Prayer Hymns from the Vedas

Prayer Hymns from the Vedas
Rig Veda Hymns on 'One God'Idham Mitram Agnim Aahu atho;Dhivya Sah Suparnah Garuthman E'kam Sath Viprah Bahudhah Vadhanthi, Agnim;Yama Matharisvaanam Aahuh ------ Rig Veda - Verse --- I . 164 .46
They call Him (It) Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni; andHe is the heavenly nobly-winged Garuthman !To what is One, Sages give many a title, Agni,Yama, Matharisvan they call it !!
Aakaasat pathitham thoyam Yathaa gacchathi Saagaram Sarva Deva Namaskarah Kesavam prathigacchathi Ke'savam prathigacchathi Om nama iti Just as all the water that fall from the sky inescapably reach the sea,Let all salutations to all the Deities reach only Kesava ;Indeed they only reach Kesava.[Here "Kesava" stands for Paramãthma encompassing Brahma, Vishnu and Siva]
Vedic PrayersKaaye'na Vaachaa Manasendriyair VaaBhuddhyaathmanaa Vaa Prakrthe' Svabhaavaath Karomi Yadyat Sakalam ParasmaiNaarayanaayethi Samarpayaami I dedicate to the supreme person Naarayanaa all that I doby means of the body, words, mind, by the organs of action,the organs of knowledge and by the impulsion of nature.
Om ! Asatho' Maa Sath Gamaya- Thamaso' Maa Jyothirgamaya Mr.uthyo' Maa Amr.ruthamgamaya- Om! Saanthih: Saanthih: Saanthih: Lead me from the unreal to the Real -- From darkness [ignorance]to the Light [knowledge];- From death to Immortality.- Om Peace ! Peace !! Peace !!!
Om! Sahanaavavatu Sahanau BhunaktuSahaveeryam Karavaavah: Thejasvinaa Vadheethamastu Maa Vidvishaa Vahaih: Om! Shaanthih Shaanthih Shaanthih. Om!
May He, the Supreme Lord, protect us both,The teacher and the student. May He nourish us both.May our study be thorough and fruitful.May we not hate each other.Om ! Peace, Peace, Peace.
Om ! Bhadram Karnebhih: Shrunuyaama Devaah:Bhadram Pashyemaakshabhir Yajathraah: Sthirairangai Sthushthuvaagum Sastanoobhih:Yashema Devahitham Yadhaayuh: Svasthi Na Indhro Vriddhashravaah:Svasthi Nah Pooshaa Vishva Vedaah: Svasthi Nasthaakshyo Arishtanemih:Svasthi No Brihaspathir Dhadhaathu Om ! Shaanthi:, Shaanthi:, Shaanthi:. Om !
O' Ye Gods ! May we hear with our ears only what is auspicious.May we see with our eyes only what is auspicious.May we, who sing your praise,Live our allotted span of life in perfect health and vigor.May Indhra who is praised by the devotees,vouchsafe to us safety and well being.May the all known Pooshan grant us safety.May Garuda and Brihaspathi grant us well being.Om ! Peace, Peace, Peace.

sarvaDevata prayer
PRAYERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
Guru Mantra
Gurur Bramha Gurur VishnuGurur Devo MaheswarahaGuru Shakshath Para BramhaThasmaisri Gurave NamahaGurave SarvalokanamBhishaje BhavaroginamNithye SarvadhiyanaamDhakshina Moorthaye Namahah!
Guru is Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord MaheswaraGuru is nothing but the Supreme Brahman devoid of attributes.That is the reason why we bow to the Guru.
sarvaDevata prayer
shriiman mahaa gaNaadhi pataye namaH .shrii sarasvatyai namaH .shrii gurave namaH .shrii maataa pitR^ibhyaaM namaH .shrii lakshmiinaaraayaNaabhyaaM namaH .shrii umaamaheshvaraabhyaaM namaH .ishhTa devataabhyo namaH .kula devataabhyo namaH .sthaana devataabhyo namaH .vaastu devataabhyaaM namaH .sarevebhyo devebhyo namo namaH ..avighnamastu .... AUM tatsat.h iti ..
