DURGA PUJA Step 3: Manasik Puja

(Internal worship)

 https://youtu.be/gM9KhN6j4tI

3.     Steps of Manasik Puja (mental worship).

3.1.  First step of Manasik Puja is Dhyana. Dhyana is meditation on the form and scene of Mahishasur being slayed by Mother Durga in the battlefield. Our Life is a battlefield. Divine Mother destroys our most formidable foe, our stubborn, raw-EGO (represented by the demon Mahishasur emerging out of the severed head of buffalo) thereby bestowing liberation and also any other boon if we wish for. 

3.1.1.   Dhyana: (Meditation)

3.1.1.1.        Take a flower in both hands; place them near your heart and meditate on your chosen deity.

3.1.1.2.        Recite the Durga Dhyana Slokas in your mind.

श्री दुर्गा ध्यानम जटाजूटसमायुक्तामर्द्धन्दुकृतशेखराम्। लोचनत्रय-संयुक्तां पूर्णेन्दुसदृशाननाम्। अतसीपुष्पवर्णाभां (तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभां) सुप्रतिष्ठां सुलोचनाम्। नवयौवन-सम्पन्नां सर्ववाभरनं-भूषिताम्। सुचारुदशनां तद्वत् पीनोन्नत-पयोधराम्। त्रिभङ्गस्थानसंस्थानां महिषासुरमर्द्दिनीम्। मॄणालायत-संस्पर्शदशबाहूसमन्विताम्। त्रिशूलं दक्षिणे ध्येयं खड़गं (शङ्खं) चक्रं क्रमादधः। तीक्ष्णवाणं तथा शक्तिं दक्षिणे सन्निवेशयेत्। खेटकं पूर्ण-चापञ्च पाशमङ्कुशमेव च। घण्टां वा परशूं वापि वामतः सन्निवेशयेत्। अधस्तान्महिषं तद्वद्विशिरस्कं प्रदर्शयेत्। शिरश्च्छेदोद्भवं तद्वद्दानवं खड़ग-पाणिनम्। हृदि शूलेन निर्भिन्नं निर्यदन्त्रविभूषितम्। रक्तारक्तीकृताङ्गञ्च रक्त-विस्फ़ुरितेक्षणम्। वेष्टितं नागपाशेन भ्रुकूटिभीषणाननम्। सपाशवामहस्तेन धृतकेशङ्च दुर्गया। वमद्रुधिरवक्त्रञ्च देव्याः सिंहं प्रदर्शयेत् । देव्यास्तु दक्षिणं पादं समं सिंहोपरिस्थितम् किञ्चिदुर्द्धं तथा वाममङ्ग़ुष्ठं महिषोपरि। शत्रुक्षयकरीं देविं दैत्यदानवदर्पहाम्। प्रसन्नवदनां देविं सर्व्वकामफ़लप्रदाम्। स्तूयमानाञ्च तद्रुपममरैः सन्निवेशयेत्। ऊग्रचण्डा प्रचण्डा च चन्डोग्रा-चण्ड-नायिका। चण्डा चण्डवती चैव चण्डरूपातिचण्डिका। आभिः शक्तिभिर्ष्टाभिः सततं परिवेष्टिताम्। चिन्तयेज्जगतां धात्रीं धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदाम्।

