Smartism situates ritual within an Advaita Vedānta framework, so its ceremonies are consciously shaped by the conviction that all deities are manifestations of a single, non-dual Brahman. This is expressed most clearly in pañcāyatana pūjā, where five deities—typically Śiva, Viṣṇu, Devī, Gaṇeśa, and Sūrya—are installed and worshipped together with equal reverence. Within that shared altar, the practitioner may still choose an iṣṭa-devatā, a preferred form, yet without denying the legitimacy or divinity of the others. Because of this, sectarian markers and exclusive mantras are not obligatory; the ritual vocabulary can shift according to the chosen deity while retaining a sense of underlying unity. The ceremonies are often understood as upāsanā, aids to meditation and inner purification, preparing the mind for knowledge of the Self rather than being regarded as ultimate ends in themselves. Many Smartas interpret their worship as, at a deeper level, reverence for the ātman as Brahman, using the deity’s form as a provisional focus for that realization.

By contrast, Vaishnava ritual life is organized around an exclusive or near-exclusive devotion to Viṣṇu and his avatāras such as Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, who are regarded as the supreme reality. Temple and household worship center on these forms alone, with structured pūjā, specific mantras like “Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya,” and elaborate liturgies that express loving service (seva) and surrender. Kīrtan, nāma-saṅkīrtana, and festival observances such as Janmāṣṭamī and Rāma Navamī reinforce a personal, devotional relationship in which God and soul remain distinct, even when non-dual language is used. Other deities may be respected, but are typically placed in a hierarchical relation as subordinate or as powers of Viṣṇu, and the ritual space reflects this sectarian identity rather than a deliberate equivalence of forms.

Shaiva practice, though diverse philosophically, is similarly centered on a single supreme Lord, Śiva, whose worship gives Shaiva ritual its distinctive texture. Ceremonies focus on the liṅga, on abhiṣeka with water, milk, and other substances, and on mantras such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” often accompanied by the tripuṇḍra and other Śaiva symbols. Many traditions emphasize initiation (dīkṣā), mantra-śakti, and, in some cases, tantric or yogic elements, all oriented toward union with or realization of Śiva while maintaining a strong Śiva-centered identity. Temples are typically dedicated primarily to Śiva, with festivals like Mahāśivarātri shaping the ritual calendar and reinforcing his supremacy. Other deities may appear in the ritual environment, yet they are generally interpreted as emanations or servants of Śiva rather than as fully equal centers of worship.

Set against these more sectarian patterns, Smartism’s ceremonies stand out for their deliberate pluralism and ritual flexibility, combined with a commitment to Vedic–Smārta orthodoxy. A Smarta home altar may house symbols of Viṣṇu, Śiva, Devī, Gaṇeśa, and Sūrya together, and daily practice often includes sandhyā-vandana, Vedic recitation, and relatively simple pūjās that can be directed to any of these forms. Temples and household shrines shaped by this outlook tend to minimize exclusivist boundaries and instead present multiple deities as parallel gateways to the same non-dual truth. In this way, Smartist ritual does not reject bhakti or sectarian forms, but subsumes them within an interpretive horizon where every name and form is honored as a valid approach to the one Brahman.