Key takeaways
- An anushthan is a multi-day commitment of mantra jaap with a sankalp, completed with a havan.
- The yajman supports it with a clean, calm and focused life for its duration.
- Key disciplines: sattvik food, no alcohol or intoxicants, gentle speech, daily prayer and no ill-will to anyone.
- If an Acharya performs the anushthan for you, follow the lifestyle disciplines as far as possible.
- Health comes first; in illness or sutak, inform your Acharya, who will advise.
- These disciplines are support for the ritual, not punishment or superstition.
A Maa Baglamukhi Anushthan is a sustained spiritual commitment: days of mantra jaap undertaken with a clear sankalp and completed with a havan. Whether you perform the jaap yourself under a guru's guidance, or an Acharya performs it on your behalf, the tradition asks the yajman (the person for whom the anushthan is performed) to keep certain niyam (disciplines) during the anushthan period.
These disciplines are not about fear or superstition. They are about supporting the ritual with a pure, calm and focused life for its duration. This guide explains the traditional do's and don'ts simply and practically.
Read more: What Is a Baglamukhi Anushthan?
Two Situations
| If you are performing the jaap yourself | If an Acharya performs it on your behalf |
|---|---|
| Follow the full discipline your guru gives you, including daily jaap at a fixed time and place | Follow the lifestyle disciplines below as far as possible |
| Strict purity, diet and conduct | Keep a simple daily devotion at home |
| Consult your guru before any change | Stay in touch with the Acharya during the anushthan |
Do's
Purity and Routine
- Bathe daily before prayer, and wear clean clothes, yellow if possible.
- Keep a fixed time each day for prayer or jaap.
- Keep your home mandir clean and light a ghee diya morning and evening.
Diet
- Eat sattvik food: fresh, simple vegetarian meals.
- Many traditions avoid onion and garlic during an anushthan. Follow your Acharya's advice.
- Eat at regular times, and in moderation.
- Fast only as advised and as your health allows.
Read more: Satvik Living During a Sadhana Period
Speech and Conduct
- Speak truthfully and gently. Maa Baglamukhi's grace is linked with right speech.
- Practise patience and avoid arguments.
- Be kind and helpful to family and others.
- Give daan, even a little food or help to those in need.
Devotion at Home
- Recite the Baglamukhi Chalisa, Gayatri or 108 names daily.
- Offer yellow flowers or a pinch of turmeric at your mandir.
- Sit quietly for a few minutes each day, keeping the sankalp in mind.
Read more: A Simple 10-Minute Daily Baglamukhi Devotion
Don'ts
- Don't consume alcohol, tobacco or intoxicants.
- Don't eat non-vegetarian food during the anushthan period.
- Don't indulge in anger, gossip, harsh words or quarrels.
- Don't hold ill-will towards anyone. An anushthan is for steadiness and protection, never for harming others.
- Don't break or change the practice midway without consulting your Acharya.
- Don't publicise or boast about the anushthan. Tradition values humility and privacy in sadhana.
- Don't worry excessively about small mistakes. Sincere effort and the kshama prarthana cover unintentional lapses.
Special Situations
Travel
If you must travel during the anushthan, continue your simple daily prayer wherever you are, and keep the diet and conduct disciplines as far as possible.
Illness
Your health comes first. If you fall ill, take care of yourself and seek medical help. Inform your Acharya, who will advise how to continue.
Sutak (Birth or Death in the Family)
Traditionally, a period of sutak (ritual impurity) follows a birth or death in the family. Inform your Acharya immediately; he will advise whether and how the anushthan should continue.
Women's Monthly Cycle
Traditions differ on this. Please follow your family tradition and your Acharya's guidance.
After the Anushthan
- Attend or join the concluding havan if possible.
- Accept prasad with gratitude.
- Continue a simple practice, such as a daily diya and chalisa, as the Acharya suggests.
- Return gradually to your normal routine, keeping the good habits you've formed.
Read more: After Your Puja: Prasad, Photos/Video and Follow-Up Guidance
Before the Anushthan Begins: A Preparation Checklist
- Have the consultation and understand the anushthan, its duration and the havan date.
- Share sankalp details: names, gotra and intention.
- Clean your home mandir and keep a ghee diya, yellow flowers and a haldi mala ready.
- Stock sattvik groceries for the period.
- Inform your family so they can support the routine.
- Plan your work and travel around the key days if possible, especially the havan day.
- Note your Acharya's number for any questions during the anushthan.
A Simple Daily Routine for the Yajman
If an Acharya is performing the jaap on your behalf, this gentle routine supports the ritual from home:
| Time | Practice |
|---|---|
| Morning | Bathe, wear clean (preferably yellow) clothes, light a ghee diya |
| Morning (5–10 min) | Recite the chalisa or 108 names; hold the sankalp in mind |
| During the day | Sattvik meals, gentle speech, honest work |
| Evening | Light the diya again; a short prayer or aarti |
| Before sleep | A few minutes of silence and gratitude |
If you are performing the jaap yourself under a guru, your guru's schedule comes first.
