Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi (सत्यनारायण पूजा विधि)
How to do Satyanarayan puja at home: materials, step-by-step method, the panchamrit and prasad list, the order of the katha and the aarti.
When to do it
- Especially on Purnima
- On auspicious occasions such as house-warming, birthdays, wedding anniversaries and new beginnings
- When a vow (manauti) is fulfilled
Puja materials checklist
Puja method (step by step)
Bath and purification
Bathe and wear clean, preferably freshly washed clothes. Keep the mind calm and put your phone away.
Prepare the place
Clean the place of worship. East or north-east is considered best. Spread a clean cloth on a low wooden seat (chowki) and install the idol or picture.
Lamp and achaman
Light the lamp and incense. Take water in the right palm and sip it three times (achaman).
Sankalp (resolve)
Holding water, rice grains (akshat) and a flower in your hand, say silently your name, gotra (if known) and the purpose of the puja, then pour the water on the ground. A resolve in simple language is also valid.
Ganesh vandana
Remembering Ganesha before any puja is considered auspicious in tradition.
Install the kalash
Place mango leaves and a coconut on a water-filled kalash and set it on the seat.
Remember Navagraha and the deities
Simply remember Ganesha, Gauri and the Navagraha. For the detailed worship, have it done by a pandit.
Satyanarayan worship
Invoke Lord Satyanarayan (Vishnu) and offer panchamrit bath, sandalwood, tulsi and yellow flowers.
Listen to the katha
Read or listen to the five chapters of the Satyanarayan katha. Let the whole family sit together.
Prasad and bhog
Offer panjiri or semolina halwa, bananas and panchamrit.
Aarti
Perform aarti with a ghee lamp. Let all family members stand together, and take the aarti at the end.
Prayer for forgiveness
Ask humbly for forgiveness for any mistake made during the puja.
Prasad and closing
Share the prasad with everyone and take some yourself. Take the blessings of elders. Immerse flowers and other puja materials in flowing water or under a tree, rather than throwing them in the trash.
Mantras
✔ Do
- Bathe and wear clean clothes before the puja
- Sit with a calm mind and faith
- Keep the bhog clean and prepared at home
- Share the prasad with everyone after the puja
- Do not get up in the middle of the katha
- Give the prasad to everyone
✘ Do not
- Do not get distracted by your phone or conversation during the puja
- Avoid anger, gossip and harsh speech
- Do not offer stale or impure flowers and bhog
- Do not place the idol or picture directly on the floor
- Do not take the prasad without listening to the katha (tradition)
- Avoid lies and deceit; the puja is remembrance of truth itself
Common mistakes
- Leaving the katha unfinished
- Increasing or decreasing the quantity of prasad; follow your family tradition
- Focusing more on show and expense than on feeling
Auspicious muhurat
Check the date and time of Purnima in the panchang. For auspicious occasions, ask the pandit for a convenient muhurat.
Related aarti, katha and mantra
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters does the Satyanarayan katha have?
Can Satyanarayan puja be done without a pandit?
What is Satyanarayan prasad made of?
Is fasting necessary in this puja?
How often can this puja be done?
Other puja vidhis
Note: puja methods vary by family, region and sect. The method given here is a simple, general form. Give priority to your family tradition or your pandit’s guidance.