Common chants
These are lines people recite. They are not a lesson, and they do not sit in the lesson order. Say each line whole. The table under it is that same line taken apart. The festival, the god, and the bell around these lines are on Festivals, Gods, and Worship.
ॐ is the syllable at the start. It has no case. ॥ closes a verse. । is still the stop inside the line.
The recited line already has its joins. Lesson 22: Joining Words is only the first of those joins. Some request-forms here are older than the commands in Lesson 19: Commands. The meaning is given beside the word. The pattern is not one to memorize yet.
शान्तिः means “peace.” ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः closes most of these lines. It is said three times.
From the unreal
This is the line you named. It is from the बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्, 1.3.28.
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
मलाई असत्यबाट सत्यमा लैजानुहोस्। मलाई अन्धकारबाट उज्यालोमा लैजानुहोस्। मलाई मृत्युबाट अमरतामा लैजानुहोस्। Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to the deathless.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| असतः | from the unreal. The job is “from.” The noun is not the छात्र type, so the ending is not Lesson 1’s -आत्. |
| मा | me. In this chant मा is “me,” the same job as माम्. |
| सत् | the real. It is the object, the place one is led to. |
| गमय | lead. A request: make me go. |
| तमसः | from darkness. तमस् means “darkness.” |
| ज्योतिः | light. For this noun the object looks like the subject. |
| मृत्योः | from death. मृत्यु means “death.” This ending is also the “of” form for this noun, the way छात्रायाः is both “from” and “of.” |
| अमृतम् | the deathless. अ- is “not,” and मृत is “dead.” |
Said together, असतः मा is असतो मा। The ः becomes ओ before म्, the same speech change as सो गच्छति। सत् गमय is सद्गमय। तमसः मा is तमसो मा। ज्योतिः गमय is ज्योतिर्गमय, the same र् as in गुरुर्गच्छति। मृत्योः मा is मृत्योर्मा।
The Gāyatrī
This is the verse people say at sunrise. It is ऋग्वेद 3.62.10. The three words before it name the worlds. Those three are part of the chant as it is said.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः ।
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥
पृथ्वी, अन्तरिक्ष र स्वर्ग यी तीन लोक हुन्। हामी सविता देवको त्यो वरणीय तेजको ध्यान गर्छौं। उहाँले हाम्रा बुद्धिलाई प्रेरित गरून्। Earth, the middle sky, and heaven. We meditate on that chosen light of the god Savitṛ. May he drive our thoughts.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| भूः | earth. Said भूर् before the next word. |
| भुवः | the middle world, between earth and heaven. |
| स्वः | heaven. व is “wa,” so this is “swah.” |
| तत् | that. |
| सवितुः | of Savitṛ, the sun as the one who sets things going. “Of” is the job. The subject form is सविता. |
| वरेण्यम् | to be chosen, excellent. It matches the light. Said वरेण्यं before the next word. |
| भर्गः | light, radiance. Said भर्गो before देवस्य. |
| देवस्य | of the god. |
| धीमहि | we hold in thought, we meditate. A Vedic “we.” It is not a Lesson 2 ending. |
| धियः | thoughts. धी means “thought.” Said धियो before the next word. |
| यः | who. Said यो before नः. |
| नः | our. |
| प्रचोदयात् | may he drive forward. A Vedic request. It is not the command of Lesson 19. |
भूः भुवः is said भूर्भुवः। सवितुः वरेण्यम् is सवितुर्वरेण्यम्। The recited line writes those words with no space.
The three-eyed one
People say this in illness and at Śiva temples. It is ऋग्वेद 7.59.12. The name of the chant is महामृत्युञ्जय, “the great victory over death.”
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
तीन आँखा भएको, सुगन्धित, पुष्टि बढाउनेलाई हामी पुज्छौं। काक्रो आफ्नो डाँठबाट छुटेझैँ, मृत्युबाट मुक्त होऊँ, अमरताबाट होइन। We worship the three-eyed one, fragrant, who increases strength. May I be released from death as a cucumber from its stalk, and not from the deathless.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| त्र्यम्बकम् | the three-eyed one. त्रि means “three.” It is the object. A name of Śiva. Said त्र्यम्बकं before यजामहे. |
| यजामहे | we worship. A Vedic “we.” |
| सुगन्धिम् | fragrant. It matches त्र्यम्बकम्. Said सुगन्धिं. |
| पुष्टिवर्धनम् | increaser of nourishment. पुष्टि means “nourishment.” वर्धन means “increaser.” One word. |
| उर्वारुकम् | a cucumber. When it is ripe it comes loose from the stalk. |
| इव | like. |
| बन्धनान् | from the fastening, the stalk. The recited word has this shape. The job in the simile is “from.” |
| मृत्योः | from death. |
| मुक्षीय | may I be released. A Vedic wish. |
| मा | not. In this line मा means “not.” In असतो मा, the same spelling means “me.” |
| अमृतात् | from the deathless. The ending is the “from” of Lesson 1. |
Said together, उर्वारुकम् इव is उर्वारुकमिव। मृत्योः मुक्षीय is मृत्योर्मुक्षीय। मा अमृतात् is मामृतात्। माऽमृतात् is that same join with the ऽ of Lesson 22: Joining Words marking the swallowed अ.
