Prayers
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Maha Mrtyunjaya Mantra
(Mandala VII, Hymn 59)
oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe
sughandhíṃ puṣṭivardhánam
urvārukamiva bandhánān
mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛtāt
We honor the three-eyed One. The divine fragrance of the flower of life. Liberate us from attachment, disease and death, and help us remember our immortality.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Gayatri Mantra
(Rigveda 3.62.10)
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyam
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt
I meditate upon that effulgent source and origin of the three worlds and of all existence. The most venerable and radiant light of Savitri, may the Shining One guide and illumine me.
Opening Prayers
The force of Creation is the Guru
The force of Preservation is the Guru,
The force of dissolution is the Guru
Guru is the Supreme Reality. Therefore we bow to the Guru.
Lead us from the unreal to the Real
Lead us from darkness to Light
Lead us from mortality to Immortality
Together, may we be protected & nourished
Together may we practice with great vitality & may our practice be fruitful
May we always be in perfect harmony
Om Peace Peace Peace
Om, Gurur brahmā Gurur vishnuḥ
Gurur devo maheshvaraḥ
Guruh sākshāt param brahma
Tasmai shrī gurave namaḥ
Asato mā sad gamaya
Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya
Mrityor mā amritam gamaya
Om Saha nāvavatu
Saha nau bhunaktu
Saha vīryam karavāvahai
Tejasvi nāvadhītam astu
Mā vidvishāvahai
Om shāntiḥ shāntiḥ shāntiḥ
Closing Prayers
Om, Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ May all be happy
Sarve santu nirāmayāḥ May all healthy
Sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu May all experience prosperity in everything
Mā kashchit duḥkha bhāgbhavet May all be free from suffering
Oṁ Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ Om Peace, Peace, Peace
The Devi Ashram Prayer
Let me cherish those that God cherishes
Let me forgive those that God forgives
Let me serve those that God serves
Let me love those that God loves
Jai Sri Ram
ॐ ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविः
ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं
ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥
Mantra Before Meals
(Bhagavad Gita 4.24)
oṃ brahmārpaṇam brahmahavir
brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma karma sāmadhinā
The act of offering God, the offering is God, offered by God into the fire that is God. Therefore, one verily reaches God when absorbed in God in all activities.
ॐ वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय
सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव
सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
Ganpati Mantra
oṃ vakratuṇḍa mahākāya
sūrya-koṭi-samaprabha
nirvighnaṁ kuru me deva
sarva-kāryeṣu sarvadā
Thou of twisted trunk and colossal body with the splendor of ten million suns. Please make all my endeavors obstable-free always, my shining One.
जय श्री राम
Jaya Śri Rāma
Three small words that have great power to them.
A very brief explanation would be victory to the honored Rama. If we look at it from a literal perspective, it means victory to Sri (remember Sri is another name for Lakshmi who is Sita) and Rama. Now let’s look at the spiritual significance. We are bowing to the mother and father principles of God, asking that they may be victorious over our ego and pettiness. That Goddess and God always prevail in our lives.
लोका: समस्ता: सुखिनो भवन्तु
Lokāḥ Samastāḥ Sukhino Bhavantu
One could spend a lifetime contemplating the significance of these four words.
May all worlds be happy and everything in those worlds.
Guru Stotram
akhaṇḍa-maṇḍalākāraṁ
vyāptaṁ yena carācaram
tatpadam darśitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ
gururdevo maheśvaraḥ
guruḥ sākṣāt paraṁ brahma
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
sthāvaraṁ jaṅgamaṁ vyāptaṁ
yat-kiñcit sacarācaram
tatpadaṁ darśitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
cinmayaṁ vyāpi yat-sarvaṁ
trailokyaṁ sacarācaram
tatpadaṁ darśitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
sarva-śruti-śiro-ratna
virājita-padāmbujaḥ
vedāntāmbuja-sūryo yaḥ
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
caitanyaḥ śāśvataḥ śāntaḥ
vyomātīto nirañjanaḥ
bindu-nāda-kalātītaḥ
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
jñāna-śakti-samārūḍhaḥ
tattva-mālā-vibhūṣitaḥ
bhukti-mukti-pradātā ca
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
aneka-janma-samprāpta
karma-bandha-vidāhine
ātma-jñāna-pradānena
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
śoṣaṇaṁ bhava-sindhośca
ñāpanaṁ sāra-sampadaḥ
guroḥ pādodakaṁ samyak
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
na guroradhikaṁ tattvaṁ
na guroradhikaṁ tapaḥ
tattva-jñānāt paraṁ nāsti
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
man-nathaḥ śrī-jagan-nathaḥ
mad-guruḥ śrī-jagad-guruḥ
madātmā sarva-bhūtātmā
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
gururādiranādiśca
guruḥ parama-daivatam
guroḥ parataraṁ nāsti
tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
tvameva mātā ca pitā tvameva
tvameva bandhuśca sakhā tvameva
tvameva vidyā draviṇaṁ tvameva
tvameva sarvaṁ mama devadeva
Prayer at Dawn by Sri Sankaracarya
prātaḥ smarāmi hṛdi-samsphuradātma-tattvam
saccit-sukhaṁ paramahansa gatim turīyam
yat svapna-jāgrata-suṣuptim avaiti nityaṁ
tad brahma-niṣkalamaham na ca bhūta-sanghaḥ
At dawn do I remember that which shines in the heart as the Self, the truth that which is existence-intelligence-happiness, that which is the goal of the great sages, that which is the transcendent reality (turīya). I am that eternal Brahman which is blemishless and which knows the threes states of dreaming, waking and sleep, and not the aggregate of the elements.
