service was followed by sharing of Prasad (the food offered to the Lord) and a community meal to strengthen social bonds