Invocatory Kirtans
Jaya Ganesha Jaya Ganesha Jaya Ganesha paahimaamSri Ganesha Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha rakshamaamJaya Saraswati Jaya Saraswati Jaya Saraswati paahimaamSri Saraswati Sri Saraswati Sri Saraswati rakshamaam
Maha Mrityunjaya MantraOm trayambakam yajaamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanamUrvaarukamiva bandhanaan mrityor muksheeya maamritaat.
Concluding Peace ChantsSarveshaam swasti bhavatu, sarveshaam shaantir bhavatu,Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu, sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu;Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niraamayah,Sarve bhadraani pashyantu, maakaschid duhkhabhaagbhavet;Asato maa sad gamayaTamaso maa jyotir gamayaMrityor maa amritam gamaya;Om poornamadah poornamidam poornaatpoornamudachyate,Poornasya poornamaadaaya poornamevaavashishyate.Om shaantih shaantih shaantih!
Meditation On Lord ShivaShaantam padmaasanasthamshashadharamakutam panchavaktram trinetram,Shoolam vajram cha khadgamparashumabhayadam dakshinaange vahantam;Naagam paasham cha ghantaamdamaruka sahitam chaankusham vaamabhaage,Naanaalankaara deeptamsphatika maninibham paarvateesham namaami.MEANING: I prostrate myself before the five-faced Lord of Parvati, who is adorned with various ornaments, who shines like the crystal jewel, who is seated peacefully in the lotus pose, with moon-crested crown, with three eyes, wearing trident, thunderbolt, sword and axe on the right side, who holds the serpent, noose, bell, damaru and spear on the left side, and who gives protection from all fear to His devotees.
Meditation On Sri ShankaracharyaPadmaaseenam prashantamyamaniratamaanan gaari tulya prabhaavam,Phaale bhasmaankitaambhasmita rujira mukhaam bhojanindeevaraaksham;Kambugreevam karaabhyaamavidtamurulasat pustakam jnaanamudraam,Vandyam geervaana mukhyairnatajana varadam bhaavaye shankaraaryam.MEANING: I meditate on Sri Shankaracharya who is seated in the lotus posture with Jnanamudra, who is calm, endowed with virtues like Yama, Niyama, etc., whose glory is as great as that of Lord Shiva, who wears the sacred ashes on the forehead, whose face resembles the blossomed lotus, with lotus-like eyes, possessing sacred books in hand, who is ever adored by people of high learning and wisdom, and who fulfils the desires of his devotees (who prostrate themselves before him).
Meditation On Lord DattatreyaMaalaakamandalu dharah karapadmayugmeMadhyastha paaniyugale damarutrishoolam;Adhyastha urdhva karayoh shubha shankhachakreVande tamatrivaradam bhujashatkayuktam.MEANING: I meditate on Lord Dattatreya, the son of Atri, who has six hands, who holds the rosary and water-vessel in two hands, with damaru and spear in the other two hands, and with conch and discus in the upper two hands.
Meditation On Lord GaneshaGajaananam bhootaganaadisevitamKapittha jamboophala saara bhakshitam;Umaasutam shoka vinaasha kaaranamNamaami vighneshwara paada pankajam.MEANING: I worship the lotus feet of Ganesha, the son of Uma, the destroyer of all sorrows, who is served by the host of gods and elementals, and who takes the essence of the kapittha-jarnbu fruit (fruit resembling the bilwa fruit).
Meditation On Lord SubramanyaShadaananam kumkumaraktavarnamMahaa matim divya mayoora vaahanam;Rudrasya soonum sura sainyanaathamGuham sadaaham sharanam prapadye.MEANING: I always take refuge in Lord Guha (Lord Subramanya) of six faces, who is of deep red colour and infinite knowledge, who has the divine peacock to ride on, the son of Lord Shiva and the leader of the army of the Devas.
