Pandit Sharma is available by appointment. Below are some of the yagyas he can perform.

Traditional VedicYagyas & Pujas

The ancient tradition of Vedic Yagya prescribes a variety of performances to express devotion to the Divine in its varied manifestations, to celebrate and facilitate important achievements in life, and to purify ourselves and our environment of any malefic energies that may hinder our evolution.

Yagyas to Gain Blessings of the Divine

Vedic Yagya is the highly developed science of contacting the celestial field of life. The ancient Rishis cognized specific procedures for gaining blessings from different manifestations of the Divine who create and administer the universe.

These Pujas (ceremonies) or Homas (fire ceremonies) may be performed at almost any time, although certain times may be considered much more auspicious. They generally last between one and one-half to two and one-half hours, although some Homa fire ceremonies may last as long as six hours or more. These include:

MahaGanapati
A Puja to Ganesh is often performed at the outset of any important endeavor, including the start of new businesses, or to remove obstacles to success and evolution, to gain support of Nature for finding a life partner, for improving harmony in married life or for having children. A longer Homa can also be performed. (Ganesh is also invoked at the beginning of any Yagya, as Ganesh is considered to be the Lord of the Celestial Hosts, and his blessings are necessary for the success of the Yagya.)

MahaLaksmi
This is one of the most popular Yagyas for householders, for it honors MahaLaksmi, the manisfestation of Mother Divine responsible for creating and maintaining affluence in all spheres of life, inner and outer.
Fullness and bliss are two qualities intimately associated with MahaLaksmi, and participants in Pujas or Homas to MahaLaksmi often report a distinct increase in sweetness of consciousness as well as enhanced support of Nature. This Yagya is frequently performed for increasing both material abundance and richness of spiritual life. It is often performed when starting a new business, when making important financial investments, or for improving harmony with business partners.

Durga Puja
To gain the grace of Mother Divine and receive Her blessings to remove ignorance, provide protection from adversity and eliminate suffering on an individual and cosmic level. Durga Pujas can be of various lengths, from two hours to six hours or more, and may be performed on a single day, or on consecutive days. The recitation of selections from the Durga Saptashati, a collection of beautiful hymns to Mother Divine, is an especially enjoyable part of this Puja.

Chandi Homa
This is a more elaborate Yayga that is understood to have powerful effects on the cosmic, global and individual levels. It is traditionally performed to alleviate the adverse affects of the planets, liberate man from all troubles, restore friendships, gain blessings of wealth and beautiful children, and to overcome enemies and evil planetary influences. Performance of the Chandi Homa includes Puja two to three hours long and a Homa (fire ceremony) that lasts approximately fours hours. It includes the recitation of all 700 verses of Durga Saptashati, a collection of beautiful hymns to Mother Divine.

Rudrabhishek
This special puja to Siva includes a ritual bath (Abhishek) of the Siva Lingam, followed by the recitation of the 200 verses of Rudra from Yajur Veda. The purpose is to gain support for spiritual endeavors and to alleviate suffering, both individually and for the entire creation. Yagyas to Siva also help to remove ignorance, prevent disease and promote rapid recovery from serious disease.

Mahamrityunjaya Homa
This special fire ceremony to Siva is for ensuring a long and healthy life and help bring an end to prolonged or severe sickness, as well as for many other purposes. It is also traditionally recommended to relieve the malefic influence of Mangal (Mars) or Shani (Saturn) when certain astrological combinations are present in the Jyotish chart.

Saraswati
Saraswati is the embodiment of Mother Divine that is responsible for the enlivenment and spread of Pure Knowledge, as well as progress in areas of study and of the arts. By honoring Saraswati, the qualities of wisdom, intelligence and good memory are enhanced in the individual and the environment. Yagyas for Saraswati help gain blessings and support of Mother Divine in the areas of spiritual study, other educational activities, or in the arts, including writing, public speaking, visual arts and music. These Yagyas are often performed prior to starting studies.

Vishnu
Vishnu is the Maintainer of the universe and is responsible for ensuring evolution and harmony in life. From time to time, Vishnu incarnates in an avatar such as Rama or Krishna to restore balance to the universe after a build-up of negativity has occurred. Yagyas for Vishnu help gain general support of nature and smooth family life.

Mitravrinda Yagya
This Yagya is performed to relieve tensions and improve relations between husband and wife and to ensure the growth of harmony, love and happiness in married life.

Bagalmukhi
This Yagya is traditionally considered to have special power in helping to gain success in court cases, or to defeat business enemies or competitors, and to provide a strong support of nature for fulfillment of desire.

Krishna, Rama, Hanuman & Other Devas
According to the Vedic Tradition, there are literally thousands of Devas or expressions of the Divine that are responsible for progress in virtually every specific area of life. There are also certain days during the month or the year when particular qualities of the Divinities listed above are most lively and Yagyas are most effective. Please consult with Pandit Sharma if you have a particular need or desire, and he can advise you which Puja or Homa may be appropriate, and on which date.

Yagyas for Graha Shanti
Gaining Benefic Influence from the Planets

A second category of Vedic Ceremonies is "Graha Shanti" performances for reducing the negative effects of our past karma as expressed through the agency of our "cosmic counterparts" in the form of the seven planets plus Rahu and Ketu.

Navagraha Shanti Puja and/or Homa
Generally a "Navagraha Shanti" Puja and/or Homa is a performance that appeals to all nine of these heavenly bodies, with special emphasis on the one or two planets that may need special attention. These ceremonies are participatory: Although the Pandit performs the Puja, the sponsor is intimately involved in the Navagraha ceremony, as he or she is in the other types of Vedic ceremonies. This Yagya may last from two to four hours or more in length and may involve a homa as well as a special Puja.

