I am currently visiting India for four months with my husband. We are planning to spend time with my family and also undertake a pilgrimage in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rishikesh. I have heard about the great temples of Tamil Nadu and am looking forward to seeing them for the first time- we will be visiting Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Sri Rangam, Tanjore, Rameswaram and Madurai. This way we will be able to pay respects to three wonderful forms of the Divine- Devi, Hari and Hara! Am hoping to do some extra japa as well as some puja/homam in these places.
Speaking of puja, I have recently been doing some manasik puja. It is really quite interesting. Especially as I was someone who could barely visualise the form of my ishta devata Hari/Krishna when I started my first purascharana in 2011. My Guru Sivananda said, try to visualise the deity in the anahata or ajna chakra during loud (vaikhari) or whispering (upamasu) japa. One cannot do visualization during mental japa because then the japa stops. One can do loud/whispering japa with mental visualization however.
My mind could not do this at all well in the past- I could barely see the deity- so I did as Sivananda advised in this situation, and simply tried to concentrate on the sound of the mantra that I was saying.
I somehow slid into a regular habit of doing manasik puja since last month. During the Navaratri sadhana last month, I decided to do manasik puja of different forms of Devi. I felt I needed to worship my Guru and Hari also with Her. I thought it would be fun to worship all three together- it felt more complete. I see Hari as the origin of my Guru and Devi (three forms of the same God) so this made sense to me.
Swami Chidananda, a wonderful disciple of Swami Sivananda, used to say one should use imagination and creativity in one's bhakti. One should find some way or the other of directing one's thoughts towards God. Bearing this in mind, I decided to use the basic knowledge I had of physical puja procedures and carry these out mentally- adding in my imagination.
So I let myself imagine. I imagined a beautiful house made of solid gold and studded with precious gems in the centre of my chest (anahata chakra). Surrouding the house were lovely gardens, beautiful trees, flowers, lakes and birds singing pleasantly. The sunlight was perfect - neither too hot nor too cold. Into this house in this beautiful realm, I invited Lord Hari, Devi and my Guru to stay. I imagined an elegant bed in the room of the house where they slept at night.
In the morning, when I started japa, I would imagine going to wake them up. I would lead them outside the house to where three clean ponds with lotuses were located- each pond was dedicated to one of them. They would step into the ponds clothed in special cotton clothes (covered up of course as per Indian tradition!) to bathe. They would then step out and I would provide each of them with towels to dry themselves and with new clothes made of silk and soft velvety slippers. Always yellow garments for Hari, pink/red/white clothes for Devi and orange clothes for my Guru. I would then offer them each a unique flower garland- tulasi leaves with white/blue flowers for Hari, variegated flowers of pink, red and white for Lakshmi and marigold/orange and yellow flowers for Guru.
I would then lead them to a place in the front courtyard of the gold house where a stunning throne was present. The throne was one with three seats- Hari would sit in the middle, with my Guru Sivananda to His right, and Goddess Lakshmi to His left.
I would then offer them a drink of water to start. Then offer various foods in dishes made of gold (I am rich enough to do this in this realm!). Fruit, kheer, kitchri, jaggery rice, payasam- all kinds of different sattvic foods to eat. Buttermilk and water to drink. Sometimes also pots of pure ghee, butter and curds for Hari (given His infamous fondness for these). While doing all this, I would of course continue the loud japa without a break with one part of my mind. I felt as though Hari, Guru and Devi could hear the japa while all the other stuff was going on and that they were pleased.
After they finished the main meal, I would offer them the traditional betel nut with leaf or tamboolam (for proper digestion). Then I would clear away all the used dishes and wash them up and leave them to dry. After doing the washing up, I would then imagine myself taking a quick dip in a separate pond set aside for me, and return in clean crisp white clothes to sit in front of them and do the japa. Or I would allow myself to do any other form of worship I liked afterwards- offering incense, waving lights, offering flowers etc. Whatever I felt like doing. The key was to enjoy it, be spontaneous and keep up the concentration.
I notice my mind wanders much less away from God during japa as a result of this. Previously during loud japa, my mind would wander hither and thither. Now it is harder for it to wander. My concentration generally remains on the mental puja and the mantra. At the end of the puja, I ask for true bhakti and jnana and to become the type of devotee and disciple that God and Guru want. I also ask that all beings may be blessed with bhakti, jnana and attunement to the Divine Will, and also for peace everywhere on Earth.
I find that manasik puja has made my japa practice much more interesting. I now do this puja every day with the morning japa. I don't tell myself that I have to- but I enjoy doing it now. I do a simpler less elaborate version when I am tired. If I am very tired for any reason, I skip it and just try to hear the sound of the mantra. But most days now, I do manasik puja with japa.
