The mental worship of Lord Shiva, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya.
From the albumI have imagined a seat made of gems for You, and for Your bath, the water of the Ganges, and Divine garments.
Various jewels adorn You, and You are anointed with musk and scented with sandalwood.
Flowers made of Jasmine, Champaka, and Bilva leaves, and also incense,
O God, ocean of compassion, O Lord of all the creatures (Puaśupate), please accept this Light imagined in my heart.
In a golden vessel studded with the nine types of gems, here is the ghee and the milk pudding,
Five kinds of food, milk, yogurt, a banana fruit, and a beverage,
A thousand kinds of cooked vegetables, water pleasing to taste and shining pieces of camphor,
Betel leaves prepared by me in my mind with devotion, O Lord, please accept.
An umbrella, a pair of yak-tail fans, a fan, and a spotless mirror (to reflect ourselves without distortion),
A lute, drums, mridangams, and flutes, music and dance as well,
Prostration with eight limbs, salutations and various praises, all this I have offered You,
With resolve, I offer to you, O Almighty, this worship, O Lord, please accept.
You are the Self, Girija (Parvati) is the intellect, the life forces are your companions, my body is your house,
Worshipping you is the object of my senses, my Lord, eating (garaśana), and even sleep (nidrā) are not merely mundane activities but are acts of reverence done with a sense of devotion to You
My walking or movement of my feet is equated with the sacred practice of pradakṣiṇa, a ritual of walking around You, all my spoken words are considered hymns of praise, every utterance is an expression of devotion to You
Whatever action I perform, all of that is indeed your worship, O Shambho (another name for Shiva).
Whether actions done by my hands or feet, words spoken with my voice, actions done by my body, or those perceived by hearing and seeing, or sins committed by the mind,
Whether I have done good or not, please forgive all of these. Victory to You! O ocean of compassion! Glorious great Divine! Shambho.
A hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya that teaches the mental worship of Lord Shiva: rich offerings visualized in the mind rather than made physically. It is the second chant on Sacred Chants of a Lifetime.
That sincere devotion transcends material offerings — worship built from imagination and faith is open to everyone, regardless of means or status. True devotion lies in purity of thought, inner discipline and sincerity.
It is attributed to the philosopher-saint Adi Shankaracharya and carries the key tenets of his teaching: bhakti (devotion), advaita (non-duality), and the significance of internal realization over external ritual.