Satyanarayan Puja,
at home.

१Why it's done

Satyanarayan is a form of Bhagwan Vishnu — Satya (truth) + Narayan. The puja is performed to express gratitude, to seek blessings before or after an important event — a new home, a wedding, a new job, a child's birth — or as a regular family observance.

Its heart is the katha: five chapters about people whose lives changed when they kept, or broke, their promise to perform this puja with sincerity. The message is truthfulness and keeping one's word.

२When to do it

• Purnima (full moon) is the most common day.
• Also on Ekadashi, Sankranti, or any auspicious occasion — griha pravesh, birthdays, anniversaries, after a wish is fulfilled.
• Evening is traditional in many families; morning is also common.
• Those performing it traditionally fast, or eat light sattvic food, until the puja is complete.

३Samagri

Tick items as you collect them — saved on this phone. Every item shows its accepted alternatives, or says clearly when there is none.

Altar & kalash स्थापना

• Chowki + yellow or red clothचौकी · वस्त्र1 + 1📦 Cloth in boxSeat for the deity. Yellow is associated with Vishnu.If not availableClean wooden plank or low tableAny clean cloth
• Image or idol of Satyanarayanचित्र / मूर्ति1📦 Complete BoxThe main deity on the chowki.If not availableAny image of Bhagwan VishnuThe family Shaligram
• Kalash with waterकलश1📦 Complete BoxKalash sthapana, to the right of the deity.If not availableClay kalash
• Mango leavesआम के पत्ते5Placed in the mouth of the kalash.If not availableBetel (paan) leaves — reviewer to confirm
• Coconut with huskनारियल1Set on top of the kalash.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Coin for the kalashसिक्का1📦 In boxPlaced inside the kalash.If not availableAny clean coin
• Banana stems / leaves (optional)केले के पत्ते2–4Decorating the mandap.If not availableFlowers and rangoli around the chowki

Offerings पूजा द्रव्य

• Gangajalगंगाजल1 small bottlePurification — sprinkled on self and samagri.If not availableClean water, with the river-invocation mantra (step २)
• Roli / kumkum, haldi, chandanरोली · हल्दी · चंदन1 pinch-pack each📦 In boxTilak and offering.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Akshat — unbroken riceअक्षत1 small bowl📦 In boxOffered throughout; held during the katha.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Moli / kalavaमौली1 roll📦 In boxTied on the kalash and on the wrist.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Whole supariसुपारी5📦 In boxRepresents Shri Ganesh; in the kalash; tambulam.If not availableA small Ganesh idol (for the Ganesh puja only)
• Flowers + garland — yellow preferredपुष्प · माला1 plate + 1 garlandOffering to the deity.If not availableAny fresh flowersGita 9.26
• Tulsi leavesतुलसी21 or moreOn every food offering to Vishnu.No substituteEssential — pluck the day before if needed
• Paan leavesपान5Tambulam offering.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Cloves & cardamomलौंग · इलायची5 each📦 In boxTambulam offering, with paan.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Dakshina — coins or notesदक्षिणाAs you wishPlaced with the tambulam.If not availableAny amount — sincerity matters, not the sumGita 17.13

Panchamrit पंचामृत

• Milkदूध1 cupAbhishek and prasad.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Curdदही2 tbspAbhishek and prasad.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Gheeघी1 tsp📦 In boxAbhishek and prasad.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Honeyशहद1 tsp📦 In boxAbhishek and prasad.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Sugar / mishriमिश्री1 tbsp📦 In boxAbhishek and prasad.If not availableWhite sugar

Lamp, dhoop & aarti दीप · धूप · आरती

• Diya + cotton wicksदीया · बाती1–5📦 In boxThe lamp, kept burning through the puja.If not availableAny metal or clay lamp
• Ghee for the lampघीAs needed📦 In boxFuel for the diya and aarti.If not availableTil (sesame) oil
• Agarbatti / dhoopधूप1 pack📦 In boxThe dhoop offering.No common substituteAsk Maharaj ji
• Camphorकपूर4–5 tablets📦 In boxFor the aarti.If not availableA ghee diya for the aarti
• Aarti thaliआरती थाली1📦 Complete BoxFor aarti and offerings.If not availableAny clean plate