I am able to visualise the deities much better now (though still not perfectly) than I ever used to be able to. I feel this is the result of purification by repetition of the mantra regularly for nearly three years. Whatever progress has been made feels like it is due to the grace of the mantra, of Guru and Devi. I cannot describe the greatness of the mantra because I do not fully understand it myself, and have not fully experienced it yet. But the little I have experienced is wonderful. When God Himself cannot explain the glory of His Name, we need not try! However we certainly are advised to practice and experience it. I am very grateful to my wonderful Guru Swami Sivananda for giving me the mantra and for his inspiration and to Devi for providing the skakti to keep up the sadhana. And to the mantra itself for effecting such wonderful changes. The Name of God is certainly something quite extraordinary and wonderful.
Hari Om Tat Sat
Speaking of puja, I have recently been doing some manasik puja. It is really quite interesting. Especially as I was someone who could barely visualise the form of my ishta devata Hari/Krishna when I started my first purascharana in 2011. My Guru Sivananda said, try to visualise the deity in the anahata or ajna chakra during loud (vaikhari) or whispering (upamasu) japa. One cannot do visualization during mental japa because then the japa stops. One can do loud/whispering japa with mental visualization however.
My mind could not do this at all well in the past- I could barely see the deity- so I did as Sivananda advised in this situation, and simply tried to concentrate on the sound of the mantra that I was saying.
I somehow slid into a regular habit of doing manasik puja since last month. During the Navaratri sadhana last month, I decided to do manasik puja of different forms of Devi. I felt I needed to worship my Guru and Hari also with Her. I thought it would be fun to worship all three together- it felt more complete. I see Hari as the origin of my Guru and Devi (three forms of the same God) so this made sense to me.
Swami Chidananda, a wonderful disciple of Swami Sivananda, used to say one should use imagination and creativity in one's bhakti. One should find some way or the other of directing one's thoughts towards God. Bearing this in mind, I decided to use the basic knowledge I had of physical puja procedures and carry these out mentally- adding in my imagination.
So I let myself imagine. I imagined a beautiful house made of solid gold and studded with precious gems in the centre of my chest (anahata chakra). Surrouding the house were lovely gardens, beautiful trees, flowers, lakes and birds singing pleasantly. The sunlight was perfect - neither too hot nor too cold. Into this house in this beautiful realm, I invited Lord Hari, Devi and my Guru to stay. I imagined an elegant bed in the room of the house where they slept at night.
In the morning, when I started japa, I would imagine going to wake them up. I would lead them outside the house to where three clean ponds with lotuses were located- each pond was dedicated to one of them. They would step into the ponds clothed in special cotton clothes (covered up of course as per Indian tradition!) to bathe. They would then step out and I would provide each of them with towels to dry themselves and with new clothes made of silk and soft velvety slippers. Always yellow garments for Hari, pink/red/white clothes for Devi and orange clothes for my Guru. I would then offer them each a unique flower garland- tulasi leaves with white/blue flowers for Hari, variegated flowers of pink, red and white for Lakshmi and marigold/orange and yellow flowers for Guru.
I would then lead them to a place in the front courtyard of the gold house where a stunning throne was present. The throne was one with three seats- Hari would sit in the middle, with my Guru Sivananda to His right, and Goddess Lakshmi to His left.
I would then offer them a drink of water to start. Then offer various foods in dishes made of gold (I am rich enough to do this in this realm!). Fruit, kheer, kitchri, jaggery rice, payasam- all kinds of different sattvic foods to eat. Buttermilk and water to drink. Sometimes also pots of pure ghee, butter and curds for Hari (given His infamous fondness for these). While doing all this, I would of course continue the loud japa without a break with one part of my mind. I felt as though Hari, Guru and Devi could hear the japa while all the other stuff was going on and that they were pleased.
After they finished the main meal, I would offer them the traditional betel nut with leaf or tamboolam (for proper digestion). Then I would clear away all the used dishes and wash them up and leave them to dry. After doing the washing up, I would then imagine myself taking a quick dip in a separate pond set aside for me, and return in clean crisp white clothes to sit in front of them and do the japa. Or I would allow myself to do any other form of worship I liked afterwards- offering incense, waving lights, offering flowers etc. Whatever I felt like doing. The key was to enjoy it, be spontaneous and keep up the concentration.
I notice my mind wanders much less away from God during japa as a result of this. Previously during loud japa, my mind would wander hither and thither. Now it is harder for it to wander. My concentration generally remains on the mental puja and the mantra. At the end of the puja, I ask for true bhakti and jnana and to become the type of devotee and disciple that God and Guru want. I also ask that all beings may be blessed with bhakti, jnana and attunement to the Divine Will, and also for peace everywhere on Earth.
I find that manasik puja has made my japa practice much more interesting. I now do this puja every day with the morning japa. I don't tell myself that I have to- but I enjoy doing it now. I do a simpler less elaborate version when I am tired. If I am very tired for any reason, I skip it and just try to hear the sound of the mantra. But most days now, I do manasik puja with japa.
