Nyasa Puja

Nyāsa (न्यास) literally means "placing" or "assignment." In Hindu worship and mantra practice, Nyasa Puja is a ritual to sanctify and energize the body before deeper spiritual practice or mantra chanting.
It is especially used in Tantric, Vedic, and mantra-based pujas, such as Gayatri Japa, Durga Saptashati, or Sandhyavandanam.

Nyasa involves touching different parts of your body While chanting specific mantras to install divinity in those parts. It prepares the body to become a fit vessel for spiritual energy and divine presence.

Why is Nyasa Performed?

1. Purification - Removes negative energy or impurities from the body
2. Divine Invocation - Invokes deities and their energies into different body parts
3. Spiritual Preparation - Prepares the mind and body for mantra chanting, meditation, or japa
4. Protection - Acts as a shield from distractions or negativity

Think of Nyasa as aligning your body with the divine frequencies of the mantra you are about to recite.
 
Purpose of Nyasa

1. Hridaya (Heart) - Seat of devotion and consciousness
2. Shira (Head) - Control of thoughts and mind
3. Shikha (Crown) - Spiritual wisdom or higher connection
4. Kavacha (Armor) - Divine protection from negativity
5. Netra (Eyes) - Clear vision, inner and outer
6. Astra (Missile) - Energy projection, removal of obstacles

 
When is Nyasa Performed?

1. Before chanting Vedic or Tantric mantras
2. During daily Sandhya rituals
3. As part of Devi Upasana, Vishnu, Rudra, or Ganesha worship
4. Before reciting Durga Saptashati, Sahasranama, or other scripture-based pujas

Types of Nyasa
There are many kinds, depending on the puja or mantra system:

1. Kara Nyasa - Energizing the fingers and hands
2. Anga Nyasa - Sanctifying the main limbs (head, heart, etc.)
3. Hridayadi Nyasa - Placing mantras on heart, head, crown, eyes, etc.
4. Rishi Nyasa - Acknowledging the sage (ṛṣi) who revealed the mantra
5. Shakti & Bija Nyasa - Installing the energy (Shakti) and seed syllables (Bija)

 
Basic Nyasa Mantras & Procedure (Example: Gayatri Mantra)
Kara Nyasa (for hands) - While touching:

1. Thumb: ॐ अंगुष्ठाय नमः – Om, salutation to the thumb
2. Index finger: ॐ तर्जन्यै नमः
3. Middle finger: ॐ मध्यमाय नमः
4. Ring finger: ॐ अनामिकायै नमः
5. Little finger: ॐ कनिष्ठायै नमः
6. Both palms: ॐ करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां नमः

Anga Nyasa (for body parts) - While touching:

1. Heart – ॐ हृदयाय नमः
2. Head – ॐ शिरसे स्वाहा
3. Top of head – ॐ शिखायै वषट्
4. Eyes – ॐ नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्
5. Arms – ॐ अस्त्राय फट्

This is often followed by "Digbandhanam" – sealing the directions with finger mudras for protection.
Hridayadi Nyasa - Mantra chanting while touching the body parts, chant

1. ॐ हृदयाय नमः – Om Hridayaya Namah - (Touch the heart)
2. ॐ शिरसे स्वाहा – Om Shirase Swaha - (Touch the top of the head)
3. ॐ शिखायै वषट् – Om Shikhayai Vashat - (Touch the crown or topknot area)
4. ॐ कवचाय हुम् – Om Kavachaya Hum - (Touch shoulders/cross arms across chest as a shield)
5. ॐ नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् – Om Netra-Trayaya Vaushat - (Touch both eyes)
6. ॐ अस्त्राय फट् – Om Astraya Phat - (Snap fingers or gesture as throwing a missile)

 
How to Perform Hridayadi Nyasa

1. Sit in a calm, clean space.
2. Perform achamana and pranayama (optional but helpful).
3. Mentally invoke the deity (e.g., Sri Vishnu, Durga, Shiva).
4. Chant the Nyasa mantra, touching each part as mentioned.
5. Now the body is energized and protected, ready for mantra japa, puja, or meditation.

 
Rishi Nyasa (ऋषि न्यास) –
Rishi Nyasa is a sacred preparatory step in Hindu rituals where the sage (ऋषि – ṛishi who received the mantra), meter (छन्दः – chhandaḥ, the metrical structure of the mantra), and deity (देवता – devata, the deity the mantra addresses) of the mantra are invoked before its recitation. This establishes the source, structure, and focus of the mantra, ensuring it is recited with spiritual awareness and precision. Rishi Nyasa is performed to honors the sage who revealed the mantra, to define the metrical rhythm for chanting, to focus      on the centers the mind on the deity or goal of the mantra and for Spiritual Alignment of the seeker with the source of divine wisdom.
ऋष्यादि न्यासः
[Sage’s Name] ṛṣiḥ – नमः
[Meter Name] छन्दः – नमः
[Deity Name] देवता – नमः
अस्य मंत्रस्य ऋषिः ... छन्दः ... देवता ... इति नियोजनम्
Example: Rishi Nyasa for Gayatri Mantra - ॐ विष्वामित्र ऋषिः। नमः। (Ṛṣi – Vishwamitra); गायत्री छन्दः। नमः। (Meter – Gayatri); सावित्री देवता। नमः। (Deity – Savitri/Sun God); अस्य गायत्री मंत्रस्य विष्वामित्र ऋषिः, गायत्री छन्दः, सावित्री देवता इति नियोजनम्।
This is followed by Anga Nyasa and Karanyasa before mantra Japa.
 
Shakti & Bija Nyasa (शक्ति एवं बीज न्यास) –
Shakti Nyasa and Bija Nyasa are advanced forms of Nyasa in Hindu worship, especially in Tantric and mantra sadhana. They are performed to energize the practitioner’s body with the primal forces (Shakti) and seed syllables (Bija) of the mantra. These Nyasa are typically used before Japa of powerful mantras like Navarna, Gayatri, Shri Vidya, Kali, and Shiva mantras.

1. Shakti Nyasa - Installation of the divine energies or powers (shaktis) of each part of the mantra
2. Bīja Nyasa - Installation of bija (seed) syllables – single-letter mantras with potent spiritual force

Why Perform Shakti & Bija Nyasa?

1. Energizing the Body - Invokes divine forces into the limbs, senses, and chakras
2. Tuning to Divine Energy - Aligns the practitioner with cosmic vibrations of the mantra
3. Protection & Purity - Creates an internal shield from negative energies
4. Awakens Chakras - Some Nyasas place bija syllables at chakra points for activation

​Bija Nyasa Example (Generic)
Here’s a simplified example using commonly used seed mantras:
ॐ (Om) - Primordial sound – touching on the crown (top of head)
ह्रीं (Hrīm) - Shakti bija – energy of the Divine Mother – touching on the heart
क्लीं (Klīm) – Mahakali bija - Attraction, love, devotion – touching on the navel
ऐं (Aiṁ) - Saraswati bija – knowledge and speech     - touching on the throat
श्रौं (Shrauṁ) - Shiva bija – touching on the third eye