Panchayatana Puja serves as Smartism’s elegant bridge between the richly diverse Hindu pantheon and its core teaching of non-duality. Rather than promoting loyalty to a single deity, this system places five deities—Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha and Surya—on an equal footing, arranged in a quincunx around a central icon symbolizing the Supreme Brahman.

By honoring multiple forms, practitioners’re reminded that each deity represents a facet of the same ultimate reality. Ceremonial offerings—flowers, incense, lamps—rise simultaneously to all five images, reinforcing the idea that personal devotion and universal oneness aren’t at odds but intertwined. Over centuries, this ritual helped dissolve sectarian rivalries, inviting worshippers to experience cherished deities while acknowledging their shared source.

Today’s spiritual seekers, buoyed by growing interest in mindfulness and holistic traditions, often discover Panchayatana Puja speaks directly to modern yearnings for inclusivity. At retreats from Bali to California, digital communities share livestreamed pujas, illustrating how this fivefold practice has adapted to a world eager for unity without uniformity. Even high-profile gatherings—like the recent 2025 Kumbh Mela—spotlight Smartism’s calm invitation: embrace diversity, recognize oneness.

Beyond theology, Panchayatana Puja nurtures inner balance. Alternating focus among deities encourages flexibility of mind and heart—qualities much prized in today’s fast-paced life. As each image takes its turn at the center, the devotee learns that any path—be it through the wisdom of Shiva, the devotion of Vishnu or the energy of Shakti—can lead back to the same, all-encompassing source.

Quietly revolutionary, Panchayatana Puja remains a living testament to Smartism’s vision: many faces, one truth.