I am able to visualise the deities much better now (though still not perfectly) than I ever used to be able to. I feel this is the result of purification by repetition of the mantra regularly for nearly three years. Whatever progress has been made feels like it is due to the grace of the mantra, of Guru and Devi. I cannot describe the greatness of the mantra because I do not fully understand it myself, and have not fully experienced it yet. But the little I have experienced is wonderful. When God Himself cannot explain the glory of His Name, we need not try! However we certainly are advised to practice and experience it. I am very grateful to my wonderful Guru Swami Sivananda for giving me the mantra and for his inspiration and to Devi for providing the skakti to keep up the sadhana. And to the mantra itself for effecting such wonderful changes. The Name of God is certainly something quite extraordinary and wonderful.
Hari Om Tat Sat
Thanks for sharing your divine experience!
ReplyDeleteHi Ganesh, thanks for the comment. I have an interesting story on manasik puja to share with readers of this article.
ReplyDeleteI recently visited the Kailasanatha temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. The temple is beautiful and ancient- was built by the Pallava kings around 700 AD.
There is an interesting legend associated with the temple. A few days before the grand opening ceremony of the temple, the Kingwho built it had a dream in which Lord Shiva advised him to re-schedule the opening for a later date because He already had an opening ceremony of another devotee's temple to attend on that day. The King was surprised and wanted to visit the great temple made by the other devotee to whom Lord Shiva had given priority.
He went in search of this man and finally found a relatively poor man called Pusalar. Pusalar always wanted to build a grand temple for Lord Shiva but being poor, he lacked the resources. He therefore built a beautiful temple brick by brick carefully in his own heart. It was this manasik temple that had the opening ceremony on the same day as the King's physical temple. The local people ridiculed Pusalar as a madman when he said he had built a temple for the Lord.
The King was amazed when he met Pusalar and heard that the entire temple was in his heart, and that he performed regular manasik puja here to worship the Lord there. He took the blessings of Pusalar and returned to his kingdom wonderstruck by the power of manasik puja and worship. Pusalar's temple opened on the intended day as per Lord Shiva's wish, and the King arranged a later date for his temple.
As this legend has given me a lot of encouragement to continue with manasik puja, I thought I would share it online.
wow vishupriya.. i am such a regular reader of ur blog. just dont want to disclose my name. i myself am going through lot of troubled times and keep seeking the name of god. keep writing.
ReplyDeletealso do let knw what all can be done in terms of jaap.
Hi, thanks for the comments. Sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time....it is true that the name of God can help cope with difficulties. The principles of japa are easy...simply select a name or mantra of God that appeals to you the most and start repeating it a certain number of times a day - even 5 to 10 min a day is a great help. See Swami Sivananda's article on japa yoga online for a good summary of japa yoga. I wish you the best with your sadhana. May God guide you.
ReplyDeleteVishnupriya Ji!
ReplyDeleteNamo Narayanaay!
Can you please suggest me any book to know how Manasik Puja can be performed?
Namaste Ram ji! Namo Narayana!
ReplyDeletePlease see this link from Sivananda for advice regarding the technique and benefits of manasik puja. http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection§ion_id=502
I used this article to guide my own practice. Basically, I feel one should allow oneself to feel that one is inviting a good friend or relation to one's house. This attitude during puja feels comfortable to me, but everyone has a different relation with God (such as master and servant, child, parent etc) - so choose the relationship which feels natural to you. This feeling is important to cultivate.
Many of us offer our friends food and drink (tea and biscuits etc) when they come home for a casual visit. If they come for lunch or dinner, we offer a nice meal.
Similar is the case with manasik puja. You can offer Bhagavan a light snack, a full meal, or just light/incense, or the full works (bath food, incense etc), depending on how much time you have.
Generally one should only offer sattvik food items to the Divine (no tea, coffee, meat etc)- only milk, fruits, grains, dals, sweets.
You can also modernise it if it makes it feel more natural. For example I offer God spoons to eat with as I often use spoons myself- though sometimes I make provisions to eat by hand (and provide water to wash hands with before the meal, I always provide water to wash hands after the meal).
Also, I sometimes offer fruit salad with ice-cream (all strictly vegetarian) as the dessert rather than a traditional payasam if I feel like it. I also offer some exotic flowers in puja sometimes (eg a type of purple rose called coolwater) instead of imagining the same boring flowers every time- Nature has so much variety, it makes sense to offer a variety of interesting different flowers to the Divine.
We are allowed to be creative to a reasonable extent I feel, so let your imagination guide you. I stick to the usual puja format such as offering a bath, clothes, ornaments, food, drink, comfortable seat, lights, incense etc (I don't offer Bhagavan anything too unconventional!) but allow some creativity within this. Hope you enjoy your manasik experience! Best wishes, may the Gurus and God guide you.