Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Sarveshaam, Swastir Bhavatu

PEACE INVOCATION

AUM
Sarveshaam,
Swastir Bhavatu.
Sarveshaam,
Shantir Bhavatu.
Sarveshaam,
Purnam Bhavatu.
Sarveshaam,
Mangalam Bhavatu.
AUM Shantih, Shantih, Shantih.

AUM
May all be auspecious;
May all attain peace;
Let there be fulfillment and contentment the world over;
May all be blessed.
AUM peace, peace, peace.

Sarva Mangala Maangalye

PRAYER TO DEVI

Sarva Mangala Maangalye,
Shive Sarvaartha Saadhike.
Sharanye Tryamba Ke Gauri,
Naaraayani Namostute.

Adorations to Goddess,
who is the auspiciousness of all that is auspicious,
who is the consort of Lord Shiva,
who is the bestower of every desire of one’s heart.
Adorations to You!
O Devi, I have taken refuge in you.

Goddess Parvati is the consort of Lord Shiva and is worshipped as Shakti. Puranic literature describes her as having many forms, including Durga, Chandi, Kali and Uma. While Shiva symbolizes the efficient cause of the creation, Shakti symbolizes the material cause.

Yaa Kun Den

PRAYER TO SARASWATI

Yaa Kun Den
Du Tushara Haara Dhavalaa,
Yaa Shubh Ra Va Straa Vritra.

Yaa Weena
Wara Danda Mandita Karaa,
Yaa Shweta Padmaa Sanaa.

Yaa Brahmaa Chyuta Shankarah Prabhritibhih.
Devaih Sadaa,
Vanditaa.

Saa Maarn,
Paatu Saraswatee Bhagavatee.
Nishesha Jaadyaa Pahaa.

Fair as a jasmine flower, the moon or a flake of snow,
Dressed in white, her hands adorned by the graceful veena staff,
Adorned by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other deities,
Protect me, Oh Goddess Saraswati, remover of ignorance inert.

Asato Maa Sad Gamaya

RG VEDA INVOCATION

Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Maa Amritam Gamaya
Ohm Shanti Shanti Shanti

God, please lead me (by giving me knowledge)
from the unreal to the real;
from darkness (of ignorance) to the light (of knowledge);
from death (limitation) to immortality (liberation).

Samudra Vasane Devi

MORNING PRAYER

Samudra Vasane Devi,
Parvata Stana Mandale.
Vishnupatni Namastubhyam,
Paada Sparsham Kshamasva Me.

O! Mother Earth, who has the ocean as clothes and mountains and forests on her
body, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, I bow to you.
Please forgive me for touching you with my feet.

This is a Morning Prayer called “karadarshana”. You begin the day with this prayer.

“Kara” means the palm of the hand and it stands for the five karmendriyas, or the organs of action. While looking at the palm, you invoke the Lord in the form of various deities, thus sanctifying all the actions that will be done during the day.

By acknowledging the Lord as the giver of the capacity to perform actions and as the giver of the fruits of those actions, you sanctify those actions. You pray in the morning to reinforce the attitude that all actions are performed as a service to the Lord.

Karaagre Vasate Lakshmi

MORNING PRAYER

Karaagre Vasate Lakshmi,
Karamuule Saraswati.
Karamadhye Tu Govinda,
Prabhaate Kara Darshanam.

The front part of the hands (the fingertips) are ascribed to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, the middle part (the palm proper) to Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning, and the root (the part of hand near the wrist) to Govinda (God).

Therefore, every morning, one should have a respectful look at one’s hand, which symbolizes honest labor.