Balvihar Prayers

1. Please chant 3 times – ॐ (Aum)

2. गणेश वन्दना ( Prayer to Ganesh)

Sanskrit

वक्र तुं¸ड महाकाय, सूययकोटि समप्रभ |

ननर्वयघ्नुं क¸ रुमे देव, सवय कायेष¸ सवयदा ||

Transliteration

Vakra-tunda mahākāya soorya koti sama prabha; Nir-vighnam kuru me deva sarva kāryeshu sarvadā.

Meaning

I pray Lord Ganesha with big-body and curved trunk, whose glory equals that of million suns, let all my undertakings be always successful without any obstacles.

3. गुरु प्रार्थना (Prayer to Teacher)

Sanskrit

गुरुर ब्रह्मा गुरुर विष्णुः, गुरुर देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म, तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ॥

Transliteration

Gurur Brahmaa Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshvarah;
Gurur Sakshaat Parabrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah.

Meaning

The Guru is Brahma (the creator within Hindu Trinity); the Guru is Vishnu (the preserver); the Guru is Shiva (the final dissolver of the universe); the Guru alone is the Supreme Brahman, The Absolute. To Him, the great Guru, I offer my salutation.

4. ईश्वर प्रार्थना (Prayer to God)

Sanskrit

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव,
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव,
त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव ॥

Transliteration

Twameva mātāsh-cha pitā twameva,
twameva bandhush-cha sakhā twameva,
twameva vidyā dravinam twameva,
twameva sarvam mam deva deva.

Meaning

You are the father, you are the mother, you are the relative and you are the friend. You are one who gives all the knowledge. For me you are everything, supreme divinity – giver of everything that sustains and illuminates life.

5. सरस्वती प्रार्थना (Prayer to Saraswati, Goddess of Learning)

Sanskrit

सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं, वरदे कामरूपिणि ।
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि, सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥

Transliteration​

Saraswati Namastubhyam Varde Kaamroopini,
Vidhyaaarambham Karishyaami Sidhirbhavatu May Sadaa.

Meaning

Oh Goddess Saraswati, my humble prostrations unto thee, who is the fulfiller of all wishes. I start my studies with thy worship and always pray for success.

6. गायत्री मन्त्र (Gayatri Mantra)

Sanskrit

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः । तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि । धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

Transliteration

Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, tat savitur vareṇyaṃ |
bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo, yo naḥ prachodayāt ||

Meaning

O God, Thou art the giver of life, the remover of pain and sorrow, the bestower of happiness; O Creator of the Universe, may we receive Thy supreme, sin destroying light; may Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

7. शान्ति पाठ (Peace Prayer)

ॐ सहनाववतु, सह नौ भुनक्तु,
सहवीर्यंकरवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु, मा विद्विषावहै ॥
|| ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||

8. वन्दे मातरम् (Vande Mataram)

Sanskrit

वन्दे मातरम् सुजलां सुपलां मलयजशीतलाम् ।
शस्य श्यामलां मातरम् ॥
शुभ्र ज्योत्स्ना पुलकितयामिनीम्
फुल्लकुसुमित द्रुमदलशोभिनीम्,
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीम् सुखदां वरदां मातरम् ॥

Transliteration

Vande Mataram Sujalaam Suphalaam Malayaja Shiitalam,
Sasyashyaamalam Mataram ||
Shubhrajyotsnaa Pulakitayaaminiim Pullakusumita Drumadala Shobhiniim,
Suhaasiniim Sumadhura BhaashhiNiim Sukhadam Varadam Mataram ||

Meaning

Translation by Shree Aurobindo:
Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams, bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might, Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease.
Laughing low and sweet! Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low! Mother, to thee I bow.

9. गीत – ईश हमें देता है सब कुछ

Hindi

ईश हमें देता है सब कुछ हम भी तो कुछ देना सीखें

सूरज हमें रोशनी देता हवा नया जीवन देती है,
भूख मिटाने को हम सब की धरती पर होती खेती है
औरों का भी हित हो जिसमें हम ऐसा कुछ करना सीखें ॥१॥

गर्मी की तपती दुपहर में, पेड़ सदा देते हैं छाया,
सुमन सुगन्ध सदा देते हैं, हम सबको फूलों की माला
त्यागी तरुओं के जीवन से, हम परहित करना सीखें ॥२॥

जो अनपढ़ हैं उन्हें पढ़ायें, जो चुप हैं उनको वाणी दें,
पिछड़ गये जो उन्हें बढ़ायें, समरसता का भाव जगायें
हम मेहनत के दीप जलाकर, नया उजाला करना सीखें ॥३॥

Transliteration

īśa hame detā hai sab kucha hama bhī to kucha denā sīkheṁ
sūraja hame rośanī detā havā nayā jīvana detī hai
bhūkha miṭāne ko hama saba kī dharatī para hotī khetī hai
auroṁ kā bhī hita ho jisameṁ hama aisā kucha karanā sīkheṁ ||1||

garamī kī tapatī dupahara meṁ peḍa sadā dete haiṁ chāyā
sumana sugandha sadā dete haiṁ hama sabako phūloṁ kī mālā
tyāgī taruoṁ ke jīvana se hama parahita kucha karanā sīkheṁ ||2||

jo anapaḍha haiṁ unheṁ paḍhāyeṁ jo cupa haiṁ unako vāṇī deṁ
pichhaḍa gaye jo unheṁ baḍhāyeṁ samarasatā kā bhāva jagā deṁ
hama mehanata ke dīpa jalākara nayā ujālā karanā sīkheṁ ||3||

Meaning

Ishwar gives us everything; let us also learn to give something.
Sun gives us light, wind gives us new life,
Earth gives us harvest to remove hunger.
Let us learn from them and work for others’ welfare.

In the parched heat of the afternoon, trees give us shade,
Flowers give fragrance and garlands.
Let us learn sacrifice and service from the trees.

Let us teach the unlettered, give voice to the voiceless,
Encourage those who are left behind, awaken harmony.
Let us light the lamp of hard work, and create a new light of awareness.

10. American National Anthem – The Star Spangled Banner

O! Say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

O! Say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

11. Indian National Anthem – जन गण मन (Jana Gana Mana)

जन गण मन अधिनायक जय हे भारत भाग्य विधाता
पुंजाब सिंध गुजरात मराठा द्राविड़ उत्कल बंग
विंध्य हिमाचल यमुना गंगा उच्छल जलधि तरंग
तव शुभ नामे जागे तव शुभ आशीष मागे गाहे तव जयगाथा
जन गण मंगलदायक जय हे भारत भाग्य विधाता
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे
जय जय जय जय हे!

Jana gaṇa mana adhināyaka jaya he Bhārata bhāgya vidhātā
Punjāba Sindha Gujarāta Marāṭhā Drāviḍa Utkala Vanga
Vindhya Himācala Yamunā Gangā Ucchala jaladhi taranga
Tava śubha nāme jāge Tava śubha āśiṣa māge Gāhe tava jaya gāthā
Jana gaṇa mangala dāyaka jaya he Bhārata bhāgya vidhāta
Jaya he jaya he jaya he Jaya jaya jaya jaya he

12. Closing Prayer

Sanskrit

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Transliteration

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning

Om, That (Outer World) is Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness);
This (Inner World) is also Purna;
From Purna is manifested Purna,
Taking Purna from Purna, Purna indeed remains.

Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.