śrī durgā dhyānam jaṭājūṭasamāyuktāmarddhaendukṛtaśekharām | locanatraya-saṁyuktāṁ pūrṇendusadṛśānanām | atasīpuṣpavarṇābhāṁ (taptakāñcanavarṇābhāṁ) supratiṣṭhāṁ sulocanām | navayauvana-sampannāṁ sarvavābharanaṁ-bhūṣitām | sucārudaśanāṁ tadvat pīnonnata-payodharām | tribhaṅgasthānasaṁsthānāṁ mahiṣāsuramarddinīm | mṝṇālāyata-saṁsparśadaśabāhūsamanvitām | triśūlaṁ dakṣiṇe dhyeyaṁ khaṛagaṁ (śaṅkhaṁ) cakraṁ kramādadhaḥ | tīkṣṇavāṇaṁ tathā śaktiṁ dakṣiṇe sanniveśayet | kheṭakaṁ pūrṇa-cāpañca pāśamaṅkuśameva ca | ghaṇṭāṁ vā paraśūṁ vāpi vāmataḥ sanniveśayet | adhastānmahiṣaṁ tadvadviśiraskaṁ pradarśayet | śiraścchedodbhavaṁ tadvaddānavaṁ khaṛaga-pāṇinam | hṛdi śūlena nirbhinnaṁ niryadantravibhūṣitam | raktāraktīkṛtāṅgañca rakta-visfuritekṣaṇam | veṣṭitaṁ nāgapāśena bhrukūṭibhīṣaṇānanam | sapāśavāmahastena dhṛtakeśaṅca durgayā | vamadrudhiravaktrañca devyāḥ siṁhaṁ pradarśayet  | devyāstu dakṣiṇaṁ pādaṁ samaṁ siṁhoparisthitam kiñcidurddhaṁ tathā vāmamaṅġuṣṭhaṁ mahiṣopari| śatrukṣayakarīṁ deviṁ daityadānavadarpahām | prasannavadanāṁ deviṁ sarvvakāmafalapradām | stūyamānāñca tadrupamamaraiḥ sanniveśayet |  ūagracaṇḍā pracaṇḍā ca canḍogrā-caṇḍa-nāyikā | caṇḍā caṇḍavatī caiva caṇḍarūpāticaṇḍikā | ābhiḥ śaktibhirṣṭābhiḥ satataṁ pariveṣṭitām | cintayejjagatāṁ dhātrīṁ dharmakāmārthamokṣadām |

Meaning:

Mother Durga is sporting Jata (matted hair) (Like Lord Shiva) on her head on which half-moon is glistening. Her full-moon liked beautiful face has 3 eyes. Molten-Gold hued complexioned Mother has beautiful eyes. First dawn of youthfulness adorns Mother along with all types of ornaments. Exquisitely beautiful to look at, Mother sports nectar-full heavy breast. (She is the Mother of Universe and Her compassion for Her children overflows in form of nectar (Amrita – immortality) just as an earthly mother’s breasts become heavy-laden with milk for her suckling child. We all are Her suckling children).

The Slayer of Mahishasura (demon), Her posture is bent in three different places (like Krishna). Her ten arms are each slender like the stalk of lotus plant. On her five right arms, Mother holds Trishul (three-headed spear), Kharga (scythe) or Shankha (conch shell) and Chakra (Discus) in the order. Sharp pointed Baan (arrows) and Shakti complete the weapons on right five arms. On her left side are Khet, Purna-Chaap (full-Quiver of arrows), Paash/Naagpaash (venous snake for binding), Ankush, Ghanta (bell) or Parashu (axe). In the bottom on the ground is seen the severed head of the Mahish (buffalo). The hand holding the Kharga is getting ready to sever with the head off the demon emerging from the severed buffalo head. The Trishul has sharply and deftly pierced the heart of the demon. Mahishasur and Mother are covered in blood and blood is spurting from the demon. Mahishasur sporting a fearsome scowl is bound in Naagpaash. With Her Paash holding (left) hand, Mother Durga is holding the demon by the tuft of his hair.  Devi’s vaahan (carrier), Simha is vomiting blood. Devi’s right feet is on the back of the Simha, and a little higher the left toe on the buffalo.

Devi, The Slayer of enemies, destroys the arrogant-pride of the Daityas and Danavs (demons).

Mother, forever pleased, graciously bestows the results of all karmas. All the divine beings around Her are praising Her glories.

The eight Shakti s encircling Her are: Ugrachanda, Prachanda, Chandogra, Chandanayika, Chandaa, Chandavati, Chandarupati and Chandika.

I meditate thus on Jagatdhatri (substratum of the universe), the bestower of Dharma (righteous living), Kaama (Desire for enjoyment), Artha (wealth) and Moksha (liberation) - the four Purusharthas (goals of life)   

3.2. Second part is the actual Manasik puja. Here the worshipper mentally worships the Divine Mother with all mental faculties, sensory perceptions and aspired-for divine qualities.

