Hindu Mantras

Mantras are sets of sacred syllables for calling God, the divine being which were revealed to ancient rishis or seers of ancient India during deep meditation.

Like music, the resonance of these mantra sounds attracts the mind and leads it to an inner experience. The literal meaning of mantra is secondary.

There are three types of mantras : mantras which gives tamsic(magical power), rajsic(strength and courage), and sattvic(spiritual knowledge and wisdom)qualities.

Aum(OM) is the basic mantra of all Sanskrit mantras. It refers to A(jagrat), U(swapna), and M(sushupti) , referring to the physical(waking state), astral(dreaming state) and causal(deep sleep state) existence respectively. The silence which follows each utterance of Aum suggests the state of Absolute Being, or Brahman, which is the source and end of everything.


DAILY MANTRAS
Early Morning Mantra :
Karagre Vasate Lakshmi Karamadhye Sarasvati
Karamule Tu Govinda Prabhate Karadarshanam
(Lakshmi resides in the fingers, Sarasvati in the centre of the palm and Lord Vishnu around the wrist. It is therefore auspicious to look at your hand first thing in the morning.)

Before stepping on the floor- Mantra:
Samudravasane Devi Parvatastanamandale
Vishnupatni Namastubhyam Padasparsham Kshamasva Me
(The ocean is your clothing, the mountain, your bosom, I am about to step on You, so please forgive me.)

Surya namaskar-Mantra:
Hiranmayena Patrena Satyasapihitam Mukham
Tattvam Pushannapavrinu Satyadharmaya Drishtaye
(By a golden lid the mouth of the vessel of truth is covered. Remove thou that veil so I may have a vision of the true reality)

Then, with each consecutive step of the surya namaskar, chant the corresponding mantra:

1. Om Hram Mitraya Namah (Prostration to Him who is affectionate to all)
2. Om Hrim Ravaye Namah (Prostration to Him who is the cause for change)
3. Om Hrum Suryaye Namah (Prostration to Him who induces activity)
4. Om Hraim Bhanave Namah (Prostration to Him who diffuses light)
5. Om Hraum Khagaya Namah (Prostration to Him who moves in the sky)
6. Om Hrah Pushane Namah (Prostration to Him who nourishes all)
7. Om Hram Hiranyagarbhaya Namah (Prostration to Him who contains everything)
8. Om Hrim Marechaye Namah (Prostration to Him who possesses rays)
9. Om Hrum Adityaya Namah (Prostration to Him who is God of Gods)
10.Om Hraim Savitre Namah (Prostration to Him who produces everything)
11.Om Hraum Arkaya Namah (Prostration to Him who is fit to be worshipped)
12.Om Hrah Bhaskaraya Namah (Prostration to Him who is the cause of lustre)


Daily Ablutions-Mantra:
Gangech Yamune Chaiva Godavari Sarasvati
Narmade Sindhu Kaveri Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru
(imagining it to be water from all the holy rivers)

Bhojana (Food Mantra):
Om Brahmarpanam Brahma Havir Bhramagnau Brahmana Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahmakarma Samadhinah
(The act of offering is Brahman. The offering itself is Brahman. The offering is done by Brahman in the sacred fire which is Brahman. He alone attains Brahman who, in all actions, is fully absorbed in Brahman. As we chant this prayer we are offering the different types of food to Brahman This is 24th verse from the 4th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita)

Trisandhya (Evening Mantra):
Shivam Bhavatu Kalyanam Aayurarogyavardhanam
Mama dukha vinashaya Sandhyadipam Namo Namah

Kshamapanam (Before sleep Mantra):
Karacharanamkritam va Kayajam Karmajam va
Shravananayanajam va Manasam va Aparadham
Vihitam Avihitam va Sarvametat Kshamasva
Shiva Shiva Karunabdhe Sri Mahadeva Shambho
(O Great Lord, today I might have committed many mistakes through my hands, legs, ears, eyes, or thoughts. For whatever mistakes I have committed, by my action or inaction, O Auspicious One, Ocean of Compassion, please forgive me)


MANTRAS FOR PEACE
Om asato ma sad gamaya
tamaso ma jyotir gamaya
mrityor ma amritam gamaya
om santi santi santihi
Lead us from untruth to Truth,
From darkness to Light,
From death to Immortality,
Om Peace, peace, peace.

Om sarvesham svastir bhavatu
sarvesham santir bhavatu
sarvesham purnam bhavatu
sarvesham mangalam bhavatu
om santi santi santihi
May perfection prevail on all,
May peace prevail on all,
May contentment prevail on all,
May auspiciousness prevail on all,Om Peace, peace, peace.

Om purna mada purna midam
purnat purnam udachyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam eva vasishyate
om santi santi santihi
That is the Whole, this is the Whole,
From the Whole, the Whole arises,
Taking away the Whole from the Whole,
The Whole remains,
Om Peace, peace, peace.

Om saha navavatu saha nau bhunaktu
saha viryam kara vavahai
tejasvi nava dhitamastu
ma vidvisha vahai
om santi santi santihi
OM Lord, protect us as one,
Nourish us Lord, as one.
Let us flourish in Thy strength as one.
Let our knowledge, O Lord, be changed to Light and
Change our hate to love,
OM Peace, peace, peace.

MANTRA FOR WISDOM
Om Bhur bhuvah svahah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo Devasya dheemahi
Dheeyo yonah prachodayaat
We meditate on the glory of the Creator,
Who has created the Universe,
Who is worthy of Worship,
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light,
Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance,
May He enlighten our Intellect.(This is the Gayatri Mantra, it belongs to the third kind of mantra-sattvic. Gayatri Mantra is the sixteenth sutra in the third mandala of the Rig veda).


MANTRA FOR GURU
gurur brahma gurur vishnuhu
gurur devo mahesvaraha
guruhu sakshat parambrahma
tasmai sri gurave namaha
The Guru is the Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Siva
Guru is the Supreme Absolute Itself
My obeisance to the blesses Guru.