May all be happy
People say this at the end of a gathering. It is a later prayer. It is not one verse from the Veda.
सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ॥
सबै सुखी होऊन्। सबै निरोगी होऊन्। सबैले राम्रो देखून्। कसैको भागमा दुःख नपरोस्। May all be happy. May all be free of illness. May all see what is good. May no one have a share of sorrow.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सर्वे | all, all people. |
| भवन्तु | may they be. The “they” request of भू. Lesson 19’s गच्छन्तु is this same ending. |
| सुखिनः | happy. The subject form of one happy man is सुखी. |
| सन्तु | may they be. From अस्, “to be.” सन्ति means “they are.” सन्तु is the request. |
| निरामयाः | free of disease. आमय means “illness.” |
| भद्राणि | good things, auspicious things. Neuter plural, the object of “see.” |
| पश्यन्तु | may they see. |
| मा | not. |
| कः चित् | anyone. कः is “who.” चित् makes it “someone, anyone.” Said कश्चित्, then कश्चिद् before दुःख. |
| दुःखभाक् | one whose share is sorrow. दुःख means “sorrow.” One word. |
| भवेत् | may he become. |
कः चित् दुःखभाक् भवेत् is said कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत्।
A shorter line of the same wish is लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु। लोकाः means “worlds,” समस्ताः means “all of them,” and सुखिनः भवन्तु is “may they be happy.” Said together, सुखिनः भवन्तु is सुखिनो भवन्तु। सबै लोक सुखी होऊन्।
Crooked trunk
People say this to Gaṇeśa before a start: a journey, a class, a piece of work. The verse does not use the name गणेश. The trunk is the name.
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
हे वक्रतुण्ड, महाकाय, करोड सूर्यसमान प्रभा भएका देव, मेरा सबै काम सधैँ निर्विघ्न बनाइदिनुहोस्। Crooked trunk, great body, light equal to a crore of suns: god, make my work free of obstacles, in every task, always.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| वक्रतुण्ड | crooked trunk. वक्र means “crooked.” तुण्ड means “trunk.” A calling form. One word. |
| महाकाय | great body. A calling form. One word. |
| सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ | whose light equals a crore of suns. सूर्य means “sun,” कोटि means “crore,” सम means “equal,” प्रभ means “light.” A calling form. One word. |
| निर्विघ्नम् | without an obstacle. Said निर्विघ्नं before कुरु. |
| कुरु | make, do. A command, the तिमी row. The stem is not गच्छ. |
| मे | my, for me. The short form of मम. |
| देव | god. A calling form. |
| सर्वकार्येषु | in all works. कार्यम्, “work,” is in Lesson 1. The “in” ending for more than one is the same pattern as छात्रेषु. |
| सर्वदा | always. |
The hands in the morning
People say this at home, looking at their palms.
कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः करमध्ये सरस्वती ।
करमूले स्थितो ब्रह्मा प्रभाते करदर्शनम् ॥
हातको टुप्पोमा लक्ष्मी, हत्केलामा सरस्वती र हातको मूलमा ब्रह्मा बस्छन्। बिहान हात हेर्ने चलन छ। At the fingertip dwells Lakṣmī, in the palm Sarasvatī, at the base Brahmā. Morning is for seeing the hands.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कराग्रे | at the tip of the hand. कर means “hand.” अग्र means “tip.” One word. |
| वसते | dwells. The verb is said once, for all three. |
| लक्ष्मीः | Lakṣmī. |
| करमध्ये | in the middle of the hand. मध्य means “middle.” One word. |
| सरस्वती | Sarasvatī. |
| करमूले | at the base of the hand. मूल means “root.” One word. |
| स्थितः | standing, situated. The same kind of describing word as गतः. Said स्थितो before ब्रह्मा. |
| ब्रह्मा | Brahmā. |
| प्रभाते | in the morning. प्रभातम्, “morning,” is in the introduction. This is the “in” ending. |
| करदर्शनम् | seeing the hands. दर्शन means “seeing.” One word. |
You alone
People sing this at आरती.