A trained Jyotishi such as Pandit Sharma will be able to identify which of the planets may be in need of remedial measures and prescribe the appropriate measures. Pandit Sharma is also especially skilled in evaluating Jyotish Compatibility for marriage and in determining muhurtas (auspicious times) for weddings, founding of businesses, etc..

In addition to the ceremony itself, there may be traditionally prescribed ritual "Upayas" or remedies that Pandit Sharma may recommend to help reduce the negative effect of certain planetary influences, or even to improve the positive effect of other planets.

In addition to Graha Shanti Pujas, certain ceremonies for Ganesh, Durga, Vishnu or Siva may also be appropriate to help alleviate the negative influence from a specific planetary situation. A special "Narayanvali" ceremony to bring peace to one’s ancestors, may also be helpful in certain situations.

Birthday Graha Shanti Yagyas
On a person’s birthday, it is traditional to start one’s personal "New Year" with a Navagraha Shanti Puja or Yagya, along with a Puja to Ganesh and Mother Divine to ensure support of Nature during the upcoming twelve months.

Inauguration Graha Shanti Yagyas
When starting any important endeavor, such as a business or going to school, a Navagraha Shanti Yagya is traditionally performed, often accompanied by a Puja to Laksmi, Ganesh or Saraswati, depending on the nature of the endeavor being started.

Mool Shanti Yagyas
These special Yagyas are performed to alleviate the negative effects of the natal moon's position in Aswini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Moola or Revati. Depending on the natal chart, they may be combined with Yagas to Ganesha, Durga, Vishnu or Siva, or with the Navagraha Shanti Yagya.

Naagvali Puja
This specialised Puja is understood to nullify the effects of Kala Sarpa Yoga in the birth chart ("the yoga of the Serpent of Time" which occurs when all planets move towards Rahu or Ketu.)

Kumbha Vivaha
This specialised ceremony for women is performed to neutalise certain Jyotish Yogas (such as Vaidhavya Yoga) that indicate widowhood or divorce.

Pujas for Benefic Influence on a New-Born Child
When a baby is born a Graha Shanti Yagya is also performed to help clear the path of any obstacles to the newborn’s evolution. In addition to the Graha Shanti ceremonies there are also specific Yagyas to ensure the good health of a new-born child whose birth chart has certain unfavorable combinations. These ceremonies include Mool Shanti and the Naagvali Puja to nullify KalaSarpa Yoga. These Yagyas may also be appropriate for adults with certain planetary combinations.

Yagyas for Important Life Transitions

There are also Traditional Vedic Ceremonies to ensure smooth passage into virtually every new important state of human life. These ceremonies are performed on specially selected days that may precede the event or that may occur as an integral part of the specific transition.

These ceremonies for various life stages include:
Marriage Vedic Wedding Ceremony (www.vedicwedding.com)
Conception
Strengthening the Unborn Child (Seemanta)
Safe Delivery and Birth
First Time Out-of-Doors for the Baby
Name-Giving (Namakaran)
First Feeding of Grains (Annaprasan)
Piercing the Ears (Karanchhedan)
First Hair-Cutting (Chowla)
Start of Study of Alphabet (Vidyaramba)
Entering School
Initiation into Vedic Studies (Upanayan)
Vastu Shanti Ceremonies:
Ground-Breaking for House Building (Bhoomi & Vastu Puja )
Establishing Door Frame in New Building
Entering a New Home or Building
Starting a Business
Wedding Anniversaries
Performance of Funeral Rites
Performance of Rites to Honor the Deceased (Narayanvali)

Narayanvali: Performance of Rites to Honor the Deceased
One of the three traditional duties for a householder in the Vedic Tradition is to pay back the "Pitri Rina" the loan of human life given by the ancestors. (The other two duties are related to the Rishi Rina and Deva Rina. Rishi Rina is the loan of Sacred Knowledge from the Guru which is repaid by teaching this Knowledge to others; and Deva Rina is the loan of God’s Grace that is repaid through devotion and puja to the Divine.)

Pitri Tarpana or regular worship of the ancestors on each new moon is part of the tradition of paying back the Pitri Rina, and the Narayanvali Yagya is considered an essential duty for every householder.

The Narayanvali ceremony is performed after the death of a blood relative to help the deceased to continue evolving. However, it can be performed by anyone for the benefit of any other person, with the exception of a man for his in-laws.

The ceremony is traditionally understood to dissolve certain karmas ("Doshas") that are associated with the actual act of dying, so that these doshas do not hinder the future evolution of the deceased.

For instance, the Narayanvali ceremony neutralises the negative effects of death by suicide, by accident, by poison, in the sky, by drowning, without a bath or otherwise unclean, when in an impure country, on the path, in a foreign land, or in a place other than one’s own home. It purifies the doshas incurred by incomplete cremation, by not having received initiation from the Guru, by not doing Puja regularly, by not receiving tulsi leaves or Ganges water just before the time of death, by being touched by any unclean persons, by not saying the Divine’s name before death, by dying during Dakshinanya or Panchak.

A related ceremony, the Panchak Shanti yagya is performed if the person dies during Panchak, the period when the moon is placed in the nakshatras beginning with the third quarter of Dhanishtha, all of Shattara, Purva and Uttar Bhadrapad and Revati, inclusive. If this happens, the tradition predicts that someone else in the family will die within a short time unless the Panchak Shanti ceremony is performed.

To schedule a Traditional Vedic Yagya, or for information on appropriate timing and muhurtha selection, as well as details on procedures, ingredients or fees, contact Pandit Sharma at:

1-630-428-7777