Sanskrit Shlokas that every Hindu should

preserve and know

by Devang Vibhakar on February 12, 2009

Hindu scriptures are written mostly in Sanskrit language. Compilation of Sanskrit words is known
as ‘Shloka‘. Bhagwad-Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharat, Rugved, Yajurved are some of the examples
of Hindu scriptures written in form of Shlokas. Among all written Shlokas, some are regularly
recited by Hindus. I’ve put my efforts here to gather most popular Shlokas that we chant or recite in
our daily lives. Some we chanted during our school days as prayers, some are morning Shlokas.
Some are dedicated to Gods. At end I’ve also given Namavali (various names) of Lord Vishnu and
Lord Ganesha. This is a kind of article that every Hindu should preserve and forward to like-
minded.
OM

It’s believed that OM is the powerful mantra to worship GOD.

Strinking the temple’s bell generates OM sound, the same tune we chant OM,

Closing our eyes, taking deep breath and saying OM till all the air is
exhausted.

We present all our prayers requests wishes through OM.

SHLOKAS
Shanti Mantra – Om Sahana Vavatu
Om Sahana Vavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu
Sahaveeryam Karavavahai
Tejas Vinavati Tamastuma vidhwishavahai
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi
Translation:
May He protect both of us. May He nourish both of us.
May we both acquire the capacity (to study and understand the scriptures).
May our study be brilliant. May we not argue with each other. Om peace, peace, peace.
Ganesha Shlokams
Shuklambara Dharam Vishnum
Shashivarnam Chatur Bhujam
Prasanna Vadanam Dhyayet
Sarva Vignopa Santaye
Translation:
Lord Vigneshwara, who wears a white garment, who is all pervading, who has a bright complexion
(like a full moon), who has four hands (representing all power), who has an ever-smiling face, upon
that deity I meditate, for the removal of all obstacles.
Sri Vakratunda Mahakaaya
Koti-soorya samaprabha
Nirvighnam kuru me Deva
Sarva-karyeshu Sarvadaa
Translation:
O, Lord Ganesha of the curved trunk and massive body, the one whose splendor is equal to millions
of Suns, please bless me to that I do not face any obstacles in my endeavors
Guru Shlokam

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu

Gurur Devo Maheshvarah
Guru Shakshat Param Brahma
Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah

Translation:

Know The Guru To Be Brahma Himself. He Is Vishnu.

He Is Also Shiva. Know Him To Be The Supreme Brahman, And Offer Thy Adoration Unto That
Peerless Guru.

