Question:
🙏 Om Hari Sharanam, Gurudev.
Amidst the many responsibilities of household life, I manage to devote half an hour or an hour to meditation, kriya, or worship. For turning away from external rituals and offering inwardly through the mind, visualization seems necessary. My question is—what is manas puja (mental worship), and how can it be practiced anywhere, at any time?
In meditation I chant ‘Om,’ and throughout the day I try to remember any name of God. Please guide me as to which mantra would be most suitable for me. 🙏
Answer (Brahm Bodhi)
In your first sentence, an independent question is hidden: How can one carve out even half an hour or an hour for divine worship amid household duties?
Although you did not formally ask it, this is an important question for every householder. For 99.99% of people live within the household stage of life, surrounded by duties and relationships. In the light of the Gita, the answer is useful for all. Therefore, let me first speak about this, and afterwards I will discuss the practice of manas puja.
The Dilemma of a Householder
I have seen great souls who never left their home, yet clearly told their family that they would no longer take part in minor tasks or festivities. Through proper dialogue, when the family members understood the higher purpose of an elder’s life, they gradually began to cooperate—if they saw the seriousness of the spiritual goal.
When children did not support, such seekers quietly went to a sacred place, absorbed themselves in remembrance of God, and from there departed for Vaikuntha.
But for one who has married and raised children, freedom from responsibility usually comes only after education, upbringing, and marriage of the children are complete. Yet, even then, many become absorbed in their grandchildren and thus waste the golden period of their life. Occasional love and conversation with grandchildren is natural, but when the mind becomes “absorbed” in them, it is binding. That new form of attachment draws one again into the cycle of birth and death.
Two Paths for the Householder
Since you are a householder, fulfilling family duties and not yet aged, renunciation is not a natural option. In your case, two paths are most suitable:
1. Fixing a Dedicated Time
Sit with your family and lovingly explain that you need one or two hours daily, completely undisturbed. Every person has the right to spend some time in peace for the higher purpose of life. After repeated dialogue, your family will surely agree. This time of silence need not be in the morning only—it may be any hour convenient to all.
Then, in that quiet space, you may practice meditation and mental worship. Make it clear that you can be approached only in case of emergency.
2. Name-Chanting in the Remaining Hours
In the other 22 hours of the day, continue chanting God’s name inwardly. Nothing prevents this. The Gita itself declares: “Among sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of japa (chanting).”
Japa is a profound and simple discipline, open to all, at all times.
3. Offering All Actions to God
Do not regard household work as mere compulsion. See it as God’s command, and dedicate it to Him. Just as ordinary food becomes prasad when offered to the Lord, so too any task, when consecrated to God, becomes sacred. The Gita clearly teaches—perform actions for the welfare of the world. Then even the simplest duties turn into divine worship.
The Gita’s Path for Householders
Thus, the Gita prescribes these very means for householders—
- Set aside fixed time for worship,
- Fill the day with inward remembrance,
- Consecrate daily work as service to God.
Through these, one may fulfill worldly responsibilities and yet move steadily toward liberation.
I shall discuss the method of manas puja or mental worship in my next post.
Swami Brahm Bodhi 
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