Śivamānasapūjā (Shiva Manasa Puja) (English)

Mental worship of Śiva

 Introduction

Gabriel Pradīpaka, once again. The author of this well-known scripture is Śaṅkarācārya, a highly renowned vedantic master. In this scripture a particular technique of mental worship of Śiva is described in detail. The ordinary worship which is performed by using such external objects as incense sticks, trays, etc. is not so powerful as that which is performed by using one's own mind. A practice is more powerful if the instruments used to perform it are also more powerful. As mind is much more powerful than physical body, mental adoration is accordingly much more powerful than external adoration... and cheaper too. That is why, Śaṅkarācārya took the trouble to describe it in his hymn. However, this kind of worship requires complete one-pointedness. A person with a mind too distracted cannot practice the mental worship in an appropriate way.

When you perform mental worship, the important thing is that the objects can be distinctly experienced. If your mind is not paying full attention to the practice, you will note that the entire mental scene where you are practicing "mānasapūjā" (mental adoration) becomes indistinct, foggy. Thus, when you practice mental worship, strive to form a distinct, sharp mental image. If you can do this, then you are practicing mānasapūjā really well, and the fruits of it will come soon to your hands.

This hymn is generally chanted after "Śivamahimnaḥ stotram" by night.

Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me. Now and then, some important terms may be highlighted with color.

top

 Śivamānasapūjā

शिवमानसपूजा
Śivamānasapūjā
-Mental (mānasa) worship (pūjā) of Śiva (śiva)-

रत्नैः कल्पितमासनं हिमजलैः स्नानं च दिव्याम्बरं नानारत्नविभूषितं मृगमदामोदाङ्कितं चन्दनम्।
जातीचम्पकबिल्वपत्ररचितं पुष्पं च धूपं तथा दीपं देव दयानिधे पशुपते हृत्कल्पितं गृह्यताम्॥१॥
Ratnaiḥ kalpitamāsanaṁ himajalaiḥ snānaṁ ca divyāmbaraṁ nānāratnavibhūṣitaṁ mṛgamadāmodāṅkitaṁ candanam|
Jātīcampakabilvapatraracitaṁ puṣpaṁ ca dhūpaṁ tathā dīpaṁ deva dayānidhe paśupate hṛtkalpitaṁ gṛhyatām||1||

Oh God (deva), Ocean (nidhe) of Mercy (dayā)!, (I have) mentally formed (kalpitam) a seat (āsanam) with jewels (ratnaiḥ), an ablution (snānam) with cold (hima) water (jalaiḥ), and (ca) divine (divya) garments (ambaram) adorned (vibhūṣitam) with various (nānā) gems (ratna); sandal (candanam) mixed --"aṅkita" literally means "marked, stamped, etc."-- (aṅkitam) with the fragrance (āmoda) of musk (mṛgamada); an (arrangement of) flower(s) (puṣpam) prepared (racitam) with jasmine (jātī), campaka (campaka) (and) leaves (patra) of bilva (bilva); and (ca) (fine) incense (dhūpam) as well as (tathā) a (brilliant) light (dīpam), oh Lord (pate) of the limited beings (paśu). (May all that I have) imagined (kalpitam) in (my) heart (hṛd) be accepted (by You) (gṛhyatām)!||1||

सौवर्णे नवरत्नखण्डरचिते पात्रे घृतं पायसं भक्ष्यं पञ्चविधं पयोदधियुतं रम्भाफलं पानकम्।
शाकानामयुतं जलं रुचिकरं कर्पूरखण्डोज्ज्वलं ताम्बूलं मनसा मया विरचितं भक्त्या प्रभो स्वीकुरु॥२॥
Sauvarṇe navaratnakhaṇḍaracite pātre ghṛtaṁ pāyasaṁ bhakṣyaṁ pañcavidhaṁ payodadhiyutaṁ rambhāphalaṁ pānakam|
Śākānāmayutaṁ jalaṁ rucikaraṁ karpūrakhaṇḍojjvalaṁ tāmbūlaṁ manasā mayā viracitaṁ bhaktyā prabho svīkuru||2||

I have mentally formed (manasā mayā viracitam), with devotion (bhaktyā), within a golden (sauvarṇe) bowl (pātre) made (racite) with fragments (khaṇḍa) of the nine (nava) jewels (ratna), clarified butter (ghṛtam) (and) an oblation of milk, rice and sugar (pāyasam) (along with) the five kinds (pañcavidham) of food (bhakṣyam) prepared (yutam) with milk (payas) and coagulated milk --not only "curds", as "dadhi" includes the whey too-- (dadhi); a beverage (pānakam) of banana(s) (rambhāphalam); a myriad (ayutam) of vegetables (śākānām), pleasant (rucikaram) water (jalam); a piece (khaṇḍa) of burning (ujjvalam) camphor (karpūra); (and) a leaf of Betel (tāmbūlam). Oh Lord (prabho), make (all this) your own (svīkuru)!||2||

छत्रं चामरयोर्युगं व्यजनकं चादर्शकं निर्मलं वीणाभेरिमृदङ्गकाहलकला गीतं च नृत्यं तथा।
साष्टाङ्गं प्रणतिः स्तुतिर्बहुविधा ह्येतत्समस्तं मया सङ्कल्पेन समर्पितं तव विभो पूजां गृहाण प्रभो॥३॥
Chatraṁ cāmarayoryugaṁ vyajanakaṁ cādarśakaṁ nirmalaṁ vīṇābherimṛdaṅgakāhalakalā gītaṁ ca nṛtyaṁ tathā|
Sāṣṭāṅgaṁ praṇatiḥ stutirbahuvidhā hyetatsamastaṁ mayā saṅkalpena samarpitaṁ tava vibho pūjāṁ gṛhāṇa prabho||3||