Saraswathi Shlokams
Saraswathi Namastubhyam
Varade Kamarupini
Vidyarambam Karishyami
Siddhir Bhavatu Me Sada
Translation:
O Goddess Saraswathi; salutations to you, the giver of boons, the one who fulfills desires.
I shall begin my studies. May there always be accomplishment for me.
Vishnu Shlokam
Shanta Karam Bhujaga Shayanam
Padmanabham Suresham
Vishvadharam Gagana Sadrsham
Megha Varnam Shubhangam
Lakshmi Kantam Kamala Nayanam
Yogibhir Dhyana Gamyam
Vande Vishnum Bhava Bhaya Haram
Sarva Lokaiaka Natham
Translation:
I adore Vishnu, the embodiment of Peace, who sleeps on the serpent,
Whose naval is the lotus of the Universe
Who is the Lord of the Gods, who is the support of the Universe, Who is in the form of Space (the
Omnipresent)
Whose color resembles that of clouds, Whose body is auspicious
Who is the Lord of Lakshmi, whose eyes are like lotuses
Who is attainable by Yogis through meditation
Who is the destroyer of the fear of birth and death
And who is the One Lord of all the Worlds
Maha-Mrityumjaya Shlokam
Om Trayambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urva-rukamiva Bhandhanaat
Mrityor-mukshiya ma amritat
Om Klim Nama Shivaya
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthihi
Translation:
We worship the three-eyed One (Lord Shiva), Who is fragrant and Who nourishes all beings;
may He liberate me from death, for the sake of Immortality, even as the cucmber is severed from its
bondage of the vine. Om Peace, Peace, Peace
Navagraha Shlokam
Om Namah Sooryaya Chandraya Mangalaya Budhaya Cha
Guru Shukra Shanibhyascha Raahave Ketave Namo Namaha
Translation:
My Salutations to Soorya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars) and Budha (Mercury).
I also salute Guru (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn) as well as Rahu and Ketu.
Devi/Durga Shlokam
Sarva-mangala-mangalye Shive Sarvaartha-sadhake
Sharanye Trayambake Gauri Narayani Namostute
Translation:
The one who is the auspiciousness of all that is auspicious (sarvamangalamangalye), the consort of
Siva (Sive),
who is the means of accomplishing all desires sarvarthasadhake), who is the refuge of all (saranye),
the three eyed one(tryambake),the fair complexioned one(Gouri), Salutations to you,
Narayani(narayani namostute).
Annapoorna Shlokam
Annapoorne Sada poorne, Shankara Pranavallabhe
Gyana Vairagya Sidyartham, Bhikshaam Dehi cha Parvati
Mata cha Parvati Devi, Pita Devo Maheswarah
Baandava Shiva Bhaktyascha, Svadeso Bhuvanatrayam
Translation:
O Annapurna, Who art ever full, the beloved life-force of Lord Sankara (Shive, O’ Parvathi – grant
me alms that I be firmly established in Knowledge and Renunciation.
Mother is shakti, father is shiva, relatives are the devotees of shiva and own country is all the three
worlds
Lakshmi Shlokam
Ya Devi Sarva Bhooteshu Lakshmi Roopena Samsthita
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha
Translation:
Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of good fortune.
Hanuman shlokams
Buddhir Balam Yasho Dhairyam
Nir Bhayatvam Arogata
Ajatyam Vak Patutvam Cha
Hanumat Smaranat Bhavet
Manoj-avam Maruti Tulya Vegam
Jitendriyam Bhudhi-mataam Varishtam
Vaataatmajam Vaanara-yoota-mukhyam
Sri Ramadootam Sharanam Prapadye OR Sri Ramadootam Shirasaa Namami
Translation:
I surrender to Hanuman, the messenger of Lord Rama, whose speed is as swift as the mind and as
swift as the wind,
who has controlled his sense organs and is the most intelligent among the intelligent ones; who is
the son of Vayu and the chief of the monkey tribe.
Prabhata shlokam (Morning Shloka)
Karagre Vasate Lakshmi
Kara Mule Saraswathi
Kara Madhye Tu Govindah
Prabate Kara Darshanam
Translation:
On the tip of your fingers is Goddess Lakshmi; on the base of your fingers is Goddess Sarasvati;
in the middle of your fingers is Lord Govinda. In this manner, look at your palm
Other shlokas
Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmagnau Braahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samadhina
Translation:
Any means of offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, the fire in which the offering is made
is Brahman, and the one who offers is Brahman. Such a person who abides in Brahman indeed
gains Brahman
Namochcharan
Asato Ma Sadgamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir gamaya
Mrityorma Amritam gamaya
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi
Translation:
Lead me (by giving knowledge) from the unreal to the real; from darkness (of ignorance) to the
light (of knowledge); from death (sense of limitation) to immortality (limitless liberation)
Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva
Tvameva Bandhuscha Sakha Tvameva
Tvameva Vidya Dravinam Tvameva
Tvameva Sarvam mama Deva Deva
Translation:
O Supreme Lord (deva-dev, Master of all demigods), You are our mother, father, brother, and friend.
You are the knowledge and You are the only wealth. You are our everything.
Kaayenavaacha Manasendriyerva
Budhyadmanava Prakrite Swabhavat
Karomi Yadyat Sakalam Parasmai
Narayanayeti Samarpayami
Translation:
Unto Lord Narayana, I dedicate all the acts that I perform with my body, speech, mind, senses and
intellect that are born of deliberation and natural tendencies.
Devi shlokams
Maanikya-veenam Upalaalayanteem
Madaalasaam Manjula-vagvilaasaam
Maahendra-neela-dyuti Komalaangeem
Maatanga-kanyaam Manasaa-smaraami
Translation:
She who plays a Veena* of emerald,
She who is tired with activity,
She who can talk honeyed words,
She who is beautiful,
She who is the daughter of Matanga*,
She who is pretty beyond compare,
I meditate on Thee.