Read more: A Simple 10-Minute Daily Baglamukhi Devotion
Sattvik Food: What to Eat and What to Avoid
| Generally eaten | Generally avoided during an anushthan |
|---|---|
| Fresh fruits and vegetables | Non-vegetarian food, eggs |
| Rice, wheat, millets, dal | Onion and garlic (in many traditions) |
| Milk, curd, ghee, paneer | Alcohol, tobacco and intoxicants |
| Mild spices, rock salt or regular salt | Very spicy, fried or stale food |
| Nuts and dry fruits | Packaged junk food, where possible |
| Freshly cooked home food | Eating out frequently |
Customs vary by family and tradition. Follow your Acharya's guidance, and never compromise your health.
Read more: Satvik Living During a Sadhana Period
Digital Discipline
Modern life brings a discipline the old texts never mentioned: our screens. During an anushthan, many devotees find it helpful to:
- Avoid online arguments and heated social media discussions
- Limit news and entertainment that disturbs the mind
- Keep the phone away during prayer time
- Not post about the anushthan publicly, in keeping with the tradition of humility
This is a modern form of the same principle: guard your speech and your mind.
The Family's Role
An anushthan is often undertaken for the whole family. The family can support it by:
- Keeping the home peaceful and avoiding quarrels
- Sharing sattvik meals together
- Joining the evening diya or aarti
- Helping the yajman keep the daily routine
- Attending or joining the concluding havan
For Devotees Living Abroad
- Keep the routine to your local time: morning prayer in your morning, evening diya in your evening.
- Adjust diet sensibly: vegetarian options are easy to find; avoid onion and garlic at home if your Acharya advises.
- Work normally: honest, focused work is itself part of a disciplined life.
- Join the havan by video where arranged, keeping in mind the time difference with India.
- Stay in touch with the Acharya by phone or online if anything changes.
Read more: How to Book a Puja in India from the USA, Canada or UK
Myths About Anushthan Rules
"If I break a rule, something bad will happen." The disciplines support the ritual; they are not traps. Sincere lapses are covered by the kshama prarthana. Inform your Acharya if something significant happens.
"I must stop working or stay home." No. Continue your work and responsibilities, and simply keep the disciplines alongside them.
"The stricter, the better." Not necessarily. Follow the disciplines your Acharya gives, in a way that is sustainable and healthy.
What Happens at Nalkheda Each Day
While you keep the disciplines at home, the anushthan continues at Nalkheda. In general terms, each day involves:
- Purification and invocation: the Acharya and pandits bathe, sit on their asans and invoke Lord Ganesha and the Goddess.
- Remembering the sankalp: your name, gotra and intention are held in the ritual.
- Mantra jaap: the day's share of the total jaap count is completed on a haldi mala, with care for pronunciation and count.
- Worship with yellow offerings: flowers, turmeric, naivedya and a ghee diya.
- Closing prayers: aarti and a prayer for forgiveness.
On the final day, the havan offers ahutis in proportion to the jaap completed, followed by the purnahuti, aarti and prasad. The exact method depends on the anushthan chosen for your situation, and your Acharya explains it in advance.
Knowing this can make your home routine more meaningful: when you light your diya each morning, you are joining a ritual that is being carried out for you at Nalkheda.
Read more: What Is a Baglamukhi Anushthan? · Baglamukhi Havan Guide
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not asking what the disciplines are before the anushthan starts.
- Extreme fasting that harms your health.
- Arguments at home during the period.
- Forgetting the havan date or its time in your time zone.
- Making the anushthan about anyone else's harm. It is for steadiness and protection only.
About Acharya Ashish Sharma
Acharya Ashish Sharma has served in the tradition of Maa Baglamukhi for more than 25 years. He is Sanskrit-trained and connected with this tradition since birth, and his office is near Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda. He performs traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja, Havan and Special Anushthan, and offers personal spiritual guidance according to each devotee's situation, for families in India and around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I avoid during a Baglamukhi anushthan?
Alcohol, tobacco, intoxicants and non-vegetarian food; anger, gossip and harsh words; ill-will towards anyone; and breaking the practice midway without guidance.
Do I need to follow rules if an Acharya performs the anushthan for me?
Yes, as far as possible. Keeping a sattvik diet, gentle speech and a simple daily prayer supports the ritual performed on your behalf.
Should I avoid onion and garlic during an anushthan?
Many traditions advise avoiding onion and garlic during an anushthan. Follow your Acharya's guidance.
What if I fall ill during the anushthan?
Take care of your health and seek medical help. Inform your Acharya, who will advise how to continue.
What happens if there is a death or birth in the family during the anushthan?
Inform your Acharya immediately. He will advise whether and how to continue, according to tradition.
Can I go to work during an anushthan?
Yes. Continue your work and responsibilities, keeping the diet and conduct disciplines alongside them.
Does my whole family need to follow the rules?
The yajman follows them most closely. It helps if the family keeps the home peaceful and shares sattvik meals, especially on key days.
What should I do if I break a discipline by mistake?
Don't panic. Offer a sincere prayer for forgiveness and continue. If it is significant, inform your Acharya.
How long does a Baglamukhi anushthan last?
It depends on the jaap count and the number of pandits, from a few days to longer. Your Acharya explains the duration during the consultation.