3.2.1.   Manasika Puja: (Mental worship)

3.2.1.1.        Put the Flower on your head and worship the Divine Mother mentally offering thus:

मानसिक पुजा ॐ हृत्पद्ममासन्ं दद्यात् सहस्रारच्युतामृतैः पाद्यं चरणयोर्दद्यात् मनस्त्वर्घ्यं निवेदयात्। तेनामृतेनाचमनीयं स्नानीयं तेन च स्मृतं आकाशतत्वं वस्त्रंस्यात् गन्धं स्यात् गन्धतत्त्वकं ! चित्तं प्रकल्पयेत् पुष्पं धूपं प्राणान् प्रकल्पयेत्। तेजः तत्वं च दीपार्थे नैवेद्यं स्यात् सुधाम्बुधिः अनाहतध्वनिं घंटां वायुतत्त्वं च चामरं सहस्रारं भवेच्चत्रं शब्दतत्त्वं च गीतकं ! नृत्यमिन्द्रियकर्माणि चांचल्यं मानसस्तथा सुमेखलां पद्ममालां पुष्पं नानाविधं तथा ! अमायाद्यैः भावपुष्पैः अर्चयेत् भावगोचरं अमायानहंकारं अरागममदं तथा ! अमोहकमदंभं च अद्वेषक्षोभकौ तथा अमात्सर्यमलोभं च दशपुष्पं विदुर्बुधाः अहिंसा परमं पुष्पं पुष्पमिन्द्रिय निग्रहः दयापुष्पं क्षमापुष्पं ज्ञान पुष्पं च पंचमं ! ईति पंचदषैः भावपुष्पैः संपूजयेत् देविं !

mānasika pujā om hṛtpadmamāsanṁ dadyāt sahasrāracyutāmṛtaiḥ pādyaṁ caraṇayordadyāt manastvarghyaṁ nivedayāt | tenāmṛtenācamanīyaṁ snānīyaṁ tena ca smṛtaṁ ākāśatatvaṁ vastraṁsyāt gandhaṁ syāt gandhatattvakaṁ ! cittaṁ prakalpayet puṣpaṁ dhūpaṁ prāṇān prakalpayet | tejaḥ tatvaṁ ca dīpārthe naivedyaṁ syāt sudhāmbudhiḥ anāhatadhvaniṁ ghaṁṭāṁ vāyutattvaṁ ca cāmaraṁ sahasrāraṁ bhaveccatraṁ śabdatattvaṁ ca gītakaṁ ! nṛtyamindriayakarmāṇi cāṁcalyaṁ mānasastathā sumekhalāṁ padmamālāṁ puṣpaṁ nānāvidhaṁ tathā ! amāyādyaiḥ bhāvapuṣpaiḥ arcayet bhāvagocaraṁ amāyānahaṁkāraṁ arāgamamadaṁ tathā ! amohakamadaṁbhaṁ ca adveṣakṣobhakau tathā amātsaryamalobhaṁ ca daśapuṣpaṁ vidurbudhāḥ ahiṁsā paramaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpamindriya nigrahaḥ dayāpuṣpaṁ kṣamāpuṣpaṁ jñāna puṣpaṁ ca paṁcamaṁ ! īti paṁcadaṣaiḥ bhāvapuṣpaiḥ saṁpūjayet deviṁ !

Meaning:

The heart is offered as the seat;

the nectar in the thousand petalled lotus in the head for ablution, bathing and drinking.

The mind as the welcome offering.

The sky as the garment,

the element of smell as the fragrance,

the innumerable thoughts for the variegated flowers.

The prana as the incense.

The light of knowledge as the lamp;

Nectar in the sahasrara as the food;

the unvoiced sound be the sweet trilling of the bells;

the cool breeze be the act of fanning and

the ceaseless activities of the senses and the mind be the dance of entertainment.

                                i.            Non-delusion, (Amaya)

                              ii.            egoless-ness, (anahankaara)

                           iii.            non-attachment, (araaga)

                            iv.            prideless-ness, (amada)

                              v.            non-infatuation, (amoha)

                            vi.            non-arrogance, (adambha)

                         vii.            non-hatred, (adwesha)

                       viii.            non-agitation, (akshovaka)

                            ix.            non-jealousy, (amatsarya)

                              x.            non-greediness, (alobha) are the best of flowers.

                            xi.            Non-injury, (ahimsa)

                          xii.            sense-control, (indriya-nigraha)

                       xiii.            compassion, (daya)

                       xiv.            forgiveness, (Kshama) and

                          xv.            knowledge, (jnana) are the sweetest flowers.

These 15 flowers of rarest virtues be the best offering to Divine Mother.

3.3. End on Internal Worship:
3.3.1.   Place the flower in the vessel in front.
3.3.2.   Blow the conch shell.

 Dec 7, 2018
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