॥ आरात्रिकम् ॥ ārātrikam ॥
The next is ārātrikam – the offering of Aarati, offering our inner light, consciousness to the Ultimate Consciousness, Sadashiva. The meaning of the mantra we are going to chant now is:
To the One who is as pure and white as camphor, who is the the Avatar of intense compassion, the One who is the very essence of Life and Existence, the One who has the king of serpents as His garland; who is eternally residing in the heart as pure as the lotus; onto that Shiva, who is the Ultimate Source (Bhava), along with Devi, the Cosmic Energy (Bhavāni) who is the consort of Shiva, I bow down and offer my worshipful salutations.
Please clap your right hand index finger and middle finger on the left hand palm while you chant the following mantra:
ॐ हः अस्त्राय फट् । auṁ haḥ astrāya phaṭ ।
Now sprinkle some water on the aratrika paatram ringing the bell and chant:
ॐ हाम् हृदयाय नमः । auṁ hām hṛdayāya namaḥ ।
Now please take the lamp with the lit camphor in your hands and slowly wave it clockwise in front of the Linga along with the mantra. Please sound the bell as you do so.
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं सं सारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानी सहितं नमामि ॥
karpūra gauraṁ karuṇāvatāraṁ saṁsārasāraṁ bhujagendrahāram । sadā vasantaṁ hṛidayāravinde bhavaṁ bhavānī sahitaṁ namāmi ॥
ॐ हां हौ शं िवाय नमः ॥ auṁ hāṃ hauṃ śivāya namaḥ ॥
श्री नित्यानन्देश्वरी आदिशक्ति समेत श्री नित्यानन्देश्वर-सदाशिवाय कर्पूरनीराञ्जनं सन्दर्शयामि ॥ śrī nityānandeśvarī ādiśaktisameta śrī nityānandeśvara-sadāśivāya karpūranīrāñjanaṃ sandarśayāmi ॥
॥ पुष्पान्जलिः ॥ puṣpānjaliḥ ॥
The next offering is puṣpānjaliḥ – the offering of fragrant flowers. Now please take some druva grass, flowers and some akshata in your folded hands and offer it on the Linga at the end of the mantra.
ॐ हां हौ शं िवाय नमः ॥ auṁ hāṃ hauṃ śivāya namaḥ ॥ श्री नित्यानन्देश्वरी आदिशक्ति समेत श्री नित्यानन्देश्वर-सदाशिवाय पुष्पाञ्जलिं समर्पयामि ॥ śrī nityānandeśvarī ādiśakti sameta śrī nityānandeśvara-sadāśivāya puṣpāñjaliṃ samarpayāmi ॥
> ॐ हां हौ शं िवाय नमः ॥ auṁ hāṃ hauṃ śivāya namaḥ ॥
श्री नित्यानन्देश्वरी आदिशक्ति समेत श्री नित्यानन्देश्वर-सदाशिवाय सर्वोपचारपूजाम् समर्पयामि ॥ śrī nityānandeśvarī ādiśakti sameta śrī nityānandeśvara-sadāśivāya sarvopacārapūjām samarpayāmi ॥
Sri Guru Puja and Sri Shiva Puja