Manas Puja: The Forgotten Power of Mental Worship

Manas Puja, or mental worship, is one of the most profound forms of devotion in Hindu spirituality. While modern society may overlook it in favor of grand external rituals, the ancient sages revered Manas Puja as the deepest, most internal offering to the Divine. This inner yajna (sacrifice) is done through intense visualization, love, and surrender — all performed within the sacred space of the mind.

Why Manas Puja Holds Unmatched Importance

In Manas Puja, the devotee offers everything to the deity mentally — from a throne made of gems to divine garments, perfumes, flowers, food, incense, and lamps. This subtle act carries immense spiritual value, as it is untainted by ego or material constraint.

It is especially relevant in times or situations where one cannot perform physical rituals - during illness, travel, poverty, or solitude. The scriptures affirm that inner offerings made with bhava (devotional feeling) surpass even the most opulent external worship.

The Story Behind Manas Puja

One of the most famous references comes from the Skanda Purana. A poor devotee, unable to afford even a flower, offered grand mental pujas to Lord Shiva. He mentally constructed temples, offered sandalwood, garlands, deepams, and naivedya. Pleased by this sincerity, Lord Shiva appeared before him and granted liberation.

Special things that happen during Manas Puja

Let me explain a very powerful difference that happens during Manas puja. Suppose someone is a devotee who has has surrendered his life to say Maa Kali and he visits the Kalighat Shaktipeeth. Here while travelling to the place is is worried about how he looks like, or who is beside him, the fare, the schedule, and things to buy. He is also interested in the popular locations that pass by and his personality is also being altered due to the action of other passengers. upon reaching he is worried about his shoes outside, the phone and wallet in his pocket, his family memebers, the queue, the VIP entrance price, the quality of prasadam and at last he is also worried about if he was able to do the right darshan. He may also bargain with the florist for the garland and the flowers. Now within that he may be able to concentrate on Devi Maa for a moment when his mind is focused only on the Devi. but then too someone may be pushing him. He may alsobe thinking of something else all the time.

Now suppose he perforrms the manas puja where he may be sitting on some place but what runs in his mind is only Maa Kali. There is nothing else as the mind cannot think of two things at the same time. Now he has nothing else to see and no one to push. He has no need to bargain or pay dakshina as he is offering the best flower and Nabaidyam as per his imagination. Even if for a small time his mind is completely focused on the Devi.

So in first case, he is physically present in the place but mentally absent and thus there is no use doing it. In the second way, he has full concentration and so this iss the form of puja where he is more connected. Moreover, a spiritual person would know that Devi maa is not just inside the garbha griha of the temple but the world is inside Devi Maa

Benefits of Manas Puja

• Elevates the subtle body and purifies the mind
• Connects one directly with the deity beyond physical limitations
• Encourages discipline, imagination, and one-pointed devotion
• Aligns perfectly with jnana and dhyana yogas
• Strengthens karmic grace even without physical offerings

Why the World Demotes Manas Puja

In an era driven by materialism, subtle practices like Manas Puja are often misunderstood or disregarded. People seek tangible rituals for visibility or validation. Yet, saints like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Lahiri Mahasaya, and even Adi Shankara have praised the silent strength of mental worship.

Another fact being, Spiritual Industry is a Trillion Dollar business world wide. Now if Manas puja is promoted to everyone, then there would be a downfall of the industries making incense, perfumes, selling garlands, ornaments, photos, statues, tika, kumkum, hawan materials, flowers, and a lot more. There would be a great loss where people take trillions as donation every day. The Pandas would go unemployed and the trusts making big amount may be useless. In fact the entire economy may undergo a big change.

It is also worth noting that not everyone has a mind strog enough to do the Manas puja. I have seen people who would fight with the florist if a flower is bit dried in a garland. Now how do we expect him to believe in a mental garland who is angry with one flower. People would not be satisfied with self as a large percentage of people do not believe in the Diety but in their statue.

Recently I visited with mmy family to Dakshineshwar temple in Kolkata, I Just closed my eyes and said maa I came to this place as the energy is high but you are always with me but suddenly I heard some noise. It was from a family member who tried to force the Pandit so that he would touch the basket to mother’s feet and he was determined about not doing it. I tried to explain that coming to the City is like visiting Maa but she would to understand. For her maa was only the statue.

In this kind of world, Speaking about Manas Puja would attract unwanted situations only. But if you are someone spiritual and wish to make the best of the moment then this is for you. As we all know powerful tools are given in hand only when we are strong enough to handle it.

Basic Mantras for Daily Manas Puja

These mantras can be chanted daily to offer your mental worship to Ishta Devta, Kul Devta, or Pitra Devta:

ॐ लं पृथिव्यात्मकं गन्धं परिकल्पयामि
ॐ हं आकाशात्मकं पुष्पं परिकल्पयामि
ॐ सौं सर्वात्मकं सर्वोपचारं समर्पयामि

कर चरण कृतं वा काजम कर्म जम वा श्रवण नयन जम वा मानस वापरा
रत्नैः कल्पितमासनं हिमजलैः स्नानं च दिव्याम्बरं
नाना रत्न विभूषितम्‌ मृग मदामोदांकितम्‌ चंदनम
जाती चम्पक बिल्वपत्र रचितं पुष्पं च धूपं तथा
दीपं देव दयानिधे पशुपते हृत्कल्पितम्‌ गृह्यताम्‌
साष्टांग प्रणतिः स्तुति-र्बहुविधा ह्येतत्समस्तं ममा
संकल्पेन समर्पितं तव विभो पूजां गृहाण प्रभो

Speaking clearly, there is no such specific mantra as it is all about imagination and the state of mind.

One Final Statement

In today’s chaotic world, Manas Puja is a powerful bridge between the soul and Supreme. It reminds us that the Divine resides within, and the grandest temples are built in the mind. Whether you are unable to perform elaborate rituals or simply wish to enhance your internal devotion, embrace this sacred offering daily. The gods always respond to the voice of the heart.