Devapuja Preparation – Shloka 11

ध्यान प्रवचनाभ्यां च यथायोग्यमुपासनम् |
धर्मेणेज्यासाधनानि साधयित्वा विधानतः |
स्नात्वा संपूजयेद् विष्णुं वेदतन्त्रोक्तमार्गतः || 11 ||

One must engage in Dhyana and Pravachana in accordance with one’s Yogyata and perform the Upasana of Sri Hari. One must acquire the necessary resources for performing (pancha) yajnas through Dharmic means. Having taken bath, one must worship Sri Vishnu very well in accordance with the methods provided in the Vedas and the Tantras.

Notes:

In this shloka, Sri Madhwacharya addresses the activities that one must perform while transitioning into Deva Puja after the morning Sandhyavandana. For a Brahmana, the duration in between is to be spent in contemplating Sri Hari through Dhyana, Pravachana and other Satvik means.

For performing Deva Puja, resources will be required. These should necessarily be acquired through Satvik means. Sri Madhwacharya therefore lays special emphasis on this and points out that the साधन required for Deva Puja must come through the channel of धर्म.

For a Brahmana, the six main धर्मs or Shad-dharmas are यजन, याजन, अध्ययन, अध्यापन, दान and परिग्रह. These are (1) performing Yajnas (2) conducting Yajnas for others (3) learning and contemplation of scriptures (4) teaching Vedas, Puranas, Vedanta, Vedanga, Itihasas, Dharmashastras to others (5) giving daana (6) accepting daana.

The resources such as flowers, fruits, sandalpaste and so on that are required for Deva Puja must not be sourced at any cost from money acquired through cheating, alcohol, gambling, selling of tamasic items and so on. Acquiring them through such means will fetch the greatest of sins.

Deva Puja MUST be performed every day. It is not optional, especially for a Brahmana.

In this shloka, Sri Madhwacharya clarifies that the Tantra granthas are also equally acceptable. The Tantrasara Sangraha composed by Srimadacharya himself, and the Pancharatra Agama texts are the primary Agama granthas that followers of Srimadacharya adhere to. However, the rituals mentioned in the other Agama texts that are in accordance with Srimadacharya’s philosophy are acceptable too.