The Mental Worship of Lord Shiva
Singing the devotional hymn Shri Shiva Manasa Puja, and absorbing one’s mind in its meaning, offers a powerful way to evoke the presence of Lord Shiva.
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The verses of
Shri Shiva Manasa Puja remind me of stages in my
sadhana. In the beginning stages, I offered tangible and beautiful gifts: oils, flowers, incense.
Then, as in verse four, I became aware that offering my actions, especially through the practice of
seva, is the greatest of the offerings I can make. And, once I realized this, I didn’t stop making tangible offerings; I simply added them to my offering of
seva. I found that bringing all of the offerings under the umbrella of
seva made
seva and those offerings sweeter and more endearing.
a Siddha Yogi from New York, United States
During the month of February, I have been honoring Lord Shiva by singing the
Shiva Arati and
Shiva Manasa Puja, and meditating on the qualities of Shiva with the awareness that “I am Shiva.”
Today I left my grandparents' house by the sea for the last time as it is being sold. I was surprised at my peaceful inner state when leaving so many good childhood memories behind. I smiled, realizing that this was the play of Shiva and part of life.
I am so grateful to Gurumayi for constantly imparting to me new teachings that help me approach life’s challenges with equipoise and joy.
Through my Siddha Yoga practices, I have a better life and am able to be an example to my family and friends.
a Siddha Yogi from Versailles, France
For over thirty years, I worked as a high school classroom educator. Each day I would arrive at my classroom at least an hour early, so that I could unlock a special cabinet that I had turned into a
puja. Before I performed any task related to my job, I would stand before my altar and sing the
Sri Shiva Manasa Puja with devotion. Regardless of what happened during the course of the day, I always felt the protection and grace of this practice.
Thank you, beloved Gurumayi, for giving me access to such a powerful and meaningful prayer.
a Siddha Yogi from Georgia, USA
I was so happy to find this exquisite hymn and the audio recording on the Siddha Yoga path website. I remember the feelings of tender devotion that this hymn evoked in me years ago, when we sang it in the evenings at Gurudev Siddha Peeth and Shree Muktananda Ashram.
Today I sang the five verses and then began meditation by performing
manasa puja. My mind became completely absorbed in this inner worship. What joy it gave me to focus on the inner Guru and to offer the most fragrant flowers, the most delicious foods, and the most beautiful music that I could imagine! So much love arose inside.
Later in the day I remembered the words “Wherever I walk I am walking around you, everything I say is in praise of you, everything I do is to honor you, O benevolent Lord.” Repeating these words transformed my ordinary tasks into loving acts of worship.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for guiding us to purify our minds, deepen our devotion, and sanctify our lives in this way.
a Siddha Yogi from Massachusetts, USA