Naivedya & prasad नैवेद्य · प्रसाद

• Bananas & seasonal fruitsफल5 or moreNaivedya — offered, then shared.If not availableAny seasonal fruitGita 9.26
• Prasad: flour or suji, ghee, sugar, bananaप्रसादSawa (1¼) measure eachSheera / panjiri, offered with tulsi.If not availableFlour or suji — by family or regional traditionGita 3.13

Katha & aarti text कथा

• Satyanarayan Katha bookकथा पुस्तिका1📦 In boxReading the five adhyays aloud.If not availableA trusted printed editionSkanda Purana
• Aarti text — “Om Jai Lakshmi Ramana”आरती1📦 In boxSung together at the end.If not availableAny printed or saved copy

४Step-by-step

Tap Start story mode to follow one step at a time on your phone during the puja.

1. Prepare yourself and the space

   Bathe and wear clean clothes. Clean the puja area; draw a rangoli if you like. Place the chowki facing east or north, cover it with the cloth and place the image of Satyanarayan on it. Sit facing east or north. Light the diya and keep all samagri within reach.

   ParamparaFacing east or north during puja — a standard rule in puja paddhatis.

2. Achaman & purification

   Take a little water in your right palm and sip it three times, saying:

   ॐ केशवाय नमः · ॐ नारायणाय नमः · ॐ माधवाय नमः

   Om Keshavaya Namah · Om Narayanaya Namah · Om Madhavaya Namah

   Salutations to Keshava, Narayana and Madhava — names of Bhagwan Vishnu.

   Achaman

   Sprinkle water on yourself and the samagri:

   ॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा।
   यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥

   Om apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham gato'pi va, yah smaret pundarikaksham sa bahyabhyantarah shuchih.

   Whether pure or impure, in whatever state — whoever remembers the lotus-eyed Lord becomes pure within and without.

   Pavitrikaran

   Using plain water instead of Gangajal? Invoke the sacred rivers into it:

   गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वति।
   नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् सन्निधिं कुरु॥

   Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Sarasvati, Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jale'smin sannidhim kuru.

   O Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri — be present in this water.

   Jal-avahan

   ParamparaAchaman and the Pavitrikaran mantra open most puja paddhatis.

3. Sankalp — your intention

   Hold water, akshat and a flower in your right hand. State, in Sanskrit or your own language: your name, gotra (if known), place, date, and why you are performing this puja — e.g. “I, [name], of [gotra] gotra, am performing Shri Satyanarayan puja today for the well-being of my family.” Release the water onto a plate.

   ParamparaSankalp precedes every vrat and puja.

   ShastraBhagavad Gita 17.11यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधायWorship done as the shastra directs, with the mind resolved that “this ought to be done”, is called sattvic — which is what the sankalp expresses. Read →

4. Ganesh puja

   Every puja begins with Shri Ganesh. Place the supari (or idol) on a little akshat on the chowki. Offer water, roli, akshat, a flower and a sweet:

   ॐ गं गणपतये नमः

   Om Gam Ganapataye Namah

   Salutations to Shri Ganesh, remover of obstacles.

   Ganesh beej mantra

   Families who use the Vedic invocation recite:

   गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम्।
   ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पत आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम्॥

   Gaṇānāṁ tvā gaṇapatiṁ havāmahe kaviṁ kavīnām upamaśravastamam, jyeṣṭharājaṁ brahmaṇāṁ brahmaṇaspata ā naḥ śṛṇvann ūtibhiḥ sīda sādanam.

   We call on you, Ganapati, lord of the hosts, wisest of the wise, highest in renown, eldest king of prayers — hear us, come with your protection and take your seat here.

