Mantras for Enlightenment

Gayathri Mantra

The Gayatri mantra is considered one of the most universal of all Hindu mantras, invoking the universal Brahman as the principle of knowledge and the illumination of the primordial Sun. Gayatri refers to a special three-line Vedic meter used in mantras for invoking and focusing consciousness on the Reality. When meditating on the Gayatri mantra, the seeker first directs his attention to the radiance of the sun outside, and then turns the attention inwards to the light of Consciousness within.

Om bhūr bhuva svaha
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dhīmahi
Dhiyo yo nahah prachodayāt,

Om. We meditate on the radiance of that Supreme Divine Being, the Creator of the planes of earth, heaven and those in between.  May that Divine Being direct our intelligence. (Om.)

From Death to Eternity

om, asato maa sad gamaya
tamaso maa jyotir gamaya
mrityormaa amritam gamaya;
om shanti, shanti shantihi

From ignorance, lead me to truth; from darkness, lead me to light; from death, lead me to immortality; Om, peace, peace, peace!

Poorna Mantra

om, poornam adah poornam idam
poornaat poornamudachyate
poornasya poornamaadaaya
poornam eva avashishyate
om shanti, shanti shantihi

Om, That is Whole, and this too is Whole. From the Whole came the Whole. If you remove the Whole from the Whole, that which remains is still the Whole. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Shanti Mantra

Aum sahanaavavatu,
Sahanau bhunaktu
Saha viiryan karavaavahai Tejasvi naavadhiitamastu
Maa vidvishhaavahai
om shanti, shanti shantihi

May both of us* be protected together. May both of us be nourished together. May both of us work together with great vigor. May both of our studies be enlightening. May no obstacle arise between us. Om, peace, peace, peace. * (Chanted by a teacher and student)

Shiva Shadakshara Stotram

omkaaram bindu samyuktam nityam dhyaayanti yoginah
kaamadam mokshadam chaiva omkaaraaya namo namaha

The sages constantly meditate upon the sound of Om and its ‘Bindu´ (dot). We offer our obeisance to the Divine sound of Om repeatedly which has the power to fulfill our desires and release us from bondage.

Guru Dhyaana Mantra (Meditation on the Guru)

Nithyanandam parama sukhadam
kevalam gnana moortim
Dvandvaateetam gagana sadrisham
tatvamasyaadi lakshyam
Ekam nithyam vimalam achalam
sarvadhee saakshi bhootam
Bhaavaateetam triguna rahitam
sadgurum tam namaami

(The one) Who embodies eternal bliss and ultimate happiness; who is the manifestation of pure knowledge; who is beyond duality, all pervading like the sky; who indicates ‘You are That’; absolute, eternal, beyond purity and impurity, unmoving; the witnessing consciousness in all elements; beyond comprehension, beyond the three (human) qualities; To that supreme guru, I offer my ‘I’ and ‘mine’.