LORD VISHNUHis Mantra is: Om Namo NarayanayaSuklambharadharam visnum sasi varnam caturbhujamPrasanna vadanam dhyayet sarvavighnopasantaye
Meditation On Sri KrishnaVamshee vibhooshita karaan navaneeradaabhaatPeetaambaraadaruna bimbaphalaa dharoshthaat;Poornendusundara mukhaad aravinda netraatKrishnaat param kimapi tattwam aham na jaane.MEANING: I know not any other Reality than the lotus-eyed Krishna with hands adorned with flute, looking like a heavy-laden cloud in lustre, wearing a yellow silk garment, with His lower lip like a ruddy bimba fruit, and with face shining like the full moon.
Meditation On Sri RamaDhyaayedaajaanubaaham dhritasharadhanushambaddhapadmaasanastham,Peetam vaaso vasaanam navakamala dala spardhinetramprasannam;Vaamaankaaroodhaseetaa mukhakamala milal lochanamneeradaabham,Naanaalankaara deeptam dadhatamuru jataa mandalamraamachandram.MEANING: One should meditate on Sri Ramachandra, with hands reaching the knees, holding the bow and arrows, seated in the locked-up lotus posture, wearing a yellow garb, with eyes vying with the newly-blossomed lotus petals, with a pleasant gait, who has Sita seated on His left thigh, who is blue like the clouds, who is adorned with all kinds of ornaments and having a big circle of Jata on the head.
Manthra Pushpam
It is customary to recite Manthra Pushpam, or a short version of it, at the conclusion of all major prayer rituals in the Temples and at home pooja functions. Often we offer flowers to the Deities at this time making some people to think that this is something to do with the flowers [pushpam].
The verses of Manthra pushpam is given in Yajurveda. It is actually a recitation about the origin and evolution of the natural forces like water, air, fire, earth, Sun and the stars and not just praising God.
Yopãm Pushpam Vedha - Pushpavãn Prajaavãn Pasumãn B'havathiChandramãpã vã Apãm Pusham - Pushpavãn Prajaavãn Pasumãn B'havathiYa Ye'vam Vedha - Yopaam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan Bhavathi1
Agnirvaa Aapaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYo Aghneraam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Agner-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Yevam Veda - Yopaam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathi2
Vaayorvaa Apaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYo Vaayor-aayathanam vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Vaayor-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Evam Vedha - Yopaam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathi3
Asovvaitha pannapaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYo Mushyathapa -thaayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Amushyathapa -thaayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Evam Vedha - Yopaam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathi4
Chandramaavaa Apaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYach Chandramasa Aayathanam vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Chandramasa Aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Evam Vedha - Yopaamaayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathi5
Nakshathraanivaa Apaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYo Nakshathraanaa Apaam-aayathanam - Vedha Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Nakshathraanaa Aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Evam Vedha - Yopaam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathi6
Parjanyovaa Apaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYaf: Parjanyasy-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Parjanyasy-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Evam Vedha - Yopaam-aayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathi7
Samvathsarovaa Apaam-aayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYas Samvathsars Yaayathanam Vedha - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiAapovai Samvathsars Yaayathanam - Aayatha-navaan B'havathiYa Evam Vedha - Yopsu Naavam Prati Thishti tham Vedha - Prathyathi thishtathi8
The meaning of the verse is as follows: The world is all made of water and is the basic of everything and is worthy of our prayers. As water is cool so also the moon is cool like a flower of the water. He who understands this gets all prosperity [with progeny and cattle]. Fire is also a producer of this water and the air is a producer of the fire. As the sea water raises as vapor to the clouds and falls as rain to give us the warmth and prosperity, the Sun is related to the water. As we see the star [through astrological position] which determines the rain and prosperity, we see the relation of stars for all this prosperity through water. Each year, as we get the rainy season to get our rains, the year around seasons get importance. On this water the world revolves around like a boat sailing in the ocean and he who understands this gets all the prosperity.