*Veena- a musical instrument

*Matanga- A sage of ancient times
Chaturbhuje Chandra-kalavathamse
Kuchonathe Kumkuma-raga-shone
Pundreshu Pashaankusha Pushpabaana Haste
Namaste Jagatega Mataha
Translation:
Oh, you with the four arms, wearing the digit of the moon,
With raised breasts, whost face is the color of kumkum,
Holding the bow of sugar cane, the pasa, the ankusa and the five flower arrows
I bow down to you, who are the One Mother of the Universe
NAMAAVALI (Different names)
LORD GANESHA
Om sumukaaya namah
Om ekadantaaya namah
Om kapilaaya namah
Om gajakarnakaaya namah
Om lambodaraaya namah
Om vikataaya namah
Om vignarajaaya namah
Om ganaati paaya namah
Om dhoomra ketave namah
Om gana dhyakshaaya namah
Om phala chandraaya namah
Om vakrathundaaya namah
Om skanda poorvajaya namah
Om soorpa karnaaya namah
Om he rambhaaya namah
Om gajananaaya namah
Om sri mahagnapataye namah
Om shanthi shanthi shanthihi
LORD VISHNU
Om achutaaya namah
Om ananthaaya namah
Om govindaaya namah
Om kesavaaya namah
Om trivikramaaya namah
Om narayanaaya namah
Om vamanaaya namah
Om madhavaaya namah
Om sreedharaaya namah
Om hrishikesaaya namah
Om vishnave namah
Om padmanabhaaya namah
Om madhusoodanaaya namah
Om damodharaaya namah
Om sri haraaya namah
Om shanthi shanthi shantihi

What about the Gayatri Mantra? It’s the oldest, most sacred one!
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

Translation

Let us adore the supremacy of that Divine Sun, the Godhead, who illuminates all, who
recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to
direct our understanding aright in our progress towards his holy seat.

And how ’bout my favorite

Aum Asato mā sad gamaya

Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya
Mṛtyormā amṛtam gamaya

From ignorance, lead me to truth;

From darkness, lead me to light;
From death, lead me to immortality

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28

oops just saw you already had the last one!

 I was wondering if you could translate the Acchi Mantra. I can’t seem to find it anywhere.

Om Sarva Buddha Dakini Hri Mama Sakta Soha

I would love to know and I stumbled across your blog looking for any who might. I
bookmarked your page here so that I could return to reference the other chants and
mantras you have here.

Namaste’
Gypsy

7 Barefoot Gypsy June 19, 2009 at 10:52 pm

Thankyou! I really appreciate you taking the time to look.

Reply

8 Devang Vibhakar June 20, 2009 at 11:20 am

I talked with a person who knows Sanskrit very well and many other shlokas. He doesn’t
know perfectly about the roots of this Shloka, but he said that it is a Tantra Shloka, which
means that it is used to please a ghost soul or something.

I will try to get the exact meaning of the same though. Let me find a more scholar person
who can translate this shloka correctly.

Reply

9 Chetna H Kumar July 21, 2009 at 8:37 pm

I just love to praise god by singing shlokas in his honour.
I just love surfing this site to learn a new sloka every day.

Please keep giving more slokas,

Love,
Chetu!

Reply

10 varun July 1, 2010 at 2:54 pm

plz send me shlokas on vidya,teacher,paropkar
Reply

11 smriti pandey July 11, 2010 at 7:56 am

please send me lots of shlokas on vidta,teacher and for good persons

Reply

12 Leka August 1, 2010 at 5:33 pm

I am trying to understand the meaning of the following sloka. Could you help?

mayooradhi roodam mahavakyaa koodam

manohari deham maha siddha keham
mahi deva devum maha veda bhavam
maha deva baalam baje loka baalam

Reply

13 neeta daryani August 2, 2010 at 12:22 pm

superb. please send meanings of following shlokas by tomorrow. on 4th AUG. my son is
participating in shloka chantting competion – final and i want that he chants knowing the
meaning of shlokas.
KAMYANAM KARMANAM NYASAM SANYASAM KAVAYU VIDIHU:
SARVA FALA TYAGAM PRAHUSTYAGAM VICHAKSHNA.

SURESHAH SHARNAM SHARMA VISHVAETAHA PRAJABHAVAH

AHAH SANVATSARO VYALAH PRATYAYAH SARVADARSHNAH

VIDESHESHU DHANAM VIDYA VYASANESHU DHANAM MATIHI

PARLOKE DHANAM DHARMAH SHEELAM SARVATRA VAI DHANAM.

