Shri Krishna श्री कृष्ण
The complete avatar — worshipped at home as beloved Laddu Gopal.
Main mantra
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे। हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे॥
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare
Samagri you will need
Along with the common puja essentials (diya, ghee, dhoop, akshat, roli, kalash, flowers, fruits), these items are special for Shri Krishna:
- Tulsi leaves तुलसी दल
- Makhan-mishri (butter & sugar) माखन-मिश्री
- Peacock feather (mor pankh) मोर पंख
- Flute (bansuri) बांसुरी
- Yellow cloth (pitambar) पीताम्बर
- Yellow flowers & vaijayanti mala पीले पुष्प एवं वैजयंती माला
- Kheer / panjiri / sweets खीर / पंजीरी / मिठाई
- Itra & chandan इत्र व चंदन
Step-by-step puja vidhi
Shuddhi — purify yourself and the place
Bathe and wear clean (preferably fresh) clothes. Clean the puja place, lay the chowki with a clean cloth, and sprinkle Gangajal around the area. Sit facing east or north on an asana.
Sankalpa — state your intention
Take water, akshat and a flower in the right palm. Speak your name, gotra (if known), the date and place, and the purpose of the puja, then release the water before the deity.
Deep prajwalan & Ganesha smarana
Light the ghee diya and incense. First remember Shri Ganesha ("Om Gam Ganapataye Namah") so the puja is free of obstacles, then turn the mind to Shri Krishna.
Avahana — invoke Shri Krishna
Invoke the deity into the murti, photo or kalash with folded hands, chanting "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare". Offer a seat (asana) of flowers or akshat.
Padya, Arghya & Achamana
Offer water for washing the feet (padya), the hands (arghya), and for sipping (achamana) — a spoonful of water each, poured into a plate before the deity.
Snana / Abhishek
Bathe Laddu Gopal with panchamrit and then clean water; dry gently with a soft cloth and dress him.
Vastra & adornment
Offer yellow vastra, mor-pankh (peacock feather), a small flute, mukut and mala; apply a chandan tilak.
Pushpa & patra — flowers and leaves
Offer tulsi dal — essential for Krishna — with yellow and fragrant flowers.
Dhoop & deep
Show the incense (dhoop) and then the lamp (deep) to the deity with a gentle clockwise motion, ringing the bell with the left hand.
Naivedya — offer the bhog
Offer the bhog: Makhan-mishri, dhaniya panjiri, kheer — with tulsi. Place it before the deity with a few drops of water around the plate.
Mantra japa
Chant "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare" 108 times (one mala), or at least 11 times, with a steady, unhurried mind.
Aarti
Perform the aarti — "Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki" — with a ghee lamp or camphor, rotating it clockwise before the deity while singing, then pass the flame to all present.
Pradakshina & pushpanjali
Circumambulate the deity (or turn in place) an odd number of times, offer a final handful of flowers (pushpanjali), and bow fully.
Kshama prarthana & prasad
Ask forgiveness for any mistakes in the worship ("kshama prarthana"), thank the deity, and distribute the prasad to everyone present.
Special rules for Shri Krishna
- A tulsi leaf must accompany Krishna naivedya.
- On Janmashtami the main puja is at midnight (Nishita kala) with abhishek and jhulan.
- Daily seva — bathing, dressing, bhog — is itself the worship of Laddu Gopal.
This is a simple, complete home-puja vidhi in the Shodashopachara spirit. Regional and family traditions (parampara) vary — where your family does something differently, follow your parampara. Devotion (bhava) matters more than perfection of procedure.
Choose another Dev / Devi
What is a Puja Vidhi?
A puja vidhi is the step-by-step procedure for worshipping a Dev or Devi — from purifying yourself and the place (shuddhi), taking the sankalpa, invoking the deity (avahana), bathing and adorning the murti, offering flowers, dhoop-deep and naivedya (bhog), through mantra japa, aarti and prasad. This tool follows the simple Shodashopachara (sixteen-offering) pattern adapted for home worship.
Each deity has personal preferences — the favoured day, flowers, leaves and bhog, plus special rules (tulsi is never offered to Shri Ganesha or on the Shivling, while Vishnu and Krishna naivedya is incomplete without it). Pick a deity to see its complete vidhi, mantra and aarti, and use the linked Puja Samagri checklist to gather everything before you begin. Family traditions vary — where your parampara differs, follow your parampara.