In Hinduism, prayer and worship for couples are essential for fostering harmony, love, understanding, and spiritual growth in a relationship. The union of a couple is often viewed as a sacred bond, symbolizing the relationship between divine pairs such as Shiva-Parvati and Lakshmi-Narayana. Below, we’ll cover prayers, puja steps, suitable attire, ideal deities, mantras, and modern-day practical suggestions to guide couples in spiritual practices together.
Deities to Worship for Couples:
- Shiva-Parvati: Representing the ideal marital balance between masculine and feminine energies. Worshipping Shiva and Parvati is believed to bring harmony, understanding, and love.
- Lakshmi-Narayana: Symbolizes prosperity, material wealth, and spiritual harmony in marriage.
- Ganesha: The remover of obstacles, ensuring that couples can navigate difficulties together.
- Saraswati and Brahma: Symbolizing knowledge, wisdom, and creativity, fostering intellectual compatibility and growth in the relationship.
- Hanuman: Represents devotion and loyalty, important for faithfulness and trust in a relationship.
- Sri Rama and Sita: A divine couple symbolizing dharma (righteousness), loyalty, and enduring love.
- Goddess Shakti (in various forms such as Durga, Kali, or Lalita): Represents feminine power and strength, protecting the family and empowering the couple.
Simple Prayers for Couples:
1. Prayer to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati:
This prayer invokes the blessings of Shiva and Parvati for unity and balance in the relationship.
Mantra:
"ॐ नमः शिवाय |
Om Namah Shivaya |"
Prayer Translation:
"We bow to Lord Shiva, the destroyer of ignorance and darkness, and Goddess Parvati, the embodiment of love and devotion. May their eternal union bless our relationship with peace, understanding, and deep love."
2. Prayer to Lakshmi Narayana:
For prosperity, happiness, and harmony in married life.
Mantra:
"ॐ श्री लक्ष्मी नारायणाय नमः |
Om Shri Lakshmi Narayanaya Namah |"
Prayer Translation:
"May Lord Narayana and Goddess Lakshmi bless us with divine abundance, prosperity, and harmony in our relationship. May we always live in peace, love, and prosperity."
3. Prayer to Lord Ganesha:
For removing obstacles from the relationship.
Mantra:
"ॐ गण गणपतये नमः |
Om Gan Ganapataye Namah |"
Prayer Translation:
"Salutations to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. May He bless our relationship with clarity, wisdom, and the ability to overcome all challenges together."
4. Prayer to Lord Hanuman:
For faithfulness, loyalty, and strength in the relationship.
Mantra:
"ॐ हनुमते नमः |
Om Hanumate Namah |"
Prayer Translation:
"We seek the blessings of Lord Hanuman, the embodiment of devotion and loyalty, to strengthen our relationship, foster trust, and bring us closer in love and understanding."
5. Prayer to Goddess Shakti (Durga):
For protection and strength in the relationship.
Mantra:
"ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः |
Om Dum Durgayei Namah |"
Prayer Translation:
"We bow to Goddess Durga, the protector and mother of the universe. May she protect our relationship, give us strength, and help us overcome difficulties with courage and unity."
Simple Puja Steps for Couples:
- Purification: Begin by cleansing yourselves and your home. Offerings can be made in a clean space or before an altar.
- Light a Diya (Lamp): Light an oil lamp (ghee or sesame oil) and place it in front of the deities. This signifies the dispelling of darkness and ignorance.
- Offer Flowers and Incense: Present fresh flowers and incense to the gods and goddesses as a symbol of love and devotion.
- Recite Mantras: Chant the mantras mentioned above, focusing on the blessings you wish to invoke for your relationship. Both partners can chant together.
- Offer Prasad: Prepare a simple offering of sweets or fruits. After offering it to the deity, share it with your partner as a symbol of unity.
- Aarti (Waving the Lamp): End the puja with an aarti, waving the lit lamp in a circular motion in front of the deities.
- Meditation or Silent Reflection: After completing the puja, sit together in silence or meditate for a few minutes, visualizing your relationship being blessed with peace, love, and harmony.
Clothing and Colors for Puja:
- For men: A white or light-colored dhoti, kurta, or any clean traditional attire.
- For women: A sari or salwar kameez in bright colors like red, yellow, or green, which are considered auspicious.
- Colors: White symbolizes purity, red symbolizes love and passion, yellow represents knowledge and prosperity, and green symbolizes fertility and new beginnings.
Mantras for Daily Recitation:
Shiva and Parvati:
"ॐ पार्वतीपतये नमः |
Om Parvati Pataye Namah |"Lakshmi Narayana:
"ॐ लक्ष्मी नारायणाय नमः |
Om Lakshmi Narayanaya Namah |"Ganesha:
"ॐ श्री गणेशाय नमः |
Om Shri Ganesha Namah |"Hanuman:
"ॐ हनुमते नमः |
Om Hanumate Namah |"
Rare Facts and Modern-Day Practices for Couples:
- 108 Chanting: In Hindu tradition, repeating a mantra 108 times is considered especially auspicious. Couples can chant together, aligning their breaths, creating a deep spiritual connection.
- Daily Gratitude Ritual: Each morning or evening, light a lamp together and express gratitude for one thing your partner did that day. This helps foster mindfulness and appreciation in the relationship.
- Fasting Together: Fasting on auspicious days such as Mondays (Shiva), Fridays (Lakshmi), or during Navratri (for Durga/Shakti) can increase spiritual focus and unity between partners.
- Sharing Spiritual Knowledge: Reading scriptures like the Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, or stories of divine couples like Shiva-Parvati or Rama-Sita together can help enhance spiritual bonding and understanding.
- Incorporating Nature: Spend time together in nature, acknowledging the divine in the elements around you. For example, sitting under a tree or near water, which are sacred in Hinduism, can be grounding for the relationship.
Practical Tips for Modern Couples:
- Set up a Small Home Altar: A simple altar with deities, a diya, and a few flowers or incense sticks can create a space for daily or weekly prayer.
- Couple Meditation: Practicing mindful breathing or meditating together while chanting mantras brings emotional and spiritual alignment.
- Joint Community Service (Seva): Volunteering together, whether at a temple or charity, brings a shared sense of purpose and karma yoga (selfless service), strengthening the bond between couples.
- Celebrate Festivals Together: Participate in Hindu festivals like Shivratri (for Shiva-Parvati), Diwali (for Lakshmi-Narayana), or Hanuman Jayanti (for Hanuman) by performing rituals or fasting together.
- Morning Affirmations: Start the day with affirmations or mantras that bless your relationship, reinforcing positivity and unity.
- Modern Interpretation: While elaborate pujas are important, even a short 10-minute daily prayer session with mantras can suffice in busy modern lives.
These prayers, rituals, and practical ideas can help couples in Hinduism grow spiritually together, deepen their bond, and invite divine blessings into their relationship.