Nitya Grantha is one of the nine works of Ramanujacharya of the 11th century CE. It is in prose with 54 sentences (curnikas). Nitya Grantha prescribes the procedure for worshipping God by Paramaikantins (proximate devotees of God). It commences with preparations from the time of getting up in the morning and ends when one goes to bed. The following procedure of worship is laid down in Nitya Grantha:
- Recitation of guru parampara (tradition of preceptors)
- Remembering God by pranayama for attuning the mind to God
- Recitation of five hymns – Sri, Bhu, Bila, Purusha and Narayana
- Recitation of moola mantra and pranayama to raise the Chitshakti from the navel to the heart
- For atma suddhi (cleansing oneself – the mind)
- Anganyasa (touching of the parts of the body by way of sanctifying them and meditation
- Invoking of nature, Kurma, Ananta, Earth, Vaikunta, dharma, jnana, vairagya, aishwarya and their opposite deities
- Oblations to ornaments, Vanamala (garland), Kaustubha (gem) pitambara (dress), weapons, Garuda, Vishwaksena and eight guardian deities of eight directions.
These sixteen types of services are prescribed until God is sent to rest (visarjana). This is to be done daily.
This is a form of physical and spiritual discipline. It is important that during the worship of God, the mind is not let to wander. The emphasis is on external as well as internal purity and attuning the mind to God.