The Five Mansi Poojas

The First Mansi Pooja (5am-7am)

Sahajanand Swami Maharajni Jay. 

Supreme Lord Swaminarayan Bhagwan is sleeping in His bed with both His eyes closed. Santo's and Haribhakto are performing dandavats in front of Him and praying to Maharaj ...

"Oh Maharaj, the morning sun is about to rise above the horizon, please grace us with your divine presence and wake up." 

Upon hearing the prayers of his devotees, Maharaj has opened his two divine eyes and is sitting on top of his bed, where the santo's and haribhakto's are doing charan sparse of His feet.

Maharaj has put on a white dhothi and uparni and put on his slippers to walk towards his bathhouse to perform His morning routines. Maharaj is presented with a toothbrush and clover essence water to brush His teeth with. Maharaj has used the bathroom where the haribhakto's prepared water for him to wash his left hand 10 times and both his hands 7 times together. Maharaj's feet have been washed with fresh water and wiped with a clean towel. Everyone is now praying for Maharaj to perform his shower routine. Maharaj is presented with cold fresh water and bathed in it. 

Afterwards, Maharaj's body is dried with a clean towel and has been given a new white dhothi and uparni to wear. Everyone is praying to Maharaj, please come reside in our puja for us to start the day. Upon listening to this, Maharaj starts making his way down and everyone around Him starts to praise him by saying...

Jay Ho! Jay Ho! My beloved Bhagwan Swaminarayan Bhagwan no Jay Jay Kar Ho!

Maharaj sits upon his prepared throne and the santo's and haribhakto have applied a tilak chandlo gracefully upon his forehead. Fresh flower garlands have been prepared and put on Swaminarayan Bhagwan who graciously adorns them.

Soon after, everyone begins to show their affection towards Maharaj with the Mangla Aarti ... Jay Magala Kaari ...

A grand breakfast is made for Shreeji Maharaj, filled to the brim with items. Papadi, ganthiya and bhajya alongside warm milk with the taste of kesar. Freshly made spicy thepla put in a golden dish have been given to Maharaj. 

Maharaj begins to put small portions of food into his mouth while everyone prays to Him, "If any of the food is hot, cold, too spicy or bland, please forgive us Maharaj."

After eating, Maharaj is given a bowl and some water to wash His hands and feel refreshed. He urges everyone he wants to begin his Sabha. And so He goes to his bedroom to change out of his light clothes into heavy ornamented clothing. With a golden walking stick in His hand, He makes His way gracefully to the Sabha Hall to begin His divine talks to the infinite Anadimukto that have His darshan. 

That is the end of my First Mansi Pooja. Jay Swaminarayan! 

The Second Mansi Pooja (10am - 12pm)

Sahajanand Swami Maharajni Jay. 

Supreme Lord Swaminarayan Bhagwan is sitting on his divine throne giving his infinite Anadimukto a talk on what His ideal Haribhakt should look like. Of the many present, I get up to make an announcement to Maharaj that food has been prepared especially for Him, and if he waits any longer, it will become cold. So I say to Maharaj ...

"Please come to the Dinning Hall where your food has been prepared so that everyone can get darshan of you eating."

Maharaj has accepted the prayer and slowly closes the sabha with his final remarks. Maharaj then has put on his slippers and gracefully starts to walk on the path riddled with flowers on his way to his bedroom. 

There, Maharaj takes off his heavy ornamented clothing to put on lighter clothing. There Maharaj's divine face and hands are washed with water and dried with a clean towel. 

In the dining hall, prepared in a golden dish is a variety of food items. One of the bowls is filled to the brim with cold, freshly made Mango ras, presented with tray of puri and roti. There is a number of shaakh presented before him, batakanu shaakh and bindanu shaakh to name a few. Everyone has their hands folded and praying to Maharaj ...

"Please start eating Maharaj! If any of the food is hot, cold, too spicy or bland, please forgive us Maharaj."

While Maharaj is eating, more food is brought to Him. Various sweets like ladoos, and mohonthar are placed in His dish. Cold water and a bowl is given to Maharaj to wash his hands and feel refreshed. Maharaj is given mukhwas as He gets up from His seat. He motions to get ready to go to his bedroom to sleep. He puts on a white dhothi and on his finely prepared bed, he lays down as all the haribhakto and santos preform charanni seva. Maharaj then slowly drifts to sleep and the doors to his bedroom are closed silently. 

That is the end of my Second Mansi Pooja. Jay Swaminarayan! 

The Third Mansi Pooja (4pm - 5pm)

Sahajanand Swami Maharajni Jay. 