prātar bhajāmi manasām vacasām agamyam
vāco vibhānti nikhilā yadanugraheṇa
yan neti neti vacanair nigamāvocaṃs-
tam deva devamajama cyutamāhuragryam
At dawn do I worship That which is unreachable for the mind and words but by whose grace all words shine. That which the scriptures indicated by the words, “not this, not this”, as That cannot be expressed by words - the foremost God of gods, unborn and unchanging.
prātar namāmi tamasaḥ paramarkavarṇam
pūrṇam sanātana padam puruṣottam ākhyam
yasminnidam jagadaśeṣam aśeṣa mūrtau
rajjvām bhujaṅgama iva prātibhāsitam vai
At dawn do I salute That which is called the highest Person whose hue is of the ray beyond darkness, that which is the Full and the Eternal Goal, that remainderless form (the whole) in which this entire world shines, like a serpent in a rope.
śloka trayam idam puṇyam loka traya vibhūṣaṇam
prātaḥ kālesmared yastu sagacchet paramam-padam
He who at dawn, recites this auspicious triad of verses - an ornament to the three worlds - will go to the supreme place, moksha, the final goal.
ॐ शािन्तः शािन्तः शािन्तः
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
Om peace peace peace
Saundaryalahari
śivaḥ śaktyā yukto yadi bhavati śaktaḥ prabhavituṃ
na ced evaṃ devo na khalu kuśalaḥ spanditum api
atas tvām ārādhyāṃ hari-hara-viriñcādibhir api
praṇantuṃ stotuṃ vā katham akṛta-punyaḥ prabhavati
The unmanifested reality can manifest itself only with the help of the Divine Mother Śakti. All forces are under Her command; without Her, God is not able even to stir. Is it possible for the aspirants who have no performed good karma either to worship or praise You, O Mother, Who is worshipped even by the powers of Creation, Protection and Destruction?
avidyānām anta-stimiri-mihira-dvīpa-nagarī
jaḍānāṃ caitanya-stabaka-makaranda-sruti-jharī
daridrāṇāṃ cintā-maṇi-guṇanikā janma-jaladhau
nimagnānāṃ daṃṣṭrā mura-ripu-varāhasya bhavatī
You are the sun which dispels the darkness of the ignorant; the spiritual Flower overflowing with honey for the unknowing; the Gem which bestows the heart’s desire for the destitute; the Rescuer of those drowning in the ocean of births and deaths.
sudhā-sindhor madhye sura-viṭapi-vāṭī-parivṛte
maṇi-dvīpe nīpopavanavati cintāmaṇi-gṛhe
śivākāre mañce parama-śiva-paryaṅka-nilayāṃ
bhajanti tvāṃ dhanyāḥ katicana cid-ānanda-laharīm
Your abode the lap of the Supremely Auspicious One in the mansion built with the gemstones that yield all desires, on the island of gems, surrounded by divine trees in the ocean of nectar. Blessed are the few that serve You, the flood of Consciousness and Bliss.
Sri Shiva Sankalpa Sukta
yajjāgrato dūramudaiti daivam
tadu suptasya tathaivaiti
dūraṅgamam jyotiṣām jyotirekam
tanme manaḥ śiva saṅkalpamastu ॥1॥
That which wanders, in the waking state, far and wide into the world of the senses and
returns in a deep sleep; that, which can travel the universe over, and is the one light of
all lights. May that mind of mine be unshakably filled with auspicious thoughts and ever
express pure consciousness.
yena karmāṇyapaso manīṣiṇo
yajñe kṛṇvanti vidatheṣu dhīrāḥ
yadapūrvam yakṣamantaḥ prajānām
tanme manaḥ śiva saṅkalpamastu ॥2॥
That by which the wise ones practice selfless service and perform sacrifices; that which is
unparalleled and venerable, which resides in every living being. May that mind of mine
be unshakably filled with auspicious thoughts and ever express pure consciousness.
yatprajñānamuta ceto dhṛtiśca
yajjyotirantaḥ amṛtam prajāsu
yasmānna ṛte kiñca na karma kriyate
tanme manaḥ śiva saṅkalpamastu ॥3॥
That, which is intelligence, retentive power and will; which is immortal light that shines
in the heart of every living being, without which no action is possible. May that mind of
mine be unshakably filled with auspicious thoughts and ever express pure consciousness.
yenedam bhūtam bhuvanam bhaviṣyat
parigṛhītam amṛtena sarvam
yena yajñastāyate sapta hotā
tanme manaḥ śiva saṅkalpamastu ॥4॥
That, which is deathless and which knows past, present and future; which guides and
protects the yajña of seven offerings. May that mind of mine be unshakably filled with
auspicious thoughts and ever express pure consciousness.
