Holi Puja Vidhi and Mantra
Holi Pujan (होली पूजन) is done twice on Holi, first in the afternoon before bonfire, this is known as Thandi Holi (ठंडी होली) and then in the evening at the time of Holika Dahan (होलिका दहन) or Bonfire.
Holi Puja or Holika Dahan is the prime ritual of Holi – the festival of colours. This year holi puja will be performed on 9th March 2020. It is a celebration of the victory of ‘good’ over ‘bad’. People light bonfires in the evening and offer puja.
Given below are the steps and rituals for the Holi Pooja:
- Holi Pooja can be performed at any place.
- A log of wood is kept at a prominent public place on the Vasant Panchami day.
- People extend the log centre with twigs, dried leaves, branches of trees and other combustible material.
- On the day of Holika Dahan, an effigy of Holika and Prahlad is placed on the huge heap of woods.
- Effigy of Holika is made of combustible material while Prahlad’s effigy is made of non-combustible material.
- On the eve of Holi, the heap is set alight and the people chant Rakshoghna Mantras of the Rig Veda to cast away the evil spirits.
- Left over ashes are collected by people next morning. These ashes are considered holy and are smeared on the limbs of the body as Holi Prasad.
- Smearing of body limbs is an act of purification.
Holi Puja Mantra
अहकूटा भयत्रस्तैः कृता त्वं होलि बालिशैः
अतस्वां पूजयिष्यामि भूति-भूति प्रदायिनीम्
Mantra While Applying Ash to the body,
वंदितासि सुरेन्द्रेण ब्रम्हणा शंकरेण च ।
अतस्त्वं पाहि माँ देवी! भूति भूतिप्रदा भव ॥
Holi Pradakshina Mantra – Mantra to chant while circumambulating (प्रदक्षिणा मंत्र)
यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मातर कृतानि च ।
तानि तानि प्रणश्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणे पदे पदे ॥
As per Hindu Pujan Process, first of all Lord Ganesha (गणेशा) is recalled and homage is paid to him and afterwards Goddess Ambika (अम्बिका ), Lord Narasimha (भगवान नरसिंह) and his devotee Prahlad (प्रह्लाद) are worshiped and homage is paid to all. Priest and people circumambulate the Holika setup, while priest dropping holy water from the pot on the ground and chanting matra to circumambulate (प्रदक्षिणा मंत्र).
After circumambulating the Holika, People along with the priest chant Rakshoghna Mantra (रक्षोघ्न मन्त्र) from Rigveda (ऋग्वेद). (Rig Veda IV. 4. 1-5 and Yajur Veda I. 2. 14. 1-5. Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad 27)
Rakshoghna Mantra is chanted for removal of obstacles and miseries; for fulfilment of worldly desires; to ward off evil effects of planets, etc. Here we are giving these mantra anong with their meaning.
Rakshoghna Mantra (रक्षोघ्न मन्त्र) for Holi Puja
कृणुष्व पाजः प्रसितिं न पृथ्वीं याहि राजेवामवाँ इभेन।
तृष्वीमनु प्रसितिं द्रूणानो अस्ताऽसि विध्य रक्षसस्तपिष्ठैः॥ (1)
तव भ्रमास आशुया पतन्त्यनु स्पृश धृषता शोशुचानः।
तपुँष्यग्ने जुह्वा पतङ्गान् असन्दितो वि सृज विष्वगुल्काः॥ (2)
प्रति स्पशो वि सृज तूर्णितमो भवा पायुर्विशो अस्या अदब्धः।
यो नो दूरे अघशँसो यो अन्त्यग्ने माकिष्टे व्यथिरा दधर्षीत्॥ (3)
उदग्ने तिष्ठ प्रत्याऽऽ तनुष्व न्यमित्राँ ओषतात् तिग्महेते।
यो नो अरातिँ ममिधान चक्रे नीचा तं धक्ष्यतसं न शुष्कम्॥ (4)
ऊर्ध्वा भव प्रति विध्याध्यस्मत् आविष्कृणुष्व दैव्यान्यग्ने।
अव स्थिरा तनुहि पातुजुनां जामिमजामिं प्र मृणीहि शत्रून्॥ (5)