Famous Hindu Chants

O Hara (Radha, divine feminine energy), O Krishna, O Rama — please engage me in your loving devotional service.

The Guru is Brahma (creator), the Guru is Vishnu (sustainer), the Guru is Maheshvara (Shiva, transformer). The Guru is the supreme Brahman itself made manifest. Salutations to that revered Guru.

Guru is Brahma (creator), Guru is Vishnu (preserver), Guru is Maheshvara (destroyer/transformer). Guru is verily the supreme Brahman itself. To that respected Guru, I bow. The four lines establish the Guru as the embodiment of all three cosmic functions and ultimately as the absolute reality.

May Lord Shiva, whose matted locks bear the cascading Ganga that purifies all earth, who bears a garland of mighty serpents at His throat, who dances the fierce tandava to the booming rhythm of His damaru — may He bestow upon us auspicious prosperity. The 16-verse hymn praises Shiva's cosmic dance, His third eye burning Kamadeva, Ganga in His hair, crescent moon, and his eternal union with Parvati.

I bow to the supreme Lord Ishana, the embodiment of liberation, all-pervading, the very form of Brahman and the Vedas. I worship Him who is self-existent, beyond gunas, beyond duality, desireless, the consciousness-sky who dwells in the sky of pure being. Eight verses praise Rudra as the formless absolute who manifests as Shiva for the welfare of devotees.

Vishnu is the Universe itself, the very utterance "Vashat" of the yajna, the Lord of past, present and future. He is the creator of beings, the sustainer of beings, the very being of beings, the soul of beings, the nurturer of beings. He is the pure Self, the supreme Self, the highest goal of the liberated. He is the imperishable Purusha, the witness, the knower of the field, and the indestructible. These are the opening 9 of the 1008 names sung by Bhishma to Yudhishthira on the battlefield.

She is the Mother, the great Queen, the Empress seated upon the throne of Shri. She rose from the fire-pit of pure consciousness, ready for the work of the devas. Radiant as a thousand rising suns, possessed of four arms — holding the noose of desire and the goad of anger, the sugarcane bow and the five flower-arrows. These are the opening 4 of the 1000 names of the Supreme Goddess as worshipped in the Sri Vidya tradition.

This stotram garlands the Supreme Vishnu with one hundred sacred names, each name a doorway into one of his infinite aspects. Vishnu is praised as the all-pervading sustainer (Jishnu), the radiant Mukunda who grants liberation, Purushottama the supreme person, Govinda the protector of cows and senses, Madhava the consort of Lakshmi, and Achyuta the unfallen. The shorter hundred-name form, distilled from Vishnu Sahasranama traditions, allows daily devotees to invoke the entirety of his divine personality within a few brisk minutes of focused chanting.

The opening of Gopala Sahasranama, taught by sage Narada in the Pancharatra tradition, sets the seer, metre, deity, seed and key syllables before the thousand-name garland begins. It establishes Klim as the Kama bija, Shrim as the bija of fortune and Hrim as the bija of Maya, all directed toward the cowherd boy of Vraja. The accompanying dhyana paints a vivid portrait of Krishna with lotus-blue complexion, peacock feather crown, kaustubha jewel, yellow silk, surrounded by gopis and cows, playing his flute in eternal lila.

I bow eternally to that Sadashiva Linga which is worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu and the devas; which shines with pure radiance; which destroys the sorrows of repeated births. It is adored by sages, burns desire to ash, pours mercy, humbled the pride of Ravana, is anointed with fragrances and sandal, sharpens the intellect, saluted by siddhas, suras and asuras, adorned with gold and gems, encircled by the serpent-king, shattered Daksha sacrifice, smeared with kunkuma, garlanded with lotuses, consumes sin, blazes like ten million suns, seated on the eight-petalled lotus that is source of all creation.

Sweet are His lips, sweet His face, sweet His eyes, sweet His smile; sweet is His heart and sweet His gait — everything about the Lord of Sweetness is utterly sweet. Sweet are His words and deeds, garments and gestures, walking and wandering. Sweet is His flute, the dust of His feet, His hands, feet, dance and friendship with the gopas. Sweet His singing, drinking, eating, sleeping, form, tilaka. Sweet the gunja berries and garland He wears, sweet the Yamuna and her waves, lotuses and waters. Sweet the gopis and His leela, the cowherds and cows, His staff and His whole creation — every single thing of the Lord of Madhura is sweetness itself.

I offer to Shiva a single bilva leaf — three-lobed representing the three gunas, the three eyes of Shiva and His three weapons — which destroys the sins of three births. With three-branched bilva sprigs unbroken and auspicious, I perform Your worship; one bilva leaf is my offering. Offering a single bilva leaf equals giving away crores of maidens in marriage, mountains of sesame and gold-laden hills as charity, dwelling in Kashi, beholding Kala Bhairava, seeing Madhava at Prayag, surpasses offering Indra vajra-like flowers to the Devi, equals the merit of donating saligrams, ten wells, a thousand-crore yajnas, hundred ashvamedha sacrifices.

