Sanskrit Mantras
Sanskrit Mantras — Meaning & Origin
Well-known Sanskrit mantras with correct Devanagari, transliteration, and their meaning and origin.
ॐ
oṃ
The primordial sound, considered the vibration underlying all creation in Vedic thought.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः। तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं। भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, tat savitur vareṇyaṃ, bhargo devasya dhīmahi, dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt
A Rigvedic hymn invoking the Sun's radiance to illuminate our understanding — one of the most widely recited Vedic mantras.
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्। उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्॥
oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam, urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt
A mantra to Shiva, seeking release from bondage and mortality, as a ripened cucumber falls freely from its vine.
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ
A short invocation to Ganesha, remover of obstacles, commonly chanted before beginning something new.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
"Peace, peace, peace" — traditionally chanted three times to close Vedic recitations, addressing peace of body, speech and mind.
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः। गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇuḥ gurur devo maheśvaraḥ, guruḥ sākṣāt para-brahma tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
The teacher as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — creator, sustainer and transformer — and ultimately the Absolute itself, honoured here.
A mantra's power is traditionally understood to lie partly in its precise sound (śabda) — pronunciation matters. If you're learning to chant one of these, seek out an audio recording from a knowledgeable source rather than relying on transliteration alone.
See also our Subhashita collection (wisdom verses, distinct from ritual mantras), or Sanskrit Shlokas.