10 Essential Hindu Mantras — Lyrics in English with Meaning
A puja begins with the Ganesh mantra and ends with a peace (shanti) mantra. Here is one simple, widely used mantra for each major deity, with its meaning in plain English.
Each mantra can be chanted on its own, or in this order as a short daily prayer.
Shri ganesh mantra
Vakratund mahakay suryakoti samaprabh ।
Nirvighnan kuru me dev sarvakaryeshu sarvada ॥
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ। निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty body, radiant as ten million suns — always make all my work free of obstacles. (Said at the start of any task.)
Shiv panchakshar mantra
Om namah shivay ॥
ॐ नमः शिवाय॥
I bow to Shiva. Shiva's simplest and most powerful mantra, often chanted 108 times.
Shri vishnu dhyan mantra
Shantakaran bhujagashyanan padmanabhan sureshan
Vishvadharan gaganasdrish meghavarnan shubhangam ।
Lakshmikantan kamalanyanan yogibhirdhyanagamyan
Vande vishnun bhavabhayharan sarvalokaikanatham ॥
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम्। लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम्॥
I bow to Vishnu — peaceful in form, resting on the serpent, with a lotus at his navel, lord of the gods, support of the universe, vast as the sky, dark as a rain cloud; husband of Lakshmi, lotus-eyed, reached by yogis in meditation, who removes the fear of worldly life.
Shri krishna mantra
Vasudevsut devan kansachanuramardanam ।
Devakiparamanandan krishnan vande jagadgurum ॥
वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्। देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम्॥
I bow to Shri Krishna, son of Vasudev, destroyer of Kansa and Chanur, the supreme joy of Devaki, teacher of the world.
Shri ram mantra
Shri ram jai ram jai jai ram ॥
श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम॥
Victory to Shri Ram — this thirteen-syllable 'taraka' mantra is the simplest way to chant Ram's name.
Hanuman dhyan mantra
Manojavan marutatulyavegan jitendriyan buddhimtan varishtham ।
Vatatmajan vanarayuthamukhyan shriramdut sharanan prapadye ॥
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम्। वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥
I take refuge in the messenger of Shri Ram — swift as the mind, fast as the wind, master of the senses, foremost among the wise, son of the Wind and leader of the monkey army.
Durga mantra
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shaktirupen sansthita ।
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ॥
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of power — salutations to her, again and again.
Saraswati vandna
Ya kundendutusharaharadhvala ya shubhravastravrita
Ya vinavaradandamanditkara ya shvetapadmasna ।
Ya brahmachyutashankaraprabhritibhirdevaih sada vandita
Sa man patu saraswati bhagvati nihsheshajadyapha ॥
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना। या ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
May Goddess Saraswati protect me — white as the jasmine, the moon and snow, dressed in white, holding the veena, seated on a white lotus, ever worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, she who removes all dullness.
Mahalakshmi mantra
Om shrin mahalakshmyai namah ॥
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥
Salutations to Mahalakshmi. A seed mantra chanted for wealth, happiness and prosperity.
Shanti mantra
Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah sarve santu niramyah ।
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu ma kashchidduhkhabhagbhavet ॥
Om shantih shantih shantih ॥
ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः। सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत्॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
May all be happy, may all be free of illness, may all see what is good, and may no one suffer. Om peace, peace, peace.
The text is traditional and wording varies slightly by region. The English meanings are written by OmKiran Bhakti. Read this page in Hindi.
