Description
The Panchayatana is a system which consists of
the worship of five deities:
“Adityam Ambikaam Vishnum Gananaatam Maheswaram”
Aditya is Surya; Ambika is Devi; Vishnu is
Narayana; Gananaatham is Ganesha, Mahesvara is shiva.
These five are the great divine force whom every householder worships as pancha devata puja.
Based on the tradition
followed by the family, one of these deities is kept in the center and the other four surround it and worship is offered to all the deities.
Shaiva  – with Shiva as the Presiding deity
Vaishnava – with Vishnu as the Presiding deity
Shaktha – with Devi as the Presiding deity
Ganapatya – with Ganesha as the Presiding deity
SoWra – with Surya (planets) as the Presiding deity
Deva Puja and Archana is one of the most important duties imposed by the Shastras. The Shastras are filled with details of the Panchayatana puja details and AdhiShankra prescribed us to follow it without fail..
The panchayatana scheme represent the five elements:
AkAshasyAdhipo viShNuH agneshchaiva maheshvarI |
vAyoH sUryaH kShiterIshaH jIvanasya gaNAdhipaH ||
Akasha : Space : Vishnu
Vahni : Fire : AmbikA
Vayu : Air : Aditya
kShiti :Â Earth : Shiva
Jala : Water : Ganapati
All the five deities are represented by small natural stones found in various parts of Bharatha Desham.
Deity    Stone     River    Place
Ganesha   Red Sonabhadra Sone    Bihar
Surya    Crystal      Vallam    Tamil Nadu
Vishnu    Saligrama     Gandaki     Nepal
Shiva    Bana Linga    Narmada    Madhya Pradesh
Ambika   Swarna Mukhi    Swarnamukhi  Andra Pradesh
The shila of that particular devata is kept in the centre, surrounded by the other gods.
If he is a devotee of Vishnu, he places the idol of Vishnu in the centre with the other idols surrounding it. If he is a devotee of Lord shiva, a lingam is placed in the middle with the other images around it. If he is a devotee of Suryanarayana, he has a sphatika as the central object of worship.
The positioning in the panchayatana poojas are as follows:
Shiva Panchayatana Puja
Shiva at the center
Aditya at Southeast
Gananatha at Southwest
Ambika at Northwest and
Vishnu at the Northeast.
Ganapathy Panchayatana Puja
Ganapathy at the center
Vishnu at Northeast
shiva at Southeast
Adithya Southwest and
Ambal at Northwest
Vishnu Panchayatana Puja
Vishnu at center
shiva at Northeast
Ganapathy at Southeast
Adithya at Southwest and
Ambal at Northwest
Ambal Panchayatana Puja
Ambal at center,
Vishnu at Northeast,
shiva at Southeast,
Ganapathy at Southwest and
Adithya at Northwest
Adithya Panchayatana Puja
Adithya at center,
shiva at Northeast,
Ganapathy at Southeast,
Vishnu at Southwest,
Ambal at Northwest
Along with this people worshipping Subramanya will include Him in the form of a (silver) Snake or Vel (spear)
shaiva ca vaiShNavam shaaktam sauram vainaayakam tathaa .
skaandam ca bhaktimaargasya darshanaani Shadeva hi ..
I can surely say – till panchayatana puja was strictly followed in our country we were really flourishing. Though the technical advancements were not present people were peaceful, satisfied and happy.
Panchayatana Puja is a systematic procedure which involves physical and mental discipline, requires inner and outer cleanliness. This – when done systematically will surely bring the progress in the material world and the final truth – awareness of the true Self. By following it, one obtains the Lord’s Anugraha, without which liberation is not possible.