   Rig Veda 2.23.1 · read

   ParamparaShri Ganesh is worshipped first in every puja.

   ShastraRig Veda 2.23.1गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहेIn the Rig Veda this verse is addressed to Brahmaṇaspati; puja paddhatis use it to invoke Shri Ganesh. Read →

5. Kalash sthapana

   Fill the kalash with water. Add a supari, a coin, a little akshat and a flower. Tie moli around its neck and draw a swastik with roli. Place the five mango leaves in its mouth and set the coconut on top. Place it on a small heap of rice to the right of the deity and offer roli, akshat and flowers.

   ParamparaKalash sthapana.

6. Puja of Shri Satyanarayan

   Invite Bhagwan Satyanarayan with folded hands, then offer in order — saying the mantra with each offering:

   1. Water to wash the feet and hands, and for sipping
   2. Snan with panchamrit, then clean water — for an image, sprinkle with a flower
   3. Vastra (cloth) or moli
   4. Chandan, roli and akshat
   5. Flowers, garland and tulsi
   6. Dhoop and deep
   7. Naivedya — fruits, panchamrit and prasad, each with a tulsi leaf
   8. Tambulam — paan, supari, cloves, cardamom and dakshina
   ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

   Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

   Salutations to Bhagwan Vasudeva, who dwells in all beings.

   Dvadashakshari (12-syllable) mantra of Vishnu

   ShastraRig Veda 10.90 — Purusha Suktaसहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषःIts 16 verses are traditionally recited one per upachara in the shodashopachara (16-offering) puja, simplified here for home. Read →

   ShastraBhagavad Gita 9.26पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयंA leaf, flower, fruit or water offered with devotion is accepted — the heart of every upachara. Read →

7. Satyanarayan Katha

   Everyone sits together holding a little akshat and a flower. One person reads all five chapters aloud. At the end of each chapter, listeners offer their akshat and flower to the deity and take fresh ones.

   Listening to the katha with faith is considered as important as the puja itself.

   ParamparaSatyanarayan Vrat Katha — traditionally attributed to the Reva Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Printed editions differ, so we cite it as tradition until Maharaj ji confirms the edition. About the text →

8. Aarti

   Light camphor or a ghee diya in the aarti plate and sing the aarti of Satyanarayan — traditionally “Om Jai Lakshmi Ramana”. Move the plate clockwise before the deity. Then everyone takes the aarti — hands over the flame, then to the eyes.

   ParamparaAarti “Om Jai Lakshmi Ramana”.

9. Prasad & closing

   Do a pradakshina (circle clockwise, or turn in place). With folded hands, ask forgiveness for any mistakes during the puja. Distribute prasad and panchamrit to everyone present.

   Prasad is never refused — share it with all present, and neighbours if possible. Break your fast with the prasad.

   ShastraBhagavad Gita 3.13यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तोThose who eat what remains after the offering are freed from fault — this is why prasad is shared and never refused. Read →

   ShastraBhagavad Gita 17.13विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं … अदक्षिणम्Worship without distributing food and without dakshina is called tamasic — so prasad and dakshina complete the puja. Read →

   ParamparaImportance of accepting prasad — told in the katha itself (the story of Kalavati).

५All mantras in this puja

Every mantra above, in one place — Devanagari, Roman script, meaning and source. Tap a step to jump to it.

1. Mantras appear here when the page has loaded.

६Do's & don'ts

७Sources

• Bhagavad Gita — 3.13, 9.26, 16.24, 17.11, 17.13
• Rig Veda — 2.23.1 (Ganesh invocation), 10.90 (Purusha Sukta)
• Skanda Purana, Reva Khanda — traditional source of the Satyanarayan Vrat Katha
• Shodashopachara (16-offering) puja pattern, simplified for home use: see the sixteen upacharas in Puja (Hinduism) ↗, and Satyanarayana Puja ↗ on Wikipedia.

Read every text we cite in the Granth library.