Supreme Lord Swaminarayan Bhagwan is sleeping on His bed in his bedroom. Santos and Haribhakto have congregated to perform a prayer to Maharaj to indicate that it is his scheduled time to wake up. 

Maharaj slowly sits upon His bed and goes to wash his divine hands and face, which are promptly dried with a clean towel. A cold glass of water is brought to Maharaj for him to feel refreshed. 

Maharaj makes his way to His swing that is decorated with flowers. Gently swinging back and forth, Haribhakto have brought Maharaj some cold lemon juice and freshly cut watermelon and have urged Maharaj to have some. Maharaj feeling content is now telling everyone in his presence to come with him to the sabha hall.

Maharaj, washing his divine hands once again, dries them on a clean towel and puts on his heavy ornamented clothing. He takes his golden walking stick in his hand and walks down a path covered in flowers with a band of Santos on one side and a band of Haribhakto on the other. 

Upon arrving at his throne, everyone around Him starts to praise him by saying ...

Jay Ho! Jay Ho! My beloved Bhagwan Swaminarayan Bhagwan no Jay Jay Kar Ho! 

Maharaj has shown his desire to do some kirtan bhakti and everyone follows His command and gets into an organized seating arrangements and kirtans about Maharaj's glory and how he has made us anadimukto start to fill the air. 

That is the end of my Third Mansi Pooja. Jay Swaminarayan! 

The Fourth Mansi Pooja (6pm - 7 pm)

Sahajanand Swami Maharajni Jay. 

Supreme Lord Swaminarayan Bhagwan is seated before infinite anadimukto that have his darshan, giving his glorious talks in sabha. Of the many present, I get up to make an announcement to Maharaj that food has been prepared especially for Him, and if he waits any longer, it will become cold. So I say to Maharaj ...

"Please come to the Dinning Hall where your food has been prepared so that everyone can get darshan of you eating."

Accepting the prayer, Maharaj has concluded the sabha, allowing everyone to do charan sparsh of his divine feet. He puts on his slippers and takes his golden walking stick in his hand and makes his way to bedroom. He takes off his heavy ornamented clothing and put on his light clothes. He washes his hands and face and they are dried with a clean towel. 

Maharaj arrives at his seat in the dinning hall where a variety of food items are present in front of him in a golden dish. There is a bowl of warm kichidi with Ghee in the center. There is tindoranu shaakh and milk placed before him. Warm bhajya are pilled up in a dish as well. 

Everyone has their hands folded and praying to Maharaj ...

"Please start eating Maharaj! If any of the food is hot, cold, too spicy or bland, please forgive us Maharaj."

As Maharaj continues eating, more milk and kichidi is provided to him. Some sweets are prepared for him like penda and shukdi. As Maharaj feels content with the food, he is brought a bowl and some water to wash his hands and feel refreshed. Maharaj is given some mukhwas as well.

Maharaj changes out of his light clothing into his heavier clothing and makes his way to his throne. Santos and Haribhakto start to sing the aarti ...

Jay sadaguru swami ...

Everyone around Him starts to praise him by saying ...

Jay Ho! Jay Ho! My beloved Bhagwan Swaminarayan Bhagwan no Jay Jay Kar Ho! 

Maharaj has shown his desire to do some kirtan bhakti and everyone follows His command and gets into an organized seating arrangements and kirtans about Maharaj's supremacy fill the air. Maharaj shortly thereafter, starts to give his talks in sabha.

That is the end of my Fourth Mansi Pooja. Jay Swaminarayan!

The Fifth Mansi Pooja (8pm - 11pm)

Sahajanand Swami Maharajni Jay. 

Supreme Lord Swaminarayan Bhagwan is sitting in his evening sabha giving his glorious talks to the infinite anadimukto that have his darshan. Of the many present, I get up to make an announcement to Maharaj ...

"Oh Maharaj, your scheduled time to sleep has arrived, please conclude the sabha". 

Maharaj has accepted the prayer and concludes his sabha by starting to sing the chesta. After giving everyone the chance to do his charan sparsh, he puts on his slippers and gathers his golden walking stick to proceed towards his bedroom. 

A finely prepared bed, with fluffy pillows and clean sheets is made for Maharaj. Shreeji Maharaj then changes out of his heavy ornamented clothing and puts on light clothing. Everyone is praying to Maharaj ...

"Please have some warm milk before sleeping." Accepting the prayer, Maharaj drinks some warm milk to please everyone.

Maharaj slowly lays on his bed where santos and haribhaktos are getting the chance to do his charanni seva. Maharaj slowly closes his eyes and drifts to sleep and the doors to his bedroom are closed silently. 

That is the end of my Fifth Mansi Pooja. Jay Swaminarayan