Hindu Dainam Dhina Prarthana(Day today prayer)

Hindu Dainam Dhina  Prarthana

(The daily  prayers of a Hindu)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Sanathana Dharma better known as Hinduism  is one of the greatest  and finest of ancient religions. It preaches that every individual’s aim should be Moksha which in simple words means merger with the Ultimate truth called Brahman and reaching a state of no re birth.

  Savants and sages of the religion suggest  several methods to attain this enviable state. Of these the simplest is Bhakthi Yoga or devotion  to God,  which ultimately merges you with God. To make this easily possible a pan theistic concept of God is enunciated by the religion. Here is a method  to start  the day with prayers  and end it with prayers, in a very simple  manner.

1.Stotras as soon as one  wakes up:-

   A Hindu is supposed to wake uo very early in the morning much earlier to sun rise. It is believed that the first thing you see in the morning determines one’s day.

 As soon as one wakes  up see  he is  supposed to see his palm  and recite the following sloka:-

Karagre  vasathu  Lakshmi, Karamadhye Saraswathi,

Karamoole sthitha Gowri, Prabhate Kaa Darshanam.

Lakshmi lives in the tip of my palm,

Saraswathi lives in its middle,

And Gowri lives at its base,

So I see my palm in the early morn.

2.Prayer before one gets up from bed and steps on the earth,

Earth is a Goddess to Hindus. She is one of the wives of Maha Vishnu one of the trinity of Hinduism. So it is necessary to ask her pardon before one sets ones foot on her.This is done by the following prayer:-

Samudhra vasane  devi, parvatha sthana mandithe,

Vishnu pathni namasthubhyam pada sparsam  kshamasva mae.

Salutations to you consort of Lord Vishnu,

Who is clothed by oceans,

And is adorned prettily by the mountains,

Pardon me mother, for setting my foot on you.

3.While taking bath

Cleanliness is a sin qua non-to every Hindu.He does purification of the body as well as the mind during his bath. Purificatory bath is ultimate if it is done in the sacred waters of some great rivers of India.The following prayers are recited  while taking bath:-

 Govindethi sada snanam  Govindethi sada japam,

Govindethi sada  dhyanam , sada Govinda keerthanam.

Meditate on Govinda while taking bath,

Meditate on him in your prayers,

Meditate on him while thinking of God,

And always sing his name.

Gange cha Yamune chaiva  Godavari Saraswathi,

Narmada Sindhu Kaveri  Jale asmin sannidhim kuru.

I pray you to enter,

This water meant for my bath,

Oh , holy river Ganga,

Oh, Holy river Yamuna,

Oh , Holy river Godavari,

Oh, Holy river Saraswathi,

Oh , Holy river Narmada,

Oh holy river Sindhu,

And holy river Kaveri.

4.While  wearing sacred ash

     Wearing sacred ash after  bath is an important duty of all followers of  Lord Shiva.

 OM agnir ithi basma, jalam ithi basma ,

Sthalam ithi basma  ,Vyomithi basma,

Sarvam hava   itham Basma,

Mana yethani  chakshushi Basma

Om  sacred ash is fire , sacred ash is water

Sacred ash  is earth, Sacred ash is  the air  ,

And  all invocations are  sacred ash  ,

Mind  and eyes   are  the sacred  ash.

5.Before starting learning  or practicing  or doing   anything

         Mother Saraswathi  in the form of Goddess presiding over knowledge and education.She is the consort of Lord Brahma.

Saraswathi Namasthubhyam, varade Kama roopini,

Vidhyarambham karishyami, sidhir bhavathu me sada.

My salutations to Goddess Saraswathi,

Who can take any form,

Who is the bestower of  all boons,

And I start learning now,

With the prayer to her,

To make it very effective.

6,Before eating any food , we pray   that all our actions are  actions of God.

Brahmarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmagnau Brahmanaahutam
Brahmaiva Tena Ghantavyam
Brahmakarma Samadhina

The giving away is God  , the food offering is God  ,

It is  offered  by God  in to the  fire of the God,

We are  moving   towards  God ,

Meditating  that  we are doing action of God.

 7.Prayer  to Thulasi plant

Thulasi or ocimum plant is venerated by every Hindu and is invariably grown in the courtyard of every house.After lighting up the lamp he is supposed to clean up the thulasi plant and water it while reciting the following prayer:-

 Thulasi shree sakhi shubhe , papa haarini punyade,

Namasthe Naradanuthe , Namo Narayana priye.

Oh , Holy Thulasi,

Bosom friend of Lakshmi,

Destroyer of sins,

Bestower of blessings,

Salutations to thee,

Who is praised by sage Narada,

And is the darling of Lord Narayana

8.When you see  the lighted lamp

     A lighted lamp removes darkness and is comparable to god   who removes ignorance .Hindus light  a lamp   for every worship.Here  is a prayer to the  lighted lamp

Shubham karothi  Kalyanam,

Aarogyam  Dhana  Sampadha ,

Sathru  budhi vinasanaya

Deepa jyothir namo nama

I salute  the flame of the lamp  , for performance of good deeds,

For health, wealth  , riches and for destruction of enemies

9.Then he prays to the banyan tree which is the holy tree providing him with shade , happiness and prosperity,

Aswatha vruksha sthuthi(Prayer to the banyan tree)

Moolatho brahma roopaya  madhyatho visnu roopine,

Agratha  Shiva roopaya , vruksha rajaya the nama.

Salutations to the king of trees,

Whose roots are Lord Brahma,

Whose stem is Lord Vishnu,

And whose crown is Lord Shiva.

10.Before retiring  to sleep

         Before  you start  sleeping you beg the pardon of the God   for   all sins committed unknowingly throughout  the day.

Kara charana krutham vaak kayajam karmajam vaa,

Sravana nayanajam vaa maanasam vaa aparadham,

Vihithamavihitham vaa sarva methath Kshamaswa,

Jaya Jaya katunabdhe sri Mahadeva Shambho.

Please pardon Oh lord

All those acts committed by me,

By hands, by action, by body or

By hearing, by my sight, or by my mind,

Whether they are proper or improper..

Victory oh victory, Oh, ocean of mercy,

Oh, The greatest of Gods and Oh benevolent one.