Mother Lalithambika.. Rajarajeshvari.. Mahatripurasundari.. is addressed as chatuH shashtypachaaraadyaa चतुःषष्टि उपचाराढ्या the one who is worshipped by devotees with sixty four upacharas.
The Sixty four upacharas offered to her in ceremonial worship according to tantrik texts are as follows
(Some items might vary slightly from text to text.. But constructively the list would be the same.)
The 64 upachArAs can be listed as follows(however differences as stated above exist)
Early Morning activities: 1. Waking the ever-awakened Amba(!) with vedic verses, praises, instrumental music.(suprabhatha seva)
2.Offering a twig for brushing the teeth. (Dantha-dhavana seva)
3. Offering mangala aratrika.(Mangala-aarathi seva)
4. Shouting jaya along with Bheri-ninaadam(herald-drums) on seeing the deity. (Jaya-dhwani seva)
5.Offering pranamas to the Lord before entering for puja(Namaskara seva)
Offering the Main Upacaras: 6.Inviting Amba (avahana seva)
7. Offering Mother a seat (asanopachara)
8. Making Her comfortable (svagatopachara).
9. Washing Her feet respectfully (padyam).
10. Offering arghyam as a sign of welcome and respect.
11. Offering water to wash the mouth (acamaniyam).
12. Offering madhuparka, then water to wash the mouth.
13. Offering Amba Padukas so that She may come to the bathing place.
14. Cleaning Divine Mother's body with a damp cloth to remove old Kumkuma,candana,nirmalya etc. (murti samskara). (This should be done in privacy efficiently and then Amba must be wrapped in a clean white cloth immediately)
15. Rubbing Mother's body, especially the head, with fragrant oils.(Sugandha-thailopachara)
16. Bathing Amba in fragrant flower water(Sugandha-pushpa neeraajanam)
17. Bathing Her in milk. (Ksheeraabhishekam)
18. Bathing Her in curds/plain yogurt(Dadhyaabhishekam)
19. Bathing Her in ghee(Ghrithaabhishekam)20. Bathing Her in honey(Madhu-snanopachara)
21. Bathing Her in sugar(Guda/Sharkara-snaanam)..here make sure that white sugar is prepared without using animal bones as is the case, else use brown sugar(unprocessed) or jaggery powder.
22. Bathing Her in water consecrated with mantras(Mantra-jala snaanam)
23. Removing oil, ghee, etc, with flour, then warm water. (Abhyangakriya)
24. Wiping Her body with a soft, dry cloth (anga vastra-soucham).
25. Dressing Her in upper and lower cloth(vastra-dhaaranam)
26.Offering gayatri thread (upavitam. Goddess Rajarajeshwari's sacred thread must be prepared beforehand to the chant of Vedic chants)
27. Offering acamana again after dressing. (Punarachamanam).
28.Arranging Her hair(Keshaalankaaram)
29.Decorating Her with bracelets, necklaces, rings etc.(Abharanaalankaaram)
30. Offering Padmaraagam(red colored ruby-like stone got in the river bed),Ambamani(a rare jewel),Vajram(diamonds),Vaidyuram(cat's eye),pravala(corals),moukthikam(pearls)kaustubha and other wonderful jewels.(Manialankarana)
31. Offering various colors of clothing, belts,Kavachas, turbans, capes etc.(Red is a must for Amba)(Vastrayugmam)
32. Offering flowers to Her saffron lotus feet. Applying fragrant unguents and henna decorations on Gandha dried paste to Hers feet with a Bel-leaf.
33. Offering incense(dhoopam)
34. Offering lamps(deepam) along with ghanta sevana(ringing of auspicious bells)...> Here there are various kinds of Deepas to be offered and this single posting would not be enough to describe it all.Ghee-lamp is a must for Srividya puja.
35. Removing inauspicious influences, the glances of evil persons by mustard seeds etc.(Drishti-nivarthy)
36. Offering naivedyam.
37. Offering spices (mukha vasana seva) for a fragrant mouth after eating.(breath freshner)
38. Offering betel (tambulam).
39. Offering a couch for Her to relax in(shayana seva)
40. Offering gandha again and decorating the Mother's body with various feminine designs using frgrant unguents (punargandha dravya seva)
41. Offering Her a crown.(Kireeta seva)
42. Offering varieties of flowers and garlands(pushpamala seva)
Darshana:
43. Offering a mirror.(Darpana seva)
44. Offering chamara and umbrella(cchhatra-chamara seva)
45. Singing(Gaana seva--Gaanapriyaa lolini remember?)
46.Playing instruments(vaadya seva---kalapriya)
47.Dancing(nritya seva)
48.Offering aratrika again.
49.Taking deity to a special mandapa. (In home, it can be done within a room to another small mandapa)
50.Bringing the deity back to Her simhaasana(throne) again.
Bhoga Offering: 51. Offering foot wash, mouth wash again.
52.Offering another meal while burning incense.
53.Offering betel, then performing aratrika.
Concluding Puja: 54.Recitation of verses (stuti) ,mantrapushpa,etc
55.Circumabulation of deity (pradaksina) and athmapradakshina
Pranamas.
56. Touching ones head at the saffron lotus feet of the deity (astanga pranama--all 8 limbs must touch ground).
57. Taking caranamrta and flower prasada on ones head.
58. Taking the food remnants of Amba as prasada.
Night service: 59. Sitting at the feet of Amba ready for service.
60. Making a nice bed for Amba, with soft cloth, flowers(especially jasmine which lulls a person to sleep) and nice scented powders.
61. Offering ones hand to Amba, and offering Her padukas, to bring Her to the bed.
62. Receiving Her at the bed with great festivity.
63. Washing Her feet, then drying them, offering gandha, flowers, betel, condensed milk, fan(chamara)
64. Having Amba lie down in the bed for Her Yoganidra and massaging Her lotus feet having the bhava of a mother in mind.
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