HINDU RESOURCES >> PUJA MANTRAS

by Shri Prakash Gossai

For many years, Hindus have been performing various kinds of Pujas for various reasons. Puja is one of the most effective methods available for God’s realization. Pujas using Murtis is one of the most common forms of worship and hence understanding what is done during Puja is most essential for maximum benefit.

Puja is the act of showing reverence to God through invocations, prayers, songs and rituals. An essential part of Puja for the Hindu devotee is making a spiritual connection with God. Most often that contact is facilitated through a Murti, a vessel, a book or an object. Puja is a Sanskrit word, which means to honour, worship or reverence.

Here are some of the basic mantras that are chanted during Puja. First we stand and invoke the Universal mother, bow to the lotus feet of our Guru and pay ovations to Prithivi Maa (Mother Earth). By learning these mantras, we will be able to chant along with the Pandit and hence our involvement will definitely be greater.

Om Shree Ganeshaya Namah

Sarv-mangal mangalye Shiva sarve-aarth saadhike
Sharanye triambake Gawri Naarayani namo astute
Salutations to the Universal mother! You are the source of auspiciousness and bestower of asupiciousness. You fulfill our desires and you are the refuge of all. You are the three-eyed Gawri and Naraayani.

Guru Brahmaa Guru Vishnu Guru devo Maheshwara
Guru sakshaat param Brahma tasmai Shree Guruve namah
The Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Guru is verily the supreme Brahman. Salutations to that Guru.

Om Prithivi Tvayaa Dhritaa Lokaa, Devi Tvam Vishnu Naa Dhritaa
Tvam ch dhaarya maam Devi, Pavitram Kuroo ch aasanam
Oh Mother Earth, you are the supporter of the three worlds. You also gave supporting force to Vishnu, please continue to support me O Maa and purify this place of worship.

Saraswatee Maa

Yaa kundendu tushaar haar dhavalaa, yaa shubr vastra vritaa
Yaa Veena vardand mandit karaa, yaa shvet padm-aasnaa
Yaa Brahma aachyut Shankar prabhriti bhir, devai sadaa vanditaa
Saa maam paatu Saraswatee bhagwatee, ni-h shesh jaadyaapahaa
Our obeisance to Saraswatee Maa, the Goddess of learning, who is fair like the kund flower, the moon and the snow; who is dressed in white with the precious Veena in her hand; who is ever adored by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Protect me Mother, by removing the dullness of my intellect completely.

Veena dharay vipul mangal daan sheelay
Bhaktaarti naashini viranchi haresh banday
Keerti praday akhil manorath demahaarhay
Vidhyaa pradaayini Saraswatee nowmi nityam
O Mother Saraswatee, your Veena is ever providing divine sounds throughout the three spheres. You grant food fortune to all; you remove the afflictions of your devotees. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva revere you; you are the bestower of fame and the fulfiller of all wishes. You are the fountain of knowledge, O Mother Sarawatee, bless me and protect me throughout the night and day. Please Mother, I beg of you.

Lord Ganesh

Gajaananam bhoot-gan-aadi sevitam
Kapittha jamboo phal saarbhakshinam
Uma sutam shok vinaash kaaranam
Namaami Vighneshwar paad pang kajam
I pray to the lotus feet of Vighneshwar, the remover of obstacles, the elephant headed lord of ‘bhutas’ and ‘ganas’, who partakes in the essence of ‘kapittha’ and ‘jamboo’ fruits, who is the son of Uma and who removes the suffering of His devotees.

Lambodar namastubhyam, satatam modak priya
Nirvighnam kuroo may deva, sarv kaaryeshu sarvadaa
We bow to Ganeshji, the beloved of his devotees. He is the remover of all obstacles and impediments and the bestower of all forms of success.

Lakshmi Maa

Lakshmi karo too kalyaanam, aarogyam sukh sampradaa
Mam shatroo vinaashaaya, deep jyotir namo astute
O Lakshmi Maa, you are the source of true happiness, the remover of all forms of illness and the bestower of prosperity. Please help me maa to rid myself of all internal enemies. We bow to this light, which is symbolic of your presence.

Namaste garooda roode, kolaasur bhyang-kari
Sarv paap haray Devi, Maha Lakshmi namo astute
My salutaions to Thee, who rides the Garuda and are a terror to the Asura Kola. O Devi Maha Lakshmi, remover of all miseries, my obeisance to Thee.

