Saṅkalpa — stating the intention

In the saṅkalpa you hold water, rice and sometimes a flower, and state who you are, where and when you are performing the rite, and why. A priest recites the place and the calendar details — year, month, fortnight, tithi — along with your name and, in many families, your gotra.

At home, a sentence in your own language is enough: “Today, I offer this pūjā to Gaṇeśa for the well-being of my family.” The water is then released onto the ground or into a plate. The saṅkalpa turns a routine into a conscious offering.

Place, time, name, purpose

Karmakāṇḍa — the ritual way · Ask a Jyotishi your own question