Mantras
Mantras and their meaning
23 mantras and prayers: what they say, where they come from, and when they are traditionally chanted.
Ganesha
Remover of obstacles, honoured first before every worship and every new beginning.
Ganesha Mantra
ॐ गं गणपतये नमःOm gam ganapataye namah.
I bow to Ganapati, lord of all beings and remover of obstacles.
Vakratunda Mahakaya
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ । निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥Vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarvakaryeshu sarvada.
O Lord of the curved trunk and mighty form, radiant as ten million suns: make all my works free of obstacles, always.
Ganesha Gayatri
ॐ एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि । तन्नो दन्ती प्रचोदयात् ॥Om ekadantaya vidmahe, vakratundaya dhimahi, tanno danti prachodayat.
We know the one tusked Lord; we meditate on the one with the curved trunk. May that tusked one inspire and guide us.
Shiva
The auspicious one, the stillness within all things.
Om Namah Shivaya
ॐ नमः शिवायOm namah shivaya.
I bow to Shiva, the auspicious one, the Self within all.
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam, urvarukamiva bandhanan mrityor mukshiya mamritat.
We worship the three eyed Lord Shiva, fragrant, who nourishes all. As a ripe cucumber is freed from its vine, may we be freed from death and not from immortality.
Karpura Gauram
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥Karpura gauram karunavataram, samsara saram bhujagendra haram, sada vasantam hridayaravinde, bhavam bhavani sahitam namami.
White as camphor, compassion embodied, the essence of the world, garlanded with the king of serpents, ever dwelling in the lotus of the heart: to Shiva with Bhavani I bow.
Vishnu, Ram and Krishna
The preserver, and the beloved avatars who walked among us.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवायOm namo bhagavate vasudevaya.
I bow to the Divine Vasudeva, who dwells in all beings.
Shantakaram
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् । लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥Shantakaram bhujagashayanam padmanabham suresham, vishvadharam gaganasadrisham meghavarnam shubhangam, lakshmikantam kamalanayanam yogibhir dhyanagamyam, vande vishnum bhavabhayaharam sarvalokaikanatham.
Peaceful in form, resting on the serpent, a lotus at the navel, lord of the gods, support of the universe, vast as the sky, dark as a rain cloud, beautiful in every limb, beloved of Lakshmi, lotus eyed, reached by yogis in meditation: I bow to Vishnu, who removes the fear of worldly life, the one lord of all the worlds.
Shri Ram Taraka Mantra
श्री राम जय राम जय जय रामShri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.
Glory to Shri Ram, victory to Ram, victory, victory to Ram. The name that carries one across.
Rama Nama
श्री राम राम रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे । सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥Shri rama rama rameti rame rame manorame, sahasranama tattulyam ramanama varanane.
Shiva says to Parvati: I delight in Ram, chanting Rama, Rama, Rama. O lovely one, the single name of Ram is equal to the thousand names.
Maha Mantra
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे । हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ॥Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
A loving call to the Divine by the names Hare, Krishna and Rama, asking to be drawn into devotion and service.
Devi: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati
The Divine Mother as strength, abundance and wisdom.
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shaktirupena samsthita, namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah.
To the Goddess who dwells in every being as power, salutations to Her, salutations to Her, salutations again and again.
Sarva Mangala Mangalye
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥Sarva mangala mangalye shive sarvartha sadhike, sharanye tryambake gauri narayani namostu te.
O auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, gracious one who fulfils every aim, refuge of all, three eyed Gauri, Narayani: salutations to you.
Mahalakshmi Mantra
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमःOm shreem mahalakshmyai namah.
I bow to Mahalakshmi, the Goddess of abundance, beauty and grace.
Saraswati Vandana
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि । विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥Sarasvati namastubhyam varade kamarupini, vidyarambham karishyami siddhir bhavatu me sada.
Salutations to you, Saraswati, giver of boons, who takes any form. I begin my study; may it always bear fruit.
Hanuman
Strength, courage and selfless service to Shri Ram.
Manojavam
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् । वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥Manojavam marutatulyavegam, jitendriyam buddhimatam varishtham, vatatmajam vanarayuthamukhyam, shriramadutam sharanam prapadye.
Swift as the mind, fast as the wind, master of the senses, foremost among the wise, son of the wind, chief of the vanara host, messenger of Shri Ram: in him I take refuge.
Hanuman Chalisa, opening doha
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज निज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि । बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसु जो दायकु फल चारि ॥Shri guru charan saroj raj, nij manu mukuru sudhari, baranau raghubar bimal jasu, jo dayaku phal chari.
With the dust of my guru’s lotus feet I polish the mirror of my mind, and sing the pure glory of Shri Ram, which grants the four fruits of life.
Surya
The sun, the light that sustains all life and awakens the mind.
Gayatri Mantra
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः । तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि । धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥Om bhur bhuvah svah, tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat.
We meditate on the radiant light of the Divine that pervades earth, sky and heaven. May that light awaken and guide our understanding.
Twelve names of Surya
ॐ मित्राय नमः । ॐ रवये नमः । ॐ सूर्याय नमः । ॐ भानवे नमः । ॐ खगाय नमः । ॐ पूष्णे नमः । ॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः । ॐ मरीचये नमः । ॐ आदित्याय नमः । ॐ सवित्रे नमः । ॐ अर्काय नमः । ॐ भास्कराय नमः ॥Om mitraya namah, om ravaye namah, om suryaya namah, om bhanave namah, om khagaya namah, om pushne namah, om hiranyagarbhaya namah, om marichaye namah, om adityaya namah, om savitre namah, om arkaya namah, om bhaskaraya namah.
Salutations to the sun as friend of all, the shining one, the mover, the bright one, the one who moves through the sky, the nourisher, the golden womb, the rays of light, the son of Aditi, the giver of life, the one worthy of praise, and the maker of light.
Universal peace prayers
Shanti mantras for everyone, everywhere.
Asato Ma
असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ॥Asato ma sad gamaya, tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, mrityor ma amritam gamaya.
Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.
Om Saha Navavatu
ॐ सह नाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥Om saha navavatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha viryam karavavahai, tejasvi navadhitam astu, ma vidvishavahai. Om shantih shantih shantih.
May we be protected together. May we be nourished together. May we work together with vigour. May our study be full of light. May we never turn against each other. Peace, peace, peace.
Purnamadah
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥Om purnamadah purnamidam purnat purnam udachyate, purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavashishyate. Om shantih shantih shantih.
That is whole, this is whole. From the whole, the whole arises. Taking the whole from the whole, the whole remains. Peace, peace, peace.
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः । सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ॥Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah, sarve bhadrani pashyantu, ma kashchid duhkha bhag bhavet.
May all be happy. May all be free from illness. May all see what is good. May no one suffer.