A mantra is a group of sacred words strung together so that it has some extraordinary spiritual power.

Uses of mantras:

1. Aid concentration in medication.

2. Remove evil powers.

3. Purify the object.

4. Get superpowers.

5. Do/remove black magic.

6. Devotion.

Mantras have great importance in Hinduism. There are thousands of Hindu mantras that are mostly composed in Sanskrit.

Remember that chanting the mantras correctly, with stress on the particular word, is very important. So, before practicing any mantra, it is advisable to learn it from an authorized person.

It is believed that each mantra has a different effect on our brain, and it affects a particular area of the brain. If we practice a mantra consistently and master it, we get some special powers, e.g., in ancient times, Rishis were able to see the past, present, and future of a person just by having a glance at him/her. Some were able to fly in the air without any external aid. Mastering mantras can achieve such superpowers, but it takes a lot of time and requires a lot of self-control.

According to one branch of Hinduism, this whole world is Maya (illusion). If we say that illusion here means that actually this world is a program created by God, then mantras are the commands to run this program. Hence, with mantras, you can literally do anything.

For example, you can transform a mouse into a donkey or a donkey into a tiger!

What I mean is that nothing is impossible if you have mastered the right mantra.

We are listing some popular Hindu Sanskrit Mantras here, both in English and Hindi:

1. Gayatri Mantra:

ओम भूर्भुव: स्वः तत्स्वीतुर्वारेन्यम भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात ||

Om Bhurbhuvaha Swaha| Tatsaviturvarenyam| Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi| Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat

Meaning: I meditate on That Sun who is the illuminer of the three worlds – the earth, the heavens and the interspace, who is most adorable, effulgence of the divine powers. May that Sun illumine our Intellect.

2. Mahamritunjaya Mantra:

ओम त्र्यम्बकम यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टीवर्धनम

उर्वारुकमिव बंधनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मा मृतात् ||

||Om|| Tryambankam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam| Urvarukamiv Bandhanat Mriturmikshayamamrutat

Meaning: We meditate on the three-eyed reality, which permeates and nourishes all like a fragrance. May we be liberated from death for the sake of immortality, Even as the cucumber is severed from bondage to the creeper.

3. Om:

ओम

Aum or Om.

It is the one-word mantra in Hinduism. This is the most important mantra. In fact, most of the Hindu mantras start with “Om.”  It is called a Bij Mantra.

4. Lord Shiva Mantra:

ओम नमः शिवाय ||

||Om|| Namah Shivay

Meaning: I bow to Lord Shiva.

5. Lord Vishnu Mantra:

A. ओम नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय नमः ||

||Om|| Namo Bhagvate Vasudevay Namah

Meaning: I bow to Lord Vasudev.

B. ओम नमो नारायणः|

Om Namo Narayanaya

Meaning: I bow to Lord Narayan.

6. Lord Ganesha Mantra:

A. ओम गं गणपतये नमः ||

||Om|| Gam Ganpataye Namah

Meaning: I bow to Lord Ganapati.

B. वक्रतुंड महाकाय सुर्यकोटि समप्रभ: | निर्विघ्नं कुरु में देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा: ||

Vakratund Mahakay, Suryakoti Samaprabhah |

Nirvighnam Kurumedevah, Sarvakaryeshu Sarvada || (This mantra is chanted before the start of every ceremony, Puja, or Arati)

Meaning:

I meditate on Lord Ganesha Who has a Curved Trunk, a Large Body, and Who has the Brilliance of a Million Suns,
O Lord, Please make all my Works free of Obstacles, always.

C. श्री गणेशाय नमः ||

Shree Ganeshay Namah

Meaning: I bow to Lord Ganesha.

7. Shri Hanuman Mantra:

A. ओम हनुमते नमः||

Om Hanumate Namah

Meaning: I bow to Lord Hanuman.

B. मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं, जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् |

वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं, श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये ||

Manojavam Maruttulyavegam| Jitendriyam Buddhimatam Varishtham| Vaatatmajam Vanarayothmukhyam| Sriramdutam Saranam Prapadhye

Meaning:

I surrender to Hanuman, the messenger of Lord Rama,
whose speed is as swift as the mind and as swift as the wind.
Who has controlled his sense organs and is the most intelligent
among the intelligent ones; who is the son of Vayu and the chief
of the monkey tribe.

8. Lord Kartikeya Mantra:

ओम शरवनभवाय नमः ||

Om Sharavanabhavaya Namah

Meaning: I salute him who was born in sharavana (clump of reeds).

