Manasa Puja

A brahmachari was waiting for Mother in Her room. He read to Her an article he had written for Matruvani, the ashram magazine. But She changed the topic.

Mother: "Is your meditation going all right, son?"

Brahmachari: "I am not getting enough concentration, Amma."

Mother: "Try practising manasa puja, son. The mind is like a cat. We may take care of it with a lot of affection, but the moment our attention wanders, it will stick its head in the pot and steal some food. Manasa puja is a method to keep the wayward mind fixed on God.

"You should do mental worship, crying out, 'Mother, Mother!' with love and devotion and intense yearning. Imagine holding the Divine Mother's hand and bathing Her by pouring water over Her. Picture the water falling on all parts of Her body and running down. All the while, call out to Her, 'Mother, Mother!' and visualise Her form.

"Imagine doing this abhisheka, with milk, honey, ghee, sandal paste, and rose water, one after the other.

"When these substances flow down Her body, visualise each part of Her form, from head to foot. Talk to Her and pray to Her. After bathing Her thus, dry Her body with a cloth. Drape a silk sari around Her. Adorn Her with ornaments. Put a vermilion mark on Her forehead."

Mother stopped the description and sat in meditation for a long time. Then She opened Her eyes and continued, "Put anklets on Her. Put a garland on Her neck and enjoy Her beauty. Now do archana with flowers. Take the flower, which represents your mind, and imagine offering its petals, one by one, at Her feet. Or imagine offering your vasanas in a fire burning in front of Her.

"After the archana, offer Her the payasam of your love. Picture yourself doing arati for Her, and see each part of Her body shining brilliantly in the light of the flame. In the end, imagine that you are circumambulating Mother. All the while, keep praying to Her. Son, try to do all this with prema (love). Then your mind will not wander anywhere."

Mantras

Archana

Lalita

Initiation

Manasa Puja

Seeing Within

Mass Puja