– The Mantras I often use in regular classes –

♪ Om Namah Shivaya ♪

Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya,

Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya!

Shivaya Namah, Shivaya Namah Om,

Shivaya Namah, Om Namah Shivaya!

Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya,

Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya!

(I bow to Lord Shiva again and again; I bow to the inner light — the Supreme Self.)

♪ Hare Krishna (Maha-Mantra) ♪

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

(Chant the glory of Krishna, chant the glory of Rama. This is known as the Maha Mantra, meaning “Great Mantra.” It is said to be the most powerful in this Iron Age. It brings purity to the mind and heart and signifies that God is everywhere.)

♪ Saraswati ♪

Om Aim Saraswati Namah Om

Om Aim Saraswati Namah Om

Om Aim Saraswati Saraswati Saraswati Namah Om

(Salutations to the bestower of wisdom, intelligence, knowledge and creative artistic energy.)

♪ Lokha Samastha Sukinoh Bhavanthu ♪

(May all beings be free and happy.)

– The Mantras I occasionally use in regular classes –

Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra (Mantra for immortality)

Om Tryambhakam Yajamahe,
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan,
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat.

Translation

Om, we worship the Thee-Eyed One (Lord Shiva) who is fragrant and who nourishes all beings. May He liberate us from death for the sake of immortality even as a cucumber is severed from its bondage (to the creeper). As our ancestors did, I worship the ever-expanding energy of the fruit of the vine. To its root it is bound; from death, may I be free.

This mantra comes from the Rig Veda. The vibration of this mantra awakens the internal healing forces while attracting nature’s healing agents, creating an environment where the forces from both origins converge. This great death-conquering mantra is of great importance to Dharma yoga lineage as we are a Shiva lineage.

Gayatri Mantra

Aum Bhur Bhuva Svah

Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi

Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat

On the absolute reality and its planes,

On that finest spiritual light,

We meditate, as remover of obstacles

That it may inspire and enlighten us.

Swami Sivananda version translation: “Let us meditate on Isvara and His Glory who has created the Universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. May he enlighten our intellect.”

– The mantra I often use in Pranayama class –

♪ Jai Ganesha ♪

Jaya Ganesha, Jaya Ganesha,

Jaya Ganesha Pahimaam;

Sri Ganesha, Sri Ganesha,

Sri Ganesha Rakshamaam.

(Hail to Ganesha, save me! Your holiness, Ganesha, protect me. (Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles and son of Lord Shiva, is traditionally invoked before practicing pranayama or before commencing a series of mantras or prayers to verious aspects of God.)

– The mantra I often use in Chanting/ Kirtan classes –

♪ Rama bolo ♪

Rama bolo Rama bolo  bolo bolo Ram

Rama bolo Rama bolo  bolo bolo Ram

Sita bolo Sita bolo  bolo bolo Ram

Sita bolo Sita bolo  bolo bolo Ram

Hanuman bolo Hanuman bolo  bolo bolo Ram

Hanuman bolo Hanuman bolo  bolo bolo Ram

(- translation by Krishna Das)

Oh my friends, sing the Name of God! When it gets too damn hard, just sing. Have no fear, don’t give up. Sing! When it gets too good, sing. When it falls apart, sing. When it comes together, sing. Cry and sing. Sing and cry. Living sing. Dying sing. Listening sing. Singing sing.) 

♪ Sita-Ram ♪

Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram

Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Ram, Ram.

(Sita is the essence of feminine perfection and Ram the ideal man. Combined, they are “one without second,” or perfection. )

♪ Hare Krishna (Maha-Mantra) ♪

(Scroll up for the words)                               

♪ Govinda Hare Gopala Hare ♪

Govinda hare Gopaala hare

He Prabhu deena dayaala hare

(Hail to Krishna the cow herd, Hail to baby Krishna,

Hail to the lord of the universe, bestower of kindness.)

♪ Govinda Jaya Jaya ♪

Govinda Jaya Jaya

Gopala Jaya Jaya

Radha Ramana Hari

Govinda Jaya Jaya”

(All glories to Govinda [the Supreme Lord/ Lord Krishna] 

 All glories to Gopala [the Supreme Lord as a boy tending a herd of cows]

 All glories to Radha Ramana [Lord krishna who takes away all material attatchments of  devotees] )

♪ Hanuman Bolo ♪

Hanuman bolo Hanuman bolo

Jay Sita Ram Jay Jaya Hanuman 

(Bolo means Sing, Jay means Glory to. Hanuman is a son of the wind, embodiment of devotion, ardent devotee of Ram and Sita. Hanuman is a monkey-god who helps Rama defeat Ravana and reconnect with Sita, as told in the Ramayana.)

♪ Saraswati ♪

(Scroll up for the words)                                                                 

♪ Dedication Song ♪

Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva,

Twameva Bandhuscha Sakha Twameva;

Twameva Vidya Dravinam Twameva,

Twameva Sarvam Mama Deva, Deva.

(Oh, God of Gods, You alone are my mother, father, relative, friend, learning, wealth and everything.) (This mantra is traditionally recited during Aarti.)

♪ Guru Mantra ♪

Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, 

Gurur Devo Maheshvara,

Guru sakshat, Param Brahma, 

Tasmai Sri Guravai Namaha.

The Guru is God in the form of Brahma, Vishnu and Lord Shiva. He is illuminating light, the highest expression of truth. To the supreme truth, we prostrate ourselves. (This bhajan is often recited at the conclusion of the ceremony of lights known as Aarti.)

♪ Lokha Samastha Sukinoh Bhavanthu ♪

(Scroll up for the words) 

♪ Ram Sita Ram ♪

Ram Sita Ram  

Ram Ram Sita Ram 

Sita Ram Sita Ram  

Ram Ram Sita Ram

♪ Sita-Ram / Jai Ram ♪

Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram

Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram

Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram

Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram

♪ Baba Hanuman ♪

Namo… Namo…

Anjaninandanaaya

Jaya Seeyaa Raama, Jai Jai Hanumaan

Hare Raama Raama Raama, Seetaa Raama Raama Raama

I bow, I bow again and again to Anjani’s son, Hanuman

Victory to Sita and Ram, Victory to Hanuman

Victory over the darkness of suffering…

♪ Ma Durga ♪

Om Shree Matre Namaha

Jai Ambe Gauri, Jaya Shyaamaa Gauri

Jaya Jagatambe

Hey Ma Durga!

I bow to the Mother

Hail to the/ Golden Mother, Hail to the Black Mother

Victory to Ma Durga

The Mother of the World

– Most of mantras above: Sanskrit words, translation and meaning by Dharma Yoga Center and Krishna Das &

 

Be Receptive

Om Shanti Shanti Shantih