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Core Vedic Mantras पवित्र वैदिक मंत्र
Om — The Primordial Sound
ॐ
oṃ
The seed of all creation — the primordial vibration from which the universe arose. Chanted alone or to open and close every prayer. A-U-M represents waking, dreaming, deep sleep; the silence after is pure awareness.
Chanted before all mantras, prayers, and sacred undertakings.
Gayatri Mantra — The Mantra of Light
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tatsaviturvareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt
We meditate on the divine light of the sun. May that sacred light illumine our intellect and inspire us toward truth.
Source: Rigveda 3.62.10
Mahamrityunjaya — Conqueror of Death
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात्
oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam
urvārukamiva bandhanāt mṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt
We worship the three-eyed Lord Shiva, fragrant and nourishing all life. As a ripe fruit is freed from its stem, may we be freed from the bonds of death, never from immortality.
Source: Rigveda 7.59.12 — chanted for healing and liberation.
Panchakshara — Five Syllables of Shiva
ॐ नमः शिवाय
oṃ namaḥ śivāya
I bow to the auspicious one — Lord Shiva, who is pure consciousness, the source and dissolution of all.
Five syllables (Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya) represent the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space.
Dvadasakshari — Twelve Syllables of Vishnu
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
I bow to Lord Vasudeva — the all-pervading Divine who dwells in every heart.
The twelve-syllable mantra of Vishnu and Krishna for devotion and refuge.
Asato Ma — From Darkness to Light
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय
oṃ asato mā sadgamaya
tamaso mā jyotirgamaya
mṛtyormā amṛtaṃ gamaya
Lead me from the unreal to the Real. Lead me from darkness to Light. Lead me from death to Immortality.
Source: Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah — Prayer for All
ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः
सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु
मा कश्चिद् दुःखभाग् भवेत्
oṃ sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ
sarve santu nirāmayāḥ
sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu
mā kaścid duḥkhabhāg bhavet
May all beings be happy; may all be free from illness; may all see what is good; may no one come to suffer.
A universal prayer for all living beings. Source: Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
Shanti Patha — The Peace Invocation
ॐ द्यौः शान्तिर्
अन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः
पृथिवी शान्तिः
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
oṃ dyauḥ śāntir antaṛikṣaṃ śāntiḥ
pṛthivī śāntiḥ
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
May there be peace in the heavens; may there be peace in the sky; may there be peace on earth. Om — Peace, Peace, Peace.
Chanted three times to dispel the three types of suffering — physical, mental, and divine.
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Ganesha Mantras गणेश मंत्र
Vakratunda Ganesha Mantra — Remover of All Obstacles
ॐ वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Vakratuṇḍa Mahākāya Sūryakoṭi Samaprabha।
Nirvighnaṃ Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kāryeṣu Sarvadā॥
O Lord Ganesha — of curved trunk, vast body, radiant as a crore of suns — bless me so that all my endeavours proceed without obstacle, always and in all things.
Invoked before every new beginning — a journey, a business, an exam, a ceremony. The most widely recited mantra in India.
Ganesha Gayatri — The Illuminating Ganesha Prayer
ॐ एकदन्ताय विद्महे,
वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि,
तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात्॥
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Ekadantāya Vidmahe,
Vakratuṇḍāya Dhīmahi,
Tanno Dantiḥ Pracodayāt॥
Let us know the single-tusked one; let us meditate on the curved-trunk lord. May that elephant-toothed one inspire and guide us forward.
A Gayatri-format meditation on Ganesha — chanted for clarity of mind, wisdom, and removal of inner obstacles. Source: Ganapati Atharvasirsha Upanishad.
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Vishnu & Krishna Mantras विष्णु-कृष्ण मंत्र
Hare Krishna Mahamantra — The Great Name Mantra
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण, कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे।
हरे राम हरे राम, राम राम हरे हरे॥
Pronunciation:
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare।
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare॥
Hare (O Hari — one who takes away the darkness of the heart), Krishna (the all-attractive one), Rama (the source of all joy). This 16-word mantra contains all three primary names of the Supreme. The Kali-santarana Upanishad declares it the sole remedy for the Kali Yuga — a mantra so simple a child can chant it, yet so profound it has no limit of depth.
Source: Kali-santarana Upanishad. Popularised globally by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (15th century) and ISKCON.
Krishna Kashta Nashaka — Destroyer of All Distress
ॐ कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने।
प्रणत क्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः॥
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Kṛṣṇāya Vāsudevāya Haraye Paramātmane।
Praṇata Kleśanāśāya Govindāya Namo Namaḥ॥
Salutations to Krishna, son of Vasudeva, the remover of darkness, the Supreme Self — who destroys the sufferings of those who bow to him. Salutation again and again to Govinda.
Chanted for relief from anxiety, grief, and life's difficulties (klesha). Each name — Krishna, Vasudeva, Hari, Paramatma, Govinda — invokes a different aspect of the same Supreme Being.
