remedial Astrology: There are simple ways to worship a deity according to the problem areas. First identify the problem.
There are two areas of problems; One problem is the actual problem facing a person.
For example : Health – including pimples, acne, menses, cold, cough,indigestion, anemia,Cancer, Paralysis, etc., which are the results of either the deficiency or the excess of the humors in the body, Vata, Pitta and Phlegm. In addition to these, function of nerves, blood circulation,mind ( Psycho-somatic), wear and tear of body due to the advancement of age etc,. Finance – including losses and improvement, sudden stroke of luck and money etc., Job getting and Job promotions,difficulties in holding on the job etc., Marriage – delay in marriage, breakdown of marriage, children etc,. For all such problems, find out the position of the planets. Find out if any Doshas such as Kalasarpa Dosha exists. Find out the Yogas, Dashas, inherent in the horoscope . Then assess the problem. Before advising the remedy, the Dosha if any existing must be removed. Any remedy will not be effective, unless the Dosha is removed. For removal of Kalasarpadosha, The person must be advised to visit Kalahasti and the Dosha removed by Archana and Pooja there. This becomes the first step. The platform is ready for remedy by way of worship. The next step would be to find out, which of the planets are in bad position and giving the problems. Find out the houses and planets connected to the problems.If the planet and the house is identified, then it becomes easier to find out the deity representing that planet. For house correction, the house Lord must be identified. The signification Lord must be identified. The other identifications include, ownership, occupation and aspects of the planets; Both on the houses and the planets.
Selecting a deity : It is very important to select the most suitable deity applicable to the specific problem based on the above considerations mentioned in the earlier paragraph. Even in deities,there are various considerations. Lord Shiva is worshiped in His many forms such as Rudra, Nataraja, Tandavamurthy, Jatadhari,Shiva-Parvathi, Meenakshi-Sundaresha,etc. Lord Vishnu is worshiped in His many forms such as Gopalakrishna, Kodanda Rama, Narasimha, Sita-Rama, Lakshmi-Narasimha, etc. Even in worshiping the deity of
Narasimha, there are many differences. Lord Narasimha is identified in His different forms such as Lakshmi-Narasimha, Yoga-Narasimha,Bhoga-Narasimha, Chintamni-Narasimha etc. For an effective and easy remedy, it is advised to worship the deity with companion; such as Shiva-Parvathi,Lakshmi-Narasimha and Sita-Rama.
The deities with their wives beside are easy to please and the worshiper is twice blessed by both the deities. But for worshiping of the planet Ketu,the deity of Rudra alone is suggested. For worshiping of Rahu,the deity of Durga Mata alone is suggested. Like wise, the identification of the suitable deity becomes more important, for an effective and immediate remedy. It is said that God is everywhere and in everyone. But the remedies are not.
Here is a list of the deities to be worshiped in respect of the planets afflicted.
Sun – Lord Shiva or Vishnu ( Sunday)
Moon – Lord Shiva on a Monday evening.
Mars – Lord Murugan, Lord Hanuman or Lord Lakshmi Narasimha on a Tuesday.
Mercury – Lord Srirama/Lord Ganesh on a Wednesday .
Jupiter – Lord Vishnu on a Thursday.
Venus – Goddess Lakshmi or Parvathi (Friday)
Saturn – Lord Shiva on a Saturday evening or Lord Anjaneya on Saturday morning or evening.
Rahu – Goddess Durga on a Friday evening.
Ketu – Lord Shiva or Ganesha on a Thursday.
Selecting a temple : For worshiping a deity, one must select a very old temple. There are two types of temples. First one type is the temples which exist from ancient times and still getting the daily Poojas and Archanas etc,. The Second type of temples are that those constructed recently, for the purpose of convenience, or commercial purposes, and getting the daily Poojas and Archanas regularly and sometimes with all the pomp and show. Avoid the Second types. Any temple to be constructed, there are procedures with systems and methods. The Vastu, the installation, The energizing or Prana Pratishtapana of the deity strictly according to Veda and Puran, are very important.Then only the deity gets the power to bless the devotees. In the olden days the temples were being constructed, as per the Vastu, or according to the Sthalapurana, mostly in remote areas or on mountains. There are reasons behind the selection of the place of construction of a temple. The place, the installation procedure, the energizing procedure all these play an important role in the worshiping of a deity.
Secondly while selecting of a temple and the deity, usually the deity selected may give multiple benefits ,because of the naturally associated other deities. For example, if you are worshipping Goddess Lakshmi, then if one selects Sita Mata as the deity representing Venus, then while worshipping the deity of Lakshmi,The other deities, Lord Vishnu as the deity of Rama, representing planet Mercury , Lord Hanuman, representing planet Mars,or Saturn also bestow their blessings to the worshipper. This is different from the temple where a cluster of deities are installed for mere commercial purposes.
The next step would be to be cautious about the Aacharya in the temple in performing Pooja. There is a tendency that the Aacharya put fear in the minds of the devotees, and try to extract money. One need not be afraid of the Aacharya, who are mostly not well versed in method and pronouncement or chanting of Mantras. But one need not worry. Only one can ask them to adhere to minimum of procedure. The Sankalpa, Archana,Pooja by special but simple ways are to be told to Aacharya well before. Now I will give examples of worshiping some of the deities ,through a simple and methodical means of worship.
