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The Sivananda Daily Chant
Chant with us! Please enjoy this video of the Sivananda Daily Chant, led by Swami Hridyananda and filmed during satsang at the Yoga Retreat in March 2014. We hope you find inspiration and return often.
Here is the translation:
Jaya Gaṇeśa Jaya Gaṇeśa Jaya Gaṇeśa Pāhimām
Sri Gaṇeśa Sri Gaṇeśa Sri Gaṇeśa Rakshamām
“Jaya”, victory to Lord Gaṇeśa (the elephantheaded deity). Dear Gaṇeśa,
Lord of Auspiciousness (Śrī), please save and protect us from all obstacles.
“Pāhimām” means save me, and “Rakshamām” means protect me.
Visualise an elephant moving through the jungle; he easily removes any
obstacles which may block his path. Thus, on any venture, we ask the
Lord to remove all obstacles on our path.
Śaravaṇabhava Śaravaṇabhava Śaravaṇabhava Pāhimām
Subrahmaṇya Subrahmaṇya Subrahmaṇya Rakshamām
Śaravaṇabhava (also known by the names Subrahmaṇya, Kārtikeya,
ṣaṇmukha and Murugan) is the leader of the army of the gods whose
job it is to destroy all demons. Lord Śaravaṇabhava drives away all evil
influences such as lust, anger, greed etc. He ensures victory in both inner
and outer battle.
Jaya Sarasvatī Jaya Sarasvatī Jaya Sarasvatī Pāhimām
Sri Sarasvatī Sri Sarasvatī Sri Sarasvatī Rakshamām
Sarasvatī is the patroness of the arts and wisdom. Invoking her name
bestows creativity, intelligence, a pure intellect, self-control and success
in studies and scholarly projects. She is Brahmā’s (the Lord of creation)
consort and partakes in the creation of new ideas and things.
Jaya Guru Śiva Guru Hari Guru Rām
Jagad Guru Paraṃ Guru Sadguru Śyām
Om Ādi Guru Advaita Guru Ānanda Guru Om
Cid Guru Cidghana Guru Cinmaya Guru Om
Next, the Guru is saluted. We see him as the personification and
transmitter of the teachings of God in the form of Śiva, (the auspicious),
Hari, (Viṣṇu the preserver), and Rāma. He is the world (Jagad) teacher,
the highest (Paraṃ) Guru, true (Sad) Guru and who is Kṛṣṇa (Śyāma).12
He is beginningless (Cdi), the Guru of Oneness (Advaita = non-dual), the
bestower of Bliss (Vnanda), Knowledge Absolute (Cid, Cidghana), and the
one who is an embodiment of Pure Consciousness (Cinmaya).
Knowledge, in this case spiritual knowledge, is inherited, or passed on
from the spiritual preceptor to the student, or from the Guru to the
disciple. The Guru is an embodiment of God and all His divine qualities.
Haré Rāma Haré Rāma Rāma Rāma Haré Haré
Haré Kṛṣṇa Haré Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Haré Haré
This is known as “Mahā Mantra” meaning “Great Mantra”. Hari (Viṣṇu) in
the forms of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa is repeatedly addressed. It is said to be the
most powerful one in this Iron Age (Kali Yuga). It is for this reason that
the mantra should always be sung in its entirety and not broken in any
way. This mantra can be chanted to help bring about peace in the world.
It also brings purity to the mind and the heart of the chanter.
Sadguru Nātha Sri Guru Nātha
Jaya Guru Nātha Sivananda
Sivananda Sivananda
Sivananda Sadguru Deva
Salutations to Master Sivananda.
Sadguru = The Guru who realised the truth.
Nātha = Master, Deva = Divine.
Vishnudevananda Vishnudevananda
Vishnudevananda Sri Guru Nātha
Salutations to Swāmī Vishnudevananda.
Haré Rāma Haré Rāma Rāma Rāma Haré Haré
Haré Kṛṣṇa Haré Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Haré Haré
Om Namah Śivāya Om Namah Śivāya
Om Namah Śivāya Om Namah Śivāya
Prostrations to Lord Śiva.
Śiva is the Lord of ascetics and recluses. Śiva, the cosmic dancer, presides
over the destructive energies which break up the universe at the end
of each age. This is the process of the old making way for the new. In
a more personal sense, it is Śiva’s energy which destroys one’s lower
nature, making way for positive growth. He is part of the Hindu Trinity.
Brahma and Viṣṇu, the other two parts, are associated with creation and
preservation.
Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya
Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya
Prostrations to Lord Viṣṇu.
Nārāyaṇa is a name of the preserver of the world. After the creation, it
is the energy of Viṣṇu which maintains order in the universe. It is Viṣṇu
who regularly takes on a human form and incarnates on earth to benefit
mankind. It is through His grace that righteousness is able to prevail.
Repetition of this mantra confers love, prosperity, power, glory and
harmony. We often chant this mantra to bring more harmony and peace to
the world.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Prostrations to Lord Vāsudeva. Bhagavān means Lord, referring to Viṣṇu.
Vāsudeva, meaning the son of Vasudeva, is a name of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is one
of the most loved of all deities because he draws the hearts of all people
towards him. He is considered a world teacher, since he is the source of the
Bhagavad Gītā, one of the classic yogic texts. People are drawn to Kṛṣṇa
because of his simplicity, playfulness and joyful nature.
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Sadguru Nāthāya
Salutations to Master Sivananda. Salutations to our Divine Master, an
embodiment of Truth.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vishnudevanandaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Guru Nāthāya
Salutations to Swāmī Vishnudevananda.
Sri Rām Jaya Rām Jaya Jaya Rām Om
Sri Rām Jaya Rām Jaya Jaya Rām Om
Salutations to Rāma, the seventh incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, the incarnation
of righteousness and divine conduct.
Āñjaneya Āñjaneya Āñjaneya Pāhimām
Hanūmanta Hanūmanta Hanūmanta Rakshamām
Salutations to Hanūmān, who is also called Āñjaneya. He is the perfection
of devotion. He is the greatest and most selfless devotee of Lord Rāma.
He is considered to be a semi-deity, for he is the son of the wind-god. He
symbolises energy, strength and courage.
Dattātreya Dattātreya Dattātreya Pāhimām
Dattaguru Dattaguru Dattaguru Rakshamām
Salutations to Dattātreya. Dattātreya is an incarnation of Brahmā, Viṣṇu
and Śiva. He is one of the original Gurus of Advaita Vedānta.
Śaṅkarācārya Śaṅkarācārya Śaṅkarācārya Pāhimām
Advaita Guru Advaita Guru Advaita Guru Rakshamām
Śaṅkara, the great Master (Ācārya), was the great propagator of Kevala
(unconditioned) Advaita (nondualistic) Vedānta, and the founder of the
order of Daśanāmī Swāmīs, which our organisation follows.
Kṛṣṇaṃ Vande Jagad Guruṃ Sri
Kṛṣṇaṃ Vande Jagad Guruṃ Om
Again, Kṛṣṇa is addressed as the world (Jagad) teacher (Guru). Here we
salute (Vande) Him and say “It is to Thee that we owe all knowledge.”
Ānando’ham Ānando’ham Ānandaṃ Brahmānandam
I am bliss I am bliss bliss absolute bliss I am.
Om Namah Śivāya Om Namah Śivāya
Om Namah Śivāya Om Namah Śivāya
Prostrations to Lord Śiva (the auspicious)