Vishnu Shantakaram — The Serene-Form Meditation
शान्ताकारम् भुजगशयनम् पद्मनाभम् सुरेशम्
विश्वाधारम् गगनसदृशम् मेघवर्णम् शुभाङ्गम्।
लक्ष्मीकान्तम् कमलनयनम् योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम्
वन्दे विष्णुम् भवभयहरम् सर्वलोकैकनाथम्॥
Pronunciation:
Shāntākāram Bhujaṅgashayanam Padmanābham Suresham
Vishvādhāram Gaganasadṛisham Meghavarṇam Shubhāṅgam।
Lakṣhmīkāntam Kamalanayaṇam Yogibhirdhyānagamyam
Vande Vishṇum Bhavabhayaharam Sarvalokaikānātham॥
I salute Vishnu — of peaceful form, resting on the serpent, lotus-navelled, lord of gods; the support of the universe, sky-like, cloud-coloured, auspicious-limbed; beloved of Lakshmi, lotus-eyed, attainable by yogis in meditation; who destroys the fear of worldly existence, the one lord of all the worlds.
One of the most beautiful Vishnu dhyana (meditation) shlokas — recited at the start of Vishnu puja and at dawn. Each phrase is a meditation on a distinct quality of the Divine.
Karpura Gauram — Shiva Auspiciousness Prayer
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारम् भुजगेन्द्रहारम्।
सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि॥
Pronunciation:
Karpūragauram Karuṇāvatāram Saṃsārasāram Bhujagendrahāram।
Sadā Vasantaṃ Hṛidayāravinde Bhavaṃ Bhavānīsahitaṃ Namāmi॥
I bow to Shiva — white as camphor (pure consciousness), the incarnation of compassion, the very essence of the universe, wearing the king of serpents as his garland — who always abides in the lotus of my heart, together with Bhavani (Parvati).
Traditionally sung after Aarti — the waving of the flame before the deity. Also widely recited as a morning prayer. Source: attributed to Adi Shankaracharya.
Mangalam Bhagavan Vishnu — Auspiciousness Mantra
मङ्गलम् भगवान् विष्णुः मङ्गलम् गरुडध्वजः।
मङ्गलम् पुण्डरीकाक्षः मङ्गलाय तनो हरिः॥
Pronunciation:
Maṅgalam Bhagavān Viṣṇuḥ Maṅgalam Garuḍadhvajaḥ।
Maṅgalam Puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ Maṅgalāya Tano Hariḥ॥
Auspiciousness is Lord Vishnu; auspiciousness is he whose flag bears the eagle Garuda; auspiciousness is the lotus-eyed one; may Hari be auspiciousness itself for the body.
A mantra of blessing and auspicious beginning — recited at the start of Vishnu temples' daily service (Suprabhatam), and at the opening of any important gathering or ceremony.
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Devi & Shakti Mantras देवी शक्ति मंत्र
Navarna Mantra — Nine-Syllable Power of the Goddess
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Aiṃ Hrīṃ Klīṃ Cāmuṇḍāyai Vicche
The nine-syllable (Navarna) seed mantra of Goddess Chamunda (Kali-Durga combined). Each seed syllable (Bija) carries a specific power: ऐं (Aim) invokes Mahasaraswati — wisdom and creativity; ह्रीं (Hrim) invokes Mahalakshmi — will and abundance; क्लीं (Klim) invokes Mahakali — transformative power. Together they address the three-fold Shakti of the Devi Mahatmyam.
The root mantra of the Devi Mahatmyam (Chandi Path). Chanted 108 times daily during Navratri for protection, strength, and liberation from fear. Source: Devi Mahatmyam, Markandeya Purana.
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu — The Goddess in All Beings
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
Pronunciation:
Yā Devī Sarvabhūteṣu Śaktirūpeṇa Saṃsthitā।
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaḥ॥
To that Goddess who abides in all beings in the form of power (Shakti) — salutation to Her, salutation to Her, salutation to Her, again and again. This verse is repeated seven times in the Devi Mahatmyam, each time naming a different form: consciousness (Chiti), sleep (Nidra), hunger (Kshudha), shadow (Chhaya), energy (Shakti), thirst (Trishna), patience (Kshanti), beauty (Jati), and peace (Shanti).
Source: Devi Mahatmyam, Adhyaya 5 (Markandeya Purana). Teaches that the Divine Feminine is not separate from the world but present within every being as life itself.
Sarva Mangala Mangalye — Durga Stuti
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तुते॥
सर्वस्वरूपे सर्वेशे सर्वशक्तिसमन्विते।
भयेभ्यस्त्राहि नो देवि दुर्गे देवि नमोऽस्तुते॥
Pronunciation:
Sarvamaṅgala-māṅgalye Śive Sarvārtha-sādhike।
Śaraṇye Tryambake Gauri Nārāyaṇi Namo'stute॥
Sarva-svarūpe Sarveśe Sarvaśakti-samanvite।
Bhayebhyas-trāhi No Devi Durge Devi Namo'stute॥
Verse 1: The most auspicious of all auspiciousness, the auspicious Shiva herself, the fulfiller of all purposes, the refuge of all, three-eyed Gauri — salutation to You, Narayani.