Siddhi buddhi praday Devi, bhukti mukti pradaa yini
Mantr murti sadaa Devi ,Maha Lakshmi namo astute
O Devi, giver of intelligence and success and of worldly enjoyment and liberation. Thou hast always the mystic symbols as Thy form. O Maha Lakshmi, obeisance to you.

Lord Shiva

Karpoor gowram karoona-avtaaram, samsaar saaram bhujagendr haaram
Sadaa vasantam hridayaar vinde, bhavam bhavaanee sahitam namami
Our salutations to Lord Shiva, whose complexion is like that of camphor, who is the incarnate of compassion and who is the essence of the world. He wears the king of serpents as His mala and forever dwells in the lotus-like heart. We bow to Shiva and Parvati.

Vande deva Uma patim sur-guroom, vande jagat kaaranam
Vande pan-nag bhooshanam mrigdharam, vande pashunam patim
Vande soorya shashaanka vanhi-nayanam, vande mukunda priyam
Vande bhakt-janaa shrayam ch vardam, vande shivam Shankaram
My obeisance to the Lord who is the spouse of Uma, he is the supreme among Gods, who is the primordial cause of the Universe. Obeisance to Shiva, whose ornaments are the serpent and the moon, the Lord of all animals and whose eyes are the sun, moon and fire. Obeisance to Shankar, the beloved of Mukund and who is the benefactor and the refuge of all devotees.

Lord Rama

Raamaaya ram bhadraaya, Raamchandraya vedh say
Raghunath-aaya naathaaya, Seetayaa patye namah
I bow doen to Lord Rama, the auspicious, the gracious, the fountain of intelligence, having the brilliancy of the moon, the crearor and the destroyer of all. You are the Lord of the Raghus, the Lord of all and the beloved of Seeta.

Aapadam pahartaaram, daataaram sarv sampadam
Lokaa bhiraamam Shree Raaman, bhooyo bhooyo namaamyaham
I bow down again and again to the lotus feet of Shree Rama, the source of all happiness, the one relief from all sufferings of the world and the bestower of all riches here and hereafter. Please Lord, bless me and protect me. I prostrate again and again to you.

Lord Krishna

Vasudeva sutam devam, Kans Chaanoor mardanam
Devakee parmaanandam Krishna vande jagat guroom
Adorations to Lord Krishna, the son of Vasudeo, the divine one, the supreme bliss of Devaki, the destroyer of Kans and Chaanoor, the teacher of the world.

Mookam karoti vaachaalam, pamgum lam-ghayate girim
Yatkripaa tamaham bande, parm-aanand maadhavam
We prostrate ourselves to Maadhava, the supreme bliss, whose power is reflected in enabling the dumb to speak and the lame to cross-mountains.

Surya Narayan

Aadi deva namastubhyam, praseed mam bhashkara
Divaakar namastubhyam, prabhaakar namo astute
Salutations to Surya Narayan, who is the foremost amongst the devas and who is also worshipped as Bhaskar, Divaakar and Prabhaakar. Be kind to us O Lord.

Shree Hanumanji

Atulit baldhaamam, hem-shailaabh-deham
Danuj van Krishnaanum, gyaani naamagr ganyam
Sakal gun nidhaanam, baanar-aanaam dheesham
Raghupati priya bhaktam, vaat jaatam namaami
Obeisance to the son of the Wind, the home of immeasurable strength, possessing a body shining like a mountain of gold, a fire to consume the forest of the demon race, the foremost among the wise, storehouse of every excellence, the chief of the monkeys. Raghupati’s noble messenger

Buddhi heen tanu Jaanike, sumiro pavan kumaar
Bal buddhi vidya dewoo mohi, harhu klesh vikaar
Knowing myself to be ignorant, I beg of you O Hanumanji to bestow on me strength, wisdom and knowledge and take away all my miseries and blemishes.

Pavan tanai sankat haran, mangal moorti roop
Ram lakhan Seeta sahit, hrdai basahu sur bhoop
O son of the Wind and dispeller of all calamities, you are the true representation of happiness. Please dwell in my heart with Lakshman and Seeta. O king of all devatas.

Gaitree Mantra

Aum bhoor-bhuvah swa-h, tatsavitur-varenyam
Bhargo devasya dheemahi, dhiyo yo-nah pracho dayaat
O supreme Lord, the source of existence, intelligence and bliss, the creator of the Universe! May we prove worthy of Your choice and acceptance, may we meet Your glorious grace. May we vouchsafe an unerring guidance to our intellect and May we follow Your lead unto righteousness.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Hari Om