Hindu prayers with meaning

Morning

On waking, before study and before meals

• Karagre Vasate Lakshmi

  Karagre Vasate Lakshmi is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer said on waking.

• Samudra Vasane Devi

  Samudra Vasane Devi is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer to the Earth, said on waking before the feet touch the ground.

• Gayatri Mantra

  The Gayatri mantra is one verse of the Rigveda, the tenth verse of hymn 62 in the third book (3.62.10).

• Surya Namaskar Mantras

  The Surya Namaskar mantras are twelve short Sanskrit salutations to the Sun.

• Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu

  Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer of salutation to the guru, the spiritual teacher.

• Ya Kundendu

  "Yā kundendu" is a Sanskrit verse in praise of Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, speech and the arts.

• Asato Ma Sadgamaya

  "Asato mā sadgamaya" is a short prayer of three lines from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28), one of the oldest Upanishads.

• Om Sahana Vavatu

  "Om saha nāv avatu", often written "Om sahana vavatu", is a peace mantra (śānti mantra).

• Brahmarpanam

  Brahmarpanam is verse 24 of chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita, said on its own as a prayer.

Evening

At lamp-lighting, the aarti, and before sleep

• Shubham Karoti

  Shubham Karoti is a short Sanskrit prayer to the light of a lamp.

• Om Jai Jagdish Hare

  Om Jai Jagdish Hare is an aarti, a song sung while a lamp is waved before God, usually at the close of worship.

• Jai Ganesh Deva Aarti

  "Jai Ganesh Deva" is the best-known Hindi aarti to Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, who is worshipped first, before other deities.

• Om Jai Shiv Omkara

  Om Jai Shiv Omkara is an aarti, a song sung while a lamp is waved before God, usually at the end of worship.

• Jai Ambe Gauri Aarti

  Jai Ambe Gauri is an aarti to the Goddess, sung while a lamp is waved before her.

• Om Jai Lakshmi Mata Aarti

  Om Jai Lakshmi Mata is the best-known aarti to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, good fortune and well-being, and the wife of Vishnu.

• Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki

  Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki is an aarti to Krishna, a song sung while a lamp is waved before him.

• Aarti Kije Hanuman Lala Ki

  Aarti Kije Hanuman Lala Ki ("let us wave the lamp for dear Hanuman") is an aarti, a song sung while a lamp is waved before God, usually at the close of worship.

• Karacharana Kritam

  Karacharana kritam is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer to Shiva that asks forgiveness for every kind of fault: what was done with the hands and feet, by speech or the body, by action, through the ears and eyes, or in the mind.

Hanuman

• Hanuman Chalisa

  The Hanuman Chalisa ("forty verses on Hanuman") is a hymn of praise to Hanuman in Awadhi, an eastern form of Hindi.

• Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtak

  The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtak is a hymn of eight stanzas to Hanuman.

• Bajrang Baan

  The Bajrang Baan is a Hindi hymn to Hanuman.

Shiva

• Om Namah Shivaya

  Om Namah Shivaya ("Om, bowing to Shiva") is the best-known mantra of Shiva.

• Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

  The Mahamrityunjaya mantra ("the mantra of the great conqueror of death") is one verse of the Rigveda, the last verse of hymn 59 in the seventh book (7.59.12).

• Shiva Panchakshara Stotram

  The Shiva Panchakshara Stotram is a short Sanskrit hymn to Shiva in five verses and a closing verse.

• Lingashtakam

  The Lingashtakam ("eight verses on the linga") is a Sanskrit hymn of praise to the Shiva linga, the sign and emblem under which Shiva is worshipped in temples and homes.

• Shiv Tandav Stotram

  The Shiv Tandav Stotram ("hymn of Shiva's tandava") is a Sanskrit hymn of praise to Shiva as the dancer of the tandava, his fierce and powerful dance.

• Shiv Chalisa

  The Shiv Chalisa is a hymn of praise to Shiva in simple Hindi verse.

Ganesha

• Vakratunda Mahakaya

  Vakratunda Mahakaya is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer to Ganesha, the god with the elephant's head, who is worshipped first, before any other god or any new work.

• Sankashtanashana Ganesha Stotram

  The Sankashtanashana Ganesha Stotram ("the Ganesha hymn that destroys troubles") is a short Sanskrit hymn of eight verses that gives twelve names of Ganesha.

The Goddess: Durga, Kali and Lakshmi

• Durga Chalisa

  The Durga Chalisa is a Hindi hymn of praise to the Goddess Durga, the Mother (Ambā) who protects the good and destroys demons.

• Mahishasura Mardini Stotram

  The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram ("hymn to the slayer of Mahishasura") is a Sanskrit hymn to the Goddess Durga, best known by its first words, "Ayi giri nandini", "O daughter of the mountain".

• Kali Kali Mahakali

  Kali Kali Mahakali is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer to the Goddess Kali.

Vishnu, Rama and Krishna

• Om Namo Narayanaya

  Om Namo Narayanaya ("Om, bowing to Narayana") is the eight-syllable mantra (aṣṭākṣara) of Vishnu as Narayana.

• Vishnu Sahasranama

  The Vishnu Sahasranama ("the thousand names of Vishnu") is a hymn in Sanskrit.

• Shri Ram Jai Ram

  "Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram" is a short chant of the name of Rama.

• Hare Krishna Mahamantra

  The Hare Krishna mahamantra ("great mantra") is a chant of sixteen names of God: Hare, Rama and Krishna, each said again and again.

The Sun

• Aditya Hridayam

  The Aditya Hridayam ("the heart of Aditya", the Sun) is a hymn of 31 verses in Sanskrit.

Shani

• Dashrath Krit Shani Stotra

  The Dashrath Krit Shani Stotra ("the hymn to Shani made by Dasharatha") is a Sanskrit hymn of praise to Shani, the god of the planet Saturn and the son of Surya, the Sun.

• Nilanjana Samabhasam

  Nilanjana Samabhasam is a one-verse Sanskrit prayer to Shani, the god of the planet Saturn.

Murugan (Skanda)

• Subrahmanya Bhujangam

  The Subrahmanya Bhujangam is a Sanskrit hymn of 33 verses to Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati, also called Subrahmanya, Skanda, Kartikeya, Kumara and Guha.

Longer texts in the library

• Isha Upanishad with meaning: Shukla Yajurveda, Vajasaneyi Samhita, chapter 40; by Hindu tradition part of the revealed Veda (shruti), with no human author named
• Sundarkand with meaning: Tulsidas (died 1623), from his Ramcharitmanas
• All texts in the library