Chaitra Sudi Navami — Rama Navami Katha and Aarti

 Rama Navami is celebrated on Chaitra Sudi Navami, it is popular as the birthday of Bhagwan Rama — or popular as this day Vishnu took Avatar in the form of Rama, the Maryada Purushottam.

For celebration, one should have a Vrat (fasting), and worship lord Rama with his whole family (Rama, Sita, Lakshmana & Hanuman) and Ramcharitmanas (in which story of Rama’s life is written).

For Rama worship, make snana (bathe) to Rama’s Murti, decorate it with new clothes, put a tika with yellow chandan and offer dhoop, deep, aarti, and flowers. Chant Ramayana, especially the part in which Rama Janam Katha is mentioned. Offer panchamrit made of dahi, doodh, ghee, shahad, and chini; and in other bhoga offering don’t forget to mix tulsi leaves. After puja, distribute the prasada among devotees.

Also one can feed the poor and donate money or other articles to the needy. In the evening one should worship lord Rama again by offering bhoga, aarti, dhoop and deep — and after that, bhajan, keertan, Ramayan Path and so on.

If one wants one can opt for Akhand Ramayan Path, it means Ramayan should be continuously chanted by changing people until it ends. It is said, in every Ramayan Path, Hanumanji also comes in invisible form — there are many advantages for Akhand Path.

People who worship lord Rama is supposed to go in Vishnu-Loka after their natural death, worship of lord Rama is mostly in Bhakti form, the name of Rama is a mantra in itself, that’s why his devotees just chant ‘Ram - Ram’ and nothing else. Additional ‘a’ with Ram, is in English version name; in Hindi no one gives stress on additional ‘a’.

Rama Navami Katha

King Dasaratha was Kashyap (Manu) in his previous life; and his wife was Shatarupa in her previous life. Both worshiped lord Vishnu in their previous lives and in the boon they requested him to take birth in their home. Lord Vishnu took birth in their home on Chaitra Sudi Navami, and was called Rama. Later on with the help of Hanuman ji and Sugreeva, he wiped out the clan of Ravana.

Aarti of Maryada Purushottama Rama

जय जय सुरनायक जन सुखदायक प्रनतपाल भगवंता ॥
गो द्विज हितकारी जय असुरारी सिधुंसुता प्रिय कंता ॥
पालन सुर धरनी अद्भुत करनी मरम न जानइ कोई ॥
जो सहज कृपाला दीनदयाला करउ अनुग्रह सोई ॥
जय जय अबिनासी सब घट बासी ब्यापक परमानंदा ॥
अबिगत गोतीतं चरित पुनीतं मायारहित मुकुंदा ॥
जेहि लागि बिरागी अति अनुरागी बिगतमोह मुनिबृंदा ॥
निसि बासर ध्यावहिं गुन गन गावहिं जयति सच्चिदानंदा ॥
जेहिं सृष्टि उपाई त्रिबिध बनाई संग सहाय न दूजा ॥
सो करउ अघारी चिंत हमारी जानिअ भगति न पूजा ॥
जो भव भय भंजन मुनि मन रंजन गंजन बिपति बरूथा ॥
मन बच क्रम बानी छाड़ि सयानी सरन सकल सुर जूथा ॥
सारद श्रुति सेषा रिषय असेषा जा कहुँ कोउ नहि जाना ॥
जेहि दीन पिआरे बेद पुकारे द्रवउ सो श्रीभगवाना ॥
भव बारिधि मंदर सब बिधि सुंदर गुनमंदिर सुखपुंजा ॥
मुनि सिद्ध सकल सुर परम भयातुर नमत नाथ पद कंजा ॥