Reply

14 nandapriya August 13, 2010 at 9:10 pm

guru mantra
om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, blinded
by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

hare krishna maha mantra

krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

sri panca tattva maha mantra

jaya sri krishna caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri adaita gadadgara srivasadi gaura bhakti vrnda

Mantra to Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu

namo maha vadanyaya krishna prema pradaya te
krsnaya krsna caitanya namne gaura tvise namah
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme LordSri Krsna Caitanya, who is more
magnanimous than any other avatara, even Krsna Himself, because He is bestowing
freely what no one else has ever given-pure love of Krsna.

sri krsna pranama

he krsna karuna ssimdhu dina bandhu jagat pate
gopesha gopika kanta radha kanta namo stu te
O my dear Krsna, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are
the master of the gopis, and the lover of Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances
unto You.

sri isopanisad invocation

om purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udacyate
purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva vasisyate
The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely
perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly
equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also
complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete
units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.

prayers to Krishna by Queen Kunti

krsnaya vasudevaya devaki nandanaya ca
nanda gopa kumaraya govindaya namo namah
Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son
of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the boy of Nanda and the other cowherd men of
Vrndävana, and the enlivener of the cows and the senses.
Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.21

prayers to Krishna by Queen Kunti

namah pankaja nabhaya namah pankaja maline
nama pankaja netraya namas te pankajanghraye
My respectful obeisances are unto You, O Lord, whose abdomen is marked with a
depression like a lotus flower, who are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers,
whose glance is as cool as the lotus and whose feet are engraved with lotuses.
Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.22

prayer to brahmanas, cows, brahminical culture, and Govinda, the protector of these
namo brahmanya devaya go brahmanya hitaya ca
jagad dhitaya krsnaya govindaya namo namah
Visnu Purana 1.19.65
“I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, Kåñëa, who is the well-
wisher of the cows and the brähmaëas as well as the living entities in general. I offer my
repeated obeisances to Govinda, who is the pleasure reservoir for all the senses.”

prayer to the vaisnavas

vanca kalpa tarubhyas ca krpa sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebho namo namah
I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiñëava devotees of the Lord. They are just
like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone. They are oceans of mercy and are
the purifiers of the fallen souls.
Reply

15 Naveen August 25, 2010 at 2:41 pm

Good article on Slokas to recite daily by every Hindu.

Reply

16 Mukund September 9, 2010 at 3:13 pm

It’s very interesting.
But the irony is Now-a-days even parents don’t follow such rituals. How they could teach
their kids.
Isn’t ?
Keep it up.

Reply

17 swamini September 15, 2010 at 7:25 pm

can u please add some shlokas on some different topics like vidhya ,satsangati etc etc……..
cause people like me who stumble upon your site in search of shlokas for project(cause i am a
student of sanskrit of 9 std ) get disapointed…………

Reply

18 pankaj mehta October 6, 2010 at 12:04 pm

Sir, i am looking for a appropriate sanskrit shloka on Radha-Krishna relations.
Could you pl email me asap.?
Thank you,
Pankaj Mehta

Reply

19 harini October 14, 2010 at 8:27 pm

where the Mudras used in classical dance came from? Could you direct me to the
source of it? what is their meaning and how they are useful?

Reply

20 prakash October 16, 2010 at 3:07 pm

chanting OR atleast listening these shlokas once in a day is very useful.

Reply

21 sanjay November 5, 2010 at 9:49 am

May I be allowed to add to this.
Om has AUM hidden in it, which relates to the trinity BRAHMA VISHNU
 MAHESWARA. It is the biginning and end of our existence on earth. So it has to be
powerful.
Sanjay

Reply

22 Pointer Men's Basketball October 30, 2010 at 2:17 pm

Maybe you should edit the post subject title Sanskrit Shlokas that every Hindu should
preserve and know | SpeakBindas to more generic for your blog post you create. I liked the
post all the same.

Reply

23 sanjay November 5, 2010 at 9:41 am

Pranam
Pl. give the meaning and exact pronunciation of
“YUKTI YUKTAM BACHOGRAYAM BALADEEPI SUKADEEPI YUKTI HINAM
BACHOSTHJYAM VRIDHADEEPI SUKADEEPI”
Sanjay