An example of worshipping the deity Lakshmi or Parvathi :If there is a problem of Acne or Pimples recurring on the face, leading to deformation of cheeks, then it must be Shukraditya Yoga according to Phaladeepika. The remedies to the problems relating to marriage, the problems relating to removal of Daridrya(Poorness), are all likewise obtained through the worship of Goddess Lakshmi or Parvathi with their companion deity besides. Like wise each problem is related to planets and the presiding deity, one way or the other.Here in the problem area of Sukradithya Yoga, the planets to be appeased are Sun and Venus. For Sun, the deity is Shiva and for Venus the deity is Parvathi.
Srilalitha, Tripurasundari,Meenakshi ,call Her by any name. “What is in a name”, who said this ? But there is everything in name and deity. One cannot substitute a different deity of same god , for a particular Pooja. One must take little strain and should not resort to convenience of the worshiper. For example Parvathi is also recognized as Shakti Devi , such as Chandi, Durga, Chamunda, Kali etc. Those deities are to be worshiped for a different purposes. For our present purposes, the planet Venus is to pleased. The beautiful, the pleasant, the all powerful, not only possessing all the wealth but also finds pleasure in the exhibition and decoration , with all the pomp and glory , all these are the nature and qualities of the Goddess Parvathi or Lakshmi. In the incarnation of such amorous,benevolent, gracious, gorgeous and yet with all these, generous in granting boons, the qualities of the deity represent the planet Venus. Worship her. Because She is easy to please. Worship Her,starting the Pooja on a Shukla-Paksha First Friday, then continue for five Fridays. A simple Pooja and Archana is enough. But only specificity is to decor Her with Lotus flowers. This part of the offering Lotus flowers is very important in the whole of the Pooja worship procedure. While worshiping either Lakshmi or Parvathi, one is not worshiping the female deity alone. Goddess Lakshmi is found along with Lord Narasimha or Lord Srirama or Lord Ganesha etc., Goddess Parvathi, is found along with Lord Shiva or Lord Sundaresha, with his many names and incarnations. While worshiping a deity of female god, you worship Her Husband The Great Lord also. Likewise, the planet Rahu is worshiped though Goddess Durga or Amba .The all in all, the all powerful deity of Durga is the primordial deity of Shakthi in Her most ferocious form killing the demons and destroying the Aasuri-shakthi. She re-installs the Dharma in this Earth, reposing the confidence of the Satvic devotees. She is liberation.
She is Mukthi. She is worshiped during evening or night. Likewise Lord Shiva is worshiped during night for propitiation of the planet Saturn. Thus the timings, the offerings to be made to a particular deity, the procedure etc, are all different for different planets and their deities. The following are the procedures in the worship of a deity.
Sankalpam : Making a vow before the deity that the person is undertaking a Pooja pronouncing his Gotra & Pravara and praying for blessings of the Lord for Pooja without any obstacles, by the grace of Lord Vighneshwara
Archana : Offering of flowers or kunkumam pronouncing the different names of the deity 100 times for Shatanamarchana or 1000 times, if it is Sahasranamarchana.
Flowers : Specific flowers are to be offered. Mostly the lotus flowers as in the case of Goddess Lakshmi or Parvathi. Pushpamala of Jasmine, Chrysanthemum, Dasavala etc., Like wise Bilvapatra and Tulsi are also offered to Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu respectively.
Naivedyam: The suitable prasadam to be prepared and offered.
For example :- Curd and chopped rice, wheat flour and jaggery laddus,for Mercury or Kodanda Rama. Kadubu or Obbattu, are also offered to all the Vishnu Devatas, including Anjaneya. For Vighneshwara and Lord Shiva , different Prasadams are offered. The Aacharyaof the deity is to be consulted for offering of Prasadam who is well-versed in this following the local customs.
Starting of Pooja : The Moon is the Karaka for giving strength to all the planets. When the moon is waxing, She is more powerful, and provides the necessary strength and grace to the planet and also to the Pooja of the worshiper. So any Pooja or for that matter any good work must be started on, the first Monday, First Wednesday or First Friday etc., depending upon the deity to be worshiped, immediately after the New Moon or Amavasya. It is called Shukla-Paksha.
No questions asked : The meeting of the minds of the astrologer and the seeker of the help are very important. The seeker when asking a question and the remedies, the astrologer tells some remedy. The person asks for slight amendment of procedure , like location,substitution of temple, or even delegation of some other person to perform Pooja, on behalf of the same family members etc,. This way of convenient or half-hearten worship , dilutes the remedy. Whatever the Previous Karmic impact and resultant problem manifestation troubling the person , who seeks advice, at that moment, the astrologer by intuition tells some remedy propitiation, which performed will definitely yield good results. It is the will power, determination and the frame of mind of the worshiper , which are going to yield the results and fruits of worship, which are all have a definite Karmic ills removal moment. Respect that auspicious moment. Respect the deity you are going to worship. Inculcate and imbibe the qualities of the planet and its deity within you. For example, the planet Jupiter can destroy our sins. He can make the other planets to behave by His aspects. Jupiter stands for Dharma. Jupiter stands for Religion.Jupiter stands for ceremonies , pomp and show. There is no meaning in secretly worshiping Jupiter. Yet Jupiter is beyond one’s reach. Only discipline may please Him.He possesses infinite knowledge. A knowledge of God,Brahma. He is called Brihaspathi and Brahmanaspathi.
Likewise believe that the Lord Shiva alone can destroy your sins. Believe that Goddess Durga is there for the rescue of those who are helpless and unprotected. Believe that Lord Hanuman is there alive as Chiranjeevi even today for your protection. Do not be afraid that you have committed the sins, and not fit for the blessings and grace of God. Even the Gods are in no way superior to the mortals, when it is the question of perfection. From here onward you and your children are the blessed ones and ready to receive the blessings of the Lord.