त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव ॥
तपाईं नै आमा हुनुहुन्छ, तपाईं नै बुबा हुनुहुन्छ। तपाईं नै आफन्त हुनुहुन्छ, तपाईं नै साथी हुनुहुन्छ। तपाईं नै विद्या हुनुहुन्छ, तपाईं नै धन हुनुहुन्छ। हे देव, तपाईं नै मेरो सबथोक हुनुहुन्छ। You alone are mother and you alone are father. You alone are kinsman and you alone are friend. You alone are knowledge and you alone are wealth. You alone are my everything, O god.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| त्वम् | you. A hymn uses this row for a god. A teacher is still भवान्. |
| एव | alone, indeed. |
| माता | mother. |
| च | and. |
| पिता | father. |
| बन्धुः | kinsman. Said बन्धुश् before च. |
| सखा | friend. The subject form is सखा. It is not the छात्र pattern. |
| विद्या | knowledge. |
| द्रविणम् | wealth. Said द्रविणं before त्वम्. |
| सर्वम् | everything. Said सर्वं before मम. |
| मम | my. |
| देव | god. A calling form, said twice: O god, O god. |
बन्धुः च is said बन्धुश्च।
त्वम् एव said with no space is त्वमेव। म् stays before the vowel, then the space is dropped. Lesson 22: Joining Words has the same join in अहमस्मि।
May he protect us both
Sanskrit classes open with this. It is the peace passage at the start of the second chapter of the तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद्.
ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
उहाँले हामी दुवैलाई सँगै रक्षा गरून्, सँगै पोषण गरून्। सँगै पूरा बल लगाएर काम गरौं। हाम्रो पढाइ तेजस्वी होस्। आपसमा द्वेष नगरौं। May he protect us both together. May he nourish us both together. May we two work with vigor together. May our study be full of light. May we two not hate each other.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सह | together. |
| नौ | us two. The dual “us.” |
| अवतु | may he protect. |
| भुनक्तु | may he nourish. |
| वीर्यम् | vigor. Said वीर्यं before करवावहै. |
| करवावहै | may we two do. |
| तेजस्वि | full of light. तेजस् means “light, splendor.” It matches the study. |
| अधीतम् | what is studied, the study. |
| अस्तु | may it be. From अस्, “to be.” |
| मा | not. |
| विद्विषावहै | may we two hate. With मा, the wish is the opposite: may we two not hate. |
सह नौ अवतु is said सह नाववतु। नौ before a vowel is written नाव. तेजस्वि नौ अधीतम् अस्तु with no spaces is तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु।
That is full
This is बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 5.1.1. People say it as a peace chant.
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
त्यो पूर्ण छ। यो पूर्ण छ। पूर्णबाट पूर्ण निस्किन्छ। पूर्णबाट पूर्ण झिके पनि पूर्ण नै रहन्छ। That is full. This is full. From the full, the full arises. Take the full away from the full, and the full alone remains.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| पूर्णम् | full, the whole. |
| अदः | that, over there. A pointing word, farther than तत्. |
| इदम् | this. |
| पूर्णात् | from the full. |
| उदच्यते | arises, is drawn up. |
| पूर्णस्य | of the full. |
| आदाय | having taken. |
| एव | alone, only. |
| अवशिष्यते | remains. |
पूर्णम् अदः said with no space is पूर्णमदः। पूर्णम् इदम् is पूर्णमिदम्। पूर्णात् पूर्णम् उदच्यते is पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते। पूर्णस्य पूर्णम् आदाय is पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय। पूर्णम् एव अवशिष्यते is पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते।
I go for refuge
Lesson 2: To Go has the first line. People say three.
बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि ।
धर्मं शरणं गच्छामि ।
संघं शरणं गच्छामि ॥
म बुद्धको शरण लिन्छु। म धर्मको शरण लिन्छु। म संघको शरण लिन्छु। I go to the Buddha for refuge. I go to the teaching for refuge. I go to the community for refuge.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| बुद्धम् | the Buddha. Said बुद्धं before the next word. |
| शरणम् | refuge. Said शरणं. |
| गच्छामि | I go. |
| धर्मम् | the teaching, the dharma. Said धर्मं. |
| संघम् | the community, the saṅgha. Said संघं. |
In a monastery the same three lines are usually Pāli. बुद्धं सरणं गच्छामि। धम्मं सरणं गच्छामि। सङ्घं सरणं गच्छामि। सरणम् is the Pāli of शरणम्. धम्म is the Pāli of धर्म. The meaning is the same three lines.
The jewel in the lotus
ॐ मणिपद्मे हूँ is the line heard at a monastery, a stūpa, and in the hills.
| Words apart | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मणि | jewel. |
| पद्मे | in the lotus. पद्म means “lotus.” The ending is the “in” ending, the same job as पुस्तके. |
| मणिपद्मे | also one name, Maṇipadma, in the calling form. That name is Avalokiteśvara. |
| हूँ | a syllable. It is not a verb and not a noun. It has no case. |
Heard as two words, मणि पद्मे is “the jewel in the lotus.” Heard as the name, मणिपद्मे is “O Maṇipadma.” The line that is recited is one name of Avalokiteśvara, with ॐ before it and हूँ after it. Both meanings are in the spelling.