yasmin ṛcaḥ sāma yajūṁṣi yasmin
pratiṣṭhitā rathanābhāvivārāḥ
yasmiṁścittam sarvamotam prajānām
tanme manaḥ śiva saṅkalpamastu ॥5॥
That in which the Rig, Sama, and Yajur Vedas are held like spokes to the hub of a wheel;
which stores all past samskaras and memories and which is connected to the minds of all
living beings. May that mind of mine be unshakably filled with auspicious thoughts and
ever express pure consciousness.
suṣārathiraśvāniva yanmanuṣyān
nenīyate’bhīśubhirvājina iva
hṛtpratiṣṭham yadajiram javiṣṭham
tanme manaḥ śiva saṅkalpamastu ॥6॥
That which guides, just as a skilled charioteer controls and steers swift horses; that which
is seated in the heart, which is ever young and moves with the swiftest of speeds. May
that mind of mine be unshakably filled with auspicious thoughts and ever express pure
consciousness.
Hanuman Chalisa
śrī guru caraṇa saroja raja
nija manu mukuru sudhāri
baranau raghubara bimala
jasu jo dāyaku phala cāri
buddhi hīna tanu jānike
sumirau pavana kumāra
bala buddhi vidyā dehu mohi
harahu kalesa bikāra
jaya hanumāna jñāna guṇa sāgara
jaya kapīsa tihūn loka ujāgara
rāma dūta atulita baladhāmā
añjani putra pavana suta nāmā
mahāvīra bikrama bajaraṅgī
kumati nivāra sumati ke saṅgi
kañcana barana virāja subesā
kānana kuṇḍala kuñcita kesā
hātha bajra aur dhvajā birājai
kāndhe mūnja jane-ū sājai
śaṅkara suvana keśarī nandana
teja pratāpa mahā jagavandana
vidyāvāna guni ati cātura
rāma kāja karibe ko ātura
prabhu carita sunibe ko rasiyā
rāma lakhana sītā mana basiyā
sūkṣma rūpa dhari siyahīn dikāvā
bikaṭa rūpa dhari laṅka jarāvā
bhīma rūpa dhari asura samhāre
rāmacandra ke kāja samvāre
lāī samjīvana lakhana jīyāye
śrī raghubīra haraṣi ura lāye
raghupati kīnhī bahuta barāī
tuma mama priya bharatahi sama bhāī
sahasa badana tumharo jaśa gāvai
asa kahi śrī pati kaṅṭha lagāvai
sanakādika brahmādi munīsā
nārada sārada sahita ahīsā
jama kubera dikapāla jahān te
kavi kobida kahi sake kahān te
tuma upakāra sugrīvahin kīnhā
rāma milāya rāja pada dīnhā
tumharo mantra vibhīṣana mānā
laṅkesvara bhai saba jaga jānā
juga sahasra jojana para bhānū
līlyo tāhi madhura phala jānū
prabhu mudrikā meli mukha māhī
jaladhi lānghi gaye acaraja nāhī
durgama kāja jagata ke jete
sugama anugraha tumhare tete
rāma duāre tuma rakhavāre
hota na ājñā binu paisāre
saba sukha lahai tumhārī saranā
tuma rakṣaka kāhū ko ḍara nā
āpana teja samhāro āpai
tīno loka hāṅka te kāmpai
bhūta pisāca nikaṭa nahi āvai
mahāvīra jaba nāma sunāvai
nāsai roga harai saba pīrā
japata nirantara hanumata bīrā
sankata te hanumāna churāvai
mana krama vacana dhyāna jo lāvai
saba para rāma tapasvī rājā
tinake kāja sakala tuma sājā
aura manoratha jo koī lāvai
soi amita jīvana phala pāvai
cāron yuga paratāpa tumhārā
hai parasiddhi jagata ujiyārā
sādhu santa ke tuma rakhavāre
asura nikandana rāma dulāre
aṣṭa siddhi nau nidhi ke dātā
asa bara dīna jānakī mātā
rāma rasāyana tumhare pāsā
sadā raho raghupati ke dāsā
tumhare bhajana rāma ko pāvai
janama janama ke duḥkha bisarāvai
anta kāla raghubara pura jāī
jahān janma hari bhakta kahāī
aura devatā citta na dharahī
hanumata seī sarva sukha karaī
sankaṭa kaṭai mitai saba pīrā
jo sumirai hanumata bala bīrā
jai jai jai hanumāna gusāī
kṛpā karahu gurudeva kī nāī
jo sata bāra pāṭha kara koī
chūṭahi bandi mahā sukha hoī
jo yaha parai hanumāna cālīsā
hoī siddhi sākhī gaurīsā
tulasīdāsa sadā hari cerā
kījai nātha hṛdaya maham ḍerā
pavana tanaya saṅkaṭa harana
maṅgala mūrati rūpa
rāma lakhana sītā sahita
hṛdaya basahu sura bhūpa
siyavara ramacandra ki jaya
pavanasuta hanumana ki jaya
umapita mahadeva ki jaya
bolo bhaī saba santana ki jaya