Verse 2: O one who is all forms, the supreme lord of all, endowed with all powers — protect us from all fears, O Devi Durga; salutation to You, O Devi.
Source: Devi Mahatmyam, Adhyaya 11. Recited at the end of Navratri puja as the final salutation — and daily as a prayer for protection and auspiciousness.
Kali Bija Mantra — The Transforming Power of Kali
ॐ क्रीं क्रीं क्रीं हूँ हूँ ह्रीं ह्रीं
दक्षिणकालिके क्रीं क्रीं क्रीं हूँ हूँ ह्रीं ह्रीं स्वाहा॥
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Krīṃ Krīṃ Krīṃ Hūṃ Hūṃ Hrīṃ Hrīṃ
Dakṣiṇakālike Krīṃ Krīṃ Krīṃ Hūṃ Hūṃ Hrīṃ Hrīṃ Svāhā॥
The fifteen-syllable Kali mantra addressed to Dakshina Kali — the most benevolent form of Kali, who faces south (Dakshina = south, also = the right-hand, approachable path). The seed syllables क्रीं (Krim) carry the fire of transformation; हूँ (Hum) is the seed of consciousness and expulsion of ego; ह्रीं (Hrim) is the seed of creation and the heart. स्वाहा is the concluding offering to the divine fire. This mantra is chanted to destroy deep fears, end suffering, and accelerate spiritual transformation.
From the Kali Tantra traditions. Chanted with reverence, with a pure heart, ideally 108 times. Best chanted during Kali puja, Diwali night, or the new moon (Amavasya). Approach with sincerity — Kali destroys only what must be destroyed.
Lakshmi Gayatri — Prayer for Grace and Abundance
ॐ श्री महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे
विष्णु पत्न्यै च धीमहि।
तन्नो लक्ष्मीः प्रचोदयात्॥
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Śrī Mahālakṣhmyai Ca Vidmahe
Viṣṇu-patnyai Ca Dhīmahi।
Tanno Lakṣhmīḥ Pracodayāt॥
Let us know the great Lakshmi; let us meditate on the consort of Vishnu. May that Lakshmi inspire and guide us. This Gayatri-format prayer invokes Lakshmi not merely for material wealth but for the full spectrum of her eight forms — abundance, courage, victory, children, knowledge, inner strength, food, and liberation (Ashtalakshmi).
Chanted on Fridays (Lakshmi's sacred day), at Diwali, and during Varalakshmi Vratam. Best recited before sunrise or at evening lamp-lighting. Source: Sri Sukta tradition of the Rigveda.
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Healing & Shanti Mantras आरोग्य एवं शांति मंत्र
Dhanvantari Mantra — Prayer to the God of Healing
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
धन्वन्तरये अमृतकलश हस्ताय
सर्वआमय विनाशाय
त्रैलोक्य नाथाय श्री महाविष्णवे नमः॥
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Dhanvantaraye Amṛitakalasha Hastāya
Sarva-Āmaya Vināśāya
Trailokya Nāthāya Śrī Mahāviṣṇave Namaḥ॥
I bow to Lord Vasudeva — to Dhanvantari, who holds the pot of Amrita (divine nectar) in his hands, the destroyer of all diseases, the lord of the three worlds, the great Vishnu. Dhanvantari is the divine physician who emerged from the Samudra Manthan (churning of the cosmic ocean) carrying the pot of immortality — and he is the celestial patron of all Ayurvedic medicine and healing traditions.
Chanted for healing of illness, protection from disease, and the restoration of vitality. Particularly powerful on Dhanteras (two days before Diwali), Dhanvantari Jayanti, and during illness. Source: Garuda Purana & Ayurvedic tradition.
Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu — Universal Peace and Wholeness
ॐ सर्वेषां स्वस्तिर्भवतु।
सर्वेषां शान्तिर्भवतु।
सर्वेषां पूर्णं भवतु।
सर्वेषां मङ्गलं भवतु॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
Pronunciation:
Oṃ Sarveṣām Svastir Bhavatu।
Sarveṣāṃ Śāntir Bhavatu।
Sarveṣāṃ Pūrṇaṃ Bhavatu।
Sarveṣāṃ Maṅgalaṃ Bhavatu॥
Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ
May there be wellbeing (Swasti) for all. May there be peace (Shanti) for all. May there be wholeness and fulfilment (Purna) for all. May there be auspiciousness (Mangala) for all. Om — Peace, Peace, Peace. This mantra extends the wish for wellbeing beyond oneself to literally all beings — human, animal, plant, and spirit — an expression of the Vedic understanding that no one is truly well until all are well.
Chanted to close meditation sessions, yoga classes, satsangs, and ceremonies. The triple Shanti at the end addresses the three sources of suffering: adhibhautika (from other beings), adhidaivika (from nature/fate), and adhyatmika (from within oneself). Source: Upanishadic tradition.