Sarveshaam, Swastir Bhavatu

PEACE INVOCATION

AUM
Sarveshaam,
Swastir Bhavatu.
Sarveshaam,
Shantir Bhavatu.
Sarveshaam,
Purnam Bhavatu.
Sarveshaam,
Mangalam Bhavatu.
AUM Shantih, Shantih, Shantih.

AUM
May all be auspecious;
May all attain peace;
Let there be fulfillment and contentment the world over;
May all be blessed.
AUM peace, peace, peace.

Sarva Mangala Maangalye

PRAYER TO DEVI

Sarva Mangala Maangalye,
Shive Sarvaartha Saadhike.
Sharanye Tryamba Ke Gauri,
Naaraayani Namostute.

Adorations to Goddess,
who is the auspiciousness of all that is auspicious,
who is the consort of Lord Shiva,
who is the bestower of every desire of one’s heart.
Adorations to You!
O Devi, I have taken refuge in you.

Goddess Parvati is the consort of Lord Shiva and is worshipped as Shakti. Puranic literature describes her as having many forms, including Durga, Chandi, Kali and Uma. While Shiva symbolizes the efficient cause of the creation, Shakti symbolizes the material cause.

Yaa Kun Den

PRAYER TO SARASWATI

Yaa Kun Den
Du Tushara Haara Dhavalaa,
Yaa Shubh Ra Va Straa Vritra.

Yaa Weena
Wara Danda Mandita Karaa,
Yaa Shweta Padmaa Sanaa.

Yaa Brahmaa Chyuta Shankarah Prabhritibhih.
Devaih Sadaa,
Vanditaa.

Saa Maarn,
Paatu Saraswatee Bhagavatee.
Nishesha Jaadyaa Pahaa.

Fair as a jasmine flower, the moon or a flake of snow,
Dressed in white, her hands adorned by the graceful veena staff,
Adorned by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other deities,
Protect me, Oh Goddess Saraswati, remover of ignorance inert.

Asato Maa Sad Gamaya

RG VEDA INVOCATION

Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Maa Amritam Gamaya
Ohm Shanti Shanti Shanti

God, please lead me (by giving me knowledge)
from the unreal to the real;
from darkness (of ignorance) to the light (of knowledge);
from death (limitation) to immortality (liberation).

Samudra Vasane Devi

MORNING PRAYER

Samudra Vasane Devi,
Parvata Stana Mandale.
Vishnupatni Namastubhyam,
Paada Sparsham Kshamasva Me.

O! Mother Earth, who has the ocean as clothes and mountains and forests on her
body, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, I bow to you.
Please forgive me for touching you with my feet.

This is a Morning Prayer called “karadarshana”. You begin the day with this prayer.

“Kara” means the palm of the hand and it stands for the five karmendriyas, or the organs of action. While looking at the palm, you invoke the Lord in the form of various deities, thus sanctifying all the actions that will be done during the day.

By acknowledging the Lord as the giver of the capacity to perform actions and as the giver of the fruits of those actions, you sanctify those actions. You pray in the morning to reinforce the attitude that all actions are performed as a service to the Lord.

Karaagre Vasate Lakshmi

MORNING PRAYER

Karaagre Vasate Lakshmi,
Karamuule Saraswati.
Karamadhye Tu Govinda,
Prabhaate Kara Darshanam.

The front part of the hands (the fingertips) are ascribed to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, the middle part (the palm proper) to Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning, and the root (the part of hand near the wrist) to Govinda (God).

Therefore, every morning, one should have a respectful look at one’s hand, which symbolizes honest labor.

Twameva Mata

END PRAYER

Twameva Mata, Chapita Twameva.
Twameva Bandhu, Cha Sakha Twameva.
Twameva Vidya, Dravinum Twameva.
Twameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva.

O God,
You are my mother, my father, my brother, and my friend.
You are my knowledge and my only wealth.
You are everything to me and the God of all Gods.

This mantra is usually recited at the conclusion of a prayer session, meditation, or religious function.
Here the devotee surrenders his or her individuality to the Lord for his Grace.

Shanta Karam

PRAYER TO LORD VISHNU

Shanta Karam Bhujaga Shayanam,
Padmanabham Suresham.
Vishvadharam Gagana Sadrusham,
Megha Varnam Shubhangam.
Lakshmi Kantam Kamala Nayanam,
Yogibhir Dhyana Gamyam.
Vande Vishnum Bhava Bhaya Haram,
Sarva Lokaia Kanatham.

I adore Lord Vishnu
who is the embodiment of peace,
who lies on the Shesha serpent,
whose navel is the source of the Lotus of the Universe,
whose complexion is swarthy like the clouds,
whose body shines with heavenly beauty,
who is the beloved of Goddess Lakshmi,
whose eyes are like Lotus,
who is meditated upon by the yogis,
who is the remover of the fear of the
world-process, the cycle of birth and death.

Gurur Brahma

PRAYER TO TEACHER

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu,
Gurur Devo Mahesh Varah.
Guru Shakshat Para Brahma,
Tasmai Shri Guruve Namah.

The teacher is like Lord Brahma as he Generates knowledge within us,
like Lord Vishnu as he Drives ideas and knowledge into our mind unto the right path,
and like Lord Mahesha (Shiva) as he Destroys the ill-conceived ideas that come from our knowledge,
while enlightening us and helping us stay on the right path.

Thus the teacher is like our ultimate God and we should pray and give respect to our teacher.

Shanti Mantra

SHANTI MANTRA

Ohm Saha Naa Vavatu,
Saha Nau Bhunaktu,
Saha Viiryam Karavaa Vahai,
Tejas Vinaa Vadhii Tamastu,
Maa Vid Vishhaa Vahai.
Ohm Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Ohm,
May God protect us.
May God nourish us.
May we acquire the capacity to study and to understand the scriptures.
May our studies be thorough and faithful (so we may become brilliant).
May we never quarrel with or hate each other.
Ohm, peace, peace, peace.

At the beginning of a class, the teacher and students generally recite this peace invocation together.
Both seek the Lord’s blessings for study that is free of obstacles, such as poor memory, or the inability to concentrate or poor health.
They also seek blessings for a conducive relationship, without which communication of any subject matter is difficult.
Therefore, this prayer is important for both the teacher and the student.

Vasudeva Sutam Devam

Prayer to Lord Krishna

Vasudeva Sutam Devam
Kansa Chaanuura Mardanam
Devakii Paramaa Nandam
Krishhnam Vande Jagadh Gurum

I bow to you, Lord Krishna,
the resplendent son of Vasudev,
who killed the great tormentors Kamsa and Chanoora,
who is a source of great joy to Devaki,
and who is indeed a world teacher.

Vakratunda Mahakaaya

Invokation to Lord Ganesh

Vakratunda Mahaakaaya
Suuryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kurume Deva
Shubha Kaaryeshhu Sarvadaa

O Lord Ganesha,
Who possesses a large body (mahakaya),
A curved trunk (vakratunda),
Who shines with the brilliance of a million suns (surya koti)!
Please make all my work free of obstacles, always.