An American Lady hosted a child’s development program in my city. After the thoroughly enlightening and energetic seminar, she ended her presentation with a beautiful mantra in Sanskrit for the children. Never had I heard the mantra in my life before, and as a practising Hindu, as much as I was impressed by her, I wondered how many of such verses I could recite to my children. As parents, it is important to let your children know about these religious mantras and their meanings, as a practising Hindu, even more so.
Here are a few mantras in Sanskrit that can be quoted and understood.
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥Asato maa sad-gamaya
Tamaso maa jyotir-gamaya
Mrityor-maa-mritam gamaya
Om shanthi shanthi shantihi
Translates to Lead us from Untruth to Truth, from Darkness to Light, from Death to Immortality. Om peace, peace, peace
ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥om saha navavatu. saha nau bhunaktu
saha viryam karavavahai.
tejasvinavadhitamastu ma vidvisavahai.
om shanthi shanthi shantihi.
Translates to :Om, May God Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student),May God Nourish us Both,May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour, May our Study be Enlightening, not giving rise to Hostility,Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.Both Verses are taken from Upanishads.
कर्मणये वाधिकारस्ते मां फलेषु कदाचन । मां कर्मफलहेतुर्भू: मांते संङगोस्त्वकर्मणि ।।
Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana, Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani
From Mahabharata: Shri Krishna to Arjuna: You have the right to perform your actions, but you are not entitled to the fruits of the actions.Do not let the fruit be the purpose of your actions, and therefore you won’t be attached to not doing your duty
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
Om Pornamadah Poornamidam
Poornat poornamudachyate
Poornasya poornamaadaaya
Poornamevaavashishyate
Translates to:
‘That (Almighty) is complete, this (Aatman) is complete’
‘From that completeness comes this completeness’
‘If we take away this completeness from that completeness’
‘Only completeness remains.’
This sloka from Isha Upanishad, a part of Yajurveda.This one single sloka beautifully explains the concept that God is everywhere.God is eternal and Omnipresent. This sloka beautifully explains the concept of almighty according to Hinduism.
Vadhanthu shastrani yadhanthu devane, Kurvanthu karmanibajanthu devata, Aatmaikayodena vinabpi mukitha, na chityathi bhramma shathanthrashpi
This is from Viveka Chudamani that loosely translates to :Let them quote scriptures and sacrifice to gods; let them observe rituals and worship devatas (gods); but there is no liberation at all; no, not even in a hundred lifespans of Brahma put together, until the identity of one’s self with the Divine Self is realized. Seek the truth. The truth shall set you free.
Yad Vruksho vrukshano rohati, mulannavatharah punah, martyah svinmrutyuna vruknah, kasmaanmulaat prarohati, Retasa iti maavocata, jivatastat praja yate, dhanaruh a iva val crau vruksho, anjasaa pretya sammbhava
This is from Bruhat Aranyaka Upanishad which means, if the tree is cut, it will grow again from its root. But after the man (martyah) was cut off by death, from which root does he come forth? Do not say that he is from the ratas (seed or semen) because ratas comes from the one who lives. Remember this man is dead. But this man (Purusha) comes alive on his own.
दृश्यमाने भवेत् प्रीतिः सौहृदं नास्त्यदृश्यतः
Drishyamaane bhavet preetih sauhridam naastyadrishyatah
From Ramayana: Soliloquies of Sita who is being threatened by the Rakshasis guarding her to accept the advances of Ravana which Sita totally refuses to do.
Meaning: -To be under the control of another is to be condemned; it is the worst thing that can befall a person.
Love and affection are possible only when a person is being seen and is not out of sight in a far away place.
कल्याणी बत गाथेयं लौकिकी प्रतिभाति मे । एति जीवन्तमानन्दो नरं वर्षशतादपि॥
Kalyaanee bata gaathheyam laukikee prathibhaati me Ethi jeevantam aanando naram varsha shataadapi
Again From Ramayana: Sita’s words to Hanuman from whom she hears news of Rama and Lakshmana and their efforts to kill Ravana and the Rakshasas and release her from captivity. She had earlier contemplated suicide, but now she realises that living was a good thing because happiness will not elude one forever.
Meaning: The saying “If one continues to live, happiness and bliss may come even after a gap of a hundred years” seems to me an auspicious one.
Source: Quora