Resources · Sacred Sound
Chants & Mantras
Devanagari, transliteration, the meaning of each word, and the meaning of the whole. So that nothing is recited without understanding.
Om Namah Shivaya
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namaḥ Śivāya
Word by word
- ॐ — the sacred sound, the un-struck syllable
- नमः — salutations, I bow
- शिवाय — to Shiva, the auspicious one
Salutations to Shiva — the inner stillness behind all motion.
Gayatri Mantra
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः। तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं। भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥
Om Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ · Tat Savitur Vareṇyaṃ · Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi · Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Pracodayāt
Word by word
- तत् — that
- सवितुर् — of the sun, the inner illuminator
- वरेण्यं — most worthy, adorable
- भर्गो — radiance, brilliance
- धीमहि — we meditate upon
- धियो — the intellect, the understanding
- प्रचोदयात् — may it inspire, may it awaken
We meditate upon the adorable radiance of that inner sun; may it awaken our understanding.
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्। उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात्॥
Om Tryambakaṃ Yajāmahe · Sugandhiṃ Puṣṭi-vardhanam · Urvārukam-iva Bandhanān · Mṛtyor-mukṣīya Mā'mṛtāt
Word by word
- त्र्यम्बकं — the three-eyed one (Shiva)
- यजामहे — we worship
- सुगन्धिं — the fragrant
- पुष्टिवर्धनम् — the nourisher
- बन्धनात् — from bondage
- मृत्योर्मुक्षीय — liberate from death
- अमृतात् — from immortality
We worship the three-eyed Shiva, the fragrant nourisher; release us from the bondage of death, as the cucumber from the vine — but not from immortality.