A parasol (chatram); a couple (yugam) of whisks --generally used as fans-- (vyajanakam) (made with) the tails of two Yaks (cāmarayoḥ); and (ca) a spotless (nirmalam) mirror (ādarśakam); the fine arts (kalāḥ) of "Gīta" --chanting-- (gītam) as well as (ca... tathā) "Nṛtya" --dancing-- (nṛtyam), (which are accompanied by) "vīṇā-s" --a kind of Indian lute-- (vīṇā), kettle-drums (bheri), "mṛdaṅga-s" --a portable drum with two heads-- (mṛdaṅga) (and) large drums (kāhala); a prostration (praṇatiḥ) performed with (sa) eight (aṣṭa) limbs or members --i.e. hands, breast, forehead, knees and feet must touch the ground in this type of reverential salutation-- (aṅgam); (and) hymns of praise (stutiḥ) of many sorts (bahuvidhā) indeed (hi). I mentally offer (mayā saṅkalpena samarpitam) all (samastam) this (etad) to You (tava), oh all-pervading and powerful (God) (vibho)! Accept (gṛhāṇa) (my) worship (pūjām), oh Lord (prabho)!||3||

आत्मा त्वं गिरिजा मतिः सहचराः प्राणाः शरीरं गृहं पूजा ते विषयोपभोगरचना निद्रा समाधिस्थितिः।
सञ्चारः पदयोः प्रदक्षिणविधिः स्तोत्राणि सर्वा गिरो यद्यत्कर्म करोमि तत्तदखिलं शम्भो तवाराधनम्॥४॥
Ātmā tvaṁ girijā matiḥ sahacarāḥ prāṇāḥ śarīraṁ gṛhaṁ pūjā te viṣayopabhogaracanā nidrā samādhisthitiḥ|
Sañcāraḥ padayoḥ pradakṣiṇavidhiḥ stotrāṇi sarvā giro yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilaṁ śambho tavārādhanam||4||

You (tvam) (are) the Self (ātmā) and Girijā --an epithet of Pārvatī, Śiva's wife, meaning "mountain-born"-- (girijā) (is) the intelligence (matiḥ). The vital energies (prāṇāḥ) (are Your) companions (sahacarāḥ). The body (śarīram) (is Your) house (gṛham). Worship (pūjā) of You (te) is prepared (racanā) with the objects (viṣaya) (known as sensual) enjoyments (upabhoga). Sleep (nidrā) (is Your) state (sthitiḥ) of Samādhi --i.e. perfect concentration or absorption-- (samādhi). (My) wandering (sañcāraḥ) (is) the ceremony (vidhiḥ) of circumambulation from left to right (pradakṣiṇa) of (Your) feet (padayoḥ) --this act is generally done as a token of respect--. All (sarvāḥ) (my) words (giraḥ) (are) hymns of praise (of You) (stotrāṇi). Whatever (yad yad) action (karma) I do (karomi), all (akhilam) that (tad tad) is adoration (ārādhanam) of You (tava), oh Śambhu --an epithet of Śiva meaning "beneficent, benevolent"-- (śambho)||4||

करचरणकृतं वाक्कायजं कर्मजं वा श्रवणनयनजं वा मानसं वापराधम्।
विहितमविहितं वा सर्वमेतत्क्षमस्व जय जय करुणाब्धे श्रीमहादेव शम्भो॥५॥
Karacaraṇakṛtaṁ vākkāyajaṁ karmajaṁ vā śravaṇanayanajaṁ vā mānasaṁ vāparādham|
Vihitamavihitaṁ vā sarvametatkṣamasva jaya jaya karuṇābdhe śrīmahādeva śambho||5||

Forgive (kṣamasva) (any) offense (aparādham) committed (kṛtam) with hands (kara) and feet (caraṇa), or derived (jam) from speech (vāk) and body (kāya), or (vā) coming (jam) from actions (karma), or (vā) proceeding (jam) from ears (śravaṇa) (and) eyes (nayana), or (vā) from mind (mānasam). (Forgive) the actions that I have done (vihitam) or (vā) those which I have stopped from doing (avihitam). (Forgive) all (sarvam) this (etad). Victory (jaya), victory (jaya), oh Ocean (abdhe) of Compassion (karuṇā), oh Venerable (śrī) Great (mahā) God (deva), oh Śambhu --Benevolent, Beneficent-- (śambho)!||5||

इति श्रिमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचिता शिवमानसपूजा समाप्ता॥
Iti śrīmacchaṅkarācāryaviracitā śivamānasapūjā samāptā||

Thus (iti), Śivamānasapūjā --Mental Worship of Śiva-- (śivamānasapūjā), written (viracitā) by venerable (śrīmad) Śaṅkarācārya (śaṅkarācārya), (is lastly) finished (samāptā).

top

 Further Information

This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.

For further information about Sanskrit, Yoga and Indian Philosophy; or if you simply want to comment, ask a question or correct a mistake, feel free to contact us: This is our e-mail address.