Shiva Manasa Puja

Adi Sankaracharya's
Siva Manasa Puja

Translated by S. N. Sastri

1. O Lord, O abode of compassion, O Pasupati, deign to accept my mental offerings of a gem-studded seat, a bath with cool water, divine garments inlaid with precious stones, sandal paste scented with musk, a garland made of jasmine, champaka flowers and bilva leaves, incense, and the waving of lights.

2. O Lord, be gracious enough to accept rice cooked in milk with ghee and sweetened, placed in a golden vessel set with gems, five varieties of eatables with milk and curd, ripe plantains, juices, many varieties of cooked leafy vegetables, sweet water flavored with edible camphor, and betel leaves and nuts, all of which I offer mentally to You.

3. O Lord, be so kind as to accept my worship offered mentally with an umbrella, two chaamaras, a fan, a clean mirror, playing of musical instruments such as veena, beating of various kinds of drums, songs and dance, prostration with the eight limbs, and various hymns of praise.
Note. The eight limbs of prostration (sashtanga namaskara) are the hands, legs, knees, chest, head, eyes, mind and speech.

4. O Sambhu, You are my Self, my intellect is Goddess Parvati, your attendants are my vital airs, my body is Your temple, all enjoyments of sense-objects are Your worship, my sleep is samadhi, all my movements on my feet are circumambulations of You, whatever I speak is praise of You, and thus whatever action I perform is Your worship.
Note. When a devotee totally surrenders himself to God, then whatever he does is according to God’s will. He gives up all sense of being a doer and an enjoyer.

5. Whatever wrongs I may have committed with my hands, feet, speech, body, ears, eyes, or mind, in any action whether prescribed (by the scriptures) or not, deign to forgive all of them. O Ocean of compassion, O Mahadeva, O Sambhu. Hail unto you.