I worship the imperishable Lord — Achyuta, Keshava, Rama, Narayana, Krishna, Damodara, Vasudeva, Hari, Shridhara, Madhava, beloved of the gopis, lord of Janaki, the gentle Ramachandra. I meditate on Him who delights Satyabhama, worshipped by Radhika, temple of Lakshmi, the joy of Devaki and son of Nanda. Salutations to Vishnu, bearer of conch and discus, lover of Rukmini, husband of Janaki, slayer of Kamsa and player of the flute. The slayer of Dhenuka, Arishta, Keshi and Kamsa, terror of Putana, Bala-Gopala may He guard me always. I worship the lotus-eyed One whose garment flashes like lightning, whose form glows like a monsoon cloud, chest adorned with forest garland, feet tinged red — that dark enchanting Shyamala I adore.

Tulsidas Hanuman Bahuk was composed when the poet was tormented by severe pain in his arm (bahu), a fervent plea to Hanuman for healing. He sings: O crosser of oceans, remover of Sita sorrow, golden-bodied like the rising sun, mighty-armed, of fearsome form — verily the Death of Death itself — fearless burner of Lanka, crusher of the pride of demons, son of the Wind: ever near to Your servants, by whose praise, bow, remembrance and japa all dangers are dispelled. Tulsi pleads: tell me what calamity remains — sickness of body, poverty, defects, the pain inflicted by enemies and many afflictions — please remove them all from Tulsi.

O dark-hued Shambari, O Matangi, intoxicated with the honey-wine of bliss, ever auspicious, daughter of Sage Matanga, O Mother Shyamala bearing the divine veena. The nine-jewel garland of stotras hails the consort of Matanga as the goddess of speech and sound: she who is praised by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who delights the rasika hearts of poets and musicians, who bestows kavitva-shakti and pratibha upon her sincere devotees, and who is the inner sound that pervades every raga and sruti of the sapta-svara.

You alone are my mother and my father. You alone are my brother and my friend. You alone are my knowledge and my wealth. You alone are my everything, O God of gods. The ultimate prapatti (total surrender) shloka — sung at conclusion of every Hindu puja across India irrespective of sect. The chanter affirms that the Divine encompasses every relational role, every faculty, every possession. Composed in classical anushtubh meter, recited universally by householders, sadhus, and children.

Abandon all varieties of dharma and surrender unto Me alone. I shall deliver you from all sins; do not grieve. The charama shloka (final teaching verse) of the Bhagavad Gita — Krishna's ultimate instruction to Arjuna and to all spiritual seekers across time. Considered by Sri Vaishnava acharyas as the essence of the entire Gita and the definitive prapatti (surrender) shloka. The promise of moksha to one who takes complete refuge.

Salutations to Lord Narayana. The eight-syllabled (ashtakshara) mantra considered the supreme Vaishnav mantra. Initiated by guru to disciple in formal pancharatra diksha. Narayana literally means One who is the resting place of all beings. Used by Sri Vaishnava acharyas (Ramanuja, Vedanta Desika, Manavala Mamuni) as the central mantra of moksha-sadhana.

Glory to Sri Rama, victory to Rama, victory victory to Rama. The 13-syllable Rama Tarakam mantra — considered by sant tradition (Samartha Ramdas, Tulsidas, Tyagaraja) as the simplest and most accessible mantra for the Kali age. Tarakam means that which liberates — promised to grant moksha to anyone who chants with sincerity even once at the moment of death.

Salutations to the divine Lord Vasudeva (Krishna). The twelve-syllabled (dwadashakshara) mantra considered foremost among Krishna mantras. Initiated by guru in formal Pancharatra diksha. Vasudeva means dwelling within all beings AND the son of Vasudeva (Krishna father). Used universally in Krishna sampradayas — Gaudiya Vaishnava, Sri Vaishnava, Madhwa, Pushtimarg.

Salutations to the divine Lord Sri Rama. The principal Rama-mantra used by serious Rama-devotees + sannyasis of Rama-sampradaya. Foundational for Tulsidas + Sant Tukaram + Samartha Ramdas lineages. Daily japa cultivates the highest devotion to Maryada Purushottam.

Glory to Sri Rama, victory to Rama, victory victory to Rama. The 13-syllable Rama Tarakam mantra popularized by Samartha Ramdas Swami (guru of Shivaji Maharaj). Tarakam means that which liberates. Considered the simplest and most accessible Rama mantra for Kali Yuga devotees.

May we know Kamadeva, may we meditate upon the flower-arrowed one. May the bodiless one inspire us. Kamadeva Gayatri mantra invoking the cosmic principle of love + desire as creative force. Used for relationship harmony, marital bliss, and spring-season fertility blessings.

Salutations to Lord Narayana, Vasudeva, the supreme self. To Sri Govinda, the eternal, all-pervading one — salutations. Extended Narayana mantra encompassing multiple Vishnu names + identifying him as the supreme consciousness + all-pervading + eternal. Used in deep Vaishnav sadhana.

Salutations to Lord Jagannath. Salutations to the dweller of Nilachal (blue mountain — Puri). Used by Odia + Bengali Vaishnav devotees + at Puri Jagannath Temple + by NRI Odia diaspora during Rath Yatra + monthly Ekadashi observances.