9. Shani Mantra:

ओम शं शनैश्चराये नमः ||

Meaning: I bow to Lord Shani.

Om Sham Shanaishcharaye Namah

10. Rahu Mantra:

ओम धुं रं राहवे नमः ||

Om Dhum Ram Rahave Namah

Meaning: I bow to Lord Rahu.

11. Laxmi Mantra:

ओम महालक्ष्मेय् नमः ||

Om Mahalaxmeya Namah.

Meaning: I bow to Maa Laksmi.

12. ओम तत् सत् ||

Om Tat Sat.

Meaning: Om, that is the truth.

13. Shri Ram Mantra:

श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम|

Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.

14. ओम मणि पद्मे हुं ||

Om Mani Padme Hum.

Meaning: The jewel is in the lotus.

15. ओम शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Meaning: Let there be peace, peace, peace.

16. Lord Brahma Mantra:

A. ओम श्री ब्रह्म देवाय नमः||

Om Shri Brahma Devaya Namah

Meaning: I bow to Lord Brahma.

17. Mother Durga Mantra:

1. ओम ऐं र्हिं क्लीं चामुण्डाय विच्चे||

Om Aim Rhim Kleem Chamundaye Vichche.

2. सर्व मंगल मांगल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थ साधिके |

शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरी नारायणी नमोस्तुते ||

Sarva Mangal Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Saadhike,

Sharanye Tryambake Gouri Narayani Namostute.

Meaning:

Auspicious of the auspicious – Parvathi – The fulfiller of the desires,

Protector of all – Three-eyed – Parvathi Devi – Narayani – We salute your divinity.

Meaning:

We seek Blessings from Mother Durga, who has forms of Saraswati, Mahalaxmi, and Mahakali, to give us a Shield of strength and Energy to untangle ourselves from the knots of negativity and Evil from our Mind and Body.

18. Kuber Mantra:

ओम श्रीं ह्रीं क्लीं श्रीं क्लीं वित्तेश्वराय नमः ||

Om Shreem Hreem Kleem Shreem Kleem Vitteshvaraya Namah.

Meaning: I pay my respect to Lord Kuber, who gives wealth and fame and destroys evil.

19. Kuber-Lakshmi Mantra:

ओम ह्रीं श्रीं करीं श्रीं कुबेराय अष्ट-लक्ष्मी मम गृहे धनं पुराय पुराय नमः ||

Om Hreem Shreem Kreem Shreem Kuberaya Ashta-Lakshmi Mama Grihe Dhanam Puraya Puraya Namah.

Meaning: I bow down to Lord Kuber and Goddess Lakshmi to bless me with all the wealth and prosperity of the world.

20. Kali Mata Mantra:

ॐ क्रीं क्रीं क्रीं हलीं ह्रीं खं स्फोटय क्रीं क्रीं क्रीं फट ||

Om Kreem Kreem Kreem Haleem Hrim Kham Sfotay Kreem Kreem Phat.

21. Shantakaram Mantra:

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं
विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्ण शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम्
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥

Shantakaram bhujagasayanam padmanabham suresam

Viswakaram gagana sadrusam megha varnam subhangam

Lakshmi kantam kamala nayanam yogi hrud dhyanagamyam

Vande Vishnum bhava bhaya haram Sarva Lokaika Natham

Meaning:

Salutations to Sri Vishnu, Who has a Serene Appearance, Who Rests on a Serpent (Adisesha), Who has a Lotus on His Navel and Who is the Lord of the Devas.

Who Sustains the Universe, Who is Boundless and Infinite like the Sky, Whose Color is like the Cloud (Bluish) and Who has a Beautiful and Auspicious Body.

Who is the Husband of Devi Lakshmi, Whose Eyes are like a Lotus and Who is Attainable to the Yogis by Meditation.

Salutations to That Vishnu Who Removes the Fear of Worldly Existence and Who is the Lord of All the Lokas.

22. Narsimha Mantra:

उग्रं वीरं महाविष्णुं ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम्। नृसिंहं भीषणं भद्रं मृत्युमृत्युं नमाम्यहम् ॥

Ugram veeram maha-vishnum jvalantam sarvatomukham,

nrisimham bheeshanam bhadram mrityumrityum namamyaham.

Meaning:

I bow down in front of the ferocious and brave form of Lord Narashimha, who is effulgent like fire, has his face everywhere, the most auspicious one and the death of death itself.