Significance of Offering Pancha-Tattva in Hindu Puja

Why do we offer the five elements in all our puja, our worship ceremonies? We always offer something of earth (flowers), fire, water, air and ether. But why? The elements have been created by God, so why offer them back to God? Why does God want our flowers or our rice or water?

God doesn’t….. we offer the elements in our puja to remind us that the Creation is sacred, it’s holy, it’s that which we offer to God. If we have to offer flowers to God then the soil in which they grow must be clean, unpolluted. If we have to offer water to God then there must BE water, and that water must be clean and pure. If we offer air, the air must be clean…. No one would offer something dirty or toxic to God.

So the offerings are for us, to connect us and